This bill updates Minnesota state retirement laws to officially include the local government probation and telecommunicator retirement plan in various existing statutes. It ensures that public employees earning over $425 per month are automatically enrolled in the appropriate retirement plan, which now covers probation officers and telecommunicators alongside other public sector workers. The legislation also clarifies which specific roles, such as election judges and certain temporary staff, remain excluded from mandatory participation. By amending multiple sections of the Minnesota Statutes, the bill standardizes how different government agencies reference and manage this specific retirement system.
This bill creates a refundable sales tax exemption for construction materials used in the City of Cottage Grove's TH 61/80th Street Rehabilitation Project. It applies specifically to purchases made between March 31, 2026, and January 1, 2028, covering supplies and equipment for the water infrastructure work. Under this provision, the city would initially pay the sales tax and then receive a full refund from the state's general fund. The legislation is designed to reduce the financial burden on the project by ensuring the city does not ultimately bear the cost of the tax.
This bill appropriates $80 million from the state's general fund to support the City of St. Paul's West 7th Street Improvement Project. The money will be used to design, build, and equip upgrades for the roadway and underground water systems between downtown St. Paul and the Mississippi River. Specific improvements include modernizing stormwater and wastewater tunnels, reconstructing roads and sidewalks for safety, and installing traffic calming measures. The funding also aims to ease costs for property water connections and facilitate a bus rapid transit line connecting downtown St. Paul, the airport, and the Mall of America.
This Minnesota bill prohibits hospitals from including specific restrictive clauses in contracts with health insurance companies. It defines and bans provisions that limit how insurers steer patients to providers, structure network tiers, share price information, or negotiate reimbursement rates. Any contract containing these prohibited terms becomes unenforceable, though the rest of the agreement remains valid. The law applies to new agreements, amendments, and renewals between hospitals and health plan companies.
This bill creates a new retirement subplan within the Minnesota State Retirement System specifically for probation officers and public safety telecommunicators. It allows these employees to retire with full benefits at age 60, which is earlier than the standard retirement age for general state employees. The cost of these additional benefits will be shared between the workers and their employers. The legislation also sets up a committee to manage the subplan and updates state laws to include these new provisions.
This bill clarifies the definition of gifted and talented students in Minnesota to explicitly include twice-exceptional learners, who possess high abilities alongside learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. It requires school districts to use fair, research-based assessment methods that account for diverse groups, including low-income families, minorities, English learners, and students with disabilities. Additionally, the legislation mandates that districts establish clear procedures for academic acceleration and early school admission, ensuring these opportunities are matched to individual student needs and remain sensitive to underrepresented populations.
This bill creates a new retirement plan specifically for Minnesota probation officers and public safety telecommunicators to recognize the high-stress nature of their work. Under the plan, these employees would be eligible for earlier retirement at age 60 and receive larger pension annuities than those in the standard state employee plan. The additional cost of these enhanced benefits would initially be paid by the employees themselves rather than the employers. The legislation also establishes a new retirement fund and defines which specific roles, such as those directly supervising offenders or coordinating emergency calls, qualify for coverage.
This bill strengthens penalties for violating domestic violence protection orders in Minnesota by categorizing repeat offenses and those involving weapons as more serious crimes. It directly affects individuals who break court orders restraining them from contacting or approaching victims, as well as law enforcement officers who enforce these orders. Key provisions include raising minimum jail sentences for repeat violators, allowing for longer prison terms if a dangerous weapon is used, and requiring mandatory counseling for all convicted offenders. Additionally, the legislation clarifies arrest procedures, mandates holding violators in custody for at least 36 hours, and grants peace officers immunity from civil lawsuits when making good-faith arrests.
This bill requires Minnesota employers to inform current employees within 72 hours if a federal immigration agency plans to inspect their employment eligibility records. It also mandates that employers prohibit federal immigration agents from entering nonpublic work areas, such as offices or storage rooms, unless the agents present a valid judicial warrant or court order. To support compliance, the state labor commissioner must provide a standardized notice template by August 2026, and employers face civil fines of up to $10,000 for failing to follow these notification and access rules.
This bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to issue up to $7 million in bonds to fund a new secure psychiatric residential treatment facility operated by Direct Care and Treatment. The appropriated funds will be used to cover the initial design and pre-design costs for the proposed 30-bed facility. The legislation directs the commissioner of administration to manage these funds and requires the commissioner of management and budget to handle the bond sale in accordance with existing state laws.
This bill requires state agencies responsible for light rail projects to notify specific legislative committees if a project's cost increases by at least five percent or its completion date is delayed by six months or more. The notification must be sent within seven days of making such a determination and must explain the reasons behind the changes. This rule applies only to projects that have reached a specific stage where they have a cost estimate, a construction schedule, and federal approval for final design. The legislation aims to improve transparency by ensuring lawmakers are informed of significant shifts in project scope or timelines.
This bill authorizes state agencies to round small cash payments and transfers to the nearest five cents to simplify transactions, while explicitly excluding electronic payments like checks or credit cards. It also amends existing health insurance rules for nonrepresented employees and managers to change the language regarding high-deductible health plan options from mandatory to permissive. Agencies must post their rounding policies at locations where cash is handled, and the changes update the statutory text governing these specific compensation plans.
