This bill establishes a new low-interest student loan program in Minnesota to help eligible students cover educational costs. The program provides loans with a maximum interest rate of three percent, with annual borrowing limits of $5,000 and a lifetime cap of $20,000 per student. Eligibility is restricted to Minnesota residents attending public or not-for-profit institutions in the state whose household income does not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The state will fund the program with $17.5 million in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, and the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education will manage the loans and related administrative tasks.
This bill requires the Minnesota workforce development board to create a subcommittee that reviews applications from nonprofit organizations and recommends which ones should receive funding from the workforce development fund. The subcommittee must conduct outreach to inform nonprofits about the application process and evaluate applicants based on their legal standing, financial transparency, past funding history, employee compensation, and track record of success. After reviewing applications, the subcommittee must submit a report to the legislature by January 1 of each odd-numbered year starting in 2027, detailing recommended funding amounts and purposes grouped by service type. The bill amends existing state law to establish this new reporting and review process for workforce development fund appropriations.
This bill requires Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to enforce stricter financial penalties and late fees for campaign finance violations, affecting political committees, candidates, and campaign treasurers. It defines specific terms like "enhanced penalties" for significant violations and "total contributions" and "total disbursements" to clarify what must be reported and tracked. The legislation mandates that the board must impose civil penalties rather than having discretion, prohibits waiving enhanced penalties except for good cause in limited cases, and requires annual reporting on enforcement actions. Additionally, it increases penalties for knowingly submitting false reports or failing to maintain accurate financial records, with fines calculated as multiples of the amounts involved rather than fixed dollar amounts.
This bill creates a refundable sales tax exemption for construction materials and equipment used to build Minnesota's Blue Line Extension light rail transit line and its associated facilities. Under the new provision, taxes collected on these purchases will be refunded to the governmental entity responsible for the project, rather than being waived at the point of sale. The exemption applies to materials for stations, park-and-ride lots, maintenance facilities, and other transit infrastructure, with refunds available starting July 1, 2029. The measure takes effect for purchases made after June 30, 2026, and aligns the Blue Line Extension with existing refundable tax exemptions for other public infrastructure projects.
This bill prohibits individuals from falsely claiming to represent real or nonexistent political candidates, parties, or organizations when speaking, writing, or soliciting money with intent to defraud. It applies to anyone making such misrepresentations or conspiring to do so, including those acting on behalf of political committees or funds. Violations are classified as gross misdemeanors and allow injured parties to seek civil damages, investigation costs, attorney fees, and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation through court action. The law also clarifies that complaints about these specific violations bypass the standard administrative complaint process and go directly to enforcement authorities. The bill takes effect on August 1, 2025, for crimes committed on or after that date.
This bill allows property owners in Minnesota to choose a different legal process for appealing damage assessments in watershed district and drainage authority projects. Instead of using the current administrative review process, affected property owners can elect to have their damage appeals handled through the state's standard eminent domain procedures under Chapter 117. The bill applies specifically to projects financed by watershed districts and drainage authorities, giving property owners the option to request an appraisal and negotiation process before potentially moving to a full court proceeding if an agreement cannot be reached. Property owners must file their appeal within 30 days of the damage determination order, and if they choose this new process, they cannot simultaneously pursue the traditional administrative appeal route.
This bill modifies how money recovered in consumer protection cases is handled in Minnesota by removing a previous cap on deposits and establishing new limits on how much individual consumers can receive. It requires that 50% of recovered funds be deposited into the consumer protection restitution account without a dollar limit, while the remaining 50% goes to the state's general fund. The law also sets distribution rules so that eligible consumers can receive up to $50,000 in full compensation, or 50% of any amount exceeding that threshold. These changes affect the Minnesota Attorney General's office and consumers who have received restitution orders for consumer protection violations.
This bill requires the state to update its building code to permit apartment buildings with only one stairway exit, a change that would affect residential construction and renovation projects. The legislation mandates that the commissioner adopt specific rules by April 1, 2027, based on recommendations from a 2025 study on single-exit stairway apartment buildings. While the bill does not establish the exact safety standards, it directs officials to follow the study's final recommendations when creating the necessary regulations. This change aims to provide more flexibility in apartment design while ensuring compliance with the safety guidelines developed through the mandated study process.
This bill authorizes the City of Audubon to impose a 0.5% local sales and use tax if approved by voters in a special election. The collected tax revenue would be used to cover the costs of collecting the tax itself and to fund up to $3 million for a Fire Hall Project, with the option to issue bonds to help finance the construction. The tax would automatically expire after 20 years or once the project costs and bond expenses are fully paid, with any remaining funds going to the city's general fund. The legislation also allows the city to issue bonds without being subject to certain state debt limits and without requiring a separate voter approval for the bonds themselves.
This bill authorizes the operation of autonomous vehicles and on-demand autonomous vehicle networks on Minnesota public roads. It directly affects transportation companies, vehicle manufacturers, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety by allowing these technologies to function legally within the state. The legislation establishes clear definitions for key terms like "autonomous vehicle," "automated driving system," and "minimal risk condition" to create a regulatory framework for how these vehicles operate. It also empowers state officials to create specific rules governing autonomous vehicle safety, testing, and deployment standards. The bill focuses on defining operational requirements rather than mandating immediate widespread adoption.
This bill requires Minnesota state officials to study whether it is possible to create a program that helps people keep receiving certain benefits while they transition out of eligibility due to increased earnings. By January 15, 2026, the commissioners of human services and children, youth, and families must submit a report to legislative committees outlining which existing programs could participate in this demonstration project. The report must examine specific factors such as income limits, budget neutrality, and the number of counties that could join the initiative. The study will focus on programs like medical assistance, child care assistance, and housing support to determine how to reduce sudden benefit losses when individuals earn more money. This legislation does not immediately change any programs but instead directs officials to analyze and report on the feasibility of such a transition system.
This bill creates a new Hazard Mitigation Fund to provide grants to Minnesota local governments, including counties, cities, and school districts, for projects that reduce risks from emergencies like floods or storms. The program allows these eligible applicants to receive funding for planning activities, feasibility studies, and construction of mitigation projects that protect critical infrastructure and lower future costs. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate local commitment through official resolutions and match at least 25 percent of project costs using cash, donated materials, or volunteer labor. The bill also establishes an annual application process and permits funds to serve as the local share for federal disaster assistance programs.
