SF 4296 Minnesota Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Public hearings and certain disclosures prior to approval of data center development requirement

This bill requires Minnesota municipalities to hold at least two public hearings before approving the construction of new data centers. The legislation mandates that specific information about the proposed facility be disclosed to the public at least 48 hours before each hearing, including details about the applicant, the end user, the site location and size, security guard arrangements, and utility requirements. These disclosure rules apply regardless of any private agreements that might otherwise restrict information sharing. The law takes effect on August 1, 2026, and applies to data center agreements entered into on or after that date.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 9, 2026 Last action Mar 18, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction 1st Engrossment · 2 edits · Mar 18, 2026
MINOR
The bill title and version were updated to reflect its first engrossment status, and the posting date was changed to March 19, 2026. The most significant policy change is the expansion of the bill's applicability to data center agreements, ensuring that the new requirements apply to contracts entered into on or before the effective date of August 1, 2026, rather than only to future agreements.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include data center agreements that were negotiated or signed prior to the law's effective date, ensuring retroactive coverage for pending deals.
TIMELINE

The effective date clause was modified to explicitly state that the new requirements apply to agreements entered into before, on, or after August 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated from 'Introduction' to '1st Engrossment' and the posting date was changed from March 18 to March 19, 2026.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Comm report: To pass as amended
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to State and Local Government
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Introduced
Introduction and first reading
upper
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors