STATE OF
MINNESOTA
NINETY-SECOND
SESSION - 2021
_____________________
THIRTY-SIXTH
DAY
Saint Paul, Minnesota, Monday, April 12, 2021
The House of Representatives convened at
3:30 p.m. and was called to order by Melissa Hortman, Speaker of the House.
Prayer was offered by the Reverend Eileen
Woyen, Trinity Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota.
The members of the House gave the pledge
of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
The roll was called and the following
members were present:
Acomb
Agbaje
Akland
Anderson
Backer
Bahner
Bahr
Baker
Becker-Finn
Bennett
Berg
Bernardy
Bierman
Bliss
Boldon
Burkel
Carlson
Christensen
Daniels
Daudt
Davids
Davnie
Demuth
Dettmer
Drazkowski
Ecklund
Edelson
Elkins
Erickson
Feist
Fischer
Franke
Franson
Frazier
Frederick
Freiberg
Garofalo
Gomez
Green
Greenman
Grossell
Gruenhagen
Haley
Hamilton
Hansen, R.
Hanson, J.
Hassan
Hausman
Heinrich
Heintzeman
Her
Hertaus
Hollins
Hornstein
Howard
Huot
Igo
Johnson
Jordan
Jurgens
Keeler
Kiel
Klevorn
Koegel
Kotyza-Witthuhn
Koznick
Kresha
Lee
Liebling
Lillie
Lippert
Lislegard
Long
Lucero
Lueck
Mariani
Marquart
Masin
McDonald
Mekeland
Miller
Moller
Moran
Morrison
Mortensen
Mueller
Munson
Murphy
Nash
Nelson, M.
Nelson, N.
Neu Brindley
Noor
Novotny
O'Driscoll
Olson, B.
Olson, L.
O'Neill
Pelowski
Petersburg
Pfarr
Pierson
Pinto
Poston
Pryor
Quam
Raleigh
Rasmusson
Reyer
Richardson
Robbins
Sandell
Sandstede
Schomacker
Schultz
Scott
Stephenson
Sundin
Swedzinski
Theis
Thompson
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vang
Wazlawik
West
Winkler
Wolgamott
Xiong, J.
Xiong, T.
Youakim
Spk. Hortman
A quorum was present.
Albright and Boe were excused.
Winkler moved that the House recess
subject to the call of the Chair. The
motion prevailed.
RECESS
RECONVENED
The House reconvened and was called to
order by the Speaker.
The Chief Clerk proceeded to read the
Journal of the preceding day. There
being no objection, further reading of the Journal was dispensed with and the
Journal was approved as corrected by the Chief Clerk.
REPORTS OF CHIEF CLERK
S. F. No. 1020 and
H. F. No. 1768, which had been referred to the Chief Clerk for
comparison, were examined and found to be identical.
Klevorn moved that
S. F. No. 1020 be substituted for H. F. No. 1768
and that the House File be indefinitely postponed. The motion prevailed.
REPORTS OF
STANDING COMMITTEES AND DIVISIONS
Marquart from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:
H. F. No. 991, A bill for an act relating to taxation; proposing Minnesota's COVID-19 recovery budget raising revenue for strategic investments in our economy, supporting working families, and combating youth smoking and nicotine addiction; modifying individual income taxes, estate taxes, corporate franchise taxes, tobacco taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, local government aids, special taxes, and other miscellaneous taxes and tax provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 116J.8737, subdivisions 5, 12; 270B.12, subdivisions 8, 9; 273.124, subdivisions 13, 13c, 13d, 14; 273.1245, subdivision 1; 273.13, subdivision 23; 273.1315, subdivision 2; 289A.08, subdivision 7; 289A.10, subdivision 1; 290.01, by adding a subdivision; 290.0122, subdivision 8; 290.0131, by adding subdivisions; 290.0132, subdivision 27; 290.0133, subdivision 6, by adding subdivisions; 290.0134, subdivision 18; 290.06, subdivisions 1, 2c, 2d; 290.0671, subdivisions 1, 1a; 290.0674, subdivision 2a; 290.091, subdivision 2; 290.21, subdivision 9, by adding a subdivision; 290A.03, subdivision 3; 290A.25; 291.016, subdivision 3; 297A.68, subdivision 42; 297A.70, subdivision 13; 297A.75, subdivision 2; 297E.021, subdivision 4; 297F.01, subdivisions 19, 22b, 23, by adding subdivisions; 297F.031; 297F.05, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 297F.09, subdivisions 3, 4a, 7, 10; 297H.04, subdivision 2; 297H.05; 297I.05, subdivision 7; 298.001, by adding a subdivision; 298.24, subdivision 1; 298.405, subdivision 1; 325F.781, subdivisions 1, 5, 6; 477A.014; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 290; 297F; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 290.01, subdivisions 7b, 19i; 290.0131, subdivision 18.
Reported the same back with the following amendments:
Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"ARTICLE 1
FEDERAL CONFORMITY
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.02, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Internal
Revenue Code. Unless specifically
defined otherwise, "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2018 2020.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.01, subdivision 19, is amended to read:
Subd. 19. Net income. (a) For a trust or estate taxable under section 290.03, and a corporation taxable under section 290.02, the term "net income" means the federal taxable income, as defined in section 63 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through the date named in this subdivision, incorporating the federal effective dates of changes to the Internal Revenue Code and any elections made by the taxpayer in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code in determining federal taxable income for federal income tax purposes, and with the modifications provided in sections 290.0131 to 290.0136.
(b) For an individual, the term "net income" means federal adjusted gross income with the modifications provided in sections 290.0131, 290.0132, and 290.0135 to 290.0137.
(c) In the case of a regulated investment company or a fund thereof, as defined in section 851(a) or 851(g) of the Internal Revenue Code, federal taxable income means investment company taxable income as defined in section 852(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that:
(1) the
exclusion of net capital gain provided in section 852(b)(2)(A) of the Internal
Revenue Code does not apply;
(2) the deduction for dividends paid under section 852(b)(2)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code must be applied by allowing a deduction for capital gain dividends and exempt-interest dividends as defined in sections 852(b)(3)(C) and 852(b)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(3) the deduction for dividends paid must also be applied in the amount of any undistributed capital gains which the regulated investment company elects to have treated as provided in section 852(b)(3)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(d) The net income of a real estate investment trust as defined and limited by section 856(a), (b), and (c) of the Internal Revenue Code means the real estate investment trust taxable income as defined in section 857(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(e) The net income of a designated settlement fund as defined in section 468B(d) of the Internal Revenue Code means the gross income as defined in section 468B(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(f) The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended through December 31, 2018 2020, shall be in effect for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 1996.
(g) Except as otherwise provided, references to the Internal Revenue Code in this subdivision and sections 290.0131 to 290.0136 mean the code in effect for purposes of determining net income for the applicable year.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.01, subdivision 31, is amended to read:
Subd. 31. Internal
Revenue Code. Unless specifically
defined otherwise, "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2018 2020. Internal Revenue Code also includes any
uncodified provision in federal law that relates to provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code that are incorporated into Minnesota law.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0122, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Charitable
contributions. (a) A taxpayer is
allowed a deduction for charitable contributions. The deduction equals the amount of the
charitable contribution deduction allowable to the taxpayer under section 170
of the Internal Revenue Code, including the denial of the deduction under section
408(d)(8), except that the provisions of section 170(b)(1)(G) apply
regardless of the taxable year deduction under this subdivision is
limited to 60 percent of the taxpayer's contribution base as defined in section
170(b)(1)(H) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the determination of carryover amounts must be made by applying the rules under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code based on the charitable contribution deductions claimed and allowable under this section.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0131, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 19. Business
interest. The amount of
business interest deducted under section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended through December 31, 2020, that exceeds the amount of business
interest allowed to be deducted under
section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through
December 31, 2018, is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective retroactively for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2021.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0131, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 20. Excess
business losses. The amount
by which an excess business loss under section 461(l)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2018, exceeds the amount
of a disallowed loss carryover under section 461(l)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2020, is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the
temporary changes in section 2304 of Public Law 116-136 were effective for
federal purposes.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0131, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 21. Net
operating loss. The amount by
which a net operating loss deducted under section 172 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2020, exceeds the amount of a net
operating loss allowed to be deducted under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended through December 31, 2018, including the amount of the addition
required under subdivision 20 to the extent the amount is not included under
section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December
31, 2018, is an addition.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective
retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the temporary
changes in section 2303 of Public Law 116-136 were effective for federal
purposes.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0132, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 30. Delayed
business interest. (a) The
amount of delayed business interest is a subtraction.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "delayed business
interest" means the lesser of:
(i) the base amount; or
(ii) the amount of business interest
deductible under section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code, excluding the
special rule under section 163(j)(10) of the Internal Revenue Code, less the
amount of business interest deducted under section 163(j) of the Internal
Revenue Code for the taxable year; and
(2) "base amount" means the
sum of each addition required under section 290.0131, subdivision 19, for all
prior taxable years, less the sum of all subtractions claimed under this
subdivision for all prior taxable years.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the
temporary changes in section 2306 of Public Law 116-136 were effective for
federal purposes and thereafter.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0132, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 31. Delayed
net operating loss. (a) The
amount of a delayed net operating loss is a subtraction.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "delayed net operating
loss" means the lesser of:
(i) the base amount; or
(ii) the net operating loss deduction
limit under section 172(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
through December 31, 2018, including the amount of the addition required under
section 290.0131, subdivision 20, to the extent the amount is not included
under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code, less the amount of any net
operating loss deducted under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code for the
taxable year; and
(2) "base amount" means the
sum of each addition required under section 290.0131, subdivision 21, for all
prior taxable years, less the sum of all subtractions claimed under this
subdivision for all prior taxable years.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0133, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15. Business
interest. The amount of
business interest deducted under section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended through December 31, 2020, or section 290.34, that exceeds the
amount of business interest allowed to be deducted under section 163(j) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2018, or section
290.34, is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0134, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 20. Delayed
business interest. (a) The
amount of delayed business interest is a subtraction.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "delayed business
interest" means the portion of the base amount equal to the difference, if
any, between:
(i) the amount of business interest
deductible under section 290.34 or section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code,
excluding the special rule under section 163(j)(10) of the Internal Revenue
Code; and
(ii) the amount of business interest
deducted under section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable
year; and
(2) "base amount" means the
sum of each addition required under section 290.0131, subdivision 16, for all
prior taxable years, less the sum of all subtractions claimed under this
subdivision for all prior taxable years.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the
temporary changes in section 2306 of Public Law 116-136 were effective for
federal purposes and thereafter.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.993, is amended to read:
290.993
SPECIAL LIMITED ADJUSTMENT.
(a) For an individual income taxpayer subject to tax under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, or a partnership that elects to file a composite return under section 289A.08, subdivision 7, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, the following special rules apply:
(1) an individual income taxpayer may: (i) take the standard deduction; or (ii) make an election under section 63(e) of the Internal Revenue Code to itemize, for Minnesota individual income tax purposes, regardless of the choice made on their federal return; and
(2) there is an adjustment to tax equal to the difference between the tax calculated under this chapter using the Internal Revenue Code as amended through December 16, 2016, and the tax calculated under this chapter using the Internal Revenue Code amended through December 31, 2018, before the application of credits. The end result must be zero additional tax due or refund.
(b) The adjustment in paragraph (a), clause (2), does not apply to any changes due to sections 11012, 13101, 13201, 13202, 13203, 13204, 13205, 13207, 13301, 13302, 13303, 13313, 13502, 13503, 13801, 14101, 14102, 14211 through 14215, and 14501 of Public Law 115-97; and section 40411 of Public Law 115-123.
(c) For an individual, estate, trust,
or partnership subject to an adjustment under this section, any change in tax
as a result of this act, including amendments to the Internal Revenue Code that
are incorporated in this act, must be calculated after the adjustment.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290A.03, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
Subd. 15. Internal
Revenue Code. "Internal Revenue
Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December
31, 2018 2020.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for property tax refunds based on property taxes payable after
December 31, 2021, and rent paid after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 291.005, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Scope. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, the following terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of revenue or any person to whom the commissioner has delegated functions under this chapter.
(2) "Federal gross estate" means the gross estate of a decedent as required to be valued and otherwise determined for federal estate tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code, increased by the value of any property in which the decedent had a qualifying income interest for life and for which an election was made under section 291.03, subdivision 1d, for Minnesota estate tax purposes, but was not made for federal estate tax purposes.
(3) "Internal Revenue Code" means
the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December
31, 2018 2020.
(4) "Minnesota gross estate" means the federal gross estate of a decedent after (a) excluding therefrom any property included in the estate which has its situs outside Minnesota, and (b) including any property omitted from the federal gross estate which is includable in the estate, has its situs in Minnesota, and was not disclosed to federal taxing authorities.
(5) "Nonresident decedent" means an individual whose domicile at the time of death was not in Minnesota.
(6) "Personal representative" means the executor, administrator or other person appointed by the court to administer and dispose of the property of the decedent. If there is no executor, administrator or other person appointed, qualified, and acting within this state, then any person in actual or constructive possession of any property having a situs in this state which is included in the federal gross estate of the decedent shall be deemed to be a personal representative to the extent of the property and the Minnesota estate tax due with respect to the property.
(7) "Resident decedent" means an individual whose domicile at the time of death was in Minnesota. The provisions of section 290.01, subdivision 7, paragraphs (c) and (d), apply to determinations of domicile under this chapter.
(8) "Situs of property" means, with respect to:
(i) real property, the state or country in which it is located;
(ii) tangible personal property, the state or country in which it was normally kept or located at the time of the decedent's death or for a gift of tangible personal property within three years of death, the state or country in which it was normally kept or located when the gift was executed;
(iii) a qualified work of art, as defined in section 2503(g)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, owned by a nonresident decedent and that is normally kept or located in this state because it is on loan to an organization, qualifying as exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, that is located in Minnesota, the situs of the art is deemed to be outside of Minnesota, notwithstanding the provisions of item (ii); and
(iv) intangible personal property, the state or country in which the decedent was domiciled at death or for a gift of intangible personal property within three years of death, the state or country in which the decedent was domiciled when the gift was executed.
For a nonresident decedent with an ownership interest in a pass-through entity with assets that include real or tangible personal property, situs of the real or tangible personal property, including qualified works of art, is determined as if the pass-through entity does not exist and the real or tangible personal property is personally owned by the decedent. If the pass-through entity is owned by a person or persons in addition to the decedent, ownership of the property is attributed to the decedent in proportion to the decedent's capital ownership share of the pass-through entity.
(9) "Pass-through entity" includes the following:
(i) an entity electing S corporation status under section 1362 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(ii) an entity taxed as a partnership under subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) a single-member limited liability company or similar entity, regardless of whether it is taxed as an association or is disregarded for federal income tax purposes under Code of Federal Regulations, title 26, section 301.7701-3; or
(iv) a trust to the extent the property is includable in the decedent's federal gross estate; but excludes
(v) an entity whose ownership interest securities are traded on an exchange regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as a national securities exchange under section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act, United States Code, title 15, section 78f.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except the changes incorporated by
federal changes are effective retroactively at the same time as the changes
were effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 15. TEMPORARY
NONCONFORMITY ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS.
Subdivision
1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section,
the terms in this section have the meanings given.
(b) For an individual, estate, or
trust:
(1) "subtraction" has the
meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0132, subdivision 1, and the
rules in that subdivision apply for this section; and
(2) "addition" has the
meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0131, subdivision 1, and the
rules in that subdivision apply for this section.
(c) For a corporation other than an S corporation:
(1) "subtraction" has the
meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0134, subdivision 1, and the
rules in that subdivision apply for this section; and
(2) "addition" has
the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0133, subdivision 1, and
the rules in that subdivision apply for this section.
(d) The definitions in Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.01, apply for this section.
Subd. 2. Temporary
subtraction; federal credits for sick and family leave; individuals, estates,
and trusts. (a) For an
individual, estate, or trust, the amount by which gross income is increased
under the following credits is a subtraction:
(1) the payroll credit for required
paid sick leave under section 7001 of Public Law 116-127; and
(2) the payroll credit for required
paid family leave under section 7003 of Public Law 116-127.
(b) This subdivision is effective
retroactively for taxable years in which a taxpayer claimed the credits
described in paragraph (a).
Subd. 3. Temporary
subtraction; federal credits for sick and family leave; corporations. (a) For a corporation other than an S corporation,
the amount by which gross income is increased under the following credits is a
subtraction:
(1) the payroll credit for required
paid sick leave under section 7001 of Public Law 116-127; and
(2) the payroll credit for required
paid family leave under section 7003 of Public Law 116-127.
(b) This subdivision is effective
retroactively for taxable years in which a taxpayer claimed the credits
described in paragraph (a).
Subd. 4. Temporary
subtraction; wages used to claim employee retention credit; individuals,
estates, and trusts. (a) For
an individual, estate, or trust, the amount disallowed under section 2301(e) of
Public Law 116-136 is a subtraction.
(b) This subdivision is effective
retroactively for taxable years in which a taxpayer had a deduction disallowed
under section 2301(e) of Public Law 116-136.
Subd. 5. Temporary
subtraction; wages used to claim employee retention credit; corporations. (a) For a corporation other than an S corporation,
the amount disallowed under section 2301(e) of Public Law 116-136 is a
subtraction.
(b) This subdivision is effective
retroactively for taxable years in which a taxpayer had a deduction disallowed
under section 2301(e) of Public Law 116-136.
Subd. 6. Temporary
addition; business meals; individuals, estates, and trusts. (a) For an individual, estate, or
trust, the amount deducted for food or beverages under section 274(n)(2) of the
Internal Revenue Code that exceeds the 50 percent limit in section 274(n)(1) of
the Internal Revenue Code is an addition.
(b) This subdivision is effective
retroactively for expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 2020, and before
January 1, 2023.
Subd. 7. Temporary
addition; business meals; C corporations.
(a) For a corporation other than an S corporation, the
amount deducted for food or beverages under section 274(n)(2) of the Internal
Revenue Code that exceeds the 50 percent limit in section 274(n)(1) of the
Internal Revenue Code is an addition.
(b) This subdivision is
effective retroactively for expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 2020,
and before January 1, 2023.
Subd. 8. Temporary
addition; PPP expenses for individuals, estates, and trusts. (a) For the purposes of this
subdivision:
(1) "qualifying business"
means a business with paycheck protection program expenses in the taxable year
that is a partnership, limited liability company, S corporation, or sole
proprietorship;
(2) "paycheck protection program
expenses" means amounts allowed as a deduction under section 276 of the
COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 in Public Law 116-260; and
(3) "paycheck protection program
loan" means a discharged loan that is excluded from gross income under
section 1106(i) of Public Law 116-136.
(b) For a qualifying business, for each
paycheck protection program loan, the amount of paycheck protection program
expenses in excess of $350,000 is an addition.
(c) This section is effective
retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the changes in
section 276 of the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 in Public Law 116-260.
Subd. 9. Temporary
addition; PPP expenses for C corporations.
(a) For the purposes of this subdivision:
(1) "qualifying business"
means a business with paycheck protection program expenses that is a
corporation other than an S corporation;
(2) "paycheck protection program
expenses" means amounts allowed as a deduction under section 276 of the
COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 in Public Law 116-260; and
(3) "paycheck protection program
loan" means a discharged loan that is excluded from gross income under
section 1106(i) of Public Law 116-136.
(b) For a qualifying business, for each
paycheck protection program loan, the amount of paycheck protection program
expenses in excess of $350,000 is an addition.
(c) This section is effective
retroactively at the same time and for the same taxable years as the changes in
section 276 of the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 in Public Law 116-260.
Subd. 10. Nonresident
apportionment; alternative minimum tax.
(a) For the purpose of calculating the percentage under Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e), the commissioner of
revenue must increase:
(1) the numerator in Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e), clause (1), by the
subtractions in subdivisions 2 and 4; and
(2) the denominator in Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e), clause (2), by the
additions in subdivisions 6 and 8.
(b) For the purpose of determining
"income" under Minnesota Statutes, section 289A.08, the commissioner
of revenue must consider the additions under subdivisions 6 and 8 and the
subtractions under subdivisions 2 and 4.
(c) A taxpayer's alternative
minimum taxable income under Minnesota Statutes, section 290.091, is increased
by the amount of the taxpayer's additions under subdivisions 6 and 8, and
reduced by the amount of the taxpayer's subtractions under subdivisions 2 and
4.
(d)
This section is effective for taxable years in which a taxpayer had an addition
or subtraction under this section.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for the taxable years specified in each subdivision.
Sec. 16. WORKING
FAMILY CREDIT; SPECIAL EARNED INCOME RULES FOR TAX YEAR 2020.
For the purposes of calculating the
credit under Minnesota Statutes, section 290.067, the commissioner of revenue
must allow a taxpayer to elect to determine earned income using the rules in
section 211 of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 in
Public Law 116-260.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019, and before
January 1, 2021.
Sec. 17. TEMPORARY
INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX SUBTRACTION; UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS.
(a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "subtraction" has the
meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0132; and
(2) "unemployment
compensation" has the meaning given in section 85(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(b) For taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2019, and before January 1, 2021, an individual taxpayer with
adjusted gross income that is less than $150,000 is allowed a subtraction equal
to the amount of unemployment compensation received in the taxable year. The subtraction is limited to $10,200, except
for a joint return the subtraction is limited to $10,200 in unemployment
compensation received by each spouse.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019,
and before January 1, 2021.
ARTICLE 2
INDIVIDUAL INCOME AND CORPORATE FRANCHISE TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 41B.0391, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Tax credit for owners of agricultural assets. (a) An owner of agricultural assets may take a credit against the tax due under chapter 290 for the sale or rental of agricultural assets to a beginning farmer in the amount allocated by the authority under subdivision 4. An owner of agricultural assets is eligible for allocation of a credit equal to:
(1) five percent of the lesser of the sale price or the fair market value of the agricultural asset, up to a maximum of $32,000;
(2) ten percent of the gross rental income in each of the first, second, and third years of a rental agreement, up to a maximum of $7,000 per year; or
(3) 15 percent of the cash equivalent of the gross rental income in each of the first, second, and third years of a share rent agreement, up to a maximum of $10,000 per year.
(b) A qualifying rental agreement includes cash rent of agricultural assets or a share rent agreement. The agricultural asset must be rented at prevailing community rates as determined by the authority.
(c) The credit may be claimed only after approval and certification by the authority, and is limited to the amount stated on the certificate issued under subdivision 4. An owner of agricultural assets must apply to the authority for certification and allocation of a credit, in a form and manner prescribed by the authority.
(d) An owner of agricultural assets or beginning farmer may terminate a rental agreement, including a share rent agreement, for reasonable cause upon approval of the authority. If a rental agreement is terminated without the fault of the owner of agricultural assets, the tax credits shall not be retroactively disallowed. In determining reasonable cause, the authority must look at which party was at fault in the termination of the agreement. If the authority determines the owner of agricultural assets did not have reasonable cause, the owner of agricultural assets must repay all credits received as a result of the rental agreement to the commissioner of revenue. The repayment is additional income tax for the taxable year in which the authority makes its decision or when a final adjudication under subdivision 5, paragraph (a), is made, whichever is later.
(e) The credit is limited to the liability for tax as computed under chapter 290 for the taxable year. If the amount of the credit determined under this section for any taxable year exceeds this limitation, the excess is a beginning farmer incentive credit carryover according to section 290.06, subdivision 37.
(f) Notwithstanding subdivision 1,
paragraph (c), for purposes of the credit for the sale of an agricultural asset
under paragraph (a), clause (1), the family member definitional exclusions in
subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clauses (4) and (5), do not apply.
(g) For a qualifying sale to a family
member, to qualify for the credit under paragraph (a), clause (1), the sale
price of the agricultural asset must equal or exceed the assessed value of the
asset as of the date of the sale. If
there is no assessed value, the sale price must equal or exceed 80 percent of
the fair market value of the asset as of the date of the sale.
(h) For the purposes of this section,
"qualifying sale to a family member" means a sale to a beginning
farmer in which the beginning farmer or the beginning farmer's spouse is a
family member of:
(1) the owner of the agricultural asset;
or
(2) a partner, member, shareholder, or
trustee of the owner of the agricultural asset.
(i) For a sale to a socially
disadvantaged farmer or rancher, the credit rate under paragraph (a), clause
(1), is ten percent rather than five percent.
For the purposes of this section, "socially disadvantaged farmer or
rancher" has the meaning given in United States Code, title 7, section
2279(a)(5).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 41B.0391, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Authority duties. (a) The authority shall:
(1) approve and certify or recertify beginning farmers as eligible for the program under this section;
(2) approve and certify or recertify owners of agricultural assets as eligible for the tax credit under subdivision 2 subject to the allocation limits in paragraph (c);
(3) provide necessary and reasonable assistance and support to beginning farmers for qualification and participation in financial management programs approved by the authority;
(4) refer beginning farmers to agencies and organizations that may provide additional pertinent information and assistance; and
(5) notwithstanding section 41B.211, the Rural Finance Authority must share information with the commissioner of revenue to the extent necessary to administer provisions under this subdivision and section 290.06, subdivisions 37 and 38. The Rural Finance Authority must annually notify the commissioner of revenue of approval and certification or recertification of beginning farmers and owners of agricultural assets under this section. For credits under subdivision 2, the notification must include the amount of credit approved by the authority and stated on the credit certificate.
(b) The certification of a beginning farmer or an owner of agricultural assets under this section is valid for the year of the certification and the two following years, after which time the beginning farmer or owner of agricultural assets must apply to the authority for recertification.
(c) For credits for owners of agricultural assets allowed under subdivision 2, the authority must not allocate more than $5,000,000 for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, and must not allocate more than $6,000,000 for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018. The authority must allocate credits on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on January 1 of each year, except that recertifications for the second and third years of credits under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), have first priority. Any amount authorized but not allocated in any taxable year does not cancel and is added to the allocation for the next taxable year.
(d) For taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2020, the amount available to be allocated for the taxable year
under paragraph (c) is reduced by five percent.
Beginning in fiscal year 2022, an amount equal to the reduction under
this paragraph is annually appropriated from the general fund to the Rural
Finance Authority to develop an online application system and administer the
credits under this section. The amount
of the appropriation for a fiscal year must be determined based on the
reduction for taxable years beginning after December 31 of the previous fiscal
year and before January 1 of the fiscal year of the appropriation. The Rural Finance Authority must disregard
amounts carried forward from previous taxable years when calculating the
reduction under this paragraph.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116J.8737, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Credit allowed. (a) A qualified investor or qualified fund is eligible for a credit equal to 25 percent of the qualified investment in a qualified small business. Investments made by a pass-through entity qualify for a credit only if the entity is a qualified fund. The commissioner must not allocate more than $10,000,000 in credits to qualified investors or qualified funds for the taxable years listed in paragraph (i). For each taxable year, 50 percent must be allocated to credits for qualified investments in qualified greater Minnesota businesses and minority-owned, women-owned, or veteran-owned qualified small businesses in Minnesota. Any portion of a taxable year's credits that is reserved for qualified investments in greater Minnesota businesses and minority-owned, women-owned, or veteran-owned qualified small businesses in Minnesota that is not allocated by September 30 of the taxable year is available for allocation to other credit applications beginning on October 1. Any portion of a taxable year's credits that is not allocated by the commissioner does not cancel and may be carried forward to subsequent taxable years until all credits have been allocated.
(b) The commissioner may not allocate more than a total maximum amount in credits for a taxable year to a qualified investor for the investor's cumulative qualified investments as an individual qualified investor and as an investor in a qualified fund; for married couples filing joint returns the maximum is $250,000, and for all other filers the maximum is $125,000. The commissioner may not allocate more than a total of $1,000,000 in credits over all taxable years for qualified investments in any one qualified small business.
(c) The commissioner may not allocate a credit to a qualified investor either as an individual qualified investor or as an investor in a qualified fund if, at the time the investment is proposed:
(1) the investor is an officer or principal of the qualified small business; or
(2) the investor, either individually or in combination with one or more members of the investor's family, owns, controls, or holds the power to vote 20 percent or more of the outstanding securities of the qualified small business.
A member of the family of an individual disqualified by this paragraph is not eligible for a credit under this section. For a married couple filing a joint return, the limitations in this paragraph apply collectively to the investor and spouse. For purposes of determining the ownership interest of an investor under this paragraph, the rules under section 267(c) and 267(e) of the Internal Revenue Code apply.
(d) Applications for tax credits for 2010 must be made available on the department's website by September 1, 2010, and the department must begin accepting applications by September 1, 2010. Applications for subsequent years must be made available by November 1 of the preceding year.
(e) Qualified investors and qualified funds must apply to the commissioner for tax credits. Tax credits must be allocated to qualified investors or qualified funds in the order that the tax credit request applications are filed with the department. The commissioner must approve or reject tax credit request applications within 15 days of receiving the application. The investment specified in the application must be made within 60 days of the allocation of the credits. If the investment is not made within 60 days, the credit allocation is canceled and available for reallocation. A qualified investor or qualified fund that fails to invest as specified in the application, within 60 days of allocation of the credits, must notify the commissioner of the failure to invest within five business days of the expiration of the 60-day investment period.
(f) All tax credit request applications filed with the department on the same day must be treated as having been filed contemporaneously. If two or more qualified investors or qualified funds file tax credit request applications on the same day, and the aggregate amount of credit allocation claims exceeds the aggregate limit of credits under this section or the lesser amount of credits that remain unallocated on that day, then the credits must be allocated among the qualified investors or qualified funds who filed on that day on a pro rata basis with respect to the amounts claimed. The pro rata allocation for any one qualified investor or qualified fund is the product obtained by multiplying a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount of the credit allocation claim filed on behalf of a qualified investor and the denominator of which is the total of all credit allocation claims filed on behalf of all applicants on that day, by the amount of credits that remain unallocated on that day for the taxable year.
(g) A qualified investor or qualified fund, or a qualified small business acting on their behalf, must notify the commissioner when an investment for which credits were allocated has been made, and the taxable year in which the investment was made. A qualified fund must also provide the commissioner with a statement indicating the amount invested by each investor in the qualified fund based on each investor's share of the assets of the qualified fund at the time of the qualified investment. After receiving notification that the investment was made, the commissioner must issue credit certificates for the taxable year in which the investment was made to the qualified investor or, for an investment made by a qualified fund, to each qualified investor who is an investor in the fund. The certificate must state that the credit is subject to revocation if the qualified investor or qualified fund does not hold the investment in the qualified small business for at least three years, consisting of the calendar year in which the investment was made and the two following years. The three-year holding period does not apply if:
(1) the investment by the qualified investor or qualified fund becomes worthless before the end of the three-year period;
(2) 80 percent or more of the assets of the qualified small business is sold before the end of the three-year period;
(3) the qualified small business is sold before the end of the three-year period;
(4) the qualified small business's common stock begins trading on a public exchange before the end of the three‑year period; or
(5) the qualified investor dies before the end of the three-year period.
(h) The commissioner must notify the commissioner of revenue of credit certificates issued under this section.
(i) The credit allowed under this
subdivision is effective for each of the following taxable years: taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2023.
(1) taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2018, and before January 1, 2020; and
(2) taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2022.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116J.8737, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Sunset. This section expires for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2021 2022, except that reporting
requirements under subdivision 6 and revocation of credits under subdivision 7
remain in effect through 2023 2024 for qualified investors and
qualified funds, and through 2025 2026 for qualified small
businesses, reporting requirements under subdivision 9 remain in effect through
2021 2022, and the appropriation in subdivision 11 remains in
effect through 2025 2026.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. [116U.27]
FILM PRODUCTION CREDIT.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Allocation certificate"
means a certificate issued by the commissioner to a taxpayer upon receipt of an
initial application for a credit for a project that has not yet been completed.
(c) "Application" means the
application for a credit under subdivision 4.
(d) "Commissioner" means the
commissioner of employment and economic development.
(e) "Credit certificate" means
a certificate issued by the commissioner upon submission of the cost verification
report in subdivision 4, paragraph (e).
(f) "Eligible production
costs" means eligible production costs as defined in section 116U.26,
paragraph (b), clause (1), incurred in Minnesota that are directly attributable
to the production of a film project in Minnesota.
(g) "Film" has the meaning
given in section 116U.26, paragraph (b), clause (2).
(h) "Project" means a film:
(1) that includes the promotion of Minnesota;
(2) for which the taxpayer has expended
at least $1,000,000 in the taxable year for eligible production costs; and
(3) to the extent practicable,
that employs Minnesota residents.
(i) "Promotion of Minnesota"
or "promotion" means visible display of a static or animated logo,
approved by the commissioner and lasting approximately five seconds, that
promotes Minnesota within its presentation and all promotional trailers
worldwide in the end credits before the below-the-line crew crawl for the life
of the project.
Subd. 2. Credit
allowed. A taxpayer is
eligible for a credit up to 25 percent of eligible production costs paid in a taxable year.
A taxpayer may only claim a credit if the taxpayer was issued a credit certificate
under subdivision 4.
Subd. 3. Credit
assignable. A taxpayer who is
eligible for a credit under this subdivision may assign the credit, in whole or
in part, to another taxpayer, who is then allowed the credit under section
290.06, subdivision 39, or 297I.20, subdivision 4. An assignment is not valid unless the
assignee notifies the commissioner within 30 days of the date that the
assignment is made. The commissioner
shall prescribe the forms necessary for notifying the commissioner of the assignment
of a credit certificate and for claiming a credit by assignment. A credit must be assigned for at least 75
percent of the credit amount subject to assignment. A credit may be assigned at any time,
provided that, for an assignment of a credit carryover under section 290.06,
subdivision 39, paragraph (b), only the unused amount of the carryover is
assigned.
Subd. 4. Applications;
allocations. (a) To qualify
for a credit under this section, a taxpayer must submit to the commissioner an
initial application for a credit in the form prescribed by the commissioner, in
consultation with the commissioner of revenue.
(b) Upon approving an application for a
credit that meets the requirements of this section, the commissioner shall
issue allocation certificates that:
(1) verify eligibility for the credit;
(2) state the amount of credit
anticipated for the eligible project, with the credit amount up to 25 percent
of eligible project costs; and
(3) state the taxable year in which the
credit is allocated.
The commissioner must consult with Minnesota Film and
Television prior to issuing an allocation certificate.
(c) The commissioner must not issue
allocation certificates for more than $10,000,000 of credits each year. If the entire amount is not allocated in that
taxable year, any remaining amount is available for allocation for the four
following taxable years until the entire allocation has been made. The commissioner must not award any credits
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and any unallocated
amounts cancel on that date.
(d) The commissioner must allocate
credits on a first-come, first-served basis.
(e) Upon completion of a project, the
taxpayer shall submit to the commissioner a report prepared by an independent
certified public accountant licensed in the state of Minnesota to verify the
amount of eligible production costs related to the project. The report must be prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles.
Upon receipt and review of the cost verification report, the
commissioner shall determine the final amount of eligible production costs and
issue a credit certificate to the taxpayer.
The credit may not exceed the anticipated credit amount on the
allocation certificate. If the credit is
less than the anticipated amount on the allocation credit, the difference is
returned to the amount available for allocation under paragraph (c). To claim the credit under section 290.06,
subdivision 39, or 297I.20, subdivision 4, a taxpayer must include a copy of
the certificate as part of the taxpayer's return.
Subd. 5. Report
required. By March 15, 2024,
the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of revenue, must
provide a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over economic development and taxes. The report must comply with sections 3.195
and 3.197, and must detail the following:
(1) the amount of credits earned in each
taxable year;
(2) the number of applications received
and approved for the credit;
(3) the types of projects eligible for
the credit;
(4)
the total economic impact of the credit in Minnesota, including the number of
jobs resulting from the credit; and
(5) any other information the
commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of revenue, deems necessary
for purposes of claiming and administering the credit.
Subd. 6. Expiration. This section expires January 1, 2025,
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, and before
January 1, 2025.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.08, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Composite income tax returns for nonresident partners, shareholders, and beneficiaries. (a) The commissioner may allow a partnership with nonresident partners to file a composite return and to pay the tax on behalf of nonresident partners who have no other Minnesota source income. This composite return must include the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, income allocation, and tax liability for the nonresident partners electing to be covered by the composite return.
(b) The computation of a partner's tax liability must be determined by multiplying the income allocated to that partner by the highest rate used to determine the tax liability for individuals under section 290.06, subdivision 2c. Nonbusiness deductions, standard deductions, or personal exemptions are not allowed.
(c) The partnership must submit a request to use this composite return filing method for nonresident partners. The requesting partnership must file a composite return in the form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The filing of a composite return is considered a request to use the composite return filing method.
(d) The electing partner must not have any Minnesota source income other than the income from the partnership and other electing partnerships. If it is determined that the electing partner has other Minnesota source income, the inclusion of the income and tax liability for that partner under this provision will not constitute a return to satisfy the requirements of subdivision 1. The tax paid for the individual as part of the composite return is allowed as a payment of the tax by the individual on the date on which the composite return payment was made. If the electing nonresident partner has no other Minnesota source income, filing of the composite return is a return for purposes of subdivision 1.
(e) This subdivision does not negate the requirement that an individual pay estimated tax if the individual's liability would exceed the requirements set forth in section 289A.25. The individual's liability to pay estimated tax is, however, satisfied when the partnership pays composite estimated tax in the manner prescribed in section 289A.25.
(f) If an electing partner's share of the partnership's gross income from Minnesota sources is less than the filing requirements for a nonresident under this subdivision, the tax liability is zero. However, a statement showing the partner's share of gross income must be included as part of the composite return.
(g) The election provided in this subdivision is only available to a partner who has no other Minnesota source income and who is either (1) a full-year nonresident individual or (2) a trust or estate that does not claim a deduction under either section 651 or 661 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(h) A corporation defined in section 290.9725 and its nonresident shareholders may make an election under this paragraph. The provisions covering the partnership apply to the corporation and the provisions applying to the partner apply to the shareholder.
(i) Estates and trusts distributing current income only and the nonresident individual beneficiaries of the estates or trusts may make an election under this paragraph. The provisions covering the partnership apply to the estate or trust. The provisions applying to the partner apply to the beneficiary.
(j) For the purposes of this subdivision,
"income" means the partner's share of federal adjusted gross income
from the partnership modified by the additions provided in section 290.0131,
subdivisions 8 to 10 and, 16, and 19 to 23, and the
subtractions provided in: (1) section
290.0132, subdivision 9, to the extent the amount is assignable or allocable to
Minnesota under section 290.17; and (2) section 290.0132, subdivision subdivisions
14, 30, and 31. The subtraction
allowed under section 290.0132, subdivision 9, is only allowed on the composite
tax computation to the extent the electing partner would have been allowed the
subtraction.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, except that the
provisions relating to section 290.0131, subdivisions 20 and 21, are effective
retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and the
provisions relating to section 290.0131, subdivision 19, and section 290.0132,
subdivisions 30 and 31, are effective retroactively for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2018.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.08, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7a. Pass-through
entity tax. (a) For the
purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "income" has the meaning
given in subdivision 7, paragraph (j), except that the provisions that apply to
a partnership apply to a qualifying entity and the provisions that apply to a
partner apply to a qualifying owner. The
income of both a resident and nonresident qualifying owner is allocated and
assigned to this state as provided for nonresident partners and shareholders
under section 290.17;
(2) "qualifying owner" means a
resident or nonresident individual, estate, or trust that is a partner, member,
or shareholder of a qualifying entity; and
(3)
"qualifying entity" means a partnership, limited liability company,
or corporation organized under subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code
for federal income tax purposes, including a qualified subsidiary also organized
under subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. Qualifying entity does not include a
partnership, limited liability company, or corporation that has a partnership,
limited liability company, or corporation as a partner, member, or shareholder.
(b)
A qualifying entity may elect to file a return and pay the pass-through entity
tax imposed under paragraph (c). The
election:
(1) must be made on or before the due
date or extended due date of the qualifying entity's pass-through entity tax
return;
(2) may only be made by qualifying
owners who hold more than a 50 percent ownership interest in a qualifying
entity; and
(3) is binding on all qualifying owners
who have an ownership interest in the qualifying entity.
(c) Subject to the election in
paragraph (b), a pass-through entity tax is imposed on a qualifying entity in
an amount equal to the sum of the tax liability of each qualifying owner.
(d) The amount of a qualifying owner's
tax liability under paragraph (c) is the amount of the qualifying owner's
income multiplied by the tax rates and brackets used to determine the tax
liability for married individuals filing separate returns, estates, and trusts
under section 290.06, subdivision 2c. When
making this determination:
(1) nonbusiness deductions, standard
deductions, or personal exemptions are not allowed; and
(2) a credit or deduction is allowed
only to the extent allowed to the qualifying owner.
(e)
The amount of each credit and deduction used to determine a qualifying owner's
tax liability under paragraph (d)
must also be used to determine that qualifying owner's individual income tax
liability under chapter 290.
(f) This subdivision does not negate
the requirement that a qualifying owner pay estimated tax if the qualifying
owner's tax liability would exceed the requirements set forth in section
289A.25. The qualifying owner's
liability to pay estimated tax on the qualifying owner's tax liability as
determined under paragraph (d) is, however, satisfied when the qualifying entity pays estimated tax in the manner prescribed
in section 289A.25 for composite estimated tax.
(g) A qualifying owner's adjusted basis
in the interest in the qualifying entity, and the treatment of distributions,
is determined as if the election to pay the pass-through entity tax under
paragraph (b) is not made.
(h) To the extent not inconsistent with
this subdivision, for purposes of this chapter, a pass-through entity tax
return must be treated as a composite return and a qualifying entity filing a
pass-through entity tax return must be treated as a partnership filing a
composite return.
(i) The provisions of subdivision 17
apply to the election to pay the pass-through entity tax under this
subdivision.
(j) If a nonresident qualifying owner
of a qualifying entity making the election to file and pay the tax under this
subdivision has no other Minnesota source income, filing of the pass-through entity
tax return is a return for purposes of subdivision 1, provided that the
nonresident qualifying owner must not have any Minnesota source income other
than the income from the qualifying entity and other electing qualifying
entities. If it is determined that the
nonresident qualifying owner has other Minnesota source income, the inclusion
of the income and tax liability for that owner under this provision will not
constitute a return to satisfy the requirements of subdivision 1. The tax paid for the individual as part of
the pass-through entity tax return is allowed as a payment of the tax by the
individual on the date on which the pass-through entity tax return payment was
made.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.08, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
Subd. 11. Information included in income tax return. (a) The return must state:
(1) the name of the taxpayer, or taxpayers, if the return is a joint return, and the address of the taxpayer in the same name or names and same address as the taxpayer has used in making the taxpayer's income tax return to the United States;
(2) the date or dates of birth of the taxpayer or taxpayers;
(3) the following information:
(i) the Social Security
number of the taxpayer, or taxpayers, if a Social Security number has been
issued by the United States with respect to the taxpayers; or
(ii) the individual tax identification number of the taxpayer, or taxpayers, if a Social Security number has not been issued by the United States with respect to the taxpayers, as allowed under section 290.0671; and
(4) the amount of the taxable income of the taxpayer as it appears on the federal return for the taxable year to which the Minnesota state return applies.
(b) The taxpayer must attach to the taxpayer's Minnesota state income tax return a copy of the federal income tax return that the taxpayer has filed or is about to file for the period.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7c. Resident
trust. (a) "Resident
trust" means a trust, except a grantor type trust, which has sufficient
relevant connections with Minnesota during the applicable tax year to be
permissibly taxed, consistent with due process, as a resident trust. Relevant connections with Minnesota include
but are not limited to the following:
(1) one or more of the trustees,
fiduciaries, nonfiduciary service providers, settlors, grantors, or
beneficiaries of the trust are residents or part-year residents of Minnesota;
(2) tangible or intangible assets
making up any part of the trust are located in Minnesota;
(3) any part of the administration of
the trust took place in Minnesota;
(4) the laws of Minnesota are
specifically made applicable to the trust or to the parties to the trust,
whether by choice of law or by operation of law;
(5) the trust was created by a will of
a decedent who at death was domiciled in Minnesota;
(6) the trust and the will under which
it was created were probated in Minnesota or were otherwise approved or
enforced by Minnesota's courts; and
(7) Minnesota's courts have a
continuing supervisory or other existing relationship with the trust.
(b) The term "grantor type
trust" means a trust where the income or gains of the trust are taxable to
the grantor or others treated as substantial owners under sections 671 to 678
of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) The term "administration of
the trust" means the performance of any administrative function for the
trust, including but not limited to the following:
(1) investing of trust assets;
(2) distributing of trust assets;
(3) conducting trust business;
(4) conducting any litigation or other
legal proceedings;
(5) conducting administrative
services, including but not limited to record keeping and the preparation and
filing of tax returns;
(6) making fiduciary decisions,
including but not limited to decisions regarding any of the administrative
functions listed in this paragraph; and
(7) official keeping of books and
records of the trust, including but not limited to the original minutes of
trustee meetings and the original trust instruments, are located in Minnesota.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0122, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Losses. A taxpayer is allowed a deduction for
losses. The deduction equals the
amount allowed under sections 165(d) and 165(h) of the Internal Revenue
Code, disregarding the limitation on personal casualty losses in paragraph
(h)(5). section 165(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code, including the limitation provided in section 67(b)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code, for the following:
(1) losses described in paragraphs (2)
and (3) of section 165(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the
provisions of section 165(h) of the Internal Revenue Code but disregarding
paragraph (h)(5); and
(2) losses described in section 165(d)
of the Internal Revenue Code.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except that the reference to
paragraph (2) of section 165(c) of the Internal Revenue Code is effective
retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0131, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 22. Previously
taxed deferred foreign income. The
amount received by a resident or part-year resident that is excluded from
federal adjusted gross income or federal taxable income under section 959 of
the Internal Revenue Code, because the amount was previously included under
sections 951A or 965 of the Internal Revenue Code, is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0131, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 23. Income
attributable to domestic production activities of cooperatives. The amount of the deduction allowable
under section 199A(g) of the Internal Revenue Code is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0132, subdivision 27, is amended to read:
Subd. 27. Deferred
foreign income. The amount of
deferred foreign income recognized because of under section 965
of the Internal Revenue Code is a subtraction.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015,
except the changes incorporated by federal changes are effective retroactively
at the same time the changes became effective for federal purposes.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0133, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Special
deductions. The amount of any
special deductions under sections 241 to 247, and 250, and 965 of
the Internal Revenue Code is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015,
except that the changes incorporated by federal changes are effective
retroactively at the same time the changes became effective for federal
purposes.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0133, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 16. Previously
taxed deferred foreign income. The
amount received by a corporation that is excluded from gross income under
section 959 of the Internal Revenue Code, because the amount was previously
included under sections 951A or 965 of the Internal Revenue Code, is an
addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0133, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 17. Income
attributable to domestic production activities of cooperatives. The amount of the deduction allowable
under section 199A(g) of the Internal Revenue Code is an addition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0134, subdivision 18, is amended to read:
Subd. 18. Deferred
foreign income. The amount of
deferred foreign income recognized because of under section 965
of the Internal Revenue Code is a subtraction.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, is amended to read:
Subd. 2c. Schedules of rates for individuals, estates, and trusts. (a) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon married individuals filing joint returns and surviving spouses as defined in section 2(a) of the Internal Revenue Code must be computed by applying to their taxable net income the following schedule of rates:
(1) On the first $38,770 $42,800,
5.35 percent;
(2) On all over $38,770 $42,800,
but not over $154,020 $154,010, 6.8 percent;
(3) On all over $154,020 $154,010,
but not over $269,010 $276,200, 7.85 percent;
(4) On all over $269,010 $276,200,
but not over $1,000,000, 9.85 percent.;
(5) On all over $1,000,000, 11.15
percent.
Married individuals filing separate returns, estates, and trusts must compute their income tax by applying the above rates to their taxable income, except that the income brackets will be one-half of the above amounts after the adjustment required in subdivision 2d.
(b) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon unmarried individuals must be computed by applying to taxable net income the following schedule of rates:
(1) On the first $26,520 $29,270,
5.35 percent;
(2) On all over $26,520 $29,270,
but not over $87,110 $86,620, 6.8 percent;
(3) On all over $87,110 $86,620,
but not over $161,720 $166,040, 7.85 percent;
(4) On all over $161,720 $166,040,
but not over $500,000, 9.85 percent.;
(5) On all over $500,000, 11.15
percent.
(c) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon unmarried individuals qualifying as a head of household as defined in section 2(b) of the Internal Revenue Code must be computed by applying to taxable net income the following schedule of rates:
(1) On the first $32,650 $36,030,
5.35 percent;
(2) On all over $32,650 $36,030,
but not over $131,190 $131,230, 6.8 percent;
(3) On all over $131,190 $131,230,
but not over $214,980 $220,730, 7.85 percent;
(4) On all over $214,980 $220,730,
but not over $750,000, 9.85 percent.;
(5) On all over $750,000, 11.15
percent.
(d) In lieu of a tax computed according to the rates set forth in this subdivision, the tax of any individual taxpayer whose taxable net income for the taxable year is less than an amount determined by the commissioner must be computed in accordance with tables prepared and issued by the commissioner of revenue based on income brackets of not more than $100. The amount of tax for each bracket shall be computed at the rates set forth in this subdivision, provided that the commissioner may disregard a fractional part of a dollar unless it amounts to 50 cents or more, in which case it may be increased to $1.
(e) An individual who is not a Minnesota resident for the entire year must compute the individual's Minnesota income tax as provided in this subdivision. After the application of the nonrefundable credits provided in this chapter, the tax liability must then be multiplied by a fraction in which:
(1) the numerator is the individual's Minnesota source federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code and increased by:
(i) the additions required under sections
290.0131, subdivisions 2, 6, 8 to 10, 16, and 17, and 19 to 23,
and 290.0137, paragraph (a); and reduced by
(ii) the Minnesota assignable portion of the
subtraction for United States government interest under section 290.0132,
subdivision 2, the subtractions under sections 290.0132, subdivisions 9, 10,
14, 15, 17, 18, and 27, 30, and 31, and 290.0137, paragraph (c),
after applying the allocation and assignability provisions of section 290.081,
clause (a), or 290.17; and
(2) the denominator is the individual's federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code, increased by:
(i) the additions required
under sections 290.0131, subdivisions 2, 6, 8 to 10, 16, and 17, and
19 to 23, and 290.0137, paragraph (a); and reduced by
(ii) the subtractions under sections
290.0132, subdivisions 2, 9, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 27, 30, and 31,
and 290.0137, paragraph (c).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.06, subdivision 2d, is amended to read:
Subd. 2d. Inflation
adjustment of brackets. The
commissioner shall annually adjust the minimum and maximum dollar amounts for
each rate bracket for which a tax is imposed in subdivision 2c as provided in
section 270C.22. The statutory year is
taxable year 2019 2021. The
rate applicable to any rate bracket must not be changed. The dollar amounts setting forth the tax
shall be adjusted to reflect the changes in the rate brackets. The rate brackets as adjusted must be rounded
to the nearest $10 amount. If the rate
bracket ends in $5, it must be rounded up to the nearest $10 amount. The commissioner shall determine the rate
bracket for married filing separate returns after this adjustment is done. The rate bracket for married filing separate
must be one-half of the rate bracket for married filing joint.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.06, subdivision 22, is amended to read:
Subd. 22. Credit for taxes paid to another state. (a) A taxpayer who is liable for taxes based on net income to another state, as provided in paragraphs (b) through (f), upon income allocated or apportioned to Minnesota, is entitled to a credit for the tax paid to another state if the tax is actually paid in the taxable year or a subsequent taxable year. A taxpayer who is a resident of this state pursuant to section 290.01, subdivision 7, paragraph (b), and who is subject to income tax as a resident in the state of the individual's domicile is not allowed this credit unless the state of domicile does not allow a similar credit.
(b) For an individual, estate, or trust, the credit is determined by multiplying the tax payable under this chapter by the ratio derived by dividing the income subject to tax in the other state that is also subject to tax in Minnesota while a resident of Minnesota by the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income, as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code, modified by the addition required by section 290.0131, subdivision 2, and the subtraction allowed by section 290.0132, subdivision 2, to the extent the income is allocated or assigned to Minnesota under sections 290.081 and 290.17.
(c) If the taxpayer is an athletic team that apportions all of its income under section 290.17, subdivision 5, the credit is determined by multiplying the tax payable under this chapter by the ratio derived from dividing the total net income subject to tax in the other state by the taxpayer's Minnesota taxable income.
(d)(1) The credit determined under paragraph (b) or (c) shall not exceed the amount of tax so paid to the other state on the gross income earned within the other state subject to tax under this chapter; and
(2) the allowance of the credit does not reduce the taxes paid under this chapter to an amount less than what would be assessed if the gross income earned within the other state were excluded from taxable net income.
(e) In the case of the tax assessed on a lump-sum distribution under section 290.032, the credit allowed under paragraph (a) is the tax assessed by the other state on the lump-sum distribution that is also subject to tax under section 290.032, and shall not exceed the tax assessed under section 290.032. To the extent the total lump-sum distribution defined in section 290.032, subdivision 1, includes lump-sum distributions received in prior years or is all or in part an annuity contract, the reduction to the tax on the lump-sum distribution allowed under section 290.032, subdivision 2, includes tax paid to another state that is properly apportioned to that distribution.
(f) If a Minnesota resident reported an item of income to Minnesota and is assessed tax in such other state on that same income after the Minnesota statute of limitations has expired, the taxpayer shall receive a credit for that year under paragraph (a), notwithstanding any statute of limitations to the contrary. The claim for the credit must be submitted within one year from the date the taxes were paid to the other state. The taxpayer must submit sufficient proof to show entitlement to a credit.
(g) For the purposes of this subdivision, a resident shareholder of a corporation treated as an "S" corporation under section 290.9725, must be considered to have paid a tax imposed on the shareholder in an amount equal to the shareholder's pro rata share of any net income tax paid by the S corporation to another state. For the purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "net income tax" means any tax imposed on or measured by a corporation's net income.
(h) For the purposes of this subdivision, a
resident partner of an entity taxed as a partnership under the Internal Revenue
Code must be considered to have paid a tax imposed on the partner in an amount
equal to the partner's pro rata share of any net income tax paid by the
partnership to another state. For
purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "net income" tax means
any tax imposed on or measured by a partnership's net income. For purposes of this paragraph,
"partnership" includes a limited liability company and
"partner" includes a member of a limited liability company.
(i) For the purposes of this subdivision, "another state":
(1) includes:
(i) the District of Columbia; and
(ii) a province or territory of Canada; but
(2) excludes Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress.
(j) The limitations on the credit in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), are imposed on a state by state basis.
(k) For a tax imposed by a province or territory of Canada, the tax for purposes of this subdivision is the excess of the tax over the amount of the foreign tax credit allowed under section 27 of the Internal Revenue Code. In determining the amount of the foreign tax credit allowed, the net income taxes imposed by Canada on the income are deducted first. Any remaining amount of the allowable foreign tax credit reduces the provincial or territorial tax that qualifies for the credit under this subdivision.
(l)(1) The credit allowed to a qualifying individual under this section for tax paid to a qualifying state equals the credit calculated under paragraphs (b) and (d), plus the amount calculated by multiplying:
(i) the difference between the preliminary credit and the credit calculated under paragraphs (b) and (d), by
(ii) the ratio derived by dividing the income subject to tax in the qualifying state that consists of compensation for performance of personal or professional services by the total amount of income subject to tax in the qualifying state.
(2) If the amount of the credit that a qualifying individual is eligible to receive under clause (1) for tax paid to a qualifying state exceeds the tax due under this chapter before the application of the credit calculated under clause (1), the commissioner shall refund the excess to the qualifying individual. An amount sufficient to pay the refunds required by this subdivision is appropriated to the commissioner from the general fund.
(3) For purposes of this paragraph, "preliminary credit" means the credit that a qualifying individual is eligible to receive under paragraphs (b) and (d) for tax paid to a qualifying state without regard to the limitation in paragraph (d), clause (2); "qualifying individual" means a Minnesota resident under section 290.01, subdivision 7, paragraph
(a), who received compensation during the taxable year for the performance of personal or professional services within a qualifying state; and "qualifying state" means a state with which an agreement under section 290.081 is not in effect for the taxable year but was in effect for a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2010.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 39. Film
production credit. (a) A
taxpayer, including a taxpayer to whom a credit has been assigned under section
116U.27, subdivision 3, may claim a credit against the tax imposed by this
chapter equal to the amount certified on a credit certificate under section
116U.27, subject to the limitations in this subdivision.
(b) The credit is limited to the
liability for tax, as computed under this chapter, for the taxable year. If the amount of the credit determined under
this subdivision for any taxable year exceeds this limitation, the excess is a
film production credit carryover to each of the five succeeding taxable years. The entire amount of the excess unused credit
for the taxable year is carried first to the earliest of the taxable years to
which the credit may be carried and then to each successive year to which the
credit may be carried. The amount of the
unused credit that may be added under this paragraph must not exceed the
taxpayer's liability for tax, less any film production credit for the taxable
year.
(c) Credits allowed to a partnership, a
limited liability company taxed as a partnership, or an S corporation are
passed through to the partners, members, shareholders, or owners, respectively,
pro rata to each based on the partner's, member's, shareholder's, or owner's
share of the entity's assets, or as specially allocated in the organizational
documents or any other executed agreement, as of the last day of the taxable
year.
(d) Notwithstanding the approval and
certification by the commissioner of employment and economic development under
section 116U.27, the commissioner may utilize any audit and examination powers
under chapter 270C or 289A to the extent necessary to verify that the taxpayer
is eligible for the credit and to assess the amount of any improperly claimed
credit. The commissioner may only assess
the original recipient of the credit certificate for the amount of improperly
claimed credits. The commissioner may
not assess a credit certificate transferee for any amount of improperly claimed
credits, and a transferee's claim for credit is not affected by the
commissioner's assessment of improperly claimed credits against the transferor.
(e) This subdivision expires January 1,
2025, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, except that the
expiration of this section does not affect the commissioner of revenue's
authority to audit or power of examination and assessment for credits claimed
under this subdivision.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, and before
January 1, 2025.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 40. Pass-through
entity tax credit. (a) A
qualifying owner of a qualifying entity that elects to pay the pass-through
entity tax under section 289A.08, subdivision 7a, may claim a credit against
the tax due under this chapter equal to the amount of the owner's tax liability
as calculated under section 289A.08, subdivision 7a, paragraph (d).
(b) If the amount of the credit the
taxpayer may claim under this subdivision exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability
under this chapter, the commissioner of revenue shall refund the excess to the
taxpayer. The amount necessary to pay
the claim for the refund provided in this subdivision is appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of revenue.
(c)
For purposes of this subdivision, "qualifying entity,"
"qualifying owner," and "tax liability" have the meanings
given in section 289A.08, subdivision 7a, paragraphs (a) and (d).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0671, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Credit
allowed. (a) An individual who is a
resident of Minnesota is allowed a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter
equal to a percentage of earned income. To
receive a credit, a taxpayer must be eligible for a credit under section 32 of
the Internal Revenue Code, except that:.
(b) A taxpayer who is a resident of Minnesota and is otherwise eligible for the credit under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code may qualify for the credit under this section under one or more of the following exceptions:
(1) a taxpayer with the taxpayer
had no qualifying children who has and attained the age of
21, but not attained the age of 65, before the
close of the taxable year and is otherwise eligible for a credit under
section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code may also receive a credit; and
(2) a taxpayer who is otherwise
eligible for a credit under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code remains
eligible for the credit even if the taxpayer otherwise qualifies for a
credit under this section and the taxpayer's earned income or adjusted
gross income exceeds the income limitation under section 32 of the Internal
Revenue Code.; or
(3) the taxpayer does not meet the
requirements of section 32(m) of the Internal Revenue Code but provides an
individual taxpayer identification number.
(b) (c) For individuals with
no qualifying children, the credit equals 3.9 5 percent of the
first $7,150 $8,000 of earned income. The credit is reduced by 2.0 percent of
earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater, in excess of the
phaseout threshold, but in no case is the credit less than zero.
(c) (d) For individuals with
one qualifying child, the credit equals 9.35 percent of the first $11,950
$12,270 of earned income. The
credit is reduced by 6.0 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income,
whichever is greater, in excess of the phaseout threshold, but in no case is
the credit less than zero.
(d) (e) For individuals with
two qualifying children, the credit equals 11 percent of the first $19,600
$20,120 of earned income. The
credit is reduced by 10.5 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income,
whichever is greater, in excess of the phaseout threshold, but in no case is
the credit less than zero.
(e) (f) For individuals with
three or more qualifying children, the credit equals 12.5 percent of the first $20,000
$20,530 of earned income. The
credit is reduced by 10.5 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income,
whichever is greater, in excess of the phaseout threshold, but in no case is
the credit less than zero.
(f) (g) For a part-year
resident, the credit must be allocated based on the percentage calculated under
section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e).
(g) (h) For a person who was
a resident for the entire tax year and has earned income not subject to tax
under this chapter, including income excluded under section 290.0132,
subdivision 10, the credit must be allocated based on the ratio of federal
adjusted gross income reduced by the earned income not subject to tax under
this chapter over federal adjusted gross income. For purposes of this paragraph, the following
clauses are not considered "earned income not subject to tax under this
chapter":
(1) the subtractions for military pay under section 290.0132, subdivisions 11 and 12;
(2) the exclusion of combat pay under section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(3) income derived from an Indian reservation by an enrolled member of the reservation while living on the reservation.
(h) (i) For the purposes of
this section, the phaseout threshold equals:
(1) $14,570 $14,960 for
married taxpayers filing joint returns with no qualifying children;
(2) $8,730 $8,960 for all
other taxpayers with no qualifying children;
(3) $28,610 $29,380 for
married taxpayers filing joint returns with one qualifying child;
(4) $22,770 $23,380 for all
other taxpayers with one qualifying child;
(5) $32,840 $33,720 for
married taxpayers filing joint returns with two qualifying children;
(6) $27,000 $27,720 for all
other taxpayers with two qualifying children;
(7) $33,140 $34,030 for
married taxpayers filing joint returns with three or more qualifying children;
and
(8) $27,300 $28,030 for all
other taxpayers with three or more qualifying children.
(i) (j) The commissioner
shall construct tables showing the amount of the credit at various income
levels and make them available to taxpayers.
The tables shall follow the schedule contained in this subdivision,
except that the commissioner may graduate the transition between income
brackets.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0671, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section,
the following terms "Qualifying child," and have the
meanings given.
(b) "Earned income,"
have has the meanings meaning given in section
32(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and the term "adjusted gross
income" has the meaning given in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) "Earned income of the lesser-earning spouse" has the meaning given in section 290.0675, subdivision 1, paragraph (d).
(d) "Qualifying child" has
the meaning given in section 32(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that
the requirements of section 32(m) of the Internal Revenue Code do not apply for
the purposes of determining a qualifying child if the taxpayer provides an
individual taxpayer identification number.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0671, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Inflation
adjustment. The commissioner shall
annually adjust the earned income amounts used to calculate the credit and the
phase-out thresholds in subdivision 1 as provided in section 270C.22. The statutory year is taxable year 2019
2021.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0674, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. Income. (a) For purposes of this section, "income" means the sum of the following:
(1) federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(2) the sum of the following amounts to the extent not included in clause (1):
(i) all nontaxable income;
(ii) the amount of a passive activity loss that is not disallowed as a result of section 469, paragraph (i) or (m) of the Internal Revenue Code and the amount of passive activity loss carryover allowed under section 469(b) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) an amount equal to the total of any discharge of qualified farm indebtedness of a solvent individual excluded from gross income under section 108(g) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iv) cash public assistance and relief;
(v) any pension or annuity (including railroad retirement benefits, all payments received under the federal Social Security Act, Supplemental Security Income, and veterans benefits), which was not exclusively funded by the claimant or spouse, or which was funded exclusively by the claimant or spouse and which funding payments were excluded from federal adjusted gross income in the years when the payments were made;
(vi)
interest received from the federal or a state government or any instrumentality
or political subdivision thereof;
(vii) workers' compensation;
(viii) nontaxable strike benefits;
(ix) the gross amounts of payments received in the nature of disability income or sick pay as a result of accident, sickness, or other disability, whether funded through insurance or otherwise;
(x) a lump-sum distribution under section 402(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 1995;
(xi) contributions made by the claimant to an individual retirement account, including a qualified voluntary employee contribution; simplified employee pension plan; self-employed retirement plan; cash or deferred arrangement plan under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code; or deferred compensation plan under section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(xii) nontaxable scholarship or fellowship grants;
(xiii) the amount of deduction allowed
under section 199 199A(g) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(xiv) the amount of deduction allowed under section 220 or 223 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(xv) the amount deducted for tuition expenses under section 222 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(xvi) the amount deducted for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers under section 62(a)(2)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code.
In the case of an individual who files an income tax return on a fiscal year basis, the term "federal adjusted gross income" means federal adjusted gross income reflected in the fiscal year ending in the next calendar year. Federal adjusted gross income may not be reduced by the amount of a net operating loss carryback or carryforward or a capital loss carryback or carryforward allowed for the year.
(b) "Income" does not include:
(1) amounts excluded pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, sections 101(a) and 102;
(2) amounts of any pension or annuity that were exclusively funded by the claimant or spouse if the funding payments were not excluded from federal adjusted gross income in the years when the payments were made;
(3) surplus food or other relief in kind supplied by a governmental agency;
(4) relief granted under chapter 290A;
(5) child support payments received under a temporary or final decree of dissolution or legal separation; and
(6) restitution payments received by eligible individuals and excludable interest as defined in section 803 of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Public Law 107-16.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0681, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Sunset. This section expires after fiscal year 2021
2029, except that the office's authority to issue credit certificates
under subdivision 4 based on allocation certificates that were issued before
fiscal year 2022 2030 remains in effect through 2024 2032,
and the reporting requirements in subdivision 9 remain in effect through the
year following the year in which all allocation certificates have either been
canceled or resulted in issuance of credit certificates, or 2025 2033,
whichever is earlier.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0682, is amended to read:
290.0682
STUDENT LOAN CREDIT.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Adjusted gross income" means federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)
"Earned income" has the meaning given in section 32(c) of the
Internal Revenue Code 290.0675, subdivision 1, paragraph
(b).
(d) "Eligible individual" means a resident individual with one or more qualified education loans related to an undergraduate or graduate degree program at a postsecondary educational institution.
(e) "Eligible loan payments" means the amount the eligible individual paid during the taxable year in principal and interest on qualified education loans.
(f) "Postsecondary educational institution" means a public or nonprofit postsecondary institution eligible for state student aid under section 136A.103 or, if the institution is not located in this state, a public or nonprofit postsecondary institution participating in the federal Pell Grant program under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Public Law 89-329, as amended.
(g) "Qualified education loan" has the meaning given in section 221 of the Internal Revenue Code, but is limited to indebtedness incurred on behalf of the eligible individual.
Subd. 2. Credit allowed. (a) An eligible individual is allowed a credit against the tax due under this chapter.
(b) The credit for an eligible individual equals the least of:
(1) eligible loan payments minus ten percent of an amount equal to adjusted gross income in excess of $10,000, but in no case less than zero;
(2) the earned income for the taxable year of the eligible individual, if any;
(3) the sum of:
(i) the interest portion of eligible loan payments made during the taxable year; and
(ii) ten percent of the original loan amount of all qualified education loans of the eligible individual; or
(4) $500.
(c) For a part-year resident, the credit must be allocated based on the percentage calculated under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e).
(d) In the case of a married couple, each
spouse is eligible for the credit in this section. For the purposes of paragraph (b), for
married taxpayers filing joint returns, each spouse's adjusted gross income
equals the spouse's percentage share of the couple's earned income, multiplied
by the couple's combined adjusted gross income.
Subd. 3. Credit
refundable; appropriation. (a)
If the amount of credit which a claimant is eligible to receive under this section
exceeds the claimant's tax liability under this chapter, the commissioner shall
refund the excess to the claimant.
(b) An amount sufficient to pay the
refunds required by this section is appropriated to the commissioner from the
general fund.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0685, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Credit
allowed. (a) An eligible
individual is allowed a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter equal to
$2,000 for each birth for which a certificate of birth resulting in
stillbirth has been issued under section 144.2151 stillbirth. The credit under this section is allowed only
in the taxable year in which the stillbirth occurred and if the child would
have been a dependent of the taxpayer as defined in section 152 of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(b) For a nonresident or part-year
resident, the credit must be allocated based on the percentage calculated under
section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e).
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015.
Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0685, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
(b) "Certificate of birth"
means the printed certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth issued under
section 144.2151 or for a birth occurring in another state or country a similar
certificate issued under that state's or country's law.
(c) "Eligible individual"
means an individual who is:
(1)(i) a resident; or
(ii) the nonresident spouse of a
resident who is a member of armed forces of the United States or the United
Nations; and
(2)(i) the individual who gave birth
resulting in stillbirth and is listed as a parent on the certificate of birth;
(ii) if no individual meets the
requirements of clause (i) for a stillbirth that occurs in this state, then the
first parent listed on the certificate of birth resulting in still birth; or
(iii) the individual who gave birth
resulting in stillbirth for a birth outside of this state for which no
certificate of birth was issued.
(d)
"Stillbirth" means a birth for which a fetal death report would be
required under section 144.222, subdivision 1, if the birth occurred in
this state.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015.
Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.091, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Definitions. For purposes of the tax imposed by this
section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(a) "Alternative minimum taxable income" means the sum of the following for the taxable year:
(1) the taxpayer's federal alternative minimum taxable income as defined in section 55(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(2) the taxpayer's itemized deductions allowed in computing federal alternative minimum taxable income, but excluding:
(i) the charitable contribution deduction under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(ii) the medical expense deduction;
(iii) the casualty, theft, and disaster loss deduction; and
(iv) the impairment-related work expenses of a person with a disability;
(3) for depletion allowances computed under section 613A(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to each property (as defined in section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the excess of the deduction for depletion allowable under section 611 of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year over the adjusted basis of the property at the end of the taxable year (determined without regard to the depletion deduction for the taxable year);
(4) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the amount of the tax preference for intangible drilling cost under section 57(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code determined without regard to subparagraph (E);
(5) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the amount of interest income as provided by section 290.0131, subdivision 2;
(6) the amount of addition required by
section 290.0131, subdivisions 9, 10, and 16, and 19 to 23;
(7) the deduction allowed under section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent not included in the addition required under clause (6); and
(8) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the amount of foreign-derived intangible income deducted under section 250 of the Internal Revenue Code;
less the sum of the amounts determined under the following:
(i) interest income as defined in section 290.0132, subdivision 2;
(ii) an overpayment of state income tax as provided by section 290.0132, subdivision 3, to the extent included in federal alternative minimum taxable income;
(iii) the amount of investment interest paid or accrued within the taxable year on indebtedness to the extent that the amount does not exceed net investment income, as defined in section 163(d)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Interest does not include amounts deducted in computing federal adjusted gross income;
(iv) amounts subtracted from federal taxable
or adjusted gross income as provided by section 290.0132, subdivisions 7, 9 to
15, 17, 21, 24, and 26 to 29, 30, and 31;
(v) the amount of the net operating loss allowed under section 290.095, subdivision 11, paragraph (c); and
(vi) the amount allowable as a Minnesota itemized deduction under section 290.0122, subdivision 7.
In the case of an estate or trust, alternative minimum taxable income must be computed as provided in section 59(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, except alternative minimum taxable income must be increased by the addition in section 290.0131, subdivision 16.
(b) "Investment interest" means investment interest as defined in section 163(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) "Net minimum tax" means the minimum tax imposed by this section.
(d) "Regular tax" means the tax that would be imposed under this chapter (without regard to this section and section 290.032), reduced by the sum of the nonrefundable credits allowed under this chapter.
(e) "Tentative minimum tax" equals 6.75 percent of alternative minimum taxable income after subtracting the exemption amount determined under subdivision 3.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, except that the
provisions relating to section 290.0131, subdivisions 20 and 21, are effective
retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and the
provisions relating to section 290.0131, subdivision 19, and section 290.0132,
subdivisions 30 and 31, are effective retroactively for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2018.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.17, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4a. Controlled
foreign corporations. (a) For
purposes of applying subdivision 4, a controlled foreign corporation as defined
in section 957 of the Internal Revenue Code is deemed to be a domestic
corporation if:
(1) a United States shareholder of a
controlled foreign corporation is required for the taxable year to include in
gross income the shareholder's global intangible low-taxed income under section
951A of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(2) the controlled foreign corporation
is a member of a unitary group.
(b) In the event the taxpayer fails to
designate the controlled foreign corporation as a member of a unitary group and
the commissioner subsequently determines that the controlled foreign corporation
is a member of a unitary group, the commissioner's determination is prima facie
valid. The taxpayer subject to the
determination has the burden of establishing the incorrectness of the
determination in any related action or proceeding.
(c) For purposes of imposing a tax
under this chapter, the federal taxable income of a controlled foreign
corporation deemed to be a domestic corporation under this subdivision must be
computed as follows:
(1) a profit and loss statement must be
prepared in the currency in which the books of account of the controlled
foreign corporation are regularly maintained;
(2) except as determined by the
commissioner or otherwise allowed under the Internal Revenue Code, adjustments
must be made to the profit and loss statement to conform the statement to the
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for the
preparation of those statements;
(3) adjustments must be made to the
profit and loss statement to conform it to the tax accounting standards
required by the commissioner;
(4) unless otherwise authorized by the
commissioner, the apportionment factors and profit and loss statement of each
member of the combined group must be converted into the currency in which the
parent company maintains its books and records; and
(5) the taxpayer's apportionment
factors and profit and loss statement must be expressed in United States
dollars.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.17, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4b. Worldwide
election. (a) Taxpayer
members of a unitary group, of which one or more members are deemed to be
domestic corporations under subdivision 4a for the taxable year, may elect to
determine each of their apportioned shares of the net business income or loss
of the combined group under a worldwide election. Under the election, taxpayer members must
take into account the entire income and apportionment factors of each member of
the unitary group, regardless of the place where a member is incorporated or
formed. Corporations or other entities
incorporated or formed outside of the United States are subject to the
requirements of subdivision 4a, paragraph (c), in reporting their income.
(b) A worldwide election is effective
only if made on a timely filed, original return for the tax year by each member
of the unitary group subject to tax under this chapter.
(c) A worldwide election is
binding for and applies to the taxable year it is made and for the ten
following taxable years.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.17, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4c. Withdrawal;
reinstitution. (a) The
election under subdivision 4b, paragraph (a), may be withdrawn:
(1) after expiration of the ten-year
period in subdivision 4b, paragraph (c), provided that the withdrawal is made
in writing within one year after the expiration of the election; or
(2) prior to the expiration of the
ten-year period, if the taxpayer members:
(i) file a written withdrawal request
with the commissioner;
(ii) demonstrate that they would
experience an extraordinary financial hardship due to increased tax arising
from unforeseen changes in this state's tax statutes, laws, or policies; and
(iii)
receive written permission from the commissioner approving the withdrawal,
which the commissioner may grant.
(b) A withdrawal made under paragraph
(a) is binding for ten years. If no
withdrawal is properly made under paragraph (a), clause (1), the worldwide
election is binding for an additional ten taxable years. If the commissioner grants written permission
to withdraw under paragraph (a), clause (2), the commissioner must impose any
requirement deemed necessary to prevent evasion of tax or to clearly reflect
income for the election period before or after withdrawal.
(c) Notwithstanding the requirement
binding withdrawal for ten years under paragraph (b), the election may be
reinstituted if the taxpayer members:
(1) file a written reinstitution
request with the commissioner;
(2) demonstrate that they would
experience an extraordinary hardship due to unforeseen changes in this state's
tax statutes, laws, or policies; and
(3)
receive written permission from the commissioner approving the reinstitution,
which the commissioner may grant.
(d) A reinstitution under paragraph (c)
is binding for a period of ten years. The
withdrawal provisions of paragraph (a) apply to a reinstitution under paragraph
(c), and the provisions of paragraph (c) apply to a reinstitution following a
subsequent withdrawal.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.21, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Controlled
foreign corporations. The net income
of a domestic corporation that is included pursuant to section 951 of
the Internal Revenue Code is dividend income.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.21, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 10. Previously
taxed deferred foreign income. The
amount included under section 290.0133, subdivision 16, is dividend income.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 4b, is amended to read:
Subd. 4b. Withholding by partnerships. (a) A partnership shall deduct and withhold a tax as provided in paragraph (b) for nonresident individual partners based on their distributive shares of partnership income for a taxable year of the partnership.
(b) The amount of tax withheld is determined by multiplying the partner's distributive share allocable to Minnesota under section 290.17, paid or credited during the taxable year by the highest rate used to determine the income tax liability for an individual under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, except that the amount of tax withheld may be determined by the commissioner if the partner submits a withholding exemption certificate under subdivision 5.
(c) The commissioner may reduce or abate the tax withheld under this subdivision if the partnership had reasonable cause to believe that no tax was due under this section.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a partnership is not required to deduct and withhold tax for a nonresident partner if:
(1) the partner elects to have the tax due paid as part of the partnership's composite return under section 289A.08, subdivision 7;
(2) the
partner has Minnesota assignable federal adjusted gross income from the
partnership of less than $1,000; or
(3) the partnership is liquidated or terminated, the income was generated by a transaction related to the termination or liquidation, and no cash or other property was distributed in the current or prior taxable year;
(4) the distributive shares of partnership income are attributable to:
(i) income required to be recognized because of discharge of indebtedness;
(ii) income recognized because of a sale, exchange, or other disposition of real estate, depreciable property, or property described in section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code; or
(iii) income recognized on the sale, exchange, or other disposition of any property that has been the subject of a basis reduction pursuant to section 108, 734, 743, 754, or 1017 of the Internal Revenue Code
to the extent that the income does not include cash received
or receivable or, if there is cash received or receivable, to the extent that
the cash is required to be used to pay indebtedness by the partnership or a
secured debt on partnership property; or
(5)
the partnership is a publicly traded partnership, as defined in section 7704(b)
of the Internal Revenue Code.; or
(6) the partnership has elected to pay
the pass-through entity tax under section 289A.08, subdivision 7a.
(e) For purposes of sections 270C.60, 289A.09, subdivision 2, 289A.20, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), 289A.50, 289A.56, 289A.60, and 289A.63, a partnership is considered an employer.
(f) To the extent that income is exempt from withholding under paragraph (d), clause (4), the commissioner has a lien in an amount up to the amount that would be required to be withheld with respect to the income of the partner attributable to the partnership interest, but for the application of paragraph (d), clause (4). The lien arises under section 270C.63 from the date of assessment of the tax against the partner, and attaches to that partner's share of the profits and any other money due or to become due to that partner in respect of the partnership. Notice of the lien may be sent by mail to the partnership, without the necessity for recording the lien. The notice has the force and effect of a levy under section 270C.67, and is enforceable against the partnership in the manner provided by that section. Upon payment in full of the liability subsequent to the notice of lien, the partnership must be notified that the lien has been satisfied.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 4c, is amended to read:
Subd. 4c. Withholding by S corporations. (a) A corporation having a valid election in effect under section 290.9725 shall deduct and withhold a tax as provided in paragraph (b) for nonresident individual shareholders their share of the corporation's income for the taxable year.
(b) The amount of tax withheld is determined by multiplying the amount of income allocable to Minnesota under section 290.17 by the highest rate used to determine the income tax liability of an individual under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, except that the amount of tax withheld may be determined by the commissioner if the shareholder submits a withholding exemption certificate under subdivision 5.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a corporation is not required to deduct and withhold tax for a nonresident shareholder, if:
(1) the shareholder elects to have the tax due paid as part of the corporation's composite return under section 289A.08, subdivision 7;
(2) the shareholder has Minnesota
assignable federal adjusted gross income from the corporation of less than
$1,000; or
(3) the corporation is liquidated or
terminated, the income was generated by a transaction related to the
termination or liquidation, and no cash or other property was distributed in
the current or prior taxable year.; or
(4) the S corporation has elected
to pay the pass-through entity tax under section 289A.08, subdivision 7a.
(d) For purposes of sections 270C.60, 289A.09, subdivision 2, 289A.20, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), 289A.50, 289A.56, 289A.60, and 289A.63, a corporation is considered an employer.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290A.03, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Income. (a) "Income" means the sum of the following:
(1) federal adjusted gross income as defined in the Internal Revenue Code; and
(2) the sum of the following amounts to the extent not included in clause (1):
(i) all nontaxable income;
(ii) the amount of a passive activity loss that is not disallowed as a result of section 469, paragraph (i) or (m) of the Internal Revenue Code and the amount of passive activity loss carryover allowed under section 469(b) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) an amount equal to the total of any discharge of qualified farm indebtedness of a solvent individual excluded from gross income under section 108(g) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iv) cash public assistance and relief;
(v) any pension or annuity (including railroad retirement benefits, all payments received under the federal Social Security Act, Supplemental Security Income, and veterans benefits), which was not exclusively funded by the claimant or spouse, or which was funded exclusively by the claimant or spouse and which funding payments were excluded from federal adjusted gross income in the years when the payments were made;
(vi)
interest received from the federal or a state government or any instrumentality
or political subdivision thereof;
(vii) workers' compensation;
(viii) nontaxable strike benefits;
(ix) the gross amounts of payments received in the nature of disability income or sick pay as a result of accident, sickness, or other disability, whether funded through insurance or otherwise;
(x) a lump-sum distribution under section 402(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 1995;
(xi) contributions made by the claimant to an individual retirement account, including a qualified voluntary employee contribution; simplified employee pension plan; self-employed retirement plan; cash or deferred arrangement plan under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code; or deferred compensation plan under section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent the sum of amounts exceeds the retirement base amount for the claimant and spouse;
(xii) to the extent not included in federal adjusted gross income, distributions received by the claimant or spouse from a traditional or Roth style retirement account or plan;
(xiii) nontaxable scholarship or fellowship grants;
(xiv) alimony received to the extent not included in the recipient's income;
(xv) the amount of deduction allowed under section 220 or 223 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(xvi) the amount deducted for tuition
expenses under section 222 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(xvii) the amount deducted for certain
expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers under section 62(a)(2)(D)
of the Internal Revenue Code.; and
(xviii) the amount of deduction allowed
under section 199A(g) of the Internal Revenue Code.
In the case of an individual who files an income tax return on a fiscal year basis, the term "federal adjusted gross income" shall mean federal adjusted gross income reflected in the fiscal year ending in the calendar year. Federal adjusted gross income shall not be reduced by the amount of a net operating loss carryback or carryforward or a capital loss carryback or carryforward allowed for the year.
(b) "Income" does not include:
(1) amounts excluded pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, sections 101(a) and 102;
(2) amounts of any pension or annuity which was exclusively funded by the claimant or spouse and which funding payments were not excluded from federal adjusted gross income in the years when the payments were made;
(3) to the extent included in federal adjusted gross income, amounts contributed by the claimant or spouse to a traditional or Roth style retirement account or plan, but not to exceed the retirement base amount reduced by the amount of contributions excluded from federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero;
(4) surplus food or other relief in kind supplied by a governmental agency;
(5) relief granted under this chapter;
(6) child support payments received under a temporary or final decree of dissolution or legal separation;
(7) restitution payments received by eligible individuals and excludable interest as defined in section 803 of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Public Law 107-16; or
(8) alimony paid.
(c) The sum of the following amounts may be subtracted from income:
(1) for the claimant's first dependent, the exemption amount multiplied by 1.4;
(2) for the claimant's second dependent, the exemption amount multiplied by 1.3;
(3) for the claimant's third dependent, the exemption amount multiplied by 1.2;
(4) for the claimant's fourth dependent, the exemption amount multiplied by 1.1;
(5) for the claimant's fifth dependent, the exemption amount; and
(6) if the claimant or claimant's spouse had a disability or attained the age of 65 on or before December 31 of the year for which the taxes were levied or rent paid, the exemption amount.
(d) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "exemption amount" means the exemption amount under section 290.0121, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), for the taxable year for which the income is reported;
(2) "retirement base amount" means the deductible amount for the taxable year for the claimant and spouse under section 219(b)(5)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, adjusted for inflation as provided in section 219(b)(5)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code, without regard to whether the claimant or spouse claimed a deduction; and
(3) "traditional or Roth style retirement account or plan" means retirement plans under sections 401, 403, 408, 408A, and 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297I.20, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Film
production credit. (a) A
taxpayer may claim a credit against the premiums tax imposed under this chapter
equal to the amount indicated on the credit certificate statement issued to the
company under section 116U.27. If the
amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer's liability for tax under this
chapter, the excess is a credit carryover to each of the five succeeding
taxable years. The entire amount of the
excess unused credit for the taxable year must be carried first to the earliest
of the taxable years to which the credit may be carried and then to each
successive year to which the credit may be carried. This credit does not affect the calculation
of fire state aid under section 477B.03 and police state aid under section
477C.03.
(b) This subdivision expires January 1,
2025, for taxable years beginning after and premiums received after December
31, 2024.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after and for premiums received after
December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2025.
Sec. 41. CLARIFICATION
OF SECTION 179 EXPENSING CONFORMITY.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019, no addition is required under Minnesota Statutes, sections 290.0131, subdivision 10, and 290.0133, subdivision 12, for property placed in service in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2020, including the following:
(1) the addition for carryover amounts pursuant to section 179(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for property placed in service in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2020; and
(2) the addition for property placed in
service in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2020, resulting from being a shareholder or partner in an S-corporation
or partnership with a taxable year that began before January 1, 2020.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
Sec. 42. REPEALER.
(a) Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
290.01, subdivision 19i; and 290.0131, subdivision 18, are repealed effective retroactively
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015.
(b) Minnesota Statutes 2020, section
290.01, subdivision 7b, is repealed effective for taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2020.
ARTICLE 3
PARTNERSHIP AUDITS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.445, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Enforcement; administrative order; penalties; cease and desist. (a) The commissioner may impose an administrative penalty of not more than $1,000 per violation of subdivision 3 or 5, or section 270C.4451, provided that a penalty may not be imposed for any conduct for which a tax preparer penalty is imposed under
section 289A.60, subdivision 13. The commissioner may terminate a tax preparer's authority to transmit returns electronically to the state, if the commissioner determines the tax preparer engaged in a pattern and practice of violating this section. Imposition of a penalty under this paragraph is subject to the contested case procedure under chapter 14. The commissioner shall collect the penalty in the same manner as the income tax. There is no right to make a claim for refund under section 289A.50 of the penalty imposed under this paragraph. Penalties imposed under this paragraph are public data.
(b) In addition to the penalty under paragraph (a), if the commissioner determines that a tax preparer has violated subdivision 3 or 5, or section 270C.4451, the commissioner may issue an administrative order to the tax preparer requiring the tax preparer to cease and desist from committing the violation. The administrative order may include an administrative penalty provided in paragraph (a).
(c) If the commissioner issues an administrative order under paragraph (b), the commissioner must send the order to the tax preparer addressed to the last known address of the tax preparer.
(d) A cease and desist order under paragraph (b) must:
(1) describe the act, conduct, or practice committed and include a reference to the law that the act, conduct, or practice violates; and
(2) provide notice that the tax preparer may request a hearing as provided in this subdivision.
(e) Within 30 days after the commissioner issues an administrative order under paragraph (b), the tax preparer may request a hearing to review the commissioner's action. The request for hearing must be made in writing and must be served on the commissioner at the address specified in the order. The hearing request must specifically state the reasons for seeking review of the order. The date on which a request for hearing is served by mail is the postmark date on the envelope in which the request for hearing is mailed.
(f) If a tax preparer does not timely request a hearing regarding an administrative order issued under paragraph (b), the order becomes a final order of the commissioner and is not subject to review by any court or agency.
(g) If a tax preparer timely requests a hearing regarding an administrative order issued under paragraph (b), the hearing must be commenced within ten days after the commissioner receives the request for a hearing.
(h) A hearing timely requested under paragraph (e) is subject to the contested case procedure under chapter 14, as modified by this subdivision. The administrative law judge must issue a report containing findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommended order within ten days after the completion of the hearing, the receipt of late‑filed exhibits, or the submission of written arguments, whichever is later.
(i) Within five days of the date of the administrative law judge's report issued under paragraph (h), any party aggrieved by the administrative law judge's report may submit written exceptions and arguments to the commissioner. Within 15 days after receiving the administrative law judge's report, the commissioner must issue an order vacating, modifying, or making final the administrative order.
(j) The commissioner and the tax preparer requesting a hearing may by agreement lengthen any time periods prescribed in paragraphs (g) to (i).
(k) An administrative order issued under paragraph (b) is in effect until it is modified or vacated by the commissioner or an appellate court. The administrative hearing provided by paragraphs (e) to (i) and any appellate judicial review as provided in chapter 14 constitute the exclusive remedy for a tax preparer aggrieved by the order.
(l) The commissioner may impose an administrative penalty, in addition to the penalty under paragraph (a), up to $5,000 per violation of a cease and desist order issued under paragraph (b). Imposition of a penalty under this paragraph is subject to the contested case procedure under chapter 14. Within 30 days after the commissioner imposes a penalty under this paragraph, the tax preparer assessed the penalty may request a hearing to review the penalty order. The request for hearing must be made in writing and must be served on the commissioner at the address specified in the order. The hearing request must specifically state the reasons for seeking review of the order. The cease and desist order issued under paragraph (b) is not subject to review in a proceeding to challenge the penalty order under this paragraph. The date on which a request for hearing is served by mail is the postmark date on the envelope in which the request for hearing is mailed. If the tax preparer does not timely request a hearing, the penalty order becomes a final order of the commissioner and is not subject to review by any court or agency. A penalty imposed by the commissioner under this paragraph may be collected and enforced by the commissioner as an income tax liability. There is no right to make a claim for refund under section 289A.50 of the penalty imposed under this paragraph. A penalty imposed under this paragraph is public data.
(m) If a tax preparer violates a cease and desist order issued under paragraph (b), the commissioner may terminate the tax preparer's authority to transmit returns electronically to the state. Termination under this paragraph is public data.
(n) A cease and desist order issued under paragraph (b) is public data when it is a final order.
(o) Notwithstanding any other law, the
commissioner may impose a penalty or take other action under this subdivision
against a tax preparer, with respect to a return, within the period to assess
tax on that return as provided by section sections 289A.38 to
289A.382.
(p) Notwithstanding any other law, the imposition of a penalty or any other action against a tax preparer under this subdivision, other than with respect to a return, must be taken by the commissioner within five years of the violation of statute.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.31, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Individual income, fiduciary income, mining company, corporate franchise, and entertainment taxes. (a) Individual income, fiduciary income, mining company, and corporate franchise taxes, and interest and penalties, must be paid by the taxpayer upon whom the tax is imposed, except in the following cases:
(1) the tax due from a decedent for that part of the taxable year in which the decedent died during which the decedent was alive and the taxes, interest, and penalty due for the prior years must be paid by the decedent's personal representative, if any. If there is no personal representative, the taxes, interest, and penalty must be paid by the transferees, as defined in section 270C.58, subdivision 3, to the extent they receive property from the decedent;
(2) the tax due from an infant or other incompetent person must be paid by the person's guardian or other person authorized or permitted by law to act for the person;
(3) the tax due from the estate of a decedent must be paid by the estate's personal representative;
(4) the tax due from a trust, including those within the definition of a corporation, as defined in section 290.01, subdivision 4, must be paid by a trustee; and
(5) the tax due from a taxpayer whose business or property is in charge of a receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, assignee, or other conservator, must be paid by the person in charge of the business or property so far as the tax is due to the income from the business or property.
(b) Entertainment taxes are the joint and several liability of the entertainer and the entertainment entity. The payor is liable to the state for the payment of the tax required to be deducted and withheld under section 290.9201, subdivision 7, and is not liable to the entertainer for the amount of the payment.
(c) The taxes imposed under sections 289A.35, paragraph (b), 289A.382, subdivision 3, and 290.0922 on partnerships are the joint and several liability of the partnership and the general partners.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.37, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Erroneous refunds. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), an erroneous refund occurs when the commissioner issues a payment to a person that exceeds the amount the person is entitled to receive under law. An erroneous refund is considered an underpayment of tax on the date issued.
(b) To the extent that the amount paid does not exceed the amount claimed by the taxpayer, an erroneous refund does not include the following:
(1) any amount of a refund or credit paid pursuant to a claim for refund filed by a taxpayer, including but not limited to refunds of claims made under section 290.06, subdivision 23; 290.067; 290.0671; 290.0672; 290.0674; 290.0675; 290.0677; 290.068; 290.0681; or 290.0692; or chapter 290A; or
(2) any amount paid pursuant to a claim for refund of an overpayment of tax filed by a taxpayer.
(c) The commissioner may make an assessment to recover an erroneous refund at any time within two years from the issuance of the erroneous refund. If all or part of the erroneous refund was induced by fraud or misrepresentation of a material fact, the assessment may be made at any time.
(d) Assessments of amounts that are not
erroneous refunds under paragraph (b) must be conducted under section sections
289A.38 to 289A.382.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.38, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Federal
tax changes. (a) If the amount of
income, items of tax preference, deductions, or credits for any year of a
taxpayer, or the wages paid by a taxpayer for any period, as reported to the
Internal Revenue Service is changed or corrected by the commissioner of
Internal Revenue or other officer of the United States or other competent
authority, or where a renegotiation of a contract or subcontract with the
United States results in a change in income, items of tax preference,
deductions, credits, or withholding tax, or, in the case of estate tax, where
there are adjustments to the taxable estate, the taxpayer shall report the change
or correction or renegotiation results federal adjustments in
writing to the commissioner. The federal
adjustments report must be submitted within 180 days after the final
determination date and must be in the form of either an amended
Minnesota estate, withholding
tax, corporate franchise tax,
or income tax return conceding the accuracy of the federal determination
adjustment or a letter detailing how the federal determination adjustment
is incorrect or does not change the Minnesota tax. An amended Minnesota income tax return must
be accompanied by an amended property tax refund return, if necessary. A taxpayer filing an amended federal tax
return must also file a copy of the amended return with the commissioner of
revenue within 180 days after filing the amended return.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a),
a change or correction includes any case where a taxpayer reaches a closing
agreement or compromise with the Internal Revenue Service under section 7121 or
7122 of the Internal Revenue Code. In
the case of a final federal adjustment arising from a partnership-level audit
or an administrative adjustment request filed by a partnership under section
6227 of the Internal Revenue Code, a taxpayer must report adjustments as
provided for under section 289A.382, and not this section.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.38, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Failure to report change or correction of federal return. If a taxpayer fails to make a federal adjustments report as required by subdivision 7 or section 289A.382, the commissioner may recompute the tax, including a refund, based on information available to the commissioner. The tax may be recomputed within six years after the federal adjustments report should have been filed, notwithstanding any period of limitations to the contrary.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.38, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Report made of change or correction of federal return. If a taxpayer is required to make a federal adjustments report under subdivision 7 or section 289A.382, and does report the change or files a copy of the amended return, the commissioner may recompute and reassess the tax due, including a refund (1) within one year after the federal adjustments report or amended return is filed with the commissioner, notwithstanding any period of limitations to the contrary, or (2) within any other applicable period stated in this section, whichever period is longer. The period provided for the carryback of any amount of loss or credit is also extended as provided in this subdivision, notwithstanding any law to the contrary. If the commissioner has completed a field audit of the taxpayer, and, but for this subdivision, the commissioner's time period to adjust the tax has expired, the additional tax due or refund is limited to only those changes that are required to be made to the return which relate to the changes made on the federal return. This subdivision does not apply to sales and use tax.
