ST. PAUL — Minnesota is set to make exemptions in its metal ban for keys and types of paint, after industry leaders said the ban had effectively made their products illegal.

In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature passed a metal ban that made it illegal to import, manufacture, sell, hold for sale, distribute or offer products that contained certain amounts of lead and cadmium. After lawmakers and key manufacturers said at a press conference on May 13 that the ban has effectively made keys illegal, the Legislature prepared to pass exemptions for keys and paint in the upcoming special session.

The exemption made its way into the omnibus commerce budget bill agreement, posted on May 29. The bill, if passed, will exempt keys until 2028; after that, all keys must “contain lead equal to or le

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