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Businesses ‘locked’ out of key to success unless Minnesota lawmakers act

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Published  May 13, 2025 6:35pm CDT
Politics
FOX 9
Lawmakers looking at lead keys laws

Lawmakers looking at lead keys laws

Currently, in Minnesota, your keys could be illegal to replace due to the lead content found in them. Lawmakers this session are still deciding the potential impact the law passed in 2024 could have on small businesses.

The Brief

    • A 2023 state law banned lead in a lot of products including toys, jewelry, cosmetics, and keys. It took effect in Jan. 2024, but the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency isn't enforcing it until this coming July.
    • Key makers and retailers say there aren't viable alternatives at this point. MPCA says some companies have alternatives, but they're recommending the legislature delay enforcement for three years.
    • Bills eliminating the ban on keys are making their way to conference committees for votes, so stakeholders are rallying for change.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The keys in your pocket are already illegal to replace in Minnesota.

Unlocking a business

Enforcement coming soon:

The state isn’t really enforcing a new law yet, but it will start as of July, and a lot of small businesses are hoping to unlock a change before lawmakers go home.

A 2023 law banned the sale of lead in products like jewelry, toys and cosmetics.
The ban included keys, but the people who make keys say there’s no way to do it without a little lead.

"Approximately 75% of all products that we stock have become prohibited for sale," said Rob Justen of Doyle Security Products.

Lead is the key to staying in business for Justen’s business.

But a Minnesota law could lock them out soon.

"It really does make it illegal to sell or replace the very keys that Minnesotans use every day, your house keys, your car keys, your apartment key, your boat key," said Bruce Nustad of the Minnesota Retailers Association.

Slowly unlocking the law

Urgency arriving:

The law banning new lead keys took effect in January 2024, but the sense of urgency is new for retailers and security companies.

"[The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency] has been gracious in its enforcement," Nustad said. "The issue of sort of pending doom hasn't risen until just now."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is trying to take keys out of the ban and their changes are bolted to bills still moving in the legislature’s final week.

No alternative?

Compromising on keys:

Key makers say there’s no viable alternative to make functioning keys, but they’re open to lead limits like California implemented back in 2001.

"Going back to the California standard would legalize every key that's in your pocket today," Justen said.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is saying some companies are already using alternatives, but they’re also recommending a three-year delay in enforcement to give these businesses a chance to catch up with new technology.

PoliticsBusinessMinnesotaSmall Business