For purposes of this subdivision and section 289A.42, subdivision 2, a "field audit" is the physical presence of examiners in the taxpayer's or taxpayer's representative's office conducting an examination of the taxpayer with the intention of issuing an assessment or notice of change in tax or which results in the issuing of an assessment or notice of change in tax. The examination may include inspecting a taxpayer's place of business, tangible personal property, equipment, computer systems and facilities, pertinent books, records, papers, vouchers, computer printouts, accounts, and documents.
A taxpayer may make estimated payments
to the commissioner of the tax expected to result from a pending audit by the
Internal Revenue Service. The taxpayer
may make estimated payments prior to the due date of the federal adjustments
report without the taxpayer having to file the report with the commissioner. The commissioner must
credit the estimated tax
payments against any tax liability of the taxpayer ultimately found to be due
to the commissioner. The estimated
payments limit the accrual of further statutory interest on that amount. If the estimated tax payments exceed the
final tax liability plus statutory interest ultimately determined to be due,
the taxpayer is entitled to a refund or credit for the excess, provided the
taxpayer files a federal adjustments report, or claim for refund or credit of
tax, no later than one year following the final determination date.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.38, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Incorrect determination of federal adjusted gross income. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if a taxpayer whose net income is determined under section 290.01, subdivision 19, omits from income an amount that will under the Internal Revenue Code extend the statute of limitations for the assessment of federal income taxes, or otherwise incorrectly determines the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income resulting in adjustments by the Internal Revenue Service, then the period of assessment and determination of tax will be that under the Internal Revenue Code. When a change is made to federal income during the extended time provided under this subdivision, the provisions under subdivisions 7 to 9 and section 289A.382 regarding additional extensions apply.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 8. [289A.381]
DEFINITIONS; PARTNERSHIPS; FEDERAL ADJUSTMENTS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions
relating to federal adjustments. Unless
otherwise specified, the definitions in this section apply for the purposes of
sections 289A.38, subdivisions 7 to 9, 289A.381, and 289A.382.
Subd. 2. Administrative
adjustment request. "Administrative
adjustment request" means an administrative adjustment request filed by a
partnership under section 6227 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Subd. 3. Audited
partnership. "Audited
partnership" means a partnership subject to a federal adjustment resulting
from a partnership-level audit.
Subd. 4. Corporate
partner. "Corporate
partner" means a partner that is subject to tax under section 290.02.
Subd. 5. Direct
partner. "Direct
partner" means a partner that holds an immediate legal ownership interest
in a partnership or pass-through entity.
Subd. 6. Exempt
partner. "Exempt
partner" means a partner that is exempt from taxes on its net income under
section 290.05, subdivision 1.
Subd. 7. Federal
adjustment. "Federal
adjustment" means any change in an amount calculated under the Internal
Revenue Code, whether to income, gross estate, a credit, an item of preference,
or any other item that is used by a taxpayer to compute a tax administered
under this chapter for the reviewed year whether that change results from
action by the Internal Revenue Service or other competent authority, including
a partnership-level audit, or from the filing of an amended federal return,
federal refund claim, or an administrative adjustment request by the taxpayer. A federal adjustment is positive to the
extent that it increases taxable income as determined under section 290.01,
subdivision 29, and is negative to the extent that it decreases taxable income
as determined under section 290.01, subdivision 29.
Subd. 8. Federal
adjustments report. "Federal
adjustments report" includes a method or form prescribed by the
commissioner for use by a taxpayer to report federal adjustments, including an
amended Minnesota tax return or a uniform multistate report.
Subd. 9. Federal
partnership representative. "Federal
partnership representative" means the person the partnership designates
for the taxable year as the partnership's representative, or the person the Internal
Revenue Service has appointed to act as the
partnership representative, pursuant to section 6223(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
Subd. 10. Final
determination date. "Final
determination date" means:
(1) for a federal adjustment arising
from an audit by the Internal Revenue Service or other competent authority, the
first day on which no federal adjustment arising from that audit remains to be
finally determined, whether by agreement, or, if appealed or contested, by a
final decision with respect to which all rights of appeal have been waived or
exhausted;
(2) for a federal adjustment arising
from an audit or other action by the Internal Revenue Service or other
competent authority, if the taxpayer filed as a member of a combined report
under section 290.17, subdivision 4, the first day on which no related federal
adjustments arising from that audit remain to be finally determined as
described in clause (1) for the entire combined group;
(3) for a federal adjustment arising
from the filing of an amended federal return, a federal refund claim, or the
filing by a partnership of an administrative adjustment request, the date on
which the amended return, refund claim, or administrative adjustment request
was filed; or
(4) for agreements required to be
signed by the Internal Revenue Service and the taxpayer, the date on which the
last party signed the agreement.
Subd. 11. Final
federal adjustment. "Final
federal adjustment" means a federal adjustment after the final
determination date for that federal adjustment has passed.
Subd. 12. Indirect
partner. "Indirect
partner" means either:
(1) a partner in a partnership or
pass-through entity that itself holds an immediate legal ownership interest in
another partnership or pass-through entity; or
(2) a partner in a partnership or
pass-through entity that holds an indirect interest in another partnership or
pass‑through entity through another indirect partner.
Subd. 13. Partner. "Partner" means a person
that holds an interest directly or indirectly in a partnership or other
pass-through entity.
Subd. 14. Partnership. "Partnership" has the
meaning provided under section 7701(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Subd. 15. Partnership-level
audit. "Partnership-level
audit" means an examination by the Internal Revenue Service at the
partnership level pursuant to subtitle F, chapter 63, subchapter C, of the
Internal Revenue Code, which results in federal adjustments and adjustments to
partnership-related items.
Subd. 16. Pass-through
entity. "Pass-through
entity" means an entity, other than a partnership, that is not subject to
the tax imposed under section 290.02. The
term pass-through entity includes but is not limited to S corporations,
estates, and trusts other than grantor trusts.
Subd. 17. Resident
partner. "Resident
partner" means an individual, trust, or estate partner who is a resident
of Minnesota under section 290.01, subdivision 7, 7a, or 7b, for the relevant
tax period.
Subd. 18. Reviewed
year. "Reviewed
year" means the taxable year of a partnership that is subject to a
partnership-level audit from which federal adjustments arise.
Subd. 19. Tiered
partner. "Tiered
partner" means any partner that is a partnership or pass-through entity.
Subd. 20. Unrelated
business taxable income. "Unrelated
business taxable income" has the meaning provided under section 512 of the
Internal Revenue Code.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 9. [289A.382]
REPORTING AND PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS.
Subdivision 1. State
partnership representative. (a)
With respect to an action required or permitted to be taken by a partnership
under this section, or in a proceeding under section 270C.35 or 271.06, the
state partnership representative for the reviewed year shall have the sole
authority to act on behalf of the partnership, and its direct partners and
indirect partners shall be bound by those actions.
(b) The state partnership representative
for the reviewed year is the partnership's federal partnership representative
unless the partnership, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner,
designates another person as its state partnership representative.
Subd. 2. Reporting
and payment requirements for partnerships and tiered partners. (a) Except for when an audited
partnership makes the election in subdivision 3, and except for negative
federal adjustments required under federal law taken into account by the
partnership in the partnership return for the adjustment or other year, all
final federal adjustments of an audited partnership must comply with paragraph
(b) and each direct partner of the audited partnership, other than a tiered
partner, must comply with paragraph (c).
(b) No later than 90 days after the
final determination date, the audited partnership must:
(1) file a completed federal adjustments
report, including all partner-level information required under section 289A.12,
subdivision 3, with the commissioner;
(2) notify each of its direct partners
of their distributive share of the final federal adjustments;
(3) file an amended composite report for
all direct partners who were included in a composite return under section
289A.08, subdivision 7, in the reviewed year, and pay the additional amount
that would have been due had the federal adjustments been reported properly as
required; and
(4) file amended withholding reports for
all direct partners who were or should have been subject to nonresident
withholding under section 290.92, subdivision 4b, in the reviewed year, and pay
the additional amount that would have been due had the federal adjustments been
reported properly as required.
(c) No later than 180 days after the
final determination date, each direct partner, other than a tiered partner,
that is subject to a tax administered under this chapter, other than the sales
tax, must:
(1) file a federal adjustments report
reporting their distributive share of the adjustments reported to them under
paragraph (b), clause (2); and
(2) pay any additional amount
of tax due as if the final federal adjustment had been properly reported, plus
any penalty and interest due under this chapter, and less any credit for
related amounts paid or withheld and remitted on behalf of the direct partner
under paragraph (b), clauses (3) and (4).
Subd. 3. Election;
partnership or tiered partners pay. (a)
An audited partnership may make an election under this subdivision to pay its
assessment at the entity level. If an
audited partnership makes an election to pay its assessment at the entity level
it must:
(1) no later than 90 days after the
final determination date:
(i) file a completed federal adjustments
report, which includes the residency information for all individual, trust, and estate direct partners and information
pertaining to all other direct partners as prescribed by the commissioner; and
(ii) notify the commissioner that it is
making the election under this subdivision; and
(2) no later than 180 days after the
final determination date, pay an amount, determined as follows, in lieu of
taxes on partners:
(i) exclude from final federal
adjustments the distributive share of these adjustments made to a direct exempt
partner that is not unrelated business taxable income;
(ii) exclude from final federal
adjustments the distributive share of these adjustments made to a direct
partner that has filed a federal adjustments report and paid the applicable
tax, as required under subdivision 2, for the distributive share of adjustments
reported on a federal return under section 6225(c) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) assign and apportion at the
partnership level using sections 290.17 to 290.20 the total distributive share
of the remaining final federal adjustments for the reviewed year attributed to
direct corporate partners and direct exempt partners; multiply the total by the
highest tax rate in section 290.06, subdivision 1, for the reviewed year; and
calculate interest and penalties as applicable under this chapter;
(iv) allocate at the partnership level
using section 290.17, subdivision 1, the total distributive share of all final
federal adjustments attributable to individual resident direct partners for the
reviewed year; multiply the total by the highest tax rate in section 290.06,
subdivision 2c, for the reviewed year; and calculate interest and penalties as
applicable under this chapter;
(v) assign and apportion at the
partnership level using sections 290.17 to 290.20 the total distributive share
of the remaining final federal adjustments attributable to nonresident
individual direct partners and direct partners who are an estate or a trust for
the reviewed year; multiply the total by the highest tax rate in section
290.06, subdivision 2c, for the reviewed year; and calculate interest and
penalties as applicable under this chapter;
(vi) for the total distributive share of
the remaining final federal adjustments reported to tiered partners:
(A) determine the amount of the
adjustments that would be assigned using section 290.17, subdivision 2,
paragraphs (a) to (d), excluding income or gains from intangible personal
property not employed in the business of the recipient of the income or gains
if the recipient of the income or gains is a resident of this state or is a
resident trust or estate under section
290.17, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), or apportioned using sections 290.17,
subdivision 3, 290.191, and 290.20; and then determine the portion of
the amount that would be allocated to this state;
(B) determine the amount of the
adjustments that are fully sourced to the taxpayer's state of residency under
section 290.17, subdivision 2, paragraph (e), and income or gains from
intangible personal property not employed in the business of the recipient of
the income or gains if the recipient of the income or gains is a resident of
this state or is a resident trust or estate under section 290.17, subdivision
2, paragraph (c);
(C) determine the portion of
the amount determined in subitem (B) that can be established to be properly
allocable to nonresident indirect partners or other partners not subject to tax
on the adjustments; and
(D) multiply the total of the amounts
determined in subitems (A) and (B) reduced by the amount determined in subitem
(C) by the highest tax rate in section 290.06, subdivision 2c, for the reviewed
year, and calculate interest and penalties as applicable under this chapter;
and
(vii) add the amounts determined in
items (iii) to (vi), and pay all applicable taxes, penalties, and interest to
the commissioner.
(b) An audited partnership may not make an election under this subdivision to report:
(1) a federal adjustment that results
in unitary business income to a corporate partner required to file as a member
of a combined report under section 290.17, subdivision 4; or
(2) any final federal adjustments
resulting from an administrative adjustment request.
(c) An audited partnership not
otherwise subject to any reporting or payment obligation to this state may not
make an election under this subdivision.
Subd. 4. Tiered
partners and indirect partners. The
direct and indirect partners of an audited partnership that are tiered
partners, and all the partners of the tiered partners, that are subject to tax
under chapter 290 are subject to the reporting and payment requirements
contained in subdivision 2, and the tiered partners are entitled to make the
elections provided in subdivision 3. The
tiered partners or their partners shall make required reports and payments no
later than 90 days after the time for filing and furnishing of statements to
tiered partners and their partners as established under section 6226 of the
Internal Revenue Code.
Subd. 5. Effects
of election by partnership or tiered partner and payment of amount due. (a) Unless the commissioner determines
otherwise, an election under subdivision 3 is irrevocable.
(b) If an audited partnership or tiered
partner properly reports and pays an amount determined in subdivision 3, the
amount must be treated as paid in lieu of taxes owed by the partnership's
direct partners and indirect partners, to the extent applicable, on the same
final federal adjustments. The direct
partners or indirect partners of the partnership who are not resident partners
may not take any deduction or credit for this amount or claim a refund of the
amount in this state.
(c) Nothing in this subdivision
precludes resident direct partners from claiming a credit against taxes paid
under section 290.06 on any amounts paid by the audited partnership or tiered
partners on the resident partner's behalf to another state or local tax
jurisdiction.
Subd. 6. Failure
of partnership or tiered partner to report or pay. Nothing in this section prevents the
commissioner from assessing direct partners or indirect partners for taxes they
owe, using the best information available, in the event that, for any reason, a
partnership or tiered partner fails to timely make any report or payment
required by this section.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, except that
for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal Regulations, title
26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective retroactively and applies
to the same tax periods to which the election relates.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.42, is amended to read:
289A.42
CONSENT TO EXTEND STATUTE.
Subdivision 1. Extension agreement. If before the expiration of time prescribed in sections 289A.38 to 289A.382 and 289A.40 for the assessment of tax or the filing of a claim for refund, both the commissioner and the taxpayer have consented in writing to the assessment or filing of a claim for refund after that time, the tax may be assessed or the claim for refund filed at any time before the expiration of the agreed-upon period. The period may be extended by later agreements in writing before the expiration of the period previously agreed upon. The taxpayer and the commissioner may also agree to extend the period for collection of the tax.
Subd. 2. Federal extensions. When a taxpayer consents to an extension of time for the assessment of federal withholding or income taxes, the period in which the commissioner may recompute the tax is also extended, notwithstanding any period of limitations to the contrary, as follows:
(1) for
the periods provided in section sections 289A.38, subdivisions 8
and 9, and 289A.382, subdivisions 2 and 3;
(2) for six months following the
expiration of the extended federal period of limitations when no change is made
by the federal authority. If no change
is made by the federal authority, and, but for this subdivision, the
commissioner's time period to adjust the tax has expired, and if the
commissioner has completed a field audit of the taxpayer, no additional changes
resulting in additional tax due or a refund may be made. For purposes of this subdivision, "field
audit" has the meaning given it in section 289A.38, subdivision 9.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.60, subdivision 24, is amended to read:
Subd. 24. Penalty
for failure to notify of federal change.
If a person fails to report to the commissioner a change or
correction of the person's federal return in the manner and time prescribed in section
sections 289A.38, subdivision 7, and 289A.382, there must be
added to the tax an amount equal to ten percent of the amount of any
underpayment of Minnesota tax attributable to the federal change.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.31, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Partners,
not partnership, subject to tax. Except
as provided under section sections 289A.35, paragraph (b), and
289A.382, subdivision 3, a partnership as such shall not be subject to the
income tax imposed by this chapter, but is subject to the tax imposed under
section 290.0922. Persons carrying on
business as partners shall be liable for income tax only in their separate or
individual capacities.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.17, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Time
limit for bad debt refund. Claims
for refund must be filed with the commissioner during the one-year period
beginning with the timely filing of the taxpayer's federal income tax return
containing the bad debt deduction that is being claimed. Claimants under this subdivision are subject
to the notice requirements of section sections 289A.38,
subdivision 7, and 289A.382.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297G.16, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Time
limit for a bad debt deduction. Claims
for refund must be filed with the commissioner within one year of the filing of
the taxpayer's income tax return containing the bad debt deduction that is
being claimed. Claimants under this
subdivision are subject to the notice requirements of section 289A.38,
subdivision 7 sections 289A.38 to 289A.382.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 469.319, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Repayment procedures. (a) For the repayment of taxes imposed under chapter 290 or 297A or local taxes collected pursuant to section 297A.99, a business must file an amended return with the commissioner of revenue and pay any taxes required to be repaid within 30 days after becoming subject to repayment under this section. The amount required to be repaid is determined by calculating the tax for the period or periods for which repayment is required without regard to the exemptions and credits allowed under section 469.315.
(b) For the repayment of taxes imposed under chapter 297B, a business must pay any taxes required to be repaid to the motor vehicle registrar, as agent for the commissioner of revenue, within 30 days after becoming subject to repayment under this section.
(c) For the repayment of property taxes, the county auditor shall prepare a tax statement for the business, applying the applicable tax extension rates for each payable year and provide a copy to the business and to the taxpayer of record. The business must pay the taxes to the county treasurer within 30 days after receipt of the tax statement. The business or the taxpayer of record may appeal the valuation and determination of the property tax to the Tax Court within 30 days after receipt of the tax statement.
(d) The provisions of chapters 270C and 289A relating to the commissioner's authority to audit, assess, and collect the tax and to hear appeals are applicable to the repayment required under paragraphs (a) and (b). The commissioner may impose civil penalties as provided in chapter 289A, and the additional tax and penalties are subject to interest at the rate provided in section 270C.40. The additional tax shall bear interest from 30 days after becoming subject to repayment under this section until the date the tax is paid. Any penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall bear interest from the date provided in section 270C.40, subdivision 3, to the date of payment of the penalty.
(e) If a property tax is not repaid under paragraph (c), the county treasurer shall add the amount required to be repaid to the property taxes assessed against the property for payment in the year following the year in which the auditor provided the statement under paragraph (c).
(f) For determining the tax required to be repaid, a reduction of a state or local sales or use tax is deemed to have been received on the date that the good or service was purchased or first put to a taxable use. In the case of an income tax or franchise tax, including the credit payable under section 469.318, a reduction of tax is deemed to have been received for the two most recent tax years that have ended prior to the date that the business became subject to repayment under this section. In the case of a property tax, a reduction of tax is deemed to have been received for the taxes payable in the year that the business became subject to repayment under this section and for the taxes payable in the prior year.
(g) The commissioner may assess the
repayment of taxes under paragraph (d) any time within two years after the
business becomes subject to repayment under subdivision 1, or within any period
of limitations for the assessment of tax under section sections
289A.38 to 289A.382, whichever period is later. The county auditor may send the statement
under paragraph (c) any time within three years after the business becomes
subject to repayment under subdivision 1.
(h) A business is not entitled to any income tax or franchise tax benefits, including refundable credits, for any part of the year in which the business becomes subject to repayment under this section nor for any year thereafter. Property is not exempt from tax under section 272.02, subdivision 64, for any taxes payable in the year following the year in which the property became subject to repayment under this section nor for any year thereafter. A business is not eligible for any sales tax benefits beginning with goods or services purchased or first put to a taxable use on the day that the business becomes subject to repayment under this section.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
except that for partnerships that make an election under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 26, section 301.9100-22T, this section is effective
retroactively and applies to the same tax periods to which the election
relates.
ARTICLE 4
SALES AND USE TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.67, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 38. Season
ticket purchasing rights to collegiate events. The sale of a right to purchase the
privilege of admission to a college or university athletic event in a preferred
viewing location for a season of a particular athletic event is exempt provided
that:
(1) the consideration paid for the
right to purchase is used entirely to support student scholarships, wellness,
and academic costs;
(2) the consideration paid for the
right to purchase is separately stated from the admission price; and
(3) the admission price is equal to or
greater than the highest priced general admission ticket for the closest seat
not in the preferred viewing location.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.70, subdivision 13, is amended to read:
Subd. 13. Fund-raising sales by or for nonprofit groups. (a) The following sales by the specified organizations for fund-raising purposes are exempt, subject to the limitations listed in paragraph (b):
(1) all sales made by a nonprofit organization that exists solely for the purpose of providing educational or social activities for young people primarily age 18 and under;
(2) all sales made by an organization that is a senior citizen group or association of groups if (i) in general it limits membership to persons age 55 or older; (ii) it is organized and operated exclusively for pleasure, recreation, and other nonprofit purposes; and (iii) no part of its net earnings inures to the benefit of any private shareholders;
(3) the sale or use of tickets or admissions to a golf tournament held in Minnesota if the beneficiary of the tournament's net proceeds qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(4) sales of candy sold for fund-raising purposes by a nonprofit organization that provides educational and social activities primarily for young people age 18 and under.
(b) The exemptions listed in paragraph (a) are limited in the following manner:
(1) the exemption under paragraph (a),
clauses (1) and (2), applies only to the first $20,000 of the gross annual
receipts of the organization from fund-raising; and
(2) the exemption under paragraph (a),
clause (1), does not apply if the sales are derived from admission charges or
from activities for which the money must be deposited with the school district
treasurer under section 123B.49, subdivision 2, or; and
(3) the exemption under paragraph (a),
clause (1), does not apply if the sales are derived from admission charges or
from activities for which the money must be recorded in the same manner as
other revenues or expenditures of the school district under section 123B.49,
subdivision 4., unless the following conditions are both met:
(i) the sales are made for fund-raising
purposes of a club, association, or other organization of elementary or
secondary school students organized for the purpose of carrying on sports
activities, educational activities, or other extracurricular activities; and
(ii) the school district reserves
revenue raised for extracurricular activities, as provided in section 123B.49,
subdivision 4, paragraph (e), and spends the revenue raised by a particular
extracurricular activity only for that extracurricular activity.
(c) Sales of tangible personal property and services are exempt if the entire proceeds, less the necessary expenses for obtaining the property or services, will be contributed to a registered combined charitable organization described in section 43A.50, to be used exclusively for charitable, religious, or educational purposes, and the registered combined charitable organization has given its written permission for the sale. Sales that occur over a period of more than 24 days per year are not exempt under this paragraph.
(d) For purposes of this subdivision, a club, association, or other organization of elementary or secondary school students organized for the purpose of carrying on sports, educational, or other extracurricular activities is a separate organization from the school district or school for purposes of applying the $20,000 limit.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after the date of final enactment.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.70, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 22. Prepared
food used by certain nonprofits. Sales
of prepared food to a nonprofit organization that, as part of its charitable
mission, is sponsoring and managing the provision of meals and other food
through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program or the federal Summer
Food Service Program to unaffiliated centers and sites are exempt from sales
tax. Only prepared food purchased from a
caterer or other business under a contract with the nonprofit and used directly
in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program or the federal Summer Food
Service Program qualifies for this exemption.
Prepared food purchased by the nonprofit for other purposes remains
taxable.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.71, subdivision 52, is amended to read:
Subd. 52. Construction; certain local government facilities. (a) Materials and supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction, reconstruction, upgrade, expansion, or remodeling of the following local government owned facilities are exempt:
(1) a new fire station, which includes firefighting, emergency management, public safety training, and other public safety facilities in the city of Monticello if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased after January 31, 2019, and before January 1, 2022;
(2) a new fire station, which includes firefighting and public safety training facilities and public safety facilities, in the city of Inver Grove Heights if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased after June 30, 2018, and before January 1, 2021;
(3) a fire station and police station,
including access roads, lighting, sidewalks, and utility components, on or
adjacent to the property on which the fire station or police station are
located that are necessary for safe access to and
use of those buildings, in the city of Minnetonka if materials, supplies, and
equipment are purchased after May 23, 2019, and before January 1, 2021
2022;
(4) the school building in Independent School District No. 414, Minneota, if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2021;
(5) a fire station in the city of Mendota Heights, if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased after December 31, 2018, and before January 1, 2021; and
(6) a Dakota County law enforcement collaboration center, also known as the Safety and Mental Health Alternative Response Training (SMART) Center, if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased after June 30, 2019, and before July 1, 2021.
(b) The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the manner provided in section 297A.75.
(c) The total refund for the project listed in paragraph (a), clause (3), must not exceed $850,000.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.71, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 53. Public
safety facilities. (a)
Materials and supplies used or consumed in and equipment incorporated into the
construction, remodeling, expansion, or improvement of a fire station or police
station, including related facilities, owned and operated by a local government,
as defined in section 297A.70, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), are exempt.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
"related facilities" includes access roads, lighting, sidewalks, and
utility components on or adjacent to the property on which the fire station or
police station is located that are necessary for safe access to and use of
those buildings.
(c) The tax must be imposed and
collected as if the rate under section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then
refunded in the manner provided in section 297A.75.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.75, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Tax collected. The tax on the gross receipts from the sale of the following exempt items must be imposed and collected as if the sale were taxable and the rate under section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied. The exempt items include:
(1) building materials for an agricultural processing facility exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 13;
(2) building materials for mineral production facilities exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 14;
(3) building materials for correctional facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 3;
(4) building materials used in a residence for veterans with a disability exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 11;
(5) elevators and building materials exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 12;
(6) materials and supplies for qualified low-income housing under section 297A.71, subdivision 23;
(7)
materials, supplies, and equipment for municipal electric utility facilities
under section 297A.71, subdivision 35;
(8) equipment and materials used for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy and an aerial camera package exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 37;
(9) commuter rail vehicle and repair parts under section 297A.70, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (10);
(10) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction or improvement of projects and facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 40;
(11) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction, improvement, or expansion of a biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 45;
(12) enterprise information technology equipment and computer software for use in a qualified data center exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 42;
(13) materials, supplies, and equipment for qualifying capital projects under section 297A.71, subdivision 44, paragraph (a), clause (1), and paragraph (b);
(14) items purchased for use in providing critical access dental services exempt under section 297A.70, subdivision 7, paragraph (c);
(15) items and services purchased under a business subsidy agreement for use or consumption primarily in greater Minnesota exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 44;
(16) building materials, equipment, and
supplies for constructing or replacing real property exempt under section
297A.71, subdivisions 49; 50, paragraph (b); and 51; and
(17) building materials, equipment, and
supplies for qualifying capital projects under section 297A.71, subdivision 52.;
and
(18) building materials, equipment, and
supplies for constructing, remodeling, expanding, or improving a fire station,
police station, or related facilities exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision
53.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.75, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Refund; eligible persons. Upon application on forms prescribed by the commissioner, a refund equal to the tax paid on the gross receipts of the exempt items must be paid to the applicant. Only the following persons may apply for the refund:
(1) for subdivision 1, clauses (1), (2), and (14), the applicant must be the purchaser;
(2) for subdivision 1, clause (3), the applicant must be the governmental subdivision;
(3) for subdivision 1, clause (4), the applicant must be the recipient of the benefits provided in United States Code, title 38, chapter 21;
(4) for subdivision 1, clause (5), the applicant must be the owner of the homestead property;
(5) for subdivision 1, clause (6), the owner of the qualified low-income housing project;
(6) for subdivision 1, clause (7), the applicant must be a municipal electric utility or a joint venture of municipal electric utilities;
(7) for subdivision 1, clauses (8), (11), (12), and (15), the owner of the qualifying business;
(8) for subdivision 1, clauses (9), (10),
(13), and (17), and (18), the applicant must be the governmental
entity that owns or contracts for the project or facility; and
(9) for subdivision 1, clause (16), the applicant must be the owner or developer of the building or project.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.75, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Application. (a) The application must include
sufficient information to permit the commissioner to verify the tax paid. If the tax was paid by a contractor,
subcontractor, or builder, under subdivision 1, clauses (3) to (13) or (15) to (17)
(18), the contractor, subcontractor, or builder must furnish to the refund
applicant a statement including the cost of the exempt items and the taxes paid
on the items unless otherwise specifically provided by this subdivision. The provisions of sections 289A.40 and
289A.50 apply to refunds under this section.
(b) An applicant may not file more than two applications per calendar year for refunds for taxes paid on capital equipment exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 5.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 9. Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section 32, the effective date, as amended by Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6, article 3, section 18, is amended to read:
EFFECTIVE
DATE. Paragraph (a) is effective
retroactively for sales and purchases made after September 30, 2016, and before January July 1,
2023. Paragraph (b) is effective for
sales and purchases made (1) after September 30, 2016, and before July
1, 2017; and (2) after December 31, 2018, and before July 1, 2019.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 10. PROPERTIES
DESTROYED OR DAMAGED BY FIRE; CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
(a) The sale and purchase of the
following items are exempt from sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 297A, if the items are used to repair, replace, clean, or
otherwise remediate damage to real and personal property damaged or destroyed
in the February 25, 2020, fire in the city of Alexandria, if sales and
purchases are made after February 24, 2020, and before February 28, 2023:
(1) building materials and supplies
used or consumed in, and equipment incorporated into the construction,
replacement, or repair of real property; and
(2) durable equipment used in a
restaurant for food storage, preparation, and serving.
(b) Building cleaning and disinfecting
services related to mitigating smoke damage to real property are exempt from
sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if sales and
purchases are made after February 24, 2020, and before January 1, 2021.
(c) For sales and purchases made after
February 24, 2020, and before July 1, 2021, the tax must be imposed and
collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.62, subdivision
1, applied and then refunded in the manner provided in Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.75. The amount required to
pay the refunds under this section is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of revenue. Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies retroactively to sales
and purchases made after February 24, 2020.
Sec. 11. CITY
OF BUFFALO; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction of a new fire
station, which includes firefighting, emergency management, public safety
training, and other public safety facilities in the city of Buffalo, are exempt
from sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and equipment are
purchased after March 31, 2020, and before July 1, 2021.
(b) The tax must be imposed and
collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.62, subdivision
1, applied and then refunded in the same manner provided for projects under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75, subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for eligible purchases must not be
issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from April 1, 2020, and applies to sales and purchases
made after March 31, 2020, and before July 1, 2021.
Sec. 12. CITY
OF HIBBING; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the following projects in the
city of Hibbing are exempt from sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased
after May 1, 2019, and before January 1, 2025:
(1) the addition of an Early Childhood
Family Education Center to an existing elementary school; and
(2) improvements to an existing
athletic facility in Independent School District No. 701.
(b) The tax must be imposed and
collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.62, subdivision
1,
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from May 2, 2019, and applies to sales and purchases made
after May 1, 2019, and before January 1, 2025.
