Operating referendum ballot notice modified, and authority for the school board to renew a referendum without seeking voter approval unless notice requirements are met eliminated.

This bill modifies how Minnesota school districts must notify voters about operating referendums and changes the rules for renewing these levies without a new vote. It requires that ballot notices for renewing existing levies at the same per-pupil rate must now state that the referendum may be renewed once by the school board, while also updating the standard notice language to reflect this possibility. Under new provisions, a school board can renew an expiring referendum without seeking voter approval only if the original ballot included a specific renewal statement and the new per-pupil amount matches the expiring rate or follows the original inflation adjustment. These changes to the notification process and renewal authority will take effect for referenda conducted on or after July 1, 2026.