Laws 2024, chapter 114 (S.F. 4097), article 3, section 78: medical debt collectors may not keep using AI chat bots after a debtor asks them to stop (Minn. Stat. 332C.02)

Summary

Minnesota's 2024 medical debt law (chapter 332C, enacted in the 2024 commerce act) lists practices a party collecting medical debt must not engage in. One of them is communicating with a debtor about medical debt by automatic telephone dialing system or artificial or prerecorded voice after the debtor has told the collector to stop using them, and the statute says that category includes artificial intelligence chat bots as well as the federal TCPA meaning. A collecting party is anyone collecting medical debt, other than parties complying with a court order or statutory duty to garnish. A violating collector is strictly liable to the debtor for actual damages, additional damages of up to $1,000 per violation (indexed to inflation) and costs and fees, trebled for willful and malicious violations; the Attorney General may also enforce the chapter.

Key dates

1. May 21, 2024Enacted
2. October 1, 2024Takes effect
3. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
4. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: October 16, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice includes but is not limited to (i) artificial intelligence chat bots

   Supports: AI chat bots covered

   after the debtor expressly informs the collecting party to cease communication utilizing an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice

   Supports: Trigger: debtor's request to stop

   2024 332C.02 New 2024 c 114 art 3 s 78

   Supports: Session law citation

   Minn. Stat. 332C.02, Prohibited practices Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes Primary source

2. "Collecting party" means a party engaged in collecting medical debt.

   Supports: Who it applies to

   Minn. Stat. 332C.01, Definitions Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes Primary source

3. additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding $1,000 per violation

   Supports: Damages

   The attorney general may enforce this chapter under section 8.31

   Supports: Attorney General enforcement

   Minn. Stat. 332C.05, Enforcement Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes Primary source

4. This section is effective October 1, 2024.

   Supports: Effective date (clause closing section 78)

   Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 114 (S.F. 4097) Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes Primary source