Sec. 13. CITY
OF MAPLEWOOD; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction of a new fire
station and emergency management operations center, including on-site
infrastructure improvements of parking lot, road access, lighting, sidewalks,
and utility components in the city of Maplewood are exempt from sales and use
tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and
equipment are purchased after September 30, 2020, and before July 1, 2021.
(b) The tax must be imposed and
collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.62, subdivision
1, applied and then refunded in the same manner provided for projects under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75, subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for eligible purchases must not be
issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from August 1, 2020, and applies to sales and purchases
made after September 30, 2020, and before July 1, 2021.
Sec. 14. CITY
OF MARSHALL; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the following projects in the
city of Marshall in Independent School District No. 413 are exempt from
sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials,
supplies, and equipment are purchased after May 1, 2019, and before January 1,
2022:
(1) the construction of a new
elementary school; and
(2) the remodeling of existing school
buildings.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively to May 2, 2019, and applies to materials, supplies, and
equipment purchased after May 1, 2019, and before January 1, 2022.
Sec. 15. CITY
OF PLYMOUTH; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the following projects in the
city of Plymouth are exempt from sales and use tax imposed under Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and equipment are purchased
after January 1, 2021, and before July 1, 2021:
(1) demolition and replacement of the
existing Fire Station No. 2 on its existing site; and
(2) renovation and expansion of Fire
Station No. 3.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from January 2, 2021, and applies to sales and
purchases made after January 1, 2021, and before July 1, 2021.
Sec. 16. CITY
OF PROCTOR; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction of a sand and
salt storage facility in the city of Proctor are exempt from sales and use tax
imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and
equipment are purchased after March 31, 2021, and before January 1, 2023.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from April 1, 2021, and applies to sales and purchases
made after March 31, 2021, and before January 1, 2023.
Sec. 17. CITY
OF VIRGINIA; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction of a regional
public safety center and training facility for fire and police departments,
emergency medical services, regional emergency services training, and other
regional community needs are exempt from sales and use tax imposed under
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and equipment are
purchased after May 1, 2021, and before July 1, 2021.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from May 2, 2021, and applies to sales and purchases
made after May 1, 2021, and before July 1, 2021.
Sec. 18. ROCK
RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the construction of two new
elementary school buildings and a new high school building in Independent
School District No. 2909, Rock Ridge Public Schools, are exempt from sales
and use tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials,
supplies, and equipment are purchased after May 1, 2019, and before January 1,
2024.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17). Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from May 2, 2019, and applies to sales and purchases made
after May 1, 2019, and before January 1, 2024.
Sec. 19. MSP
AIRPORT; SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
Subdivision 1. Exemption;
refund. (a) Materials and
supplies used in and equipment incorporated into the following projects at the
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are exempt from sales and use
tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, if materials, supplies, and
equipment are purchased after June 30, 2021, and before January 1, 2024:
(1) construction of an aircraft rescue
and firefighting station and associated facilities;
(2) construction of a facility for the
storage of trades materials and equipment;
(3) replacement and rehabilitation of a
terminal building roof;
(4) replacement, rehabilitation, and
improvements of a baggage handling system; and
(5)
replacement, rehabilitation, and operational improvements of Terminal 1
passenger arrivals and departures area.
(b)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the same
manner provided for projects under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75,
subdivision 1, clause (17).
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount required to pay the refunds
under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective from July 1, 2021, and applies to sales and purchases made after June
30, 2021, and before January 1, 2024.
Sec. 20. PROPERTIES
DESTROYED OR DAMAGED DURING PROTESTS AND UNREST IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2020.
Subdivision 1. Exemption. (a) The sale and purchase of the
following items are exempt if the items are used to repair, replace, clean, or
otherwise remediate damage to real and personal property damaged or destroyed
after May 24, 2020, and before June 16, 2020, resulting from protests and
unrest in the cities included in the peacetime emergency declared in the
governor's Executive Order No. 20-64:
(1) building materials and
supplies used or consumed in, and equipment incorporated into, the
construction, replacement, or repair of real property;
(2) retail fixtures, office equipment,
and restaurant equipment, so long as each item has a useful life of more than
one year and costs at least $5,000; and
(3) building cleaning and disinfecting
services related to mitigating smoke damage and graffiti on and in impacted
buildings.
(b) The exemption in this subdivision
only applies to materials, supplies, and services purchased to repair, replace,
clean, or otherwise remediate damage to buildings owned by a government entity
or by a private owner provided the building housed one or more of the following
entities at the time of the damage or destruction:
(1) a commercial establishment with an
annual gross income of $30,000,000 or less in calendar year 2019;
(2) a nonprofit organization; or
(3) a low-income housing development
that meets the certification requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section
273.128, whether or not the development was occupied at the time of its damage
or destruction.
(c)
The tax must be imposed and collected as if the rate under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied and then refunded in the manner
provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.75, except that the applicant must
have been an owner or occupant of the real property at the time of its
destruction. The exemption under
paragraph (a) applies to sales and purchases made after May 25, 2020, and
before December 1, 2022. Refunds for
eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
(d) Both the owner and occupants of the
real property at the time of the damage or destruction may apply for a refund
under this subdivision but may only request a refund for the goods and services
they paid for, or were contracted and paid for on their behalf. The exemption does not apply to purchases of
an owner if the owner did not own the real property at the time of the damage
or destruction.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. The amount necessary to pay the
refunds under subdivision 1 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for sales and purchases made after May 25, 2020.
Sec. 21. SALES
TAX EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN PURCHASES RELATED TO COVID-19.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 289A.50, or any law to the contrary, the sale and purchase of any
materials, supplies, or equipment used in this state by a restaurant as defined
in Minnesota Statutes, section 157.15, subdivision 12, to adapt to health
guidelines or any executive order related to COVID-19 is exempt from sales and
use taxes imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A.
(b) The maximum refund allowed under
this section is $1,000 per federal employer identification number or Minnesota
sales and use tax account number, whichever number is used to file sales tax
returns. A business using a consolidated
return to report sales tax information from more than one restaurant location,
as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 289A.11, subdivision 1, paragraph
(a), is eligible for a refund of up to $1,000, per restaurant location
reported.
(c) The tax on the gross receipts from
the sale of the items exempt under paragraph (a) must be imposed and collected
as if the sale were taxable and the rate under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.62, subdivision 1, applied. Refunds
for eligible purchases must not be issued until after June 30, 2021.
(d) Upon application on forms
prescribed by the commissioner, a refund equal to the tax paid on the gross
receipts of the exempt items or $1,000, whichever is less, must be paid to the
applicant. Only the owner of the
restaurant may apply for the refund. The
application must include sufficient information to permit the commissioner to
verify the tax paid and that the applicant is the owner of the restaurant.
EFFECTIVE
DATE; APPLICATION. This
section is effective retroactively from March 1, 2020, and applies to sales and
purchases made after February 29, 2020, and before January 1, 2022.
ARTICLE 5
VAPOR AND TOBACCO TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7a. Delivery
sale. "Delivery
sale" has the meaning given in section 325F.781, subdivision 1.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7b. Heat
device. "Heat
device" means any electronic heat device, heat system, or similar product
or device, meant to be used with a cigarette to produce a vapor or aerosol,
regardless of whether sold with a cigarette.
A heat device includes any batteries, heating elements, components,
parts, accessories, apparel, or other items that are packaged with, connected
to, attached to, or contained within the product or device.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.01, subdivision 19, is amended to read:
Subd. 19. Tobacco products. (a) "Tobacco products" means any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, whether chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means, or any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product, including, but not limited to, cigars; cheroots; stogies; periques; granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready rubbed, and other smoking tobacco; snuff; snuff flour; cavendish; plug and twist tobacco; fine-cut and other chewing tobacco; shorts; refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings and sweepings of tobacco, and other kinds and forms of tobacco; but does not include cigarettes as defined in this section. Tobacco products includes nicotine solution products and heat devices. Tobacco products excludes any tobacco product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product, as a tobacco dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and is being marketed and sold solely for such an approved purpose.
(b) Except for the imposition of tax under section 297F.05, subdivisions 3 and 4, tobacco products includes a premium cigar, as defined in subdivision 13a.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.01, subdivision 22b, is amended to read:
Subd. 22b. Nicotine solution products. (a) "Nicotine solution products" means any cartridge, bottle, or other package that contains nicotine made or derived from tobacco, that is in a solution that is consumed, or meant to be consumed, through the use of a heating element, power source, electronic circuit, or other electronic, chemical, or mechanical means that produces vapor or aerosol. This paragraph expires December 31, 2019.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2020, "nicotine solution products" means any cartridge, bottle, or other package that contains nicotine, including nicotine made or derived from tobacco or sources other than tobacco, that is in a solution that is consumed, or meant to be consumed, through the use of a heating element, power source, electronic circuit, or other electronic, chemical, or mechanical means that produces vapor or aerosol.
(c) Nicotine solution products includes
any electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic
pipe, electronic nicotine delivery system, electronic vaping device,
electronic vape pen, electronic oral device, electronic delivery device, or
similar product or device, and meant to be used in the consumption of
a solution containing nicotine regardless of whether sold with a solution
containing nicotine. Nicotine solution
products include any batteries, heating elements, or other
components, parts, or accessories sold with and meant to be used in
the consumption of a solution containing nicotine, apparel, or other
items that are packaged with, connected to, attached to, or contained within
the product or device.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.01, subdivision 23, is amended to read:
Subd. 23. Wholesale sales price. (a) "Wholesale sales price" means the price at which a distributor purchases a tobacco product.
(b) When a distributor sells a cartridge,
bottle, or other package of a solution containing nicotine that is part of a
kit that also includes a product, device, component, part, or accessory described
in subdivision 22b:
(1), or other item, the
wholesale sales price is the price at which the distributor purchases the kit;
except that.
(2) if the distributor also separately
sells the same package of solution containing nicotine that is sold with the
kit and can isolate the cost of the package of solution containing nicotine,
then the wholesale sales price includes only the price at which the distributor
separately purchases the package of the solution containing nicotine and any
taxes, charges, and costs listed in paragraph (c).
(c) When a distributor sells a heat
device that is part of a kit that also includes a product, device, component,
part, accessory, or other item, the wholesale sales price is the price at which
the distributor purchases the kit.
(c) (d) Wholesale sales
price includes the applicable federal excise tax, freight charges, or packaging
costs, regardless of whether they were included in the purchase price.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for kits purchased by distributors after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.031, is amended to read:
297F.031
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.
Prior to making delivery sales or
shipping cigarettes or tobacco products in connection with any sales, an
out‑of‑state retailer shall must file with the
Department of Revenue a statement setting forth the out-of-state retailer's
name, trade name, and the address of the out-of-state retailer's,
principal place of business, and any other place of business.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.05, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4b. Retailer
collection and remittance of use tax.
A retailer or out-of-state retailer must, for any delivery sale,
collect and pay to the state any use tax imposed by this section. The retailer or out-of-state retailer must
give the purchaser a receipt for the tax paid.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Use tax return; cigarette or tobacco products consumer and retailers making delivery sales. (a) On or before the 18th day of each calendar month, a consumer who, during the preceding calendar month, has acquired title to or possession of cigarettes or tobacco products for use or storage in this state, upon which cigarettes or tobacco products the tax imposed by this chapter has not been paid, shall file a return with the commissioner showing the quantity of cigarettes or tobacco products so acquired. The return must be made in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, and must contain any other information required by the commissioner. The return must be accompanied by a remittance for the full unpaid tax liability shown by it.
(b) On or before the 18th day of each
calendar month, a retailer or out-of-state retailer who, during the preceding
calendar month, made delivery sales must file a return with the commissioner
showing the quantity of cigarettes or tobacco products so delivered. The commissioner shall prescribe the content,
format, and manner of returns pursuant to section 270C.30. The return must be accompanied by a
remittance for the full unpaid tax liability.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
Subd. 4a. Reporting
requirements. No later than the 18th
day of each calendar month, an a retailer or out‑of‑state
retailer that has made a delivery of cigarettes or tobacco products or
shipped or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products into the state in a
delivery sale in the previous calendar month shall file with the Department of
Revenue reports a report in the form and in the manner prescribed
by the commissioner of revenue that provides for each delivery sale, the name
and address of the purchaser and the brand or brands and quantity of cigarettes
or tobacco products sold. A tobacco
retailer or out-of-state retailer that meets the requirements of United
States Code, title 15, section 375 et seq. satisfies the requirements of this
subdivision. The filing of a return
under subdivision 3, paragraph (b), satisfies the requirements of this
subdivision for the applicable month.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Electronic
payment. A cigarette or distributor,
tobacco products distributor, retailer, or out-of-state retailer having
a liability of $10,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30 must remit
all liabilities in all subsequent calendar years by electronic means.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Accelerated
tax payment; cigarette or tobacco products distributor. A cigarette or distributor,
tobacco products distributor, retailer, or out-of-state retailer having
a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30, shall
remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(a) Two business days before June 30 of calendar years 2020 and 2021, the distributor shall remit the actual May liability and 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the commissioner and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) On or before August 18 of the year, the distributor, retailer, or out-of-state retailer shall submit a return showing the actual June liability and pay any additional amount of tax not remitted in June. A penalty is imposed equal to ten percent of the amount of June liability required to be paid in June, less the amount remitted in June. However, the penalty is not imposed if the amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:
(1) 87.5 percent of the actual June liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 of the actual June liability for June 2022 and thereafter; or
(2) 87.5 percent of the preceding May liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 percent of the preceding May liability for June 2022 and thereafter.
(c) For calendar year 2022 and thereafter, the percent of the estimated June liability the vendor must remit by two business days before June 30 is 84.5 percent.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325F.781, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given, unless the language or context clearly provides otherwise.
(b) "Consumer" means an individual who purchases, receives, or possesses tobacco products for personal consumption and not for resale.
(c) "Delivery sale" means:
(1) a sale of tobacco products to a consumer in this state when:
(i) the purchaser submits the order for the sale by means of a telephonic or other method of voice transmission, the mail or any other delivery service, or the Internet or other online service; or
(ii) the tobacco products are delivered by use of the mail or other delivery service; or
(2) a sale of tobacco products that satisfies the criteria in clause (1), item (i), regardless of whether the seller is located inside or outside of the state.
A sale of tobacco products to an individual in this state must be treated as a sale to a consumer, unless the individual is licensed as a distributor or retailer of tobacco products.
(d) "Delivery service" means a person, including the United States Postal Service, that is engaged in the commercial delivery of letters, packages, or other containers.
(e) "Distributor" means a person, whether located inside or outside of this state, other than a retailer, who sells or distributes tobacco products in the state. Distributor does not include a tobacco products manufacturer, export warehouse proprietor, or importer with a valid permit under United States Code, title 26, section 5712 (1997), if the person sells or distributes tobacco products in this state only to distributors who hold valid and current licenses under the laws of a state, or to an export warehouse proprietor or another manufacturer. Distributor does not include
a common or contract carrier that is transporting tobacco products under a proper bill of lading or freight bill that states the quantity, source, and destination of tobacco products, or a person who ships tobacco products through this state by common or contract carrier under a bill of lading or freight bill.
(f) "Retailer" means a person, whether located inside or outside this state, who sells or distributes tobacco products to a consumer in this state.
(g) "Tobacco products" means:
cigarettes and tobacco products as defined in section 297F.01.
(1) cigarettes, as defined in section
297F.01, subdivision 3;
(2) smokeless tobacco as defined in
section 325F.76; and
(3) premium cigars as defined in section
297F.01, subdivision 13a.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325F.781, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Registration
requirement. Prior to making
delivery sales or shipping tobacco products in connection with any sales,
an out-of-state retailer must meet the requirements of register with
the commissioner of revenue as required under section 297F.031.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325F.781, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Collection
of taxes. (a) Prior to shipping
any tobacco products to a purchaser in this state, the out‑of‑state
A retailer shall comply with all requirements of making
delivery sales must file all returns and reports, collect and pay all taxes,
and maintain all records required under chapter 297F and shall ensure
that all state excise taxes and fees that apply to such tobacco products have
been collected and paid to the state and that all related state excise tax
stamps or other indicators of state excise tax payment have been properly
affixed to those tobacco products.
(b) In addition to any penalties under
chapter 297F, a distributor a retailer making delivery sales who
fails to pay any tax due according to paragraph (a) under chapter
297F, shall pay, in addition to any other penalty, a penalty of 50 percent
of the tax due but unpaid.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
for all delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021.
ARTICLE 6
SPECIAL TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297H.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Rate. (a) Commercial generators that generate nonmixed municipal solid waste shall pay a solid waste management tax of 60 cents per noncompacted cubic yard of periodic waste collection capacity purchased by the generator, based on the size of the container for the nonmixed municipal solid waste, the actual volume, or the weight-to-volume conversion schedule in paragraph (c). However, the tax must be calculated by the waste management service provider using the same method for calculating the waste management service fee so that both are calculated according to container capacity, actual volume, or weight.
(b) Notwithstanding section 297H.02, a residential generator that generates nonmixed municipal solid waste shall pay a solid waste management tax in the same manner as provided in paragraph (a).
(c) The weight-to-volume conversion
schedule tax for:
(1) construction debris as defined in
section 115A.03, subdivision 7, is equal to 60 cents per cubic yard. The commissioner of revenue, after
consultation with the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, shall
determine and may publish by notice a weight-to-volume conversion
schedule for construction debris;
(2) industrial waste as defined in section
115A.03, subdivision 13a, is equal to 60 cents per cubic yard. The commissioner of revenue after
consultation with the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, shall
determine, and may publish by notice, a weight-to-volume
conversion schedule for various industrial wastes; and
(3) infectious waste as defined in section 116.76, subdivision 12, and pathological waste as defined in section 116.76, subdivision 14, is 150 pounds equals one cubic yard, or 60 cents per 150 pounds.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297H.05, is amended to read:
297H.05
SELF-HAULERS.
(a) A self-hauler of mixed municipal solid waste shall pay the tax to the operator of the waste management facility to which the waste is delivered at the rate imposed under section 297H.03, based on the sales price of the waste management services.
(b) A self-hauler of nonmixed municipal solid waste shall pay the tax to the operator of the waste management facility to which the waste is delivered at the rate imposed under section 297H.04.
(c) The tax imposed on the self-hauler of nonmixed municipal solid waste may be based either on the capacity of the container, the actual volume, or the weight-to-volume conversion schedule in paragraph (d). However, the tax must be calculated by the operator using the same method for calculating the tipping fee so that both are calculated according to container capacity, actual volume, or weight.
(d) The weight-to-volume conversion
schedule tax for:
(1) construction debris as defined in
section 115A.03, subdivision 7, is one ton equals 3.33 cubic yards, or $2
per ton equal to 60 cents per cubic yard. The commissioner of revenue, after
consultation with the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, shall
determine and publish by notice a weight-to-volume conversion schedule for
construction debris;
(2) industrial waste as defined in section
115A.03, subdivision 13a, is equal to 60 cents per cubic yard. The commissioner of revenue, after
consultation with the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, shall
determine, and may publish by notice, a weight-to-volume
conversion schedule for various industrial wastes; and
(3) infectious waste as defined in section 116.76, subdivision 12, and pathological waste as defined in section 116.76, subdivision 14, is 150 pounds equals one cubic yard, or 60 cents per 150 pounds.
(e) For mixed municipal solid waste the tax is imposed upon the difference between the market price and the tip fee at a processing or disposal facility if the tip fee is less than the market price and the political subdivision subsidizes the cost of service at the facility. The political subdivision is liable for the tax.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021, except the new rate for construction debris applies to
waste delivered after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297I.05, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Nonadmitted insurance premium tax. (a) A tax is imposed on surplus lines brokers. The rate of tax is equal to three percent of the gross premiums less return premiums paid by an insured whose home state is Minnesota.
(b) A tax is imposed on a person, firm,
corporation, or purchasing group as defined in section 60E.02, or any member of
a purchasing group, that procures insurance directly from a nonadmitted insurer. The rate of tax is equal to two three
percent of the gross premiums less return premiums paid by an insured whose
home state is Minnesota.
(c) No state other than the home state of an insured may require any premium tax payment for nonadmitted insurance. When Minnesota is the home state of the insured, as provided under section 297I.01, 100 percent of the gross premiums are taxable in Minnesota with no allocation of the tax to other states.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for policies with an effective date after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 298.001, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 13. Merchantable
iron ore concentrate. "Merchantable
iron ore concentrate" means iron-bearing material that has been treated in
Minnesota by any means of beneficiation, separation, concentration, or
refinement for the purpose of making it salable for its iron ore content.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 298.24, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Imposed; calculation. (a) For concentrate produced in 2013, there is imposed upon taconite and iron sulphides, and upon the mining and quarrying thereof, and upon the production of iron ore concentrate therefrom, and upon the concentrate so produced, a tax of $2.56 per gross ton of merchantable iron ore concentrate produced therefrom.
(b) For concentrates produced in 2014 and subsequent years, the tax rate shall be equal to the preceding year's tax rate plus an amount equal to the preceding year's tax rate multiplied by the percentage increase in the implicit price deflator from the fourth quarter of the second preceding year to the fourth quarter of the preceding year. "Implicit price deflator" means the implicit price deflator for the gross domestic product prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce.
(c) An additional tax is imposed equal to three cents per gross ton of merchantable iron ore concentrate for each one percent that the iron content of the product exceeds 72 percent, when dried at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d) The tax on taconite and iron sulphides shall be imposed on the average of the production for the current year and the previous two years. The rate of the tax imposed will be the current year's tax rate. This clause shall not apply in the case of the closing of a taconite facility if the property taxes on the facility would be higher if this clause and section 298.25 were not applicable.
(e) The tax under paragraph (a) is also imposed upon other iron-bearing material as described in section 298.405 on the tonnage of merchantable iron ore concentrate produced therefrom. The tax on other iron-bearing material shall be imposed on the current year production. The rate of the tax imposed is the current year's tax rate.
(f) If the tax or any part of the tax imposed by this subdivision is held to be unconstitutional, a tax of $2.56 per gross ton of merchantable iron ore concentrate produced shall be imposed.
(g) Consistent with the intent of this subdivision to impose a tax based upon the weight of merchantable iron ore concentrate, the commissioner of revenue may indirectly determine the weight of merchantable iron ore concentrate included in fluxed pellets by subtracting the weight of the limestone, dolomite, or olivine derivatives or other basic flux additives included in the pellets from the weight of the pellets. For purposes of this paragraph, "fluxed pellets" are pellets produced in a process in which limestone, dolomite, olivine, or other basic flux additives are combined with merchantable iron ore concentrate. No subtraction from the weight of the pellets shall be allowed for binders, mineral and chemical additives other than basic flux additives, or moisture.
(h)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, for the first two years of a plant's commercial production of direct reduced ore from ore mined in this state, no tax is imposed under this section. For the third year of a plant's commercial production of direct reduced ore, the rate to be applied to direct reduced ore is 25 percent of the rate otherwise determined under this subdivision. For the fourth commercial production year, the rate is 50 percent of the rate otherwise determined under this subdivision; for the fifth commercial production year, the rate is 75 percent of the rate otherwise determined under this subdivision; and for all subsequent commercial production years, the full rate is imposed.
(2) Subject to clause (1), production of direct reduced ore in this state is subject to the tax imposed by this section, but if that production is not produced by a producer of taconite, iron sulfides, or other iron-bearing material, the production of taconite, iron sulfides, or other iron-bearing material, that is consumed in the production of direct reduced ore in this state is not subject to the tax imposed by this section on taconite, iron sulfides, or other iron‑bearing material.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, no tax is imposed on direct reduced ore under this section during the facility's noncommercial production of direct reduced ore. The taconite or iron sulphides consumed in the noncommercial production of direct reduced ore is subject to the tax imposed by this section on taconite and iron sulphides. Three-year average production of direct reduced ore does not include production of direct reduced ore in any noncommercial year.
(4) Three-year average production for a direct reduced ore facility that has noncommercial production is the average of the commercial production of direct reduced ore for the current year and the previous two commercial years.
(5) As used in this paragraph, "commercial production" means production of more than 50,000 tons of direct reduced ore in the current year or in any prior year, and "noncommercial production" means production of 50,000 tons or less of direct reduced ore in any year.
(6) This paragraph applies only to plants for which all environmental permits have been obtained and construction has begun before July 1, 2008.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 298.405, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definition. Iron-bearing material, other than
taconite and semitaconite, having not more than 46.5 percent natural iron
content on the average, is subject to taxation under section 298.24. The tax under that section applies to
material that is:
(1) finer than or ground to 90 percent
passing 20 mesh; and
(2) treated in Minnesota for the
purpose of separating the iron particles from silica, alumina, or other
detrimental compounds or elements unless used in a direct reduction process:
making the iron-bearing material merchantable by any means of beneficiation,
separation, concentration, or refinement.
The tax under section 298.24 does not apply to unmined iron ore and
low-grade iron-bearing formations as described in section 273.13, subdivision
31, clause (1).
(i) by electrostatic
separation, roasting and magnetic separation, or flotation;
(ii) by a direct reduction process;
(iii) by any combination of such
processes; or
(iv) by any other process or method not
presently employed in gravity separation plants employing only crushing,
screening, washing, jigging, heavy media separation, spirals, cyclones, drying
or any combination thereof.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
ARTICLE 7
PROPERTY TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270B.12, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. County assessors; homestead classification and renter credit. The commissioner may disclose names and Social Security numbers or names and individual taxpayer identification numbers of individuals who have applied for both homestead classification under section 273.13 and a property tax refund as a renter under chapter 290A for the purpose of and to the extent necessary to administer section 290A.25.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for allowed disclosures made in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270B.12, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. County assessors; homestead application, determination, and income tax status. (a) If, as a result of an audit, the commissioner determines that a person is a Minnesota nonresident or part-year resident for income tax purposes, the commissioner may disclose the person's name, address, and Social Security number or the person's name, address, and individual taxpayer identification number to the assessor of any political subdivision in the state, when there is reason to believe that the person may have claimed or received homestead property tax benefits for a corresponding assessment year in regard to property apparently located in the assessor's jurisdiction.
(b) To the extent permitted by section 273.124, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), the Department of Revenue may verify to a county assessor whether an individual who is requesting or receiving a homestead classification has filed a Minnesota income tax return as a resident for the most recent taxable year for which the information is available.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for allowed disclosures made in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 272.02, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 104. Certain
property owned by an Indian Tribe. (a)
Property is exempt that:
(1)
is located in a county with a population greater than 28,000 but less than
29,000 as of the 2010 federal census;
(2) was on January 2, 2018, and is for
the current assessment owned by a federally recognized Indian Tribe or its
instrumentality, that is located in Minnesota;
(3) was on January 2, 2018, erroneously
treated as exempt under subdivision 7; and
(4) is used for the same purpose as the
property was used on January 2, 2018.
(b) The owner of property
exempt under paragraph (a) may apply to the county for a refund of any state
general tax paid for property taxes payable in 2020 and 2021. The county may prescribe the form and manner
of the application. The county auditor
must certify to the commissioner of revenue the amount needed for refunds under
this section, which the commissioner must pay to the county. An amount necessary for refunds under this
paragraph is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue
in fiscal year 2022. This paragraph
expires June 30, 2022.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. (a) The amendments in
paragraph (a) are effective beginning with assessment year 2021. For assessment year 2021, an exemption
application under this section must be filed with the county assessor by August
1, 2021.
(b) The amendments in paragraph (b) are
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 272.115, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Requirement. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 5, 6, or 7, whenever any real estate is sold for a consideration in excess of $3,000, whether by warranty deed, quitclaim deed, contract for deed or any other method of sale, the grantor, grantee or the legal agent of either shall file a certificate of value with the county auditor in the county in which the property is located when the deed or other document is presented for recording. Contract for deeds are subject to recording under section 507.235, subdivision 1. Value shall, in the case of any deed not a gift, be the amount of the full actual consideration thereof, paid or to be paid, including the amount of any lien or liens assumed. The items and value of personal property transferred with the real property must be listed and deducted from the sale price. The certificate of value shall include the classification to which the property belongs for the purpose of determining the fair market value of the property, and shall include any proposed change in use of the property known to the person filing the certificate that could change the classification of the property. The certificate shall include financing terms and conditions of the sale which are necessary to determine the actual, present value of the sale price for purposes of the sales ratio study. If the property is being acquired as part of a like‑kind exchange under section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2006, that must be indicated on the certificate. The commissioner of revenue shall promulgate administrative rules specifying the financing terms and conditions which must be included on the certificate. The certificate of value must include the Social Security number, individual tax identification number, or the federal employer identification number of the grantors and grantees. However, a married person who is not an owner of record and who is signing a conveyance instrument along with the person's spouse solely to release and convey their marital interest, if any, in the real property being conveyed is not a grantor for the purpose of the preceding sentence. A statement in the deed that is substantially in the following form is sufficient to allow the county auditor to accept a certificate for filing without the Social Security number or individual tax identification number of the named spouse: "(Name) claims no ownership interest in the real property being conveyed and is executing this instrument solely to release and convey a marital interest, if any, in that real property." The identification numbers of the grantors and grantees are private data on individuals or nonpublic data as defined in section 13.02, subdivisions 9 and 12, but, notwithstanding that section, the private or nonpublic data may be disclosed to the commissioner of revenue for purposes of tax administration. The information required to be shown on the certificate of value is limited to the information required as of the date of the acknowledgment on the deed or other document to be recorded.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General rule. (a) Residential real estate that is occupied and used for the purposes of a homestead by its owner, who must be a Minnesota resident, is a residential homestead.
Agricultural land, as defined in section 273.13, subdivision 23, that is occupied and used as a homestead by its owner, who must be a Minnesota resident, is an agricultural homestead.
Dates for establishment of a homestead and homestead treatment provided to particular types of property are as provided in this section.
Property held by a trustee under a trust is eligible for homestead classification if the requirements under this chapter are satisfied.
The assessor shall require proof, as provided in subdivision 13, of the facts upon which classification as a homestead may be determined. Notwithstanding any other law, the assessor may at any time require a homestead application to be filed in order to verify that any property classified as a homestead continues to be eligible for homestead status. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Department of Revenue may, upon request from an assessor, verify whether an individual who is requesting or receiving homestead classification has filed a Minnesota income tax return as a resident for the most recent taxable year for which the information is available.
When there is a name change or a transfer of homestead property, the assessor may reclassify the property in the next assessment unless a homestead application is filed to verify that the property continues to qualify for homestead classification.
(b) For purposes of this section, homestead property shall include property which is used for purposes of the homestead but is separated from the homestead by a road, street, lot, waterway, or other similar intervening property. The term "used for purposes of the homestead" shall include but not be limited to uses for gardens, garages, or other outbuildings commonly associated with a homestead, but shall not include vacant land held primarily for future development. In order to receive homestead treatment for the noncontiguous property, the owner must use the property for the purposes of the homestead, and must apply to the assessor, both by the deadlines given in subdivision 9. After initial qualification for the homestead treatment, additional applications for subsequent years are not required.
(c) Residential real estate that is occupied and used for purposes of a homestead by a relative of the owner is a homestead but only to the extent of the homestead treatment that would be provided if the related owner occupied the property. For purposes of this paragraph and paragraph (g), "relative" means a parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece. This relationship may be by blood or marriage. Property that has been classified as seasonal residential recreational property at any time during which it has been owned by the current owner or spouse of the current owner will not be reclassified as a homestead unless it is occupied as a homestead by the owner; this prohibition also applies to property that, in the absence of this paragraph, would have been classified as seasonal residential recreational property at the time when the residence was constructed. Neither the related occupant nor the owner of the property may claim a property tax refund under chapter 290A for a homestead occupied by a relative. In the case of a residence located on agricultural land, only the house, garage, and immediately surrounding one acre of land shall be classified as a homestead under this paragraph, except as provided in paragraph (d).
