This bill establishes a process for state agencies to temporarily withhold payments from program participants suspected of committing fraud. It directly affects individuals and organizations receiving state or federal funds, requiring agencies to provide written notice at least 24 hours before withholding payments and outlining the reasons for the decision. The bill defines fraud as intentional deception to obtain benefits and sets a maximum withholding period of 60 days, while also protecting data related to fraud investigations and allowing recipients to appeal the decision through existing legal procedures.
This bill expands survivor benefits for public safety officers in Minnesota by including deaths caused by exposure-related cancers as "killed in the line of duty." It directly affects families of public safety officers who develop specific cancers linked to carcinogens encountered during their work. The legislation defines exposure-related cancer to include 21 types such as lung, bladder, and leukemia cancers, and establishes criteria requiring exposure to occur while on duty, a minimum five-year service period before diagnosis, and a maximum 15-year window between last active service and cancer diagnosis. The bill also creates a legal presumption that these cancers directly resulted from occupational exposure unless medical evidence proves otherwise, and sets up a review process to update the list of covered cancers every three years.
This bill strengthens Minnesota's regulations on the handling of infectious or pathological waste by requiring immediate notification when such waste is mistakenly sent to unapproved facilities, mandating unannounced inspections of waste generators, and establishing significant financial penalties for violations. Facilities that receive infectious waste must report the incident to state officials with details about the waste and its source, while generators must conduct annual internal audits to ensure compliance with management plans. Penalties for unlawful transport start at $200,000 for a first offense and increase to up to $2 million for subsequent violations, with half of collected fines directed to the facility that received the waste. The legislation also allocates $50,000 to create training materials for proper waste management and disposal practices.
This bill increases funding for student support personnel in Minnesota schools by raising the per-pupil allowance amounts and establishing minimum funding floors for districts and charter schools. It directly affects independent school districts, special districts, charter schools, and cooperative units by adjusting how much money they receive for staff like counselors, nurses, and social workers. The law sets specific dollar amounts for the per-student allowance in 2025, 2026, 2027, and beyond, while also requiring districts to reserve funds in their balances and limiting cooperative aid to actual expenditures. Additionally, the bill appropriates state money to cover these increased funding levels for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
This bill establishes a new state wealth tax in Minnesota that would apply to individuals and trusts with taxable wealth exceeding $10 million. The tax would be calculated as one percent of the amount above that threshold, based on the total value of all property owned within Minnesota minus any debts owed by the taxpayer. Property values would be determined using the same valuation methods used for federal estate taxes, and the tax would apply to both residents and nonresidents who own property in the state. The legislation would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and would be collected in addition to existing state taxes.
This bill modifies Minnesota's eviction notice requirements for nonpayment of rent, directly affecting landlords and residential tenants. It requires landlords to provide written notices specifying the total amount due, a detailed accounting of rent and fees, and specific statements about legal aid resources and financial assistance programs. The notice must now give tenants 30 days (instead of 14) to pay or vacate before eviction action, aligning with the state's effective date of July 1, 2026. Landlords must deliver notices personally or by mail to the tenant's address at the leased premises.
SF 3600 establishes a lifetime ban on firearm possession for individuals convicted of certain misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor domestic assault offenses in Minnesota. The bill directly affects people found guilty of these specific domestic violence-related assaults, prohibiting them from owning or possessing firearms for life. It amends Minnesota Statutes to implement this ban, changing existing law to require that such convictions automatically trigger the firearm prohibition. The law applies to offenses classified as misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors under Minnesota's domestic assault statutes, not felony domestic violence cases. This is a substantive policy change to restrict firearm access for a specific category of domestic violence offenders.
HF 3403 allocates $44 million for counties and $6 million for Tribal governments in fiscal year 2026 to provide emergency rental assistance. It requires counties and Tribal governments to use these funds solely for rental assistance to eligible households meeting three criteria: income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, Minnesota residency, and homelessness or imminent housing crisis. Funds must be distributed within 15 days of the bill's effective date and spent within 180 days, with unspent money returned to the state general fund. This one-time appropriation directly supports low-income renters facing housing instability across Minnesota.
This bill (SF 3565) requires landlords in Minnesota to give prospective tenants the right to view a rental unit before signing a lease. Landlords must notify tenants of this option and allow either in-person visits or remote electronic viewings upon request. The law voids any lease agreement that waives this right, and tenants can recover triple damages (or $1,000, whichever is greater) plus attorney fees for violations. It directly affects landlords and renters in Minnesota housing transactions.
HF 3490 authorizes Minnesota to participate in a federal tax credit program by establishing rules for scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These SGOs must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits that spend at least 90% of funds on student scholarships, verify household income, prioritize returning students/siblings, and avoid targeting specific students. Organizations must report annually to the Minnesota Department of Education, which will post a public list of approved SGOs. The bill clarifies it does not grant schools additional control over nonpublic schools or their students.
HF 3793 requires large groundwater users (those exceeding 100 million gallons annually or 50% of a municipality's current water allocation) to apply for their own water-use permits instead of modifying existing municipal permits. This affects industrial and commercial entities, including data centers, whose water use meets these thresholds. Key provisions include mandatory public comment periods for new permits, potential aquifer testing, and monthly reporting for threshold users - compared to annual reporting for smaller users. The bill aims to strengthen oversight of significant groundwater withdrawals while ensuring public input and watershed protection.
This bill requires Minnesota's commissioner of transportation to apply for federal funding to develop two new passenger rail routes: one from St. Paul to Fargo, North Dakota, and another from St. Paul to Kansas City, Missouri (with stops in Northfield, Albert Lea, and Des Moines, Iowa). It appropriates $1 million in fiscal year 2026 for planning, application costs, and state matching funds to secure federal grants for these routes. The funding covers activities like environmental analysis, cost estimates, and service development planning under the federal Corridor Identification and Development Program. The bill directly affects Minnesota's transportation agency and communities along the proposed rail corridors. The $1 million is a one-time allocation available until June 2028 for Minnesota's share of project costs.
