This bill grants a property tax exemption to the United Way of Bemidji Area for real estate acquired on August 1, 2025, ensuring the organization does not pay taxes on that property in 2026. To receive this benefit, the United Way must submit an application to the county assessor by August 1, 2026, and the state will cover the resulting tax shortfall from its general fund. Additionally, the bill requires the county auditor to issue a refund for any property taxes the United Way already paid for the 2026 tax year. The legislation is effective immediately upon final passage and applies specifically to the United Way of Bemidji Area in Beltrami County.
This Minnesota bill requires businesses selling or distributing software with artificial intelligence to provide specific details to customers before the sale. The law mandates that sellers disclose the names of the AI creators, contact information for technical support, the functions the system performs, the modeling techniques used, and any safety features included. These requirements are designed to increase transparency for consumers purchasing AI technology under state consumer protection laws. The legislation defines artificial intelligence broadly as machine-based systems that can influence physical or virtual environments through their outputs.
This bill, titled "Miscellaneous oversights, inconsistencies, ambiguities, unintended results, and technical errors corrected," amends Minnesota Statutes section 268B.185 to clarify rules for repaying overpaid family and medical leave benefits. It specifies that applicants who receive benefits they are not entitled to must promptly return the funds, and if they fail to do so, the total amount owed - including penalties and interest - can be collected using existing state and federal methods. The legislation also establishes that the changes take effect immediately upon final enactment and aligns the bill's effective date with the provisions it corrects.
This bill allocates supplemental funding to the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development to support jobs and economic development programs. It establishes emergency relief loans for small businesses and creates competitive grants for workforce development and community projects. The legislation also updates construction codes and licensing provisions while appropriating money for these initiatives over the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. Specific allocations include $10 million for business relief loans and $3.5 million for workforce development services.
This bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to issue up to $75 million in bonds to fund capital improvements for arterial bus rapid transit projects. The funds will be distributed to the Metropolitan Council, which must allocate the money based on specific criteria such as project readiness, potential ridership, and alignment with existing transportation plans. The legislation covers costs for acquiring real property, designing and engineering the transitways, relocating utilities, and constructing the necessary facilities. Once passed, the commissioner of management and budget will sell the bonds to generate the required capital for these transportation enhancements.
This bill directs the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to receive $15 million in funding for the local public housing program, with half coming from state bonds and the other half from the general fund. The money must be used specifically for qualified capital projects, such as repairs or improvements to existing public housing. The state will issue up to $15 million in bonds to help pay for this portion of the funding, following established legal procedures for state borrowing. The bill takes effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.
This bill authorizes the state to issue up to $1.8 million in bonds to fund improvements for the National Service Park in Plainview. The funds will be used to construct, furnish, and equip the Military and Peace Corps Plazas within the park. Once the bonds are sold, the money will be given to the city of Plainview to carry out these construction projects. The legislation takes effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.
This bill prohibits the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board from charging a $57 application processing fee to individuals seeking a lifetime substitute teaching license. While other teaching license applicants must still pay this fee, the change specifically exempts those applying for substitute teaching credentials, though they may still be required to pay for a background study. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and aims to reduce financial barriers for substitute educators without altering fee structures for other license types.
HF 5070 creates a grant program to help Minnesota communities and organizations transition away from using unlined landfills for construction and demolition waste. The bill establishes two funding accounts, one in the bond proceeds fund and another in the general fund, to provide financial assistance for building new infrastructure that processes, recycles, or safely closes these waste sites. Eligible recipients include cities, counties, and other local governments, as well as private entities, with grants covering up to 75 percent of project costs for new facilities and up to 50 percent for closing existing unlined landfills. Preference is given to projects that serve environmental justice areas, reduce waste disposal, and protect human health and the environment. To finance this initiative, the state will issue bonds and appropriate $118 million from both the general fund and bond proceeds for fiscal year 2027.
This bill modifies Minnesota law to allow county boards of commissioners to enter into agreements with other government units for services that those units are authorized to provide themselves. It also grants county sheriffs the authority to sign specific agreements with federal agencies to perform certain functions without needing prior approval from the county board. These changes clarify the rules for intergovernmental cooperation while maintaining the general requirement that parties to such agreements must share common powers.
This bill updates Minnesota's campaign finance and ethics laws by increasing reporting thresholds for certain political contributions and clarifying deadlines for filing financial disclosure statements. It directly affects public officials, local candidates, and campaign committees operating in the state, particularly those in the seven-county metropolitan area and cities with over 50,000 residents. Key provisions include extending the time for candidates to file statements of economic interest from 14 days to 60 days after election filing, requiring officials to disclose potential conflicts of interest in writing, and expanding the definition of metropolitan governmental units to include additional agencies. The legislation also makes technical adjustments to align local candidate reporting requirements with state-level standards and ensures consistent data handling procedures for election officials.
This bill modifies Minnesota housing laws to regulate how landlords handle final utility billing for tenants leaving their units and to improve protections for tenants using digital payment systems. For tenants moving out, landlords can issue estimated final utility bills based on the previous billing period if the actual bill hasn't arrived, while limiting additional fees to specific administrative charges and late fees tied only to the prior period. The bill also requires landlords to offer alternative payment methods when digital platforms fail and prohibits eviction or late fees if both the digital system and the provided alternative are nonfunctional. These changes directly affect landlords and tenants in Minnesota by clarifying billing procedures and strengthening tenant protections against payment system failures.