(d) Agricultural property that is occupied and used for purposes of a homestead by a relative of the owner, is a homestead, only to the extent of the homestead treatment that would be provided if the related owner occupied the property, and only if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the relative who is occupying the agricultural
property is a grandchild, child, sibling, or parent, grandparent,
stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the owner of the
agricultural property or of the spouse of the owner;
(2) the owner of the agricultural property must be a Minnesota resident;
(3) the owner of the agricultural property must not receive homestead treatment on any other agricultural property in Minnesota; and
(4) the owner of the agricultural property is limited to only one agricultural homestead per family under this paragraph.
Neither the related occupant nor the owner of the property may claim a property tax refund under chapter 290A for a homestead occupied by a relative qualifying under this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, "agricultural property" means the house, garage, other farm buildings and structures, and agricultural land.
Application must be made to the assessor by the owner of the agricultural property to receive homestead benefits under this paragraph. The assessor may require the necessary proof that the requirements under this paragraph have been met.
(e) In the case of property owned by a property owner who is married, the assessor must not deny homestead treatment in whole or in part if only one of the spouses occupies the property and the other spouse is absent due to: (1) marriage dissolution proceedings, (2) legal separation, (3) employment or self-employment in another location, or (4) other personal circumstances causing the spouses to live separately, not including an intent to obtain two homestead classifications for property tax purposes. To qualify under clause (3), the spouse's place of employment or self-employment must be at least 50 miles distant from the other spouse's place of employment, and the homesteads must be at least 50 miles distant from each other.
(f) The assessor must not deny homestead treatment in whole or in part if:
(1) in the case of a property owner who is not married, the owner is absent due to residence in a nursing home, boarding care facility, or an elderly assisted living facility property as defined in section 273.13, subdivision 25a, and the property is not otherwise occupied; or
(2) in the case of a property owner who is married, the owner or the owner's spouse or both are absent due to residence in a nursing home, boarding care facility, or an elderly assisted living facility property as defined in section 273.13, subdivision 25a, and the property is not occupied or is occupied only by the owner's spouse.
(g) If an individual is purchasing property with the intent of claiming it as a homestead and is required by the terms of the financing agreement to have a relative shown on the deed as a co-owner, the assessor shall allow a full homestead classification. This provision only applies to first-time purchasers, whether married or single, or to a person who had previously been married and is purchasing as a single individual for the first time. The application for homestead benefits must be on a form prescribed by the commissioner and must contain the data necessary for the assessor to determine if full homestead benefits are warranted.
(h) If residential or agricultural real estate is occupied and used for purposes of a homestead by a child of a deceased owner and the property is subject to jurisdiction of probate court, the child shall receive relative homestead classification under paragraph (c) or (d) to the same extent they would be entitled to it if the owner was still living, until the probate is completed. For purposes of this paragraph, "child" includes a relationship by blood or by marriage.
(i) If a single-family home, duplex, or triplex classified as either residential homestead or agricultural homestead is also used to provide licensed child care, the portion of the property used for licensed child care must be classified as a part of the homestead property.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. Manufactured home park cooperative. (a) When a manufactured home park is owned by a corporation or association organized under chapter 308A or 308B, and each person who owns a share or shares in the corporation or association is entitled to occupy a lot within the park, the corporation or association may claim homestead treatment for the park. Each lot must be designated by legal description or number, and each lot is limited to not more than one-half acre of land.
(b) The manufactured home park shall be entitled to homestead treatment if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the occupant or the cooperative corporation or association is paying the ad valorem property taxes and any special assessments levied against the land and structure either directly, or indirectly through dues to the corporation or association; and
(2) the corporation or association organized under chapter 308A or 308B is wholly owned by persons having a right to occupy a lot owned by the corporation or association.
(c) A charitable corporation, organized under the laws of Minnesota with no outstanding stock, and granted a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, qualifies for homestead treatment with respect to a manufactured home park if its members hold residential participation warrants entitling them to occupy a lot in the manufactured home park.
(d) "Homestead treatment" under
this subdivision means the classification rate provided for class 4c property
classified under section 273.13, subdivision 25, paragraph (d), clause (5), item
(ii), and the homestead market value exclusion under section 273.13,
subdivision 35, does not apply.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with property taxes payable in 2023 and thereafter.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Leasehold cooperatives. When one or more dwellings or one or more buildings which each contain several dwelling units is owned by a nonprofit corporation subject to the provisions of chapter 317A and qualifying under section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a limited partnership which corporation or partnership operates the property in conjunction with a cooperative association, and has received public financing, homestead treatment may be claimed by the cooperative association on behalf of the members of the cooperative for each dwelling unit occupied by a member of the cooperative. The cooperative association must provide the assessor with the Social Security numbers or individual tax identification numbers of those members. To qualify for the treatment provided by this subdivision, the following conditions must be met:
(a) the cooperative association must be organized under chapter 308A or 308B and all voting members of the board of directors must be resident tenants of the cooperative and must be elected by the resident tenants of the cooperative;
(b) the cooperative association must have a lease for occupancy of the property for a term of at least 20 years, which permits the cooperative association, while not in default on the lease, to participate materially in the management of the property, including material participation in establishing budgets, setting rent levels, and hiring and supervising a management agent;
(c) to the extent permitted under state or federal law, the cooperative association must have a right under a written agreement with the owner to purchase the property if the owner proposes to sell it; if the cooperative association does not purchase the property it is offered for sale, the owner may not subsequently sell the property to another purchaser at a price lower than the price at which it was offered for sale to the cooperative association unless the cooperative association approves the sale;
(d) a minimum of 40 percent of the cooperative association's members must have incomes at or less than 60 percent of area median gross income as determined by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under section 142(d)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code. For purposes of this clause, "member income" means the income of a member existing at the time the member acquires cooperative membership;
(e) if a limited partnership owns the property, it must include as the managing general partner a nonprofit organization operating under the provisions of chapter 317A and qualifying under section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and the limited partnership agreement must provide that the managing general partner have sufficient powers so that it materially participates in the management and control of the limited partnership;
(f) prior to becoming a member of a leasehold cooperative described in this subdivision, a person must have received notice that (1) describes leasehold cooperative property in plain language, including but not limited to the effects of classification under this subdivision on rents, property taxes and tax credits or refunds, and operating expenses, and (2) states that copies of the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the cooperative association, the lease between the owner and the cooperative association, a sample sublease between the cooperative association and a tenant, and, if the owner is a partnership, a copy of the limited partnership agreement, can be obtained upon written request at no charge from the owner, and the owner must send or deliver the materials within seven days after receiving any request;
(g) if a dwelling unit of a building was occupied on the 60th day prior to the date on which the unit became leasehold cooperative property described in this subdivision, the notice described in paragraph (f) must have been sent by first class mail to the occupant of the unit at least 60 days prior to the date on which the unit became leasehold cooperative property. For purposes of the notice under this paragraph, the copies of the documents referred to in paragraph (f) may be in proposed version, provided that any subsequent material alteration of those documents made after the occupant has requested a copy shall be disclosed to any occupant who has requested a copy of the document. Copies of the articles of incorporation and certificate of limited partnership shall be filed with the secretary of state after the expiration of the 60-day period unless the change to leasehold cooperative status does not proceed;
(h) the county attorney of the county in which the property is located must certify to the assessor that the property meets the requirements of this subdivision;
(i) the public financing received must be from at least one of the following sources:
(1) tax increment financing proceeds used for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building or interest rate write-downs relating to the acquisition of the building;
(2) government issued bonds exempt from taxes under section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code, the proceeds of which are used for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building;
(3) programs under section 221(d)(3), 202, or 236, of Title II of the National Housing Act;
(4) rental housing program funds under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, or the market rate family graduated payment mortgage program funds administered by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency that are used for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building;
(5) low-income housing credit under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(6) public financing provided by a local government used for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building, including grants or loans from (i) federal community development block grants; (ii) HOME block grants; or (iii) residential rental bonds issued under chapter 474A; or
(7) other rental housing program funds provided by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building;
(j) at the time of the initial request for homestead classification or of any transfer of ownership of the property, the governing body of the municipality in which the property is located must hold a public hearing and make the following findings:
(1) that the granting of the homestead treatment of the apartment's units will facilitate safe, clean, affordable housing for the cooperative members that would otherwise not be available absent the homestead designation;
(2) that the owner has presented information satisfactory to the governing body showing that the savings garnered from the homestead designation of the units will be used to reduce tenant's rents or provide a level of furnishing or maintenance not possible absent the designation; and
(3) that the requirements of paragraphs (b), (d), and (i) have been met.
Homestead treatment must be afforded to units occupied by members of the cooperative association and the units must be assessed as provided in subdivision 3, provided that any unit not so occupied shall be classified and assessed pursuant to the appropriate class. No more than three acres of land may, for assessment purposes, be included with each dwelling unit that qualifies for homestead treatment under this subdivision.
When dwelling units no longer qualify under this subdivision, the current owner must notify the assessor within 60 days. Failure to notify the assessor within 60 days shall result in the loss of benefits under this subdivision for taxes payable in the year that the failure is discovered. For these purposes, "benefits under this subdivision" means the difference in the net tax capacity of the units which no longer qualify as computed under this subdivision and as computed under the otherwise applicable law, times the local tax rate applicable to the building for that taxes payable year. Upon discovery of a failure to notify, the assessor shall inform the auditor of the difference in net tax capacity for the building or buildings in which units no longer qualify, and the auditor shall calculate the benefits under this subdivision. Such amount, plus a penalty equal to 100 percent of that amount, shall then be demanded of the building's owner. The property owner may appeal the county's determination by serving copies of a petition for review with county officials as provided in section 278.01 and filing a proof of service as provided in section 278.01 with the Minnesota Tax Court within 60 days of the date of the notice from the county. The appeal shall be governed by the Tax Court procedures provided in chapter 271, for cases relating to the tax laws as defined in section 271.01, subdivision 5; disregarding sections 273.125, subdivision 5, and 278.03, but including section 278.05, subdivision 2. If the amount of the benefits under this subdivision and penalty are not paid within 60 days, and if no appeal has been filed, the county auditor shall certify the amount of the benefit and penalty to the succeeding year's tax list to be collected as part of the property taxes on the affected buildings.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with assessment year 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Homestead
established after assessment date. Any
property that was not used for the purpose of a homestead on the assessment
date, but which was used for the purpose of a homestead on December 1 31
of a year, constitutes class 1 or class 2a.
Any taxpayer meeting the requirements of
this subdivision must notify the county assessor, or the assessor who has the
powers of the county assessor under section 273.063, in writing, by December 15
31 of the year of occupancy in order to qualify under this subdivision. The assessor must not deny full homestead
treatment to a property that is partially homesteaded on January 2 but occupied
for the purpose of a full homestead on December 1 31 of a year.
The county assessor and the county auditor may make the necessary changes on their assessment and tax records to provide for proper homestead classification as provided in this subdivision.
If homestead classification has not been
requested as of December 15 31, the assessor will classify the
property as nonhomestead for the current assessment year for taxes payable in
the following year, provided that the owner of any property qualifying under
this subdivision, which has not been accorded the benefits of this subdivision,
may be entitled to receive homestead classification by proper application as
provided in section 375.192.
The county assessor may publish in a newspaper
of general circulation within the county a notice requesting the public to file
an application for homestead as soon as practicable after acquisition of a
homestead, but no later than December 15 31.
The
county assessor shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation within the
county no later than December 1 of each year a notice informing the public of
the requirement to file an application for homestead by December 15 31.
In the case of manufactured homes assessed as personal property, the homestead must be established, and a homestead classification requested, by May 29 of the assessment year. The assessor may include information on these deadlines for manufactured homes assessed as personal property in the published notice or notices.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with assessments in 2021.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 13, is amended to read:
Subd. 13. Homestead application. (a) A person who meets the homestead requirements under subdivision 1 must file a homestead application with the county assessor to initially obtain homestead classification.
(b) The commissioner shall prescribe the content, format, and manner of the homestead application required to be filed under this chapter pursuant to section 270C.30. The application must clearly inform the taxpayer that this application must be signed by all owners who occupy the property or by the qualifying relative and returned to the county assessor in order for the property to receive homestead treatment.
(c) Every property owner applying for homestead classification must furnish to the county assessor the Social Security number or individual tax identification number of each occupant who is listed as an owner of the property on the deed of record, the name and address of each owner who does not occupy the property, and the name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number of the spouse of each occupying owner. The application must be signed by each owner who occupies the property and by each owner's spouse who occupies the property, or, in the case of property that qualifies as a homestead under subdivision 1, paragraph (c), by the qualifying relative.
If a property owner occupies a homestead, the property owner's spouse may not claim another property as a homestead unless the property owner and the property owner's spouse file with the assessor an affidavit or other proof required by the assessor stating that the property qualifies as a homestead under subdivision 1, paragraph (e).
Owners or spouses occupying residences owned by their spouses and previously occupied with the other spouse, either of whom fail to include the other spouse's name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number on the homestead application or provide the affidavits or other proof requested, will be deemed to have elected to receive only partial homestead treatment of their residence. The remainder of the residence will be classified as nonhomestead residential. When an owner or spouse's name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number appear on homestead applications for two separate residences and only one application is signed, the owner or spouse will be deemed to have elected to homestead the residence for which the application was signed.
(d) If residential real estate is occupied and used for purposes of a homestead by a relative of the owner and qualifies for a homestead under subdivision 1, paragraph (c), in order for the property to receive homestead status, a homestead application must be filed with the assessor. The Social Security number or individual tax identification number of each relative occupying the property and the name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number of the spouse of a relative occupying the property shall be required on the homestead application filed under this subdivision. If a different relative of the owner subsequently occupies the property, the owner of the property must notify the assessor within 30 days of the change in occupancy. The Social Security number or individual tax identification number of a relative occupying the property or the spouse of a relative occupying the property is private data on individuals as defined by section 13.02, subdivision 12, but may be disclosed to the commissioner of revenue, or, for the purposes of proceeding under the Revenue Recapture Act to recover personal property taxes owing, to the county treasurer.
(e) The homestead application shall also notify the property owners that if the property is granted homestead status for any assessment year, that same property shall remain classified as homestead until the property is sold or transferred to another person, or the owners, the spouse of the owner, or the relatives no longer use the property as their homestead. Upon the sale or transfer of the homestead property, a certificate of value must be timely filed with the county auditor as provided under section 272.115. Failure to notify the assessor within 30 days that the property has been sold, transferred, or that the owner, the spouse of the owner, or the relative is no longer occupying the property as a homestead, shall result in the penalty provided under this subdivision and the property will lose its current homestead status.
(f) If a homestead application has not been
filed with the county by December 15 31, the assessor shall
classify the property as nonhomestead for the current assessment year for taxes
payable in the following year, provided that the owner may be entitled to
receive the homestead classification by proper application under section
375.192.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with assessments in 2021.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 13a, is amended to read:
Subd. 13a. Occupant list. At the request of the commissioner, each county must give the commissioner a list that includes the name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number of each occupant of homestead property who is the property owner, property owner's spouse, qualifying relative of a property owner, or a spouse of a qualifying relative. The commissioner shall use the information provided on the lists as appropriate under the law, including for the detection of improper claims by owners, or relatives of owners, under chapter 290A.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with assessment year 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 13c, is amended to read:
Subd. 13c. Property lists. In addition to lists of homestead properties, the commissioner may ask the counties to furnish lists of all properties and the record owners. The Social Security numbers, individual tax identification numbers, and federal identification numbers that are maintained by a county or city assessor for property tax administration purposes, and that may appear on the lists retain their classification as private or nonpublic data; but may be viewed, accessed, and used by the county auditor or treasurer of the same county for the limited purpose of assisting the commissioner in the preparation of microdata samples under section 270C.12. The commissioner shall use the information provided on the lists as appropriate under the law, including for the detection of improper claims by owners, or relatives of owners, under chapter 290A.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for homestead data provided to the commissioner of revenue in 2022
and thereafter.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 13d, is amended to read:
Subd. 13d. Homestead data. On or before April 30 each year beginning in 2007, each county must provide the commissioner with the following data for each parcel of homestead property by electronic means as defined in section 289A.02, subdivision 8:
(1) the property identification number assigned to the parcel for purposes of taxes payable in the current year;
(2) the name and Social Security number or individual tax identification number of each occupant of homestead property who is the property owner or qualifying relative of a property owner, and the spouse of the property owner who occupies homestead property or spouse of a qualifying relative of a property owner who occupies homestead property;
(3) the
classification of the property under section 273.13 for taxes payable in the
current year and in the prior year;
(4) an indication of whether the property was classified as a homestead for taxes payable in the current year because of occupancy by a relative of the owner or by a spouse of a relative;
(5) the
property taxes payable as defined in section 290A.03, subdivision 13, for the
current year and the prior year;
(6) the market value of improvements to the property first assessed for tax purposes for taxes payable in the current year;
(7) the assessor's estimated market value assigned to the property for taxes payable in the current year and the prior year;
(8) the taxable market value assigned to the property for taxes payable in the current year and the prior year;
(9) whether there are delinquent property taxes owing on the homestead;
(10) the unique taxing district in which the property is located; and
(11) such other information as the commissioner decides is necessary.
The commissioner shall use the information provided on the lists as appropriate under the law, including for the detection of improper claims by owners, or relatives of owners, under chapter 290A.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for homestead data provided to the commissioner of revenue in 2022
and thereafter.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 14, is amended to read:
Subd. 14. Agricultural homesteads; special provisions. (a) Real estate of less than ten acres that is the homestead of its owner must be classified as class 2a under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), if:
(1) the parcel on which the house is located is contiguous on at least two sides to (i) agricultural land, (ii) land owned or administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or (iii) land administered by the Department of Natural Resources on which in lieu taxes are paid under sections 477A.11 to 477A.14;
(2) its owner also owns a noncontiguous parcel of agricultural land that is at least 20 acres;
(3) the noncontiguous land is located not farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of townships or cities from the homestead; and
(4) the agricultural use value of the noncontiguous land and farm buildings is equal to at least 50 percent of the market value of the house, garage, and one acre of land.
Homesteads initially classified as class 2a under the provisions of this paragraph shall remain classified as class 2a, irrespective of subsequent changes in the use of adjoining properties, as long as the homestead remains under the same ownership, the owner owns a noncontiguous parcel of agricultural land that is at least 20 acres, and the agricultural use value qualifies under clause (4). Homestead classification under this paragraph is limited to property that qualified under this paragraph for the 1998 assessment.
(b)(i) Agricultural property shall be classified as the owner's homestead, to the same extent as other agricultural homestead property, if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the
agricultural property consists of at least 40 acres including undivided
government lots and correctional 40's;
(2) the owner, the owner's spouse, or a grandchild, child, sibling, or parent of the owner or of the owner's spouse, is actively farming the agricultural property, either on the person's own behalf as an individual or on behalf of a partnership operating a family farm, family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, or limited liability company of which the person is a partner, shareholder, or member;
(3) both the owner of the agricultural property and the person who is actively farming the agricultural property under clause (2), are Minnesota residents;
(4) neither the owner nor the spouse of the owner claims another agricultural homestead in Minnesota; and
(5) neither the owner nor the person actively farming the agricultural property lives farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of four townships or cities, from the agricultural property, except that if the owner or the owner's spouse is required to live in employer-provided housing, the owner or owner's spouse, whichever is actively farming the agricultural property, may live more than four townships or cities, or combination of four townships or cities from the agricultural property.
The relationship under this paragraph may be either by blood or marriage.
(ii) Property containing the residence of an owner who owns qualified property under clause (i) shall be classified as part of the owner's agricultural homestead, if that property is also used for noncommercial storage or drying of agricultural crops.
(iii) As used in this paragraph, "agricultural property" means class 2a property and any class 2b property that is contiguous to and under the same ownership as the class 2a property.
(c) Noncontiguous land shall be included as part of a homestead under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), only if the homestead is classified as class 2a and the detached land is located in the same township or city, or not farther than four townships or cities or combination thereof from the homestead. Any taxpayer of these noncontiguous lands must notify the county assessor that the noncontiguous land is part of the taxpayer's homestead, and, if the homestead is located in another county, the taxpayer must also notify the assessor of the other county.
(d) Agricultural land used for purposes of a homestead and actively farmed by a person holding a vested remainder interest in it must be classified as a homestead under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a). If agricultural land is classified class 2a, any other dwellings on the land used for purposes of a homestead by persons holding vested remainder interests who are actively engaged in farming the property, and up to one acre of the land surrounding each homestead and reasonably necessary for the use of the dwelling as a home, must also be assessed class 2a.
(e) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 1997 assessment shall remain classified as agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of the April 1997 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Polk, Clay, Kittson, Marshall, Norman, or Wilkin;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 1997 assessment year and continue to be used for agricultural purposes;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in Minnesota and is within 30 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the 1997 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in dwelling. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(f) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 1998 assessment shall remain classified agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of damage caused by a March 29, 1998, tornado;
(2) the property is located in the county of Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, LeSueur, Nicollet, Nobles, or Rice;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 1998 assessment year;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in this state and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to a March 29, 1998, tornado, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in homestead dwelling. For taxes payable in 1999, the owner must notify the assessor by December 1, 1998. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(g) Agricultural property of a family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, family farm limited liability company, or partnership operating a family farm as described under subdivision 8 shall be classified homestead, to the same extent as other agricultural homestead property, if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the property consists of at least 40 acres including undivided government lots and correctional 40's;
(2) a shareholder, member, or partner of that entity is actively farming the agricultural property;
(3) that shareholder, member, or partner who is actively farming the agricultural property is a Minnesota resident;
(4) neither that shareholder, member, or partner, nor the spouse of that shareholder, member, or partner claims another agricultural homestead in Minnesota; and
(5) that shareholder, member, or partner does not live farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of four townships or cities, from the agricultural property.
Homestead treatment applies under this paragraph even if:
(i) the shareholder, member, or partner of that entity is actively farming the agricultural property on the shareholder's, member's, or partner's own behalf; or
(ii) the family farm is operated by a family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company other than the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that owns the land, provided that:
(A) the shareholder, member, or partner of the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that owns the land who is actively farming the land is a shareholder, member, or partner of the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that is operating the farm; and
(B) more than half of the shareholders, members, or partners of each family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company are persons or spouses of persons who are a qualifying relative under section 273.124, subdivision 1, paragraphs (c) and (d).
Homestead treatment applies under this paragraph for property leased to a family farm corporation, joint farm venture, limited liability company, or partnership operating a family farm if legal title to the property is in the name of an individual who is a member, shareholder, or partner in the entity.
(h) To be eligible for the special agricultural homestead under this subdivision, an initial full application must be submitted to the county assessor where the property is located. Owners and the persons who are actively farming the property shall be required to complete only a one-page abbreviated version of the application in each subsequent year provided that none of the following items have changed since the initial application:
(1) the day-to-day operation, administration, and financial risks remain the same;
(2) the owners and the persons actively farming the property continue to live within the four townships or city criteria and are Minnesota residents;
(3) the same operator of the agricultural property is listed with the Farm Service Agency;
(4) a Schedule F or equivalent income tax form was filed for the most recent year;
(5) the property's acreage is unchanged; and
(6) none of the property's acres have been enrolled in a federal or state farm program since the initial application.
The owners and any persons who are actively farming the property must include the appropriate Social Security numbers or individual tax identification numbers, and sign and date the application. If any of the specified information has changed since the full application was filed, the owner must notify the assessor, and must complete a new application to determine if the property continues to qualify for the special agricultural homestead. The commissioner of revenue shall prepare a standard reapplication form for use by the assessors.
(i) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 2007 assessment shall remain classified agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of damage caused by the August 2007 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, or Winona;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 2007 assessment year;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in this state and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the August 2007 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in homestead dwelling. For taxes payable in 2009, the owner must notify the assessor by December 1, 2008. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(j) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 2008 assessment shall remain classified as agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of the March 2009 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Marshall;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 2008 assessment year and continue to be used for agricultural purposes;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in Minnesota and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the 2009 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in dwelling. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for applications for homestead filed in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.1245, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Private or nonpublic data. The following data are private or nonpublic data as defined in section 13.02, subdivisions 9 and 12, when they are submitted to a county or local assessor under section 273.124, 273.13, or another section, to support a claim for the property tax homestead classification under section 273.13, or other property tax classification or benefit:
(1) Social Security numbers;
(2) individual tax identification
numbers;
(2) (3) copies of state or
federal income tax returns; and
(3) (4) state or federal income
tax return information, including the federal income tax schedule F.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for applications for homestead filed in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.13, subdivision 23, is amended to read:
Subd. 23. Class 2. (a) An agricultural homestead consists of class 2a agricultural land that is homesteaded, along with any class 2b rural vacant land that is contiguous to the class 2a land under the same ownership. The market value of the house and garage and immediately surrounding one acre of land has the same classification rates as class 1a or 1b property under subdivision 22. The value of the remaining land including improvements up to the first tier valuation limit of agricultural homestead property has a classification rate of 0.5 percent of market value. The remaining property over the first tier has a classification rate of one percent of market value. For purposes of this subdivision, the "first tier valuation limit of agricultural homestead property" and "first tier" means the limit certified under section 273.11, subdivision 23.
(b) Class 2a agricultural land consists of parcels of property, or portions thereof, that are agricultural land and buildings. Class 2a property has a classification rate of one percent of market value, unless it is part of an agricultural homestead under paragraph (a). Class 2a property must also include any property that would otherwise be classified as 2b, but is interspersed with class 2a property, including but not limited to sloughs, wooded wind shelters, acreage abutting ditches, ravines, rock piles, land subject to a setback requirement, and other similar land that is impractical for the assessor to value separately from the rest of the property or that is unlikely to be able to be sold separately from the rest of the property.
An assessor may classify the part of a parcel described in this subdivision that is used for agricultural purposes as class 2a and the remainder in the class appropriate to its use.
(c) Class 2b rural vacant land consists of parcels of property, or portions thereof, that are unplatted real estate, rural in character and not used for agricultural purposes, including land used for growing trees for timber, lumber, and wood and wood products, that is not improved with a structure. The presence of a minor, ancillary nonresidential structure as defined by the commissioner of revenue does not disqualify the property from classification under this paragraph. Any parcel of 20 acres or more improved with a structure that is not a minor, ancillary nonresidential structure must be split-classified, and ten acres must be assigned to the split parcel containing the structure. If a parcel of 20 acres or more is enrolled in the sustainable forest management incentive program under chapter 290C, the number of acres assigned to the split parcel improved with a structure that is not a minor, ancillary nonresidential structure must equal three acres or the number of acres excluded from the sustainable forest incentive act covenant due to the structure, whichever is greater. Class 2b property has a classification rate of one percent of market value unless it is part of an agricultural homestead under paragraph (a), or qualifies as class 2c under paragraph (d).
(d) Class 2c managed forest land consists of no less than 20 and no more than 1,920 acres statewide per taxpayer that is being managed under a forest management plan that meets the requirements of chapter 290C, but is not enrolled in the sustainable forest resource management incentive program. It has a classification rate of .65 percent, provided that the owner of the property must apply to the assessor in order for the property to initially qualify for the reduced rate and provide the information required by the assessor to verify that the property qualifies for the reduced rate. If the assessor receives the application and information before May 1 in an assessment year, the property qualifies beginning with that assessment year. If the assessor receives the application and information after April 30 in an assessment year, the property may not qualify until the next assessment year. The commissioner of natural resources must concur that the land is qualified. The commissioner of natural resources shall annually provide county assessors verification information on a timely basis. The presence of a minor, ancillary nonresidential structure as defined by the commissioner of revenue does not disqualify the property from classification under this paragraph.
(e) Agricultural land as used in this section means:
(1) contiguous acreage of ten acres or more, used during the preceding year for agricultural purposes; or
(2) contiguous acreage used during the preceding year for an intensive livestock or poultry confinement operation, provided that land used only for pasturing or grazing does not qualify under this clause.
"Agricultural purposes" as used in this section means the raising, cultivation, drying, or storage of agricultural products for sale, or the storage of machinery or equipment used in support of agricultural production by the same farm entity. For a property to be classified as agricultural based only on the drying or storage of agricultural products, the products being dried or stored must have been produced by the same farm entity as the entity operating the drying or storage facility. "Agricultural purposes" also includes (i) enrollment in a local conservation program or the Reinvest in Minnesota program under sections 103F.501 to 103F.535 or the federal Conservation Reserve Program as contained in Public Law 99-198 or a similar state or federal conservation program if the property was classified as agricultural (A) under this subdivision for taxes payable in 2003 because of its enrollment in a qualifying program and the land remains enrolled or (B) in the year prior to its enrollment, or (ii) use of land, not to exceed three acres, to provide environmental benefits such as buffer strips, old growth forest restoration or retention, or retention ponds to prevent soil erosion. For purposes of this section, a "local conservation program" means a program administered by a town, statutory or home rule charter city, or county, including a watershed district, water management organization, or soil and water conservation district, in which landowners voluntarily enroll land and receive incentive payments equal to at least $50 per acre in exchange for use or other restrictions placed on the land. In order for property to qualify under the local conservation program provision, a taxpayer must apply to the assessor by February 1 of the assessment year and must submit the information required by the assessor, including but not limited to a copy of the program requirements, the specific agreement between the land owner and the local agency, if applicable, and a map of the conservation area. Agricultural classification shall not be based upon the market value of any residential structures on the parcel or contiguous parcels under the same ownership.
"Contiguous acreage," for purposes of this paragraph, means all of, or a contiguous portion of, a tax parcel as described in section 272.193, or all of, or a contiguous portion of, a set of contiguous tax parcels under that section that are owned by the same person.
(f) Agricultural land under this section also includes:
(1) contiguous acreage that is less than ten acres in size and exclusively used in the preceding year for raising or cultivating agricultural products; or
(2) contiguous acreage that contains a residence and is less than 11 acres in size, if the contiguous acreage exclusive of the house, garage, and surrounding one acre of land was used in the preceding year for one or more of the following three uses:
(i) for an intensive grain drying or storage operation, or for intensive machinery or equipment storage activities used to support agricultural activities on other parcels of property operated by the same farming entity;
(ii) as a nursery, provided that only those acres used intensively to produce nursery stock are considered agricultural land; or
(iii) for intensive market farming; for purposes of this paragraph, "market farming" means the cultivation of one or more fruits or vegetables or production of animal or other agricultural products for sale to local markets by the farmer or an organization with which the farmer is affiliated.
"Contiguous acreage," for purposes of this paragraph, means all of a tax parcel as described in section 272.193, or all of a set of contiguous tax parcels under that section that are owned by the same person.
(g) Land shall be classified as agricultural even if all or a portion of the agricultural use of that property is the leasing to, or use by another person for agricultural purposes.
Classification under this subdivision is not determinative for qualifying under section 273.111.
(h) The property classification under this section supersedes, for property tax purposes only, any locally administered agricultural policies or land use restrictions that define minimum or maximum farm acreage.
