Minnesota Bills

This bill proposes increasing reimbursement rates for specific mental health services, such as psychological and neuropsychological testing, to match 100 percent of the Medicare payment rate starting in 2027. It directly affects providers of these services and managed care organizations operating in Minnesota by requiring them to pay at least the same amount as the fee-for-service rate. The legislation also repeals an older rule that capped payments to masters-prepared mental health professionals at 80 percent of the rate paid to doctoral-level professionals. Additionally, the bill includes a provision to adjust managed care contracts if federal approval for the new rates is delayed, ensuring that any rate increases are not lost to the system.

SF 5005 authorizes the state of Minnesota to spend money on capital improvements, such as acquiring and upgrading public land and buildings. The bill allocates specific funds to the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the Department of Education, and the Minnesota State Academies for projects like library construction and asset preservation. It also sets rules for how these funds can be used, including allowing some money for related staff costs and permitting grants to local governments once projects are fully funded.

This bill directs the Minnesota Department of Human Services to begin covering culturally specific health and wellness services for Medicaid enrollees, with coverage starting in 2027 or later, pending federal approval. To ensure the program meets community needs, the bill requires the state to consult with a newly created advisory task force, community leaders, and health organizations before submitting necessary waivers to the federal government. The legislation also mandates that the department report annually to the legislature on how these services affect access to care, quality, and health outcomes, with data broken down by race, ethnicity, age, and location. Additionally, the bill establishes a task force composed of service providers, community representatives, and government officials to guide the implementation and oversight of these new health services.

This bill requires the state to make up for missed disparity reduction aid payments to local governments in Fillmore County for the years 2024 and 2025. The funds will be distributed in 2027 to counties, cities, towns, and special taxing districts, with separate amounts allocated to school districts, ensuring that no jurisdiction's tax levy drops below zero. To cover these payments, the legislation cancels unused appropriations from 2025 and adds new funding to the state budget for fiscal year 2028. The bill also instructs state officials to return any unspent money to the general fund by June 30, 2027.

This bill authorizes Moorhead Area Public Schools to move specific reserve funds into its general budget by June 30, 2026. It allows the district to transfer up to an unspecified amount from its community education revenue reserve and long-term facilities maintenance reserve accounts. The legislation overrides existing state restrictions that normally limit how these funds can be used. This change gives the school district flexibility to reallocate money for general operational needs without needing further approval.

This Senate resolution formally congratulates Brock Grabow, a senior at Barnesville High School, for earning the Eagle Scout rank. The bill recognizes his achievement by noting that he completed a community service project installing a gaga ball pit at McGrath Park and fulfilled all other scouting requirements. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare an official copy of the resolution and send it to Grabow as a gesture of recognition. This measure is a ceremonial acknowledgment rather than a law that changes policy or affects public funding.

This bill authorizes $1.75 million from the state's general fund to help the City of Lakeville replace two retaining walls along the Klamath Trail. The money will be given as a grant to cover the costs of designing the new walls, preparing the site, and demolishing the existing structures. The funds are designated for fiscal year 2027 and will be released to the commissioner of natural resources to distribute to the city.

This bill requires members of the Minnesota State High School League to permit live and recorded video broadcasts of their extracurricular competitions on public access channels. The legislation mandates that the league create a policy ensuring these broadcasts are available through public, educational, or governmental access systems without violating existing contracts. By adding a new subdivision to state statutes, the measure directly impacts high school sports organizations and local public access television providers. The policy must be implemented immediately upon the bill's final enactment.

This bill allocates $2,235,000 in state funds to South Central College to improve classroom and laboratory facilities for its dental assisting program at the North Mankato campus. To finance this project, the state will issue bonds with a maximum amount of $2,235,000, which will be repaid over time through future bond proceeds. The funds are designated for designing, renovating, and equipping the necessary educational spaces to support the program's operations.

This bill modifies Minnesota's medical licensing laws to allow physicians who serve as faculty at accredited medical schools to receive a full and unrestricted license. To qualify, these doctors must complete their service agreement while practicing medicine, maintain good standing with the state, and provide recommendations from both a qualified physician and their current employer. Additionally, the bill requires them to pass specific steps of the national medical licensing examinations within three attempts and complete 20 hours of continuing medical education. The changes directly affect physicians employed by medical schools in Minnesota who are currently operating under restricted licenses.

This bill authorizes the replacement of the boiler system at South Central College's North Mankato campus by providing $6.925 million in funding. The money will come from a state bond sale, which the commissioner of management and budget is directed to issue. The funds are specifically designated for designing, constructing, and equipping the new boiler system for the college.

This bill clarifies how nursing facilities in Breckenridge and Moorhead, Minnesota, calculate rate adjustments to match payments given to similar facilities in neighboring states. It requires these nonprofit facilities to apply once every year for an additional payment based on the difference between their current rates and the lowest rates in adjacent cities across state lines. The law sets specific deadlines for submitting these applications and states that the new calculation method will apply retroactively starting January 1, 2026.