This bill requires Minnesota's legislative auditor to perform a cost-benefit analysis comparing sustainable building standards with traditional construction methods for state-funded projects. The analysis must evaluate four specific green building guidelines: LEED ratings, ASHRAE standards, Energy Star requirements, and the International Green Construction Code. The auditor will submit findings to legislative committee chairs and ranking minority members by January 15, 2027. The bill also allocates one-time funding from the state general fund to cover the cost of conducting this study in fiscal year 2027.
This bill establishes a propane school bus deployment program in Minnesota to help school districts and transportation providers purchase propane-fueled school buses. It creates a grant system where eligible applicants, including school districts and transportation service providers, can apply for funding to buy propane school buses, with priority given to districts serving high-poverty or rural communities. The program requires applicants to demonstrate financial need, readiness to operate the buses for at least five years, and a plan to prioritize deployment in areas with many students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The state will provide technical assistance to help districts develop and execute their projects, and the commissioner must issue grant requests at least twice annually.
This bill modifies Minnesota's escort requirements for oversized loads, specifically addressing manufactured and modular homes. It clarifies that when a licensed peace officer requires an escort beyond standard rules, that officer cannot personally provide the escort or be paid for it. Instead, the state commissioner of public safety must cover the escort costs from existing department funds and create a process to do so. The legislation also clarifies that briefly crossing the centerline during transport does not count as extending beyond the left side for escort determination purposes. These changes directly affect transportation companies moving large homes and the state public safety department.
This bill allows cannabis license holders in Minnesota to transport cannabis products and hemp-derived consumer products to testing facilities for quality testing purposes. It directly affects cannabis microbusinesses, mezzobusinesses, cultivators, and manufacturers by adding this transportation activity to their list of authorized actions under state law. The change removes previous restrictions that may have required these businesses to use third-party transport services for delivering products to testing labs. By explicitly permitting this activity, the bill streamlines operations for licensed cannabis businesses while maintaining oversight through existing testing facility requirements.
This bill requires organizations that receive Minnesota legacy funds to add descriptive alternative text to their websites when displaying the legacy logo. The new requirement applies to recipients of money from the parks and trails fund, outdoor heritage fund, and clean water fund, ensuring that visually impaired users and screen readers can access information about the logo. When users hover over the logo image, the website must include alt text describing the logo, and the logo must link to a page with contact information and a connection to the Legislative Coordinating Commission website. The bill also updates existing accountability measures for legacy fund recipients, including requirements for measurable outcomes, diverse community outreach assessments, and public reporting of non-compliance.
This bill authorizes the Minnesota Historical Society to transfer surplus land in Washington County to the city of Marine on Saint Croix without any payment. The transfer requires approval from the Historical Society's Executive Council and allows the Society to correct legal description errors to ensure accuracy. The specific property being conveyed is a defined tract within Block 47 of the Marine plat, and the law takes effect the day after it is passed.
This bill updates Minnesota's data practices law by clarifying who holds authority over specific welfare system components. It designates responsible authorities for various agencies, including the commissioner of human services for the Department of Human Services and the director of county welfare agencies. The legislation also establishes that these authorities must allow other welfare system entities access to non-public data when needed for program administration or as required by law. This change affects how data sharing is managed across Minnesota's welfare system and which officials are accountable for data decisions.
This bill modifies Minnesota's child care center staff training requirements to ensure all employees receive updated pediatric CPR instruction. It directly affects directors, staff members, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers working in child care centers. The law requires these individuals to complete pediatric CPR training within their first 90 days of employment if they haven't done so in the previous two years, with training repeated every second calendar year. The training must include hands-on practice and skills assessment for infants and children, covering airway obstruction techniques, and must be provided by organizations using nationally recognized guidelines.
This bill establishes a special election process for the Rochester Independent School District No. 535 school board, requiring elections to follow Minnesota Statutes chapter 205A. The legislation allows the district to choose between electing board members at large or dividing the district into separate election districts, with specific ballot formatting rules to prevent incumbent bias. The bill also clarifies how board members take office and handles transitions between different election systems, while designating the law as a special provision that applies only to this specific school district.
This bill prevents state officials from imposing rules that limit how airports in Minnesota distribute fuel to local communities. It specifically bars the commissioner from creating restrictions on fuel purchasing, storage, or facility management at municipal airports. The law allows the state to still provide financial assistance for fuel facilities while removing barriers to local fuel distribution. This change takes effect immediately after the bill is passed.
This bill modifies Minnesota's property tax exemption rules for certain properties owned by federally recognized Indian tribes. It allows property used exclusively as medical clinics to be exempt from property taxes if located in cities with fewer than 100,000 people and owned by a tribe within Minnesota. The exemption is limited to no more than five contiguous parcels totaling 30,000 square feet and does not apply to properties used for housing, apartments, agriculture, or forestry. The changes take effect with the 2027 tax assessment year and the exemption will expire after taxes payable in 2038.
This bill requires Minnesota utilities to consider nuclear power as an option when planning their future energy resources, and it mandates that the state government actively seek federal funding for nuclear power projects. Under the new rules, utilities must include nuclear power in their resource plan filings, and if they decide not to select it as a preferred resource, they must explain their reasoning. Additionally, the state energy department must monitor and apply for all available federal funding related to nuclear-powered plants, and it must report annually to state lawmakers on these applications and any reasons for not pursuing eligible projects. These changes take effect immediately, with the utility planning requirement applying to plans filed after September 1, 2026.
