This bill authorizes the Minnesota Historical Society to transfer surplus land in Washington County to the city of Marine on Saint Croix for free. The transfer requires approval from the Historical Society's Executive Council and allows the director to make minor corrections to the legal description of the property. The specific land being conveyed is a defined parcel within Block 47 of the Marine plat, located in Washington County. The legislation takes effect the day after it is passed.
This bill authorizes the sale of up to $5.3 million in state bonds to fund the reconstruction of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis, specifically between North Lyndale Avenue and West River Road North. The funds will be provided as a grant to Hennepin County to cover design, construction, engineering, and reconstruction costs for the project. The commissioner of management and budget is directed to issue the bonds in accordance with existing state laws and constitutional requirements. The legislation takes effect the day after it is passed by the legislature.
This bill modifies Minnesota's agritourism liability laws to explicitly include off-road vehicle trails as a protected agritourism activity. The legislation defines agritourism activities to encompass off-road vehicle trails alongside existing activities like farming and winemaking, and clarifies that participants engaging in these trails are covered under the state's inherent risks immunity provisions. Key provisions establish that farms and ranches offering off-road vehicle trails are protected from liability for injuries resulting from natural hazards, animal behavior, or ordinary equipment dangers, provided participants understand these inherent risks. The changes apply to incidents occurring on or after August 1, 2026, and affect farms, ranches, and individuals participating in off-road vehicle trail activities in Minnesota.
This bill allows county commissioners in Minnesota to join the state's health care savings plan, which helps cover medical expenses after retirement. Under the new rules, commissioners who choose to participate must have their pay reduced during their term to match the county's contribution amount, and they must notify their county of their contribution level within 30 days of starting office. The plan requires that contributions be held in trust for eligible health expenses and gives participants control over how their savings are invested from a limited set of options. This change applies only to county commissioners and does not create new funding obligations for the state or require negotiations with employee unions.
This bill authorizes the City of Elk River to impose a local sales tax of 0.5% to help fund a new fire station. The tax requires voter approval at a general election and would generate revenue specifically designated for financing construction costs up to $20 million, plus associated bond expenses. The legislation also increases the city's bonding authority from $35 million to $55 million to cover project costs and exempts the bond issuance from certain state debt limits and separate voter approval requirements. Once enacted, the city and its clerk must follow state procedures to implement these changes before the tax and bonding authority take effect.
This bill makes Minnesota's paid family and medical leave program optional for both employers and employees. Employers can choose not to participate by submitting a form to the state, and employees can opt out by notifying their employer and the state agency. Both parties can change their decision once every 12 months, and employees who opt out can still participate as self-employed individuals. The law allows individuals to decide for themselves whether to join the program rather than requiring mandatory participation.
This bill modifies how Minnesota handles eligibility renewals for medical assistance, specifically extending timelines for employed individuals with disabilities. It requires agencies to send renewal forms at least 60 days before an eligibility period ends and allows an additional 30 days for those unable to respond due to good cause. The legislation also permits reinstatement of coverage within four months after termination if the required information is submitted, and mandates that termination notices include appeal rights information. These changes aim to reduce gaps in coverage for people who work while receiving disability benefits.
This bill allocates $50 million from the Minnesota Forward Fund to support the construction and operation of a nanoparticle iron nitride permanent magnet manufacturing facility. The funds are intended to match existing federal money available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 and will be managed by the commissioner of employment and economic development. Up to two percent of the appropriation may be used for administrative costs, and any unspent money will be returned to the general fund by June 30, 2030. The legislation is designed to promote economic development by establishing this specific manufacturing capability in Minnesota.
This bill creates a voluntary state statistics literacy graduation seal for high school students in Minnesota who demonstrate proficiency in statistics and data interpretation. To earn the seal, students must achieve a qualifying score on an approved assessment and meet all required statistics standards, with schools recording the achievement on transcripts and optionally adding it to diplomas without charging fees. The legislation requires the state education commissioner to identify approved assessments by August 2027 and directs Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to establish criteria for awarding college credits to seal recipients by August 2028.
This bill modifies Minnesota family law to establish a rebuttable presumption that it is in a child's best interest to maximize their time with each parent, aiming to maintain strong parent-child relationships. It requires courts to include specific schedules for regular parenting time, including holidays and school breaks, and mandates written findings when deviating from the 50 percent time presumption. The bill outlines specific circumstances under which courts may deviate from equal time, such as parental mental illness, substance use issues, scheduling conflicts, distance between parents, or special needs of the child. Additionally, it creates a standardized form for self-represented parents to request parenting time modifications and requires courts to assess each parent's ability to comply with the awarded schedule.
This bill modifies Minnesota's existing rule that generally prohibits employers from asking about job applicants' past pay history. It creates an exception allowing employers to inquire about pay history when that information is already a matter of public record under federal or state law, provided the employer did not seek access specifically to determine the applicant's compensation. The legislation also clarifies that applicants can voluntarily share their pay history without being prompted, and employers may consider such voluntarily disclosed information to offer higher wages. Additionally, the bill preserves existing rights to bring wage discrimination claims and allows employers to discuss wage expectations and provide information about offered compensation.
This bill proposes a property tax exemption for specific electric generation facilities in Minnesota. It would apply to natural gas-powered plants with a capacity between 40 and 50 megawatts that are owned by municipal power agencies and located outside the metropolitan area. To qualify, the facility must be built between January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2030, be situated within 1,000 feet of an existing natural gas pipeline, address a resource shortage identified in an integrated resource plan, and receive approval from the city and county where it is located. The exemption would cover attached machinery and personal property at the facility but would not include transmission lines, interconnections, or gas pipelines. The tax exemption would begin with property taxes payable in 2030.
