Legislators agree to lift lead limits that had made most key sales in Minnesota illegal

Minnesota lawmakers have struck a deal that will roll back tight limits on lead and cadmium that had made the sales of keys and artists’ paint illegal.

Although the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency had not yet enforced the limits, which went into effect last year after the Legislature passed them into law in 2023, industry groups had in recent weeks pushed legislators to loosen them.

Last week, lawmakers included language in a broader commerce budget bill that will exempt keys from lead limits until July 2028. After that, the limits will be raised from the .009 % by total weight standard set by the 2023 law to 1.5% by total weight — a standard the industry has said it can meet.

“Our alteration to lead key prohibitions and cadmium prohibitions, I think, were worked out with common sense and the needs of Minnesotans in mind and will also hold down costs for Minnesotans,” said Sen Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights.

The MPCA declined to comment.

The bill also allows for the sale of some artistic paints that contain cadmium.

“Retailers value the thoughtful work legislators are doing to preserve safety, common sense, and consumer access — and we look forward to continued collaboration to make sure Minnesota law works for everyone," Bruce Nustad, president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, said in a statement.

Some legislators said the 2023 law, which was more than 400 pages long and covered a wide variety of environmental policy and budget issues, has had “unintended consequences.”

Rep. Tim O’Driscoll, R-Sartell, the co-chair of the commerce working group that agreed to the language, said last week that the group’s number one concern should be to provide a “predictable and orderly” business environment in the state.

“We’ve done a pretty darn good job this year,” he said.

Gov. Tim Walz still needs to reconvene the Legislature in a special session to pass this and other budget bills. He said last week he expected that would happen soon. State leaders have until July 1 to finish budget work and avoid a partial state government shutdown.