Minnesota Bills

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5046: Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council elimination

This bill eliminates the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council in Minnesota and transfers its regulatory duties to the Department of Commerce. The legislation redefines how conflicts of interest are handled for officials reviewing drug prices and mandates that the Commerce Commissioner identify specific high-cost prescription drugs based on set criteria like price increases and total cost. Additionally, the bill appropriates $1.75 million to the Department of Commerce for these new responsibilities while reducing funding for the Department of Health to reflect the transfer of staff and authority.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5154: Small businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, or other nonbinary gender or sexual identification addition to the list of targeted group businesses for the purposes of state procurement

This bill updates Minnesota state procurement rules to include small businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, or nonbinary individuals as "targeted group businesses." It requires the commissioner of administration to designate these businesses for state purchasing if there is a statistical disparity in their participation compared to their availability in the state. The law also allows for individual businesses to be included if discrimination based on race, gender, or disability has hindered their ability to serve public agencies. Additionally, the bill clarifies that these designations are administrative decisions rather than formal rules subject to standard rulemaking procedures.

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5169: Lakeville Klamath Trail retaining walls replacement bond issue and appropriation

This bill authorizes the issuance of state bonds to raise up to $850,000 for replacing two retaining walls along the south side of Klamath Trail in Lakeville. The funds will be used to demolish the existing walls and construct new ones, including necessary site preparation. The money will be distributed as a grant to the city of Lakeville through the commissioner of natural resources. This measure is a capital investment project designed to improve infrastructure in a specific area of the city.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5168: Baby brain builder tool kits funding appropriation

This bill proposes allocating $1 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to support early learning resources for new parents. The funds would be given to the commissioner of children, youth, and families, who would then grant the money to the organization Minnesota Rally to Read. The organization is authorized to distribute baby brain builder tool kits specifically to families with newborn children. The legislation has been introduced and referred to the Health and Human Services committee for review.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5164: Newport water treatment improvements bond issue and appropriation

This bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to issue up to $2 million in bonds to fund water treatment improvements for the city of Newport. The funds will be used to help Newport design, build, and equip a new municipal well through a grant provided by the Public Facilities Authority. Once passed, the state will sell these bonds to raise the necessary capital, with the money directed specifically toward the city's infrastructure project.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5157: Rondo Community Land Trust grant appropriation

This bill allocates $3 million from the state's general fund to the Rondo Community Land Trust to help small businesses in St. Paul's University Avenue and Selby Avenue corridors. The funds will be distributed as grants and forgivable loans to cover essential costs such as rent, utilities, payroll, and equipment, with a specific focus on locally owned businesses owned by entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities that have suffered financial disruption. The legislation requires the trust to prioritize aid for businesses impacted by recent corridor disruptions while excluding the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board from receiving funds. Additionally, the trust is permitted to use up to 10% of the appropriation for administrative expenses and must submit a detailed report on the program's impact by February 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5162: Drug Affordability Advisory Council elimination provision, various financial institutions and health plan provisions modifications, and appropriation

This bill eliminates the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council and transfers its regulatory duties to the Commissioner of Commerce, while also adjusting funding between state departments. It establishes stricter rules for financial institutions and health plans, including new conflict-of-interest definitions and mandatory recusal procedures for officials reviewing drug products. Additionally, the legislation requires the state board to identify specific high-cost prescription drugs based on price increases, high absolute costs, or lack of affordable generic alternatives. The bill includes an appropriation of $1.75 million to the Commissioner of Commerce for these new responsibilities and corresponding budget reductions for the Department of Health.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5170: Dakota County lead exposure study grant appropriation

This bill allocates state funding to support a study on lead exposure within Dakota County. The funds will be provided to Dakota County Public Health to investigate sources of lead emissions and assess their impact on residents, including children and pregnant women. The study is authorized to examine air and water quality standards and recommend steps to reduce health risks from lead exposure. Additionally, the state health commissioner may share de-identified health data to assist the county in conducting this research.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SF 5150: Housing infrastructure bonds issue authorization to finance a grant to the Minneapolis Public Housing for the Glendale Townhomes redevelopment project

This bill authorizes the issuance of up to $7 million in housing infrastructure bonds to fund a grant for the redevelopment of the Glendale Townhomes in Minneapolis. The funds are designated specifically for the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority or its related entities to carry out this project. Additionally, the legislation amends state statutes to establish annual funding mechanisms that transfer money from the state's general fund to a specific bond account to support debt service on these housing bonds over several decades.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Minnesota · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 5002: Tax preparation services; tax preparers prohibited from marking a tax return to designate a contribution to the state elections campaign account without explicit instruction from the taxpayer.

This bill amends Minnesota's tax preparer conduct rules to prohibit accountants and tax professionals from automatically marking a tax return to donate money to the state elections campaign account. The change requires tax preparers to obtain explicit instruction from the taxpayer before making such a contribution designation on behalf of the client. This provision adds a specific restriction to the existing list of prohibited actions, ensuring that taxpayers retain full control over their election contributions. The legislation applies to all individuals and entities providing tax preparation services in Minnesota.

in committee · Minnesota · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 4958: Program to make all pedestrian crossings in the state compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act established, rulemaking required, report required, and money appropriated.

This bill creates a state program to ensure all pedestrian crossings in Minnesota comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act by December 31, 2035. The Department of Transportation is required to inventory every crosswalk, categorize their compliance status, and maintain a public database tracking these updates. Local road authorities may receive grants to inspect and repair noncompliant crossings, with priority given to smaller communities and lower-income areas. The measure also appropriates funds and authorizes state bonds to finance these accessibility improvements.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Minnesota · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 4990: Criteria for preapplication evaluations of water appropriations for certain data centers modified, data centers' electricity sales exempted in calculating a utility's solar energy standard, other data center exemptions provided, and data center energy generation redundancy provided.

This bill modifies how Minnesota evaluates water usage for large data centers and provides specific financial and operational exemptions for them. It requires facilities that consume over 100 million gallons of water annually to submit detailed preapplication information to help state agencies assess local water availability, while exempting "qualified large-scale data centers" from these requirements if they meet certain filing deadlines or location criteria. Additionally, the legislation exempts electricity sales from these data centers when calculating utility solar energy standards and removes sales tax on their electricity purchases. The bill also defines requirements for emergency backup generators and establishes a new clean energy tariff option for public utilities.

Topics ✗ Environment

Bill results