MARSHALL — A range of new Minnesota laws, covering subjects from health coverage to firearms, are set to take effect with the new year. According to a release from the Minnesota House of Representatives, one of the new laws could have an impact for elections in college towns like Marshall.

Starting Jan. 1, colleges and universities will be able to request an on-campus polling place for absentee voting.

The new law applies to colleges and universities that have on-campus housing for at least 100 students. If the university or its student government organization requests, they can have a designated polling place on campus for state general elections or off-year city elections. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office will reimburse local election officials for the costs of operating a temporary polling place.

So far, there hasn’t been discussion of specific plans to have a polling place on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University, said Nathan Polfliet, associate vice president for advancement at SMSU.

However, he said, “We do try to help our students as much as we can.”

This year, SMSU’s Center for Civic and Community Engagement held a voter engagement initiative, Polfliet said. The Mustangs Vote initiative helped provide students with information like how to register to vote, and where to cast their ballots.

“Student voter participation has been very good at SMSU,” Polfliet said.

Having an on-campus polling place could help make things more convenient for students. Polfliet said SMSU may explore what would make the most sense for the university.

More information on all the new Minnesota laws that will take effect in 2025 is available online from Minnesota’s nonpartisan House Public Information Services. Earlier this month, the Minnesota House of Representatives released a list of some of the upcoming changes. They include:

Protections for online ticket buyers

The “Ticketing Fairness Act” includes extra consumer protections for people buying concert and event tickets online. Sellers are required to use “all-in pricing” to make sure ticket buyers know the total cost of a ticket up front. The act also bans deceptive advertising and speculative ticket pricing.

Cost-sharing for prescription drugs

A new law will limit the cost for certain prescription drugs for diseases like diabetes and asthma. Health plans will have to keep patient co-pays for those drugs at $25 for a one-month supply. There will also be a $50 per month limit for related medical supplies like insulin pens and pumps, EpiPens and asthma inhalers.

New health coverage mandates

Health plans must provide coverage for abortions and abortion-related services. Under the new law, some organizations are allowed to not cover benefits for abortions due to religious objections. Another new law requires health plans to cover medically necessary gender-affirming care. However, nonprofits and certain kinds of religious organizations will be exempt from covering gender-affirming care based on religious objections.

Tenants can organize for better conditions

Tenant associations can organize to improve their housing conditions in Minnesota. The law will also prohibit landlords from retaliating against tenant groups if they report code violations or speak out about their living conditions.

Binary triggers banned

Guns with binary triggers will be prohibited in Minnesota. A binary trigger allows a firearm to shoot one shot on the pull of the trigger, and a second shot when the trigger is released.