Jobs and Economic Development

This bill creates a temporary Minnesota Entrepreneurship Task Force to evaluate and improve the state's business environment. The group will include the commissioner of employment and economic development, a labor representative, and ten other members selected for their expertise in areas like small business ownership, education, and financing. Appointed by the commissioner, these unpaid members will meet starting in September 2027 to study barriers to starting a business, such as licensing hurdles, access to capital, and childcare availability. The task force must submit a final report with its findings and recommendations by February 15, 2028, after which the group will dissolve.

This bill modifies how Minnesota workforce development funds are distributed, primarily affecting the Jobs Skills Partnership Board and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. It requires the Jobs Skills Partnership Board to recommend workforce training needs to the state college system, prioritizing programs run by colleges or existing employers before awarding funds to outside organizations. Additionally, the bill clarifies that special assessment money collected for employment and training must be used specifically for workforce development purposes, including incumbent worker training, rather than for general obligations of the Board of Trustees.

This bill establishes the Minnesota Business Recovery Loan Program to provide financial assistance to businesses that have suffered revenue losses exceeding 30% due to staffing shortages or disruptions caused by increased immigration enforcement activities. The program allocates $100 million in one-time funding, with $18 million designated for zero-interest loans to businesses in greater Minnesota and $82 million for zero-interest loans to businesses in the seven-county metropolitan area through nonprofit lenders. To qualify, businesses must be Minnesota-based, in good standing, and demonstrate that their revenue decline stems from immigration-related events between the bill's enactment and December 1, 2025. Loan amounts vary by business size and location, ranging from $25,000 to $200,000, and funds must be used exclusively for business operations within Minnesota rather than debt repayment or real estate investment.

This bill creates a new grant program in Minnesota to help counties, cities, and housing authorities build denser housing and support local economic growth. The state would provide up to 50 percent of the funding for site preparation and necessary public infrastructure, such as water, sewer, and street improvements, while local partners must cover the remaining costs. Grants are restricted to projects that address shortages of workforce or affordable housing and are explicitly excluded from single-family home developments. To receive funding, applicants must demonstrate that their projects will attract significant private investment, benefit the local economy, and hire local workers, with the state retaining the right to cancel grants if projects are not completed within five years.

This bill establishes a new state program in Minnesota to provide financial assistance to families with newborns and their parents or guardians. The program offers a one-time payment of $1,500 for prenatal expenses and monthly payments of $750 for 24 months after the child's birth, adoption, or placement with a legal guardian. Eligibility is based on Minnesota residency and a legal relationship to the child, with no requirements regarding income, assets, or employment status. To receive benefits, applicants must provide documentation from a health care provider, adoption agency, or other approved source verifying the child's status and their relationship to the child. The bill also authorizes the commissioner of employment and economic development to create rules for administering the program and includes funding for its implementation.