(i) The term "agricultural products" as used in this subdivision includes production for sale of:
(1) livestock, dairy animals, dairy products, poultry and poultry products, fur-bearing animals, horticultural and nursery stock, fruit of all kinds, vegetables, forage, grains, bees, and apiary products by the owner;
(2) aquacultural products for sale and consumption, as defined under section 17.47, if the aquaculture occurs on land zoned for agricultural use;
(3) the commercial boarding of horses, which may include related horse training and riding instruction, if the boarding is done on property that is also used for raising pasture to graze horses or raising or cultivating other agricultural products as defined in clause (1);
(4)
property which is owned and operated by nonprofit organizations used for
equestrian activities, excluding racing;
(5) game birds and waterfowl bred and raised (i) on a game farm licensed under section 97A.105, provided that the annual licensing report to the Department of Natural Resources, which must be submitted annually by March 30 to the assessor, indicates that at least 500 birds were raised or used for breeding stock on the property during the preceding year and that the owner provides a copy of the owner's most recent schedule F; or (ii) for use on a shooting preserve licensed under section 97A.115;
(6) insects primarily bred to be used as food for animals;
(7) trees, grown for sale as a crop, including short rotation woody crops, and not sold for timber, lumber, wood, or wood products; and
(8) maple syrup taken from trees grown by a person licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture under chapter 28A as a food processor.
(j) If a parcel used for agricultural purposes is also used for commercial or industrial purposes, including but not limited to:
(1) wholesale and retail sales;
(2) processing of raw agricultural products or other goods;
(3) warehousing or storage of processed goods; and
(4) office facilities for the support of the activities enumerated in clauses (1), (2), and (3),
the assessor shall classify the part of the parcel used for agricultural purposes as class 1b, 2a, or 2b, whichever is appropriate, and the remainder in the class appropriate to its use. The grading, sorting, and packaging of raw agricultural products for first sale is considered an agricultural purpose. A greenhouse or other building where horticultural or nursery products are grown that is also used for the conduct of retail sales must be classified as agricultural if it is primarily used for the growing of horticultural or nursery products from seed, cuttings, or roots and occasionally as a showroom for the retail sale of those products. Use of a greenhouse or building only for the display of already grown horticultural or nursery products does not qualify as an agricultural purpose.
(k) The assessor shall determine and list separately on the records the market value of the homestead dwelling and the one acre of land on which that dwelling is located. If any farm buildings or structures are located on this homesteaded acre of land, their market value shall not be included in this separate determination.
(l) Class 2d airport landing area consists of a landing area or public access area of a privately owned public use airport. It has a classification rate of one percent of market value. To qualify for classification under this paragraph, a privately owned public use airport must be licensed as a public airport under section 360.018. For purposes of this paragraph, "landing area" means that part of a privately owned public use airport properly cleared, regularly maintained, and made available to the public for use by aircraft and includes runways, taxiways, aprons, and sites upon which are situated landing or navigational aids. A landing area also includes land underlying both the primary surface and the approach surfaces that comply with all of the following:
(i) the land is properly cleared and regularly maintained for the primary purposes of the landing, taking off, and taxiing of aircraft; but that portion of the land that contains facilities for servicing, repair, or maintenance of aircraft is not included as a landing area;
(ii) the land is part of the airport property; and
(iii) the land is not used for commercial or residential purposes.
The land contained in a landing area under this paragraph must be described and certified by the commissioner of transportation. The certification is effective until it is modified, or until the airport or landing area no longer meets the requirements of this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, "public access area" means property used as an aircraft parking ramp, apron, or storage hangar, or an arrival and departure building in connection with the airport.
(m) Class 2e consists of land with a commercial aggregate deposit that is not actively being mined and is not otherwise classified as class 2a or 2b, provided that the land is not located in a county that has elected to opt-out of the aggregate preservation program as provided in section 273.1115, subdivision 6. It has a classification rate of one percent of market value. To qualify for classification under this paragraph, the property must be at least ten contiguous acres in size and the owner of the property must record with the county recorder of the county in which the property is located an affidavit containing:
(1) a legal description of the property;
(2) a disclosure that the property contains a commercial aggregate deposit that is not actively being mined but is present on the entire parcel enrolled;
(3) documentation that the conditional use under the county or local zoning ordinance of this property is for mining; and
(4) documentation that a permit has been issued by the local unit of government or the mining activity is allowed under local ordinance. The disclosure must include a statement from a registered professional geologist, engineer, or soil scientist delineating the deposit and certifying that it is a commercial aggregate deposit.
For purposes of this section and section 273.1115, "commercial aggregate deposit" means a deposit that will yield crushed stone or sand and gravel that is suitable for use as a construction aggregate; and "actively mined" means the removal of top soil and overburden in preparation for excavation or excavation of a commercial deposit.
(n) When any portion of the property under this subdivision or subdivision 22 begins to be actively mined, the owner must file a supplemental affidavit within 60 days from the day any aggregate is removed stating the number of acres of the property that is actively being mined. The acres actively being mined must be (1) valued and
classified under subdivision 24 in the next subsequent assessment year, and (2) removed from the aggregate resource preservation property tax program under section 273.1115, if the land was enrolled in that program. Copies of the original affidavit and all supplemental affidavits must be filed with the county assessor, the local zoning administrator, and the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Land and Minerals. A supplemental affidavit must be filed each time a subsequent portion of the property is actively mined, provided that the minimum acreage change is five acres, even if the actual mining activity constitutes less than five acres.
(o) The definitions prescribed by the commissioner under paragraphs (c) and (d) are not rules and are exempt from the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14, and the provisions in section 14.386 concerning exempt rules do not apply.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for assessment year 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.13, subdivision 25, is amended to read:
Subd. 25. Class 4. (a) Class 4a is residential real estate containing four or more units and used or held for use by the owner or by the tenants or lessees of the owner as a residence for rental periods of 30 days or more, excluding property qualifying for class 4d. Class 4a also includes hospitals licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56, other than hospitals exempt under section 272.02, and contiguous property used for hospital purposes, without regard to whether the property has been platted or subdivided. The market value of class 4a property has a classification rate of 1.25 percent.
(b) Class 4b includes:
(1) residential real estate containing less than four units, including property rented as a short-term rental property for more than 14 days in the preceding year, that does not qualify as class 4bb, other than seasonal residential recreational property;
(2) manufactured homes not classified under any other provision;
(3) a dwelling, garage, and surrounding one acre of property on a nonhomestead farm classified under subdivision 23, paragraph (b) containing two or three units; and
(4) unimproved property that is classified residential as determined under subdivision 33.
For the purposes of this paragraph, "short-term rental property" means nonhomestead residential real estate rented for periods of less than 30 consecutive days.
The market value of class 4b property has a classification rate of 1.25 percent.
(c) Class 4bb includes:
(1) nonhomestead residential real estate containing one unit, other than seasonal residential recreational property;
(2) a single family dwelling, garage, and surrounding one acre of property on a nonhomestead farm classified under subdivision 23, paragraph (b); and
(3) a condominium-type storage unit having an individual property identification number that is not used for a commercial purpose.
Class 4bb property has the same classification rates as class 1a property under subdivision 22.
Property that has been classified as seasonal residential recreational property at any time during which it has been owned by the current owner or spouse of the current owner does not qualify for class 4bb.
(d) Class 4c property includes:
(1) except as provided in subdivision 22, paragraph (c), real and personal property devoted to commercial temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreation purposes, for not more than 250 days in the year preceding the year of assessment. For purposes of this clause, property is devoted to a commercial purpose on a specific day if any portion of the property is used for residential occupancy, and a fee is charged for residential occupancy. Class 4c property under this clause must contain three or more rental units. A "rental unit" is defined as a cabin, condominium, townhouse, sleeping room, or individual camping site equipped with water and electrical hookups for recreational vehicles. A camping pad offered for rent by a property that otherwise qualifies for class 4c under this clause is also class 4c under this clause regardless of the term of the rental agreement, as long as the use of the camping pad does not exceed 250 days. In order for a property to be classified under this clause, either (i) the business located on the property must provide recreational activities, at least 40 percent of the annual gross lodging receipts related to the property must be from business conducted during 90 consecutive days, and either (A) at least 60 percent of all paid bookings by lodging guests during the year must be for periods of at least two consecutive nights; or (B) at least 20 percent of the annual gross receipts must be from charges for providing recreational activities, or (ii) the business must contain 20 or fewer rental units, and must be located in a township or a city with a population of 2,500 or less located outside the metropolitan area, as defined under section 473.121, subdivision 2, that contains a portion of a state trail administered by the Department of Natural Resources. For purposes of item (i)(A), a paid booking of five or more nights shall be counted as two bookings. Class 4c property also includes commercial use real property used exclusively for recreational purposes in conjunction with other class 4c property classified under this clause and devoted to temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreational purposes, up to a total of two acres, provided the property is not devoted to commercial recreational use for more than 250 days in the year preceding the year of assessment and is located within two miles of the class 4c property with which it is used. In order for a property to qualify for classification under this clause, the owner must submit a declaration to the assessor designating the cabins or units occupied for 250 days or less in the year preceding the year of assessment by January 15 of the assessment year. Those cabins or units and a proportionate share of the land on which they are located must be designated class 4c under this clause as otherwise provided. The remainder of the cabins or units and a proportionate share of the land on which they are located will be designated as class 3a. The owner of property desiring designation as class 4c property under this clause must provide guest registers or other records demonstrating that the units for which class 4c designation is sought were not occupied for more than 250 days in the year preceding the assessment if so requested. The portion of a property operated as a (1) restaurant, (2) bar, (3) gift shop, (4) conference center or meeting room, and (5) other nonresidential facility operated on a commercial basis not directly related to temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreation purposes does not qualify for class 4c. For the purposes of this paragraph, "recreational activities" means renting ice fishing houses, boats and motors, snowmobiles, downhill or cross-country ski equipment; providing marina services, launch services, or guide services; or selling bait and fishing tackle;
(2) qualified property used as a golf course if:
(i) it is open to the public on a daily fee basis. It may charge membership fees or dues, but a membership fee may not be required in order to use the property for golfing, and its green fees for golfing must be comparable to green fees typically charged by municipal courses; and
(ii) it meets the requirements of section 273.112, subdivision 3, paragraph (d).
A structure used as a clubhouse, restaurant, or place of refreshment in conjunction with the golf course is classified as class 3a property;
(3) real property up to a maximum of three acres of land owned and used by a nonprofit community service oriented organization and not used for residential purposes on either a temporary or permanent basis, provided that:
(i) the property is not used for a revenue-producing activity for more than six days in the calendar year preceding the year of assessment; or
(ii) the organization makes annual charitable contributions and donations at least equal to the property's previous year's property taxes and the property is allowed to be used for public and community meetings or events for no charge, as appropriate to the size of the facility.
For purposes of this clause:
(A) "charitable contributions and donations" has the same meaning as lawful gambling purposes under section 349.12, subdivision 25, excluding those purposes relating to the payment of taxes, assessments, fees, auditing costs, and utility payments;
(B) "property taxes" excludes the state general tax;
(C) a "nonprofit community service oriented organization" means any corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, fraternal, civic, or educational purposes, and which is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3), (8), (10), or (19) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(D) "revenue-producing activities" shall include but not be limited to property or that portion of the property that is used as an on-sale intoxicating liquor or 3.2 percent malt liquor establishment licensed under chapter 340A, a restaurant open to the public, bowling alley, a retail store, gambling conducted by organizations licensed under chapter 349, an insurance business, or office or other space leased or rented to a lessee who conducts a for-profit enterprise on the premises.
Any portion of the property not qualifying under either item (i) or (ii) is class 3a. The use of the property for social events open exclusively to members and their guests for periods of less than 24 hours, when an admission is not charged nor any revenues are received by the organization shall not be considered a revenue-producing activity.
The organization shall maintain records of its charitable contributions and donations and of public meetings and events held on the property and make them available upon request any time to the assessor to ensure eligibility. An organization meeting the requirement under item (ii) must file an application by May 1 with the assessor for eligibility for the current year's assessment. The commissioner shall prescribe a uniform application form and instructions;
(4) postsecondary student housing of not more than one acre of land that is owned by a nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 317A and is used exclusively by a student cooperative, sorority, or fraternity for on-campus housing or housing located within two miles of the border of a college campus;
(5) (i) manufactured home parks as
defined in section 327.14, subdivision 3, excluding including
manufactured home parks described in items (ii) and (iii), (ii) manufactured
home parks as defined in section 327.14, subdivision 3, that are described
in section 273.124, subdivision 3a, and (iii) class I manufactured home
parks as defined in section 327C.01, subdivision 13;
(6) real property that is actively and exclusively devoted to indoor fitness, health, social, recreational, and related uses, is owned and operated by a not-for-profit corporation, and is located within the metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2;
(7) a leased or privately owned noncommercial aircraft storage hangar not exempt under section 272.01, subdivision 2, and the land on which it is located, provided that:
(i) the land is on an airport owned or operated by a city, town, county, Metropolitan Airports Commission, or group thereof; and
(ii) the land lease, or any ordinance or signed agreement restricting the use of the leased premise, prohibits commercial activity performed at the hangar.
If a hangar classified under this clause is sold after June 30, 2000, a bill of sale must be filed by the new owner with the assessor of the county where the property is located within 60 days of the sale;
(8) a privately owned noncommercial aircraft storage hangar not exempt under section 272.01, subdivision 2, and the land on which it is located, provided that:
(i) the land abuts a public airport; and
(ii) the owner of the aircraft storage hangar provides the assessor with a signed agreement restricting the use of the premises, prohibiting commercial use or activity performed at the hangar; and
(9) residential real estate, a portion of which is used by the owner for homestead purposes, and that is also a place of lodging, if all of the following criteria are met:
(i) rooms are provided for rent to transient guests that generally stay for periods of 14 or fewer days;
(ii) meals are provided to persons who rent rooms, the cost of which is incorporated in the basic room rate;
(iii) meals are not provided to the general public except for special events on fewer than seven days in the calendar year preceding the year of the assessment; and
(iv) the owner is the operator of the property.
The market value subject to the 4c classification under this clause is limited to five rental units. Any rental units on the property in excess of five, must be valued and assessed as class 3a. The portion of the property used for purposes of a homestead by the owner must be classified as class 1a property under subdivision 22;
(10) real property up to a maximum of three acres and operated as a restaurant as defined under section 157.15, subdivision 12, provided it: (i) is located on a lake as defined under section 103G.005, subdivision 15, paragraph (a), clause (3); and (ii) is either devoted to commercial purposes for not more than 250 consecutive days, or receives at least 60 percent of its annual gross receipts from business conducted during four consecutive months. Gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages must be included in determining the property's qualification under item (ii). The property's primary business must be as a restaurant and not as a bar. Gross receipts from gift shop sales located on the premises must be excluded. Owners of real property desiring 4c classification under this clause must submit an annual declaration to the assessor by February 1 of the current assessment year, based on the property's relevant information for the preceding assessment year;
(11) lakeshore and riparian property and adjacent land, not to exceed six acres, used as a marina, as defined in section 86A.20, subdivision 5, which is made accessible to the public and devoted to recreational use for marina services. The marina owner must annually provide evidence to the assessor that it provides services, including lake or river access to the public by means of an access ramp or other facility that is either located on the property of the marina or at a publicly owned site that abuts the property of the marina. No more than 800 feet of lakeshore may be included in this classification. Buildings used in conjunction with a marina for marina services, including but not limited to buildings used to provide food and beverage services, fuel, boat repairs, or the sale of bait or fishing tackle, are classified as class 3a property; and
(12) real and personal property devoted to noncommercial temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreation purposes.
Class 4c property has a classification rate
of 1.5 percent of market value, except that (i) each parcel of noncommercial
seasonal residential recreational property under clause (12) has the same
classification rates as class 4bb property, (ii) manufactured home parks
assessed under clause (5), item (i), have the same classification rate as
class 4b property, the market value of manufactured home parks assessed under
clause (5), item (ii), have a classification rate of 0.75 percent if more than
50 percent of the lots in the park are occupied by shareholders in the
cooperative corporation or association and a classification rate of one percent
if 50 percent or less of the lots are so occupied, and class I manufactured
home parks as defined in section 327C.01, subdivision 13, have a classification
rate of 1.0 have a classification rate of 0.75 percent, (iii)
commercial-use seasonal residential recreational property and marina
recreational land as described in clause (11), has a classification rate of one
percent for the first $500,000 of market value, and 1.25 percent for the
remaining market value, (iv) the market value of property described in clause
(4) has a classification rate of one percent, (v) the market value of property
described in clauses (2), (6), and (10) has a classification rate of 1.25
percent, (vi) that portion of the market value of property in clause (9)
qualifying for class 4c property has a classification rate of 1.25 percent, and
(vii) property qualifying for classification under clause (3) that is owned or
operated by a congressionally chartered veterans organization has a
classification rate of one percent. The
commissioner of veterans affairs must provide a list of congressionally
chartered veterans organizations to the commissioner of revenue by June 30,
2017, and by January 1, 2018, and each year thereafter.
(e) Class 4d property is qualifying low-income rental housing certified to the assessor by the Housing Finance Agency under section 273.128, subdivision 3. If only a portion of the units in the building qualify as low-income rental housing units as certified under section 273.128, subdivision 3, only the proportion of qualifying units to the total number of units in the building qualify for class 4d. The remaining portion of the building shall be classified by the assessor based upon its use. Class 4d also includes the same proportion of land as the qualifying low-income rental housing units are to the total units in the building. For all properties qualifying as class 4d, the market value determined by the assessor must be based on the normal approach to value using normal unrestricted rents.
(f) The first tier of market value of class
4d property has a classification rate of 0.75 percent. The remaining value of class 4d property has
a classification rate of 0.25 percent. For
the purposes of this paragraph, the "first tier of market value of class
4d property" means the market value of each housing unit up to the first
tier limit. For the purposes of this
paragraph, all class 4d property value must be assigned to individual housing
units. The first tier limit is $100,000
$174,000 for assessment year 2014 2022 and assessment year
2023. For subsequent years, the
limit is adjusted each year by the average statewide change in estimated market
value of property classified as class 4a and 4d under this section for the
previous assessment year, excluding valuation change due to new construction,
rounded to the nearest $1,000, provided, however, that the limit may never be
less than $100,000. Beginning with assessment
year 2015, the commissioner of revenue must certify the limit for each
assessment year by November 1 of the previous year.
EFFECTIVE
DATE; APPLICATION. (a) The
amendment to paragraph (d) is effective beginning with property taxes payable
in 2023 and thereafter.
(b) The amendment to paragraph (f) is
effective beginning with assessment year 2022.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.13, subdivision 34, is amended to read:
Subd. 34. Homestead of veteran with a disability or family caregiver. (a) All or a portion of the market value of property owned by a veteran and serving as the veteran's homestead under this section is excluded in determining the property's taxable market value if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 70 percent or more as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify for exclusion under this subdivision, the veteran must have been honorably discharged from the United States armed forces, as indicated by United States Government Form DD214 or other official military discharge papers.
(b)(1) For a disability rating of 70 percent or more, $150,000 of market value is excluded, except as provided in clause (2); and
(2) for a total (100 percent) and permanent disability, $300,000 of market value is excluded.
(c) If a veteran with a disability qualifying for a valuation exclusion under paragraph (b), clause (2), predeceases the veteran's spouse, and if upon the death of the veteran the spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to the homestead and permanently resides there, the exclusion shall carry over to the benefit of the veteran's spouse until such time as the spouse remarries, or sells, transfers, or otherwise disposes of the property, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (n). Qualification under this paragraph requires an application under paragraph (h), and a spouse must notify the assessor if there is a change in the spouse's marital status, ownership of the property, or use of the property as a permanent residence.
(d) If the spouse of a member of any branch or unit of the United States armed forces who dies due to a service‑connected cause while serving honorably in active service, as indicated on United States Government Form DD1300 or DD2064, holds the legal or beneficial title to a homestead and permanently resides there, the spouse is entitled to the benefit described in paragraph (b), clause (2), until such time as the spouse remarries or sells, transfers, or otherwise disposes of the property, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (n).
(e) If a veteran meets the disability criteria of paragraph (a) but does not own property classified as homestead in the state of Minnesota, then the homestead of the veteran's primary family caregiver, if any, is eligible for the exclusion that the veteran would otherwise qualify for under paragraph (b).
(f) In the case of an agricultural homestead, only the portion of the property consisting of the house and garage and immediately surrounding one acre of land qualifies for the valuation exclusion under this subdivision.
(g) A property qualifying for a valuation exclusion under this subdivision is not eligible for the market value exclusion under subdivision 35, or classification under subdivision 22, paragraph (b).
(h) To qualify for a valuation exclusion
under this subdivision a property owner must apply to the assessor by December 15
31 of the first assessment year for which the exclusion is sought. For an application received after December
15, the exclusion shall become effective for the following assessment year. Except as provided in paragraph (c), the
owner of a property that has been accepted for a valuation exclusion must
notify the assessor if there is a change in ownership of the property or in the
use of the property as a homestead.
(i) A first-time application by a qualifying spouse for the market value exclusion under paragraph (d) must be made any time within two years of the death of the service member.
(j) For purposes of this subdivision:
(1) "active service" has the meaning given in section 190.05;
(2) "own" means that the person's name is present as an owner on the property deed;
(3) "primary family caregiver" means a person who is approved by the secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for assistance as the primary provider of personal care services for an eligible veteran under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, codified as United States Code, title 38, section 1720G; and
(4) "veteran" has the meaning given the term in section 197.447.
(k) If a veteran dying after December 31, 2011, did not apply for or receive the exclusion under paragraph (b), clause (2), before dying, the veteran's spouse is entitled to the benefit under paragraph (b), clause (2), until the spouse remarries or sells, transfers, or otherwise disposes of the property, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (n), if
(1) the spouse files a first-time application within two years of the death of the service member or by June 1, 2019, whichever is later;
(2) upon the death of the veteran, the spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to the homestead and permanently resides there;
(3) the veteran met the honorable discharge requirements of paragraph (a); and
(4) the United States Department of Veterans Affairs certifies that:
(i)
the veteran met the total (100 percent) and permanent disability requirement
under paragraph (b), clause (2); or
(ii) the spouse has been awarded dependency and indemnity compensation.
(l) The purpose of this provision of law providing a level of homestead property tax relief for veterans with a disability, their primary family caregivers, and their surviving spouses is to help ease the burdens of war for those among our state's citizens who bear those burdens most heavily.
(m) By July 1, the county veterans service officer must certify the disability rating and permanent address of each veteran receiving the benefit under paragraph (b) to the assessor.
(n) A spouse who received the benefit in paragraph (c), (d), or (k) but no longer holds the legal or beneficial title to the property may continue to receive the exclusion for a property other than the property for which the exclusion was initially granted until the spouse remarries or sells, transfers, or otherwise disposes of the property, provided that:
(1) the spouse applies under paragraph (h) for the continuation of the exclusion allowed under this paragraph;
(2) the spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to the property for which the continuation of the exclusion is sought under this paragraph, and permanently resides there;
(3) the estimated market value of the property for which the exclusion is sought under this paragraph is less than or equal to the estimated market value of the property that first received the exclusion, based on the value of each property on the date of the sale of the property that first received the exclusion; and
(4) the spouse has not previously received the benefit under this paragraph for a property other than the property for which the exclusion is sought.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with assessments in 2021.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.1315, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Class 1b homestead declaration 2009 and thereafter. (a) Any property owner seeking classification and assessment of the owner's homestead as class 1b property pursuant to section 273.13, subdivision 22, paragraph (b), after October 1, 2008, shall file with the county assessor a class 1b homestead declaration, on a form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The declaration must contain the following information:
(1) the information necessary to verify that, on or before June 30 of the filing year, the property owner or the owner's spouse satisfies the requirements of section 273.13, subdivision 22, paragraph (b), for class 1b classification; and
(2) any additional information prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) The declaration must be filed on or before October 1 to be effective for property taxes payable during the succeeding calendar year. The Social Security numbers, individual tax identification numbers, and income and medical information received from the property owner pursuant to this subdivision are private data on individuals as defined in section 13.02. If approved by the assessor, the declaration remains in effect until the property no longer qualifies under section 273.13, subdivision 22, paragraph (b). Failure to notify the assessor within 30 days that the property no longer qualifies under that paragraph because of a sale, change in occupancy, or change in the status or condition of an occupant shall result in the penalty provided in section 273.124, subdivision 13b, computed on the basis of the class 1b benefits for the property, and the property shall lose its current class 1b classification.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for applications for homestead filed in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Levy
amount. The state general levy is
levied against commercial-industrial property and seasonal residential
recreational property, as defined in this section. The state general levy for commercial‑industrial
property is $737,090,000 $716,990,000 for taxes payable in 2020
2022 and thereafter. The state
general levy for seasonal-recreational property is $41,690,000 for taxes
payable in 2020 and thereafter. The tax
under this section is not treated as a local tax rate under section 469.177 and
is not the levy of a governmental unit under chapters 276A and 473F.
The commissioner shall increase or decrease the preliminary or final rate for a year as necessary to account for errors and tax base changes that affected a preliminary or final rate for either of the two preceding years. Adjustments are allowed to the extent that the necessary information is available to the commissioner at the time the rates for a year must be certified, and for the following reasons:
(1) an erroneous report of taxable value by a local official;
(2) an erroneous calculation by the commissioner; and
(3) an increase or decrease in taxable value for commercial-industrial or seasonal residential recreational property reported to the commissioner under section 270C.85, subdivision 2, clause (4), for the same year.
The commissioner may, but need not, make adjustments if the total difference in the tax levied for the year would be less than $100,000.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.025, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Commercial-industrial tax capacity. For the purposes of this section, "commercial-industrial tax capacity" means the tax capacity of all taxable property classified as class 3 or class 5(1) under section 273.13, excluding:
(1) the tax capacity attributable to the
first $100,000 $150,000 of market value of each parcel of
commercial‑industrial property as defined under section 273.13,
subdivision 24, clauses (1) and (2);
(2) electric generation attached machinery under class 3; and
(3) property described in section 473.625.
County commercial-industrial tax capacity
amounts are not adjusted for the captured net tax capacity of a tax increment
financing district under section 469.177, subdivision 2, the net tax capacity
of transmission lines deducted from a local government's total net tax capacity
under section 273.425, or fiscal disparities contribution and distribution net
tax capacities under chapter 276A or 473F.
For purposes of this subdivision, the procedures for determining
eligibility for tier 1 under section 273.13, subdivision 24, clauses (1) and
(2), shall apply in determining the portion of a property eligible to be
considered within the first $100,000 $150,000 of market value.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.065, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Proposed levy. (a) Notwithstanding any law or charter to the contrary, on or before September 30, each county, home rule charter or statutory city, town, and special taxing district, excluding the Metropolitan Council and the Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission, shall certify to the county auditor the proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year. For towns, the final certified levy shall also be considered the proposed levy.
(b) Each county and city with a
population of at least 500 must annually notify the public of its revenue,
expenditures, fund balances, and other relevant budget information that is used
to establish the proposed property tax levy.
Each county and city with a population of at least 500 must hold a
public meeting on the budget and proposed levy.
The meeting must be held at least seven days prior to the day that the
proposed levy under this subdivision is certified, the public must be allowed
to speak at the meeting, and the meeting must not begin before 6:00 p.m.
(b) (c) Notwithstanding any law
or charter to the contrary, on or before September 15, the Metropolitan Council
and the Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission shall adopt and certify to the
county auditor a proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following
year.
(c) (d) On or before September
30, each school district that has not mutually agreed with its home county to
extend this date shall certify to the county auditor the proposed property tax
levy for taxes payable in the following year.
Each school district that has agreed with its home county to delay the
certification of its proposed property tax levy must certify its proposed
property tax levy for the following year no later than October 7. The school district shall certify the
proposed levy as:
(1) a specific dollar amount by school district fund, broken down between voter-approved and non‑voter‑approved levies and between referendum market value and tax capacity levies; or
(2) the maximum levy limitation certified by the commissioner of education according to section 126C.48, subdivision 1.
(d) (e) If the board of
estimate and taxation or any similar board that establishes maximum tax levies
for taxing jurisdictions within a first class city certifies the maximum
property tax levies for funds under its jurisdiction by charter to the county
auditor by the date specified in paragraph (a), the city shall be deemed to
have certified its levies for those taxing jurisdictions.
(e) (f) For purposes of this
section, "special taxing district" means a special taxing district as
defined in section 275.066. Intermediate
school districts that levy a tax under chapter 124 or 136D, joint powers boards
established under sections 123A.44 to 123A.445, and Common School Districts No. 323,
Franconia, and No. 815, Prinsburg, are also special taxing districts for
purposes of this section.
(f) (g) At the meeting at which a taxing authority, other than a town, adopts its proposed tax levy under this subdivision, the taxing authority shall announce the time and place of any subsequent regularly scheduled meetings at which the budget and levy will be discussed and at which the public will be allowed to speak. The time and place of those meetings must be included in the proceedings or summary of proceedings published in the official newspaper of the taxing authority under section 123B.09, 375.12, or 412.191.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.065, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Notice of proposed property taxes. (a) The county auditor shall prepare and
the county treasurer shall deliver after November 10 and on or before November
24 each year, by first class mail to each taxpayer at the address listed on the
county's current year's assessment roll, a notice of proposed property taxes. Upon written request by the taxpayer, the
treasurer may send the notice in electronic form or by electronic mail email
instead of on paper or by ordinary mail.
(b) The commissioner of revenue shall prescribe the form of the notice.
(c) The notice must inform taxpayers that it
contains the amount of property taxes each taxing authority proposes to collect
for taxes payable the following year. In
the case of a town, or in the case of the state general tax, the final tax
amount will be its proposed tax. The
notice must clearly state for each city that has a population over 500,
county, school district, regional library authority established under
section 134.201, and metropolitan taxing districts as defined in
paragraph (i), and fire protection special taxing districts established
under section 299O.01, the time and place of a meeting for each taxing
authority in which the budget and levy will be discussed and public input
allowed, prior to the final budget and levy determination. The taxing authorities must provide the
county auditor with the information to be included in the notice on or before
the time it certifies its proposed levy under subdivision 1. The public must be allowed to speak at that
meeting, which must occur after November 24 and must not be held before 6:00 p.m.
The notice must state for each city
that has a population over 500, county, and school district, the time and place
of the meeting to be held pursuant to subdivision 11. The taxing authorities must provide the county
auditor with the information to be included in the notice on or before the time
it certifies its proposed levy under subdivision 1. It must provide a telephone number for the
taxing authority that taxpayers may call if they have questions related to the
notice and an address where comments will be received by mail, except that no
notice required under this section shall be interpreted as requiring the
printing of a personal telephone number or address as the contact information
for a taxing authority. If a taxing
authority does not maintain public offices where telephone calls can be
received by the authority, the authority may inform the county of the lack of a
public telephone number and the county shall not list a telephone number for
that taxing authority.
(d) The notice must state for each parcel:
(1) the market value of the property as determined under section 273.11, and used for computing property taxes payable in the following year and for taxes payable in the current year as each appears in the records of the county assessor on November 1 of the current year; and, in the case of residential property, whether the property is classified as homestead or nonhomestead. The notice must clearly inform taxpayers of the years to which the market values apply and that the values are final values;
(2) the items listed below, shown separately by county, city or town, and state general tax, agricultural homestead credit under section 273.1384, school building bond agricultural credit under section 273.1387, voter approved school levy, other local school levy, and the sum of the special taxing districts, and as a total of all taxing authorities:
(i) the actual tax for taxes payable in the current year; and
(ii) the proposed tax amount.
If the county levy under clause (2) includes an amount for a lake improvement district as defined under sections 103B.501 to 103B.581, the amount attributable for that purpose must be separately stated from the remaining county levy amount.
