Minnesota Department of Commerce

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is the governmental agency in the U.S. State of Minnesota responsible for regulating a number of critical businesses that impact the public health and welfare. These include state-licensed or regulated industries such as insurance, real estate, property appraisals, debt collection agencies, financial institutions, commodity weights and measures, and telecommunications.[3] The Department has a history of being closely involved in significant social and political issues concerning the public interest.[4][5]

Minnesota Department of Commerce
Agency overview
Formed1983[1]
JurisdictionMinnesota
Headquarters85 7th Place East, Suite 280
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Agency executive
  • Jessica Looman[2]
Parent agencyState of Minnesota
Websitehttps://mn.gov/commerce/

History

The agency was formed in 1983 from the Commerce Commission, which was a group of three separate commissions on banks, insurance and real estate. This previous body was created by the legislature in 1970.[6]

Functions

The Department of Commerce has numerous functions primarily related to public or consumer protections against regulated industries. These include ensuring the accuracy of weights and scales at gas pumps, advocating for the public interest of public energy and utility issues such as the Line 3 Gas replacement[7] as well as addressing complaints on insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents and appraisers, financial institutions such as banks and others.[8] Consumers can file complaints against providers and an investigation will be performed by the department to determine if any illegal actions occurred.[9]

Notes
  1. "Commerce Department". Minnesota Agencies. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  2. "Meet the Commerce Commissioner and leaders in the Department". About US: Leadership. Minnesota Department of Commerce. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  3. "Abous Us". Commerce About Us Social media. Minnesota Department of Commerce. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  4. Brucato, Cyndy (16 December 2014). "The Minnesota Department of Commerce is an easy political target — and has been for years". MinnPost. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. Steward, Tom. "Is the Minnesota Commerce Department Out of Control?". Thinking Minnesota. Center for the American Experiment. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  6. "Commerce Department". Minnesota Agencies. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  7. "Line 3 Replacement Would be one of States Largest Construction Projects in Recent History". Star Tribune. Star Tribune. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  8. "2013-2014 Commerce Budget Final" (PDF). Minnesota Senate Archive. Minnesota Senate. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  9. "Minnesota Department of Commerce Information". MinnesotaHelp.info. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
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