In the case of a town or the state general tax, the final tax shall also be its proposed tax unless the town changes its levy at a special town meeting under section 365.52. If a school district has certified under section 126C.17, subdivision 9, that a referendum will be held in the school district at the November general election, the county auditor must note next to the school district's proposed amount that a referendum is pending and that, if approved by the voters, the tax amount may be higher than shown on the notice. In the case of the city of Minneapolis, the levy for Minneapolis Park and Recreation shall be listed separately from the remaining amount of the city's levy. In the case of the city of St. Paul, the levy for the St. Paul Library Agency must be listed separately from the remaining amount of the city's levy. In the case of Ramsey County, any amount levied under section 134.07 may be listed separately from the remaining amount of the county's levy. In the case of a parcel where tax increment or the fiscal disparities areawide tax under chapter 276A or 473F applies, the proposed tax levy on the captured value or the proposed tax levy on the tax capacity subject to the areawide tax must each be stated separately and not included in the sum of the special taxing districts; and
(3) the increase or decrease between the total taxes payable in the current year and the total proposed taxes, expressed as a percentage.
For purposes of this section, the amount of the tax on homesteads qualifying under the senior citizens' property tax deferral program under chapter 290B is the total amount of property tax before subtraction of the deferred property tax amount.
(e) The notice must clearly state that the proposed or final taxes do not include the following:
(1) special assessments;
(2) levies approved by the voters after the date the proposed taxes are certified, including bond referenda and school district levy referenda;
(3) a levy limit increase approved by the voters by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the levy year as provided under section 275.73;
(4) amounts necessary to pay cleanup or other costs due to a natural disaster occurring after the date the proposed taxes are certified;
(5) amounts necessary to pay tort judgments against the taxing authority that become final after the date the proposed taxes are certified; and
(6) the contamination tax imposed on properties which received market value reductions for contamination.
(f) Except as provided in subdivision 7, failure of the county auditor to prepare or the county treasurer to deliver the notice as required in this section does not invalidate the proposed or final tax levy or the taxes payable pursuant to the tax levy.
(g) If the notice the taxpayer receives under this section lists the property as nonhomestead, and satisfactory documentation is provided to the county assessor by the applicable deadline, and the property qualifies for the homestead classification in that assessment year, the assessor shall reclassify the property to homestead for taxes payable in the following year.
(h) In the case of class 4 residential property used as a residence for lease or rental periods of 30 days or more, the taxpayer must either:
(1) mail or deliver a copy of the notice of proposed property taxes to each tenant, renter, or lessee; or
(2) post a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises of the property.
The notice must be mailed or posted by the taxpayer by November 27 or within three days of receipt of the notice, whichever is later. A taxpayer may notify the county treasurer of the address of the taxpayer, agent, caretaker, or manager of the premises to which the notice must be mailed in order to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph.
(i) For purposes of this subdivision and subdivision 6, "metropolitan special taxing districts" means the following taxing districts in the seven-county metropolitan area that levy a property tax for any of the specified purposes listed below:
(1) Metropolitan Council under section 473.132, 473.167, 473.249, 473.325, 473.446, 473.521, 473.547, or 473.834;
(2) Metropolitan Airports Commission under section 473.667, 473.671, or 473.672; and
(3) Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission under section 473.711.
For purposes of this section, any levies made by the regional rail authorities in the county of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington under chapter 398A shall be included with the appropriate county's levy.
(j) The governing body of a county, city, or school district may, with the consent of the county board, include supplemental information with the statement of proposed property taxes about the impact of state aid increases or decreases on property tax increases or decreases and on the level of services provided in the affected jurisdiction. This supplemental information may include information for the following year, the current year, and for as many consecutive preceding years as deemed appropriate by the governing body of the county, city, or school district. It may include only information regarding:
(1) the impact of inflation as measured by the implicit price deflator for state and local government purchases;
(2) population growth and decline;
(3) state or federal government action; and
(4) other financial factors that affect the level of property taxation and local services that the governing body of the county, city, or school district may deem appropriate to include.
The information may be presented using tables, written narrative, and graphic representations and may contain instruction toward further sources of information or opportunity for comment.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.065, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3b. Notice
of proposed property taxes required supplemental information. (a) The county auditor must prepare a
separate statement to be delivered with the notice of proposed taxes described
in subdivision 3. The statement must fit
on one sheet of paper and contain for each parcel:
(1) for the county, city or
township, and school district in which the parcel lies, the certified levy for
the current taxes payable year, the proposed levy for taxes payable in the
following year, and the increase or decrease between these two amounts,
expressed as a percentage;
(2) summary budget information listed
in paragraph (b); and
(3) information on how to access each
taxing authority's website where the taxpayer can find the proposed budget and
information on how to participate in person and remotely in the Minnesota
Property Taxpayer's Day meetings, held pursuant to subdivision 11.
(b) Summary budget information must
contain budget data from the county, city, and school district that proposes a
property tax levy on the parcel for taxes payable the following year. For the school district, the summary budget
data must include the information provided to the public under section 123B.10,
subdivision 1, paragraph (b), for the current year and prior year. For the county and city, the reported summary
budget data must contain the same information, in the same categories, and in
the same format as provided to the Office of the State Auditor as required by
section 6.745. The statement must
provide the governmental revenues and current expenditures information in
clauses (1) and (2) for the taxing authority's budget for taxes payable the
following year and the taxing authority's budget from taxes payable in the
current year, as well as the percent change between the two years. The city must provide the county auditor with
the summary budget data at the same time as the information required under
subdivision 3. Only cities with a
population of at least 500 are required to report the data described in this
paragraph. If a city with a population
over 500 fails to report the required information to the county auditor, the
county auditor must list the city as "budget information not
reported" on the portion of the statement dedicated to the city's budget
information. The statement may take the
same format as the annual summary budget report for cities and counties issued
by the Office of the State Auditor. The
summary budget data must include:
(1) a governmental revenues category,
including and separately stating:
(i) "property taxes" defined
as property taxes levied on an assessed valuation of real property and personal
property, if applicable, by the city and county, including fiscal disparities;
(ii) "special assessments"
defined as levies made against certain properties to defray all or part of the
costs of a specific improvement, such as new sewer and water mains, deemed to
benefit primarily those properties;
(iii) "state general purpose
aid" defined as aid received from the state that has no restrictions on
its use, including local government aid, county program aid, and market value
credits; and
(iv) "state categorical aid"
defined as revenues received for a specific purpose, such as streets and
highways, fire relief, and flood control, including but not limited to police
and fire state aid and out-of-home placement aid; and
(2) a current expenditures category,
including and separately stating:
(i) "general government"
defined as administration costs of city or county governments, including
salaries of officials and maintenance of buildings;
(ii) "public safety" defined
as costs related to the protection of persons and property, such as police,
fire, ambulance services, building inspections, animal control, and flood
control;
(iii) "streets and highways"
defined as costs associated with the maintenance and repair of local highways,
streets, bridges, and street equipment, such as patching, seal coating, street
lighting, street cleaning, and snow removal;
(iv) "sanitation"
defined as costs of refuse collection and disposal, recycling, and weed and
pest control;
(v) "human services" defined
as activities designed to provide public assistance and institutional care for
individuals economically unable to provide for themselves;
(vi) "health" defined as
costs of the maintenance of vital statistics, restaurant inspection,
communicable disease control, and various health services and clinics;
(vii) "culture and
recreation" defined as costs of libraries, park maintenance, mowing,
planting, removal of trees, festivals, bands, museums, community centers, cable
television, baseball fields, and organized recreation activities;
(viii) "conservation of natural
resources" defined as the conservation and development of natural
resources, including agricultural and forestry programs and services, weed
inspection services, and soil and water conservation services;
(ix) "economic development and
housing" defined as costs for development and redevelopment activities in
blighted or otherwise economically disadvantaged areas, including low-interest
loans, cleanup of hazardous sites, rehabilitation of substandard housing and
other physical facilities, and other assistance to those wanting to provide
housing and economic opportunity within a disadvantaged area; and
(x) "all other current
expenditures" defined as costs not classified elsewhere, such as airport
expenditures, cemeteries, unallocated insurance costs, unallocated pension
costs, and public transportation costs.
(c) If a taxing authority reporting this
data does not have revenues or expenditures in a category listed in paragraph
(b), then the taxing authority must designate the amount as "0" for
that specific category.
(d) The supplemental statement provided
under this subdivision must be sent in electronic form or by email if the
taxpayer requests an electronic version the notice of proposed property taxes
under subdivision 3, paragraph (a).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for property taxes payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.065, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 11. Minnesota
Property Taxpayer's Day. (a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on the first Wednesday following
the first Monday in December, each county, city with a population of at least
500, and each school district must annually hold a meeting to discuss each
taxing authority's budget and levy, prior to the final budget and levy
determination. The meeting shall be
known as "Minnesota Property Taxpayer's Day."
(b) Counties must begin a meeting at
6:00 p.m. and discuss the county's budget and levy. The public must be allowed to speak no later
than 20 minutes after the start of the meeting.
Cities must begin a meeting to discuss their budget and levy at 7:00 p.m.
and must allow the public to speak no later than 20 minutes after the start of
the meeting. School districts must begin
a meeting to discuss their budget and levy at 8:00 p.m. and must allow the
public to speak no later than 20 minutes after the start of the meeting.
(c) Each taxing jurisdiction must
broadcast the meeting virtually and provide a method for the public to
participate in person and remotely. Information
about the meeting, including instructions on how to participate remotely, must
be posted on the website of each taxing jurisdiction required to hold a meeting
under this subdivision by November 10.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 275.066, is amended to read:
275.066
SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICTS; DEFINITION.
For the purposes of property taxation and property tax state aids, the term "special taxing districts" includes the following entities:
(1) watershed districts under chapter 103D;
(2) sanitary districts under sections 442A.01 to 442A.29;
(3) regional sanitary sewer districts under sections 115.61 to 115.67;
(4) regional public library districts under section 134.201;
(5) park districts under chapter 398;
(6) regional railroad authorities under chapter 398A;
(7) hospital districts under sections 447.31 to 447.38;
(8) St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission under sections 458A.01 to 458A.15;
(9) Duluth Transit Authority under sections 458A.21 to 458A.37;
(10) regional development commissions under sections 462.381 to 462.398;
(11) housing and redevelopment authorities under sections 469.001 to 469.047;
(12) port authorities under sections 469.048 to 469.068;
(13) economic development authorities under sections 469.090 to 469.1081;
(14) Metropolitan Council under sections 473.123 to 473.549;
(15) Metropolitan Airports Commission under sections 473.601 to 473.679;
(16) Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission under sections 473.701 to 473.716;
(17) Morrison County Rural Development Financing Authority under Laws 1982, chapter 437, section 1;
(18) Croft Historical Park District under Laws 1984, chapter 502, article 13, section 6;
(19) East Lake County Medical Clinic District under Laws 1989, chapter 211, sections 1 to 6;
(20) Floodwood Area Ambulance District under Laws 1993, chapter 375, article 5, section 39;
(21) Middle Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization under sections 103B.211 and 103B.241;
(22) emergency medical services special taxing districts under section 144F.01;
(23) a county levying under the authority of section 103B.241, 103B.245, or 103B.251;
(24) Southern St. Louis County Special Taxing District; Chris Jensen Nursing Home under Laws 2003, First Special Session chapter 21, article 4, section 12;
(25) an airport authority created under
section 360.0426; and
(26) fire protection special taxing
districts under section 299O.01; and
(27) any other political subdivision of the state of Minnesota, excluding counties, school districts, cities, and towns, that has the power to adopt and certify a property tax levy to the county auditor, as determined by the commissioner of revenue.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290A.25, is amended to read:
290A.25
VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.
Annually, the commissioner of revenue shall
furnish a list to the county assessor containing the names and, Social
Security numbers, and individual tax identification numbers of persons
who have applied for both homestead classification under section 273.13 and a
property tax refund as a renter under this chapter.
Within 90 days of the notification, the county assessor shall investigate to determine if the homestead classification was improperly claimed. If the property owner does not qualify, the county assessor shall notify the county auditor who will determine the amount of homestead benefits that has been improperly allowed. For the purpose of this section, "homestead benefits" has the meaning given in section 273.124, subdivision 13b. The county auditor shall send a notice to persons who owned the affected property at the time the homestead application related to the improper homestead was filed, demanding reimbursement of the homestead benefits plus a penalty equal to 100 percent of the homestead benefits. The person notified may appeal the county's determination with the Minnesota Tax Court within 60 days of the date of the notice from the county as provided in section 273.124, subdivision 13b.
If the amount of homestead benefits and penalty is not paid within 60 days, and if no appeal has been filed, the county auditor shall certify the amount of taxes and penalty to the county treasurer. The county treasurer will add interest to the unpaid homestead benefits and penalty amounts at the rate provided for delinquent personal property taxes for the period beginning 60 days after demand for payment was made until payment. If the person notified is the current owner of the property, the treasurer may add the total amount of benefits, penalty, interest, and costs to the real estate taxes otherwise payable on the property in the following year. If the person notified is not the current owner of the property, the treasurer may collect the amounts due under the Revenue Recapture Act in chapter 270A, or use any of the powers granted in sections 277.20 and 277.21 without exclusion, to enforce payment of the benefits, penalty, interest, and costs, as if those amounts were delinquent tax obligations of the person who owned the property at the time the application related to the improperly allowed homestead was filed. The treasurer may relieve a prior owner of personal liability for the benefits, penalty, interest, and costs, and instead extend those amounts on the tax lists against the property for taxes payable in the following year to the extent that the current owner agrees in writing.
Any amount of homestead benefits recovered by the county from the property owner shall be distributed to the county, city or town, and school district where the property is located in the same proportion that each taxing district's levy was to the total of the three taxing districts' levy for the current year. Any amount recovered attributable to taconite homestead credit shall be transmitted to the St. Louis County auditor to be deposited in the taconite property tax relief account. Any amount recovered that is attributable to supplemental homestead credit is to be transmitted to the commissioner of revenue for deposit in the general fund of the state treasury. The total amount of penalty collected must be deposited in the county general fund.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for lists furnished by the commissioner of revenue to county
assessors in 2021 and thereafter.
Sec. 27. [299O.01]
FIRE PROTECTION SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICTS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
(b) "City" means a statutory
or home rule charter city.
(c) "Governing body" means for
a city, the city council; for a county, the county board; and for a town, the
board of supervisors.
(d) "Political subdivision"
means a county, city, or township organized to provide town government.
Subd. 2. Authority
to establish. (a) Two or more
political subdivisions may establish, by resolution of their governing bodies,
a special taxing district to provide fire protection or emergency medical
services or both in the area of the district, comprising the jurisdiction of
each of the political subdivisions forming the district. For a county that participates in establishing
a district, the county's jurisdiction comprises the unorganized territory of
the county that it designates in its resolution for inclusion in the district. The area of the special taxing district does
not need to be contiguous or its boundaries continuous.
(b) Before establishing a district under
this section, the participating political subdivisions must enter an agreement
that specifies how any liabilities, other than debt issued under subdivision 6,
and assets of the district will be distributed if the district is dissolved. The agreement may also include other terms,
including a method for apportioning the levy of the district among
participating political subdivisions under subdivision 4, paragraph (b), as the
political subdivisions determine appropriate.
The agreement must be adopted no later than upon passage of the
resolution establishing the district under paragraph (a), but may be later
amended by agreement of each of the political subdivisions participating in the
district.
(c) If the special taxing district
includes the operation of a fire department, the resolution under paragraph (a)
or agreement under paragraph (b) must specify which, if any, volunteer
firefighter pension plan is associated with the district. A special taxing district that operates a
fire department under this section may be associated with only one volunteer
firefighting relief association or one account in the voluntary statewide
volunteer firefighting retirement plan at one time.
(d) If the special taxing district
includes the operation of a fire department, it must file its resolution
establishing the fire protection special taxing district, and any agreements
required for the establishment of the special taxing district, with the
commissioner of revenue, including any amendments to those documents. If the resolution or agreement does not
include sufficient information defining the fire department service area of the
fire protection special taxing district, the secretary of the district board
must file a written statement with the commissioner defining the fire
department service area.
Subd. 3. Board. The special taxing district
established under this section is governed by a board made up initially of
representatives of each participating political subdivision in the proportions
set out in the establishing resolution, subject to change as provided in the
district's charter, if any, or in the district's bylaws. Each participating political subdivision's
representative must be an elected member of the governing body of the political
subdivision and serves at the pleasure of that participant's governing body.
Subd. 4. Property
tax levy. (a) The board may
levy a tax on the taxable real and personal property in the district. The proceeds of the levy must be used as
provided in subdivision 5. The board
shall certify the levy at the times provided under section 275.07. The board shall provide the county with
whatever information is necessary to identify the property that is located
within the district. If the boundaries
include a part of a parcel, the entire parcel is included in the district. The county auditor must spread, collect, and
distribute the proceeds of the tax at the same time and in the same manner as
provided by law for all other property taxes.
(b) As an alternative to
paragraph (a), the board may apportion its levy among the political
subdivisions that are members of the district under a formula or method, such
as population, number of service calls, cost of providing service, the market
value of improvements, or other measure or measures, that was approved by the
governing body of each of the political subdivisions that is a member of the
district. The amount of the levy
allocated to each political subdivision must be added to that political
subdivision's levy and spread at the same time and in the same manner as
provided by law for other taxes. The
proceeds of the levy must be collected and remitted to the district and used as
provided in subdivision 5.
Subd. 5. Use
of levy proceeds. The
proceeds of property taxes levied under this section must be used to provide
fire protection or emergency medical services to residents of the district and
property located in the district, as well as to pay debt issued under
subdivision 6. Services may be provided
by employees of the district or by contracting for services provided by other
governmental or private entities.
Subd. 6. Debt. (a) The district may incur debt under
chapter 475 when the board determines doing so is necessary to accomplish its
duties.
(b) In addition, the board of the
district may issue certificates of indebtedness or capital notes under section
412.301 to purchase capital equipment. In
applying section 412.301, paragraph (e), to the district the following rules
apply:
(1) the taxable property of the entire
district must be used to calculate the percent of estimated market value; and
(2) "the number of voters at the
last municipal election" means the sum of the number of voters at the last
municipal election for each of the cities that is a member of the district plus
the number of registered voters in each town that is a participating member of
the district.
Subd. 7. Powers. (a) In addition to authority expressly
granted in this section, a special taxing district may exercise any power that
may be exercised by any of its participating political subdivisions and that is
necessary or reasonable to support the services set out in subdivision 5. The district may only levy the taxes
authorized in subdivision 4. These
powers include, without limitation, the authority to participate in state
programs and to enforce or carry out state laws related to fire protection or
emergency medical services, including programs providing state aid,
reimbursement or funding of employee benefits, authorizing local enforcement of
state standards, and similar, to the extent the special taxing district meets
the qualification criteria and requirements of a program. These include but are not limited to fire
protection related programs and political subdivision powers or
responsibilities under chapters 299A, 424A, and 477B; sections 6.495, 353.64,
and 423A.022; and any administrative rules related to the fire code.
(b) To the extent that the district's
authority under this subdivision overlaps with or may conflict with the
authority of the participating political subdivision, the agreement under
subdivision 2, paragraph (b), must provide for allocation of those powers or
responsibilities between the participating political subdivisions and the
district and may provide for resolution of conflicts in the exercise of those
powers.
Subd. 8. Additions
and withdrawals. (a) The
board of the district may add additional eligible political subdivisions to a
special taxing district under this section.
The governing body of the proposed eligible political subdivision must
agree to the addition in a resolution of its governing body. No political subdivision may be added to the
district if it would cause the district to be out of compliance with
subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
(b) A political subdivision may
withdraw from a special taxing district under this section by resolution of its
governing body. The political
subdivision must notify the board of the special taxing district of the
withdrawal by providing a copy of the resolution at least two years in advance
of the proposed withdrawal. The taxable
property of the withdrawing member is subject to the property tax levy under
subdivision 4 for the two taxes payable years
following the notice of the
withdrawal, unless the board and the withdrawing member agree otherwise by a
resolution adopted by each of their governing bodies. If a political subdivision withdraws from a
district for which debt was issued under subdivision 6 when the political
subdivision was a participating member of the district and which is outstanding
when the political subdivision withdraws from the district, the taxable
property of the withdrawing political subdivision remains subject to the
special taxing district debt levy until that outstanding debt has been paid or
defeased. If the district's property
levy to repay the debt was apportioned among the political subdivisions under
an alternative formula or method under subdivision 4, paragraph (b), the
withdrawing political subdivision is subject to the same percentage of the debt
levy as applied in the taxes payable year immediately before its withdrawal
from the district.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision 2, a
special taxing district comprised of two political subdivisions continues to
exist even if one of the political subdivisions withdraws.
Subd. 9. Dissolution. The special taxing district may be
dissolved by resolution approved by majority vote of the board. If the special taxing district is dissolved,
the assets and liabilities may be assigned to a successor entity, if any, or
otherwise disposed of for public purposes as provided in the agreement adopted
under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), or otherwise agreed to by the participating
political subdivisions. A district may
not be dissolved until all debt issued under subdivision 6 has been paid or
defeased.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 429.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Improvements authorized. The council of a municipality shall have power to make the following improvements:
(1) To acquire, open, and widen any street, and to improve the same by constructing, reconstructing, and maintaining sidewalks, pavement, gutters, curbs, and vehicle parking strips of any material, or by grading, graveling, oiling, or otherwise improving the same, including the beautification thereof and including storm sewers or other street drainage and connections from sewer, water, or similar mains to curb lines.
(2) To acquire, develop, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain storm and sanitary sewers and systems, including outlets, holding areas and ponds, treatment plants, pumps, lift stations, service connections, and other appurtenances of a sewer system, within and without the corporate limits.
(3) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain steam heating mains.
(4) To install, replace, extend, and maintain street lights and street lighting systems and special lighting systems.
(5) To acquire, improve, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain water works systems, including mains, valves, hydrants, service connections, wells, pumps, reservoirs, tanks, treatment plants, and other appurtenances of a water works system, within and without the corporate limits.
(6) To acquire, improve and equip parks, open space areas, playgrounds, and recreational facilities within or without the corporate limits.
(7) To plant trees on streets and provide for their trimming, care, and removal.
(8) To
abate nuisances and to drain swamps, marshes, and ponds on public or private
property and to fill the same.
(9) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain dikes and other flood control works.
(10) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain retaining walls and area walls.
(11) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote a pedestrian skyway system. Such improvement may be made upon a petition pursuant to section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(12) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, extend, operate, maintain, and promote underground pedestrian concourses.
(13) To acquire, construct, improve, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote public malls, plazas or courtyards.
(14) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain district heating systems.
(15) To construct, reconstruct, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote fire protection systems in existing buildings, but only upon a petition pursuant to section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(16) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, extend, and maintain highway sound barriers.
(17) To improve, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain gas and electric distribution facilities owned by a municipal gas or electric utility.
(18) To purchase, install, and maintain signs, posts, and other markers for addressing related to the operation of enhanced 911 telephone service.
(19) To improve, construct, extend, and maintain facilities for Internet access and other communications purposes, if the council finds that:
(i) the facilities are necessary to make available Internet access or other communications services that are not and will not be available through other providers or the private market in the reasonably foreseeable future; and
(ii) the service to be provided by the facilities will not compete with service provided by private entities.
(20) To assess affected property owners for all or a portion of the costs agreed to with an electric utility, telecommunications carrier, or cable system operator to bury or alter a new or existing distribution system within the public right-of-way that exceeds the utility's design and construction standards, or those set by law, tariff, or franchise, but only upon petition under section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(21) To assess affected property owners for repayment of voluntary energy improvement financings under section 216C.436, subdivision 7, or 216C.437, subdivision 28.
(22) To construct, reconstruct, alter,
extend, operate, maintain, and promote energy improvement projects in existing
buildings, provided that:
(i) a petition for the improvement is
made by a property owner under section 429.031, subdivision 3;
(ii) the municipality funds and
administers the energy improvement project;
(iii) project funds are only used for the installation of improvements to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment and building envelope and for the installation of renewable energy systems;
(iv) each property owner petitioning for
the improvement receives notice that free or low-cost energy improvements may
be available under federal, state, or utility programs;
(v) for energy improvement
projects on residential property, only residential property with five or more
units may obtain financing for projects under this clause; and
(vi) prior to financing an energy
improvement project or imposing an assessment for a project, written notice is
provided to the mortgage lender of any mortgage encumbering or otherwise
secured by the property proposed to be improved.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for special assessments payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 429.031, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Petition by all owners. Whenever all owners of real property abutting upon any street named as the location of any improvement shall petition the council to construct the improvement and to assess the entire cost against their property, the council may, without a public hearing, adopt a resolution determining such fact and ordering the improvement. The validity of the resolution shall not be questioned by any taxpayer or property owner or the municipality unless an action for that purpose is commenced within 30 days after adoption of the resolution as provided in section 429.036. Nothing herein prevents any property owner from questioning the amount or validity of the special assessment against the owner's property pursuant to section 429.081. In the case of a petition for the municipality to own and install a fire protection system, energy improvement projects, a pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements, the petition must contain or be accompanied by an undertaking satisfactory to the city by the petitioner that the petitioner will grant the municipality the necessary property interest in the building to permit the city to enter upon the property and the building to construct, maintain, and operate the fire protection system, energy improvement projects, pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements. In the case of a petition for the installation of a privately owned fire protection system, energy improvement projects, a privately owned pedestrian skyway system, or privately owned on-site water contaminant improvements, the petition shall contain the plans and specifications for the improvement, the estimated cost of the improvement and a statement indicating whether the city or the owner will contract for the construction of the improvement. If the owner is contracting for the construction of the improvement, the city shall not approve the petition until it has reviewed and approved the plans, specifications, and cost estimates contained in the petition. The construction cost financed under section 429.091 shall not exceed the amount of the cost estimate contained in the petition. In the case of a petition for the installation of a fire protection system, energy improvement projects, a pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements, the petitioner may request abandonment of the improvement at any time after it has been ordered pursuant to subdivision 1 and before contracts have been awarded for the construction of the improvement under section 429.041, subdivision 2. If such a request is received, the city council shall abandon the proceedings but in such case the petitioner shall reimburse the city for any and all expenses incurred by the city in connection with the improvement.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for special assessments payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 30. Laws 2009, chapter 88, article 2, section 46, subdivision 3, as amended by Laws 2013, chapter 143, article 4, section 37, and Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6, article 4, section 34, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Tax. The district board may impose a property
tax on taxable property as provided in this subdivision to pay the costs of
providing fire or ambulance services, or both, throughout the district. The board shall annually determine the total
amount of the levy that is attributable to the cost of providing fire services
and the cost of providing ambulance services within the primary service area. For those municipalities that only receive
ambulance services, the costs for the provision of ambulance services shall be
levied against taxable property within those municipalities at a rate necessary
not to exceed 0.019 percent of the estimated market value. For those municipalities that receive both
fire and ambulance services, the tax shall be imposed at a rate that does not
exceed 0.2835 percent of estimated market value.
When a member municipality opts
to receive fire service from the district or an additional municipality becomes
a member of the district, the cost of providing fire services to that community
shall be determined by the board and added to the maximum levy amount.
Each county auditor of a county that contains a municipality subject to the tax under this section must collect the tax and pay it to the Fire and Ambulance Special Taxing District. The district may also impose other fees or charges as allowed by law for the provision of fire and ambulance services.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the Cloquet Area Fire and
Ambulance Special Taxing District and its chief clerical officer comply with
Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 31. SUSTAINABLE
FOREST INCENTIVE ACT; VIOLATIONS.
Land that was split-classified under
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (c), while
enrolled in the sustainable forest incentive act management program under
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 290C, is not in violation of the conditions of
enrollment under Minnesota Statutes, sections 290C.03 and 290C.11, if, at the
time of enrollment, a structure that is not a minor, ancillary nonresidential
structure, or an excluded area three acres or larger that now contains a
structure that is not a minor, ancillary nonresidential structure, was
identified on the covenant required under Minnesota Statutes, section 290C.04,
and appropriate acreage was excluded in accordance with Minnesota Statutes,
section 290C.03.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for determinations of violations of the conditions of enrollment
after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 32. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
327C.01, subdivision 13; and 327C.16, are repealed.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with property taxes payable in 2023.
ARTICLE 8
AIDS AND CREDITS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 477A.013, subdivision 13, is amended to read:
Subd. 13. Certified
aid adjustments. (a) A city that
received an aid base increase under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 477A.011,
subdivision 36, paragraph (e), shall have its total aid under subdivision 9
increased by an amount equal to $150,000 for aids payable in 2014 through 2018.
(b) (a) A city that received
an aid base increase under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 477A.011,
subdivision 36, paragraph (r), shall have its total aid under subdivision 9
increased by an amount equal to $160,000 for aids payable in 2014 and
thereafter.
(c) A city that received a temporary aid
increase under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 477A.011, subdivision 36,
paragraph (o), shall have its total aid under subdivision 9 increased by an
amount equal to $1,000,000 for aids payable in 2014 only.
(b) The city of Floodwood shall have its
total aid under subdivision 9 increased by $250,000 for aids payable in 2022
through 2026.
(c) The city of Staples shall have its
total aid under subdivision 9 increased by $320,000 for aids payable in 2022
through 2026.
(d) The city of Warren shall
have its total aid under subdivision 9 increased by $320,000 for aids payable
in 2022 through 2026.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for aids payable in calendar year 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 477A.03, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. Cities. For aids payable in 2016 and 2017, the
total aid paid under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $519,398,012. For aids payable in 2018 and 2019, the total
aid paid under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $534,398,012. For aids payable in 2020, the total aid paid
under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $560,398,012. For aids payable in 2021 and thereafter,
the total aid payable under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $564,398,012. For aids payable in 2022 through 2026, the
total aid payable under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $565,288,012. For aids payable in 2027 and thereafter, the
total aid payable under section 477A.013, subdivision 9, is $564,398,012.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for aids payable in calendar year 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 477A.03, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
Subd. 2b. Counties. (a) For aids payable in 2018 and 2019,
the total aid payable under section 477A.0124, subdivision 3, is $103,795,000,
of which $3,000,000 shall be allocated as required under Laws 2014, chapter
150, article 4, section 6. For aids
payable in 2020, the total aid payable under section 477A.0124, subdivision 3,
is $116,795,000, of which $3,000,000 shall be allocated as required under Laws
2014, chapter 150, article 4, section 6.
For aids payable in 2021 through 2024, the total aid payable under
section 477A.0124, subdivision 3, is $118,795,000, of which $3,000,000 shall be
allocated as required under Laws 2014, chapter 150, article 4, section 6. For aids payable in 2025 and thereafter, the
total aid payable under section 477A.0124, subdivision 3, is $115,795,000. Each calendar year On or before the
first installment date provided in section 477A.015, paragraph (a),
$500,000 of this appropriation shall be retained transferred each
year by the commissioner of revenue to make reimbursements to the
commissioner of management and budget the Board of Public Defense
for payments made the payment of services under section 611.27. The reimbursements shall be to defray the
additional costs associated with court-ordered counsel under section 611.27. Any retained transferred
amounts not used for reimbursement in a year expended or encumbered
in a fiscal year shall be certified by the board of public defense to the
commissioner of revenue on or before October 1 and shall be included in the
next distribution certification of county need aid that is
certified to the county auditors for the purpose of property tax reduction for
the next taxes payable year.
(b) For aids payable in 2018 and 2019, the total aid under section 477A.0124, subdivision 4, is $130,873,444. For aids payable in 2020, the total aid under section 477A.0124, subdivision 4, is $143,873,444. For aids payable in 2021 and thereafter, the total aid under section 477A.0124, subdivision 4, is $145,873,444. The commissioner of revenue shall transfer to the commissioner of management and budget $207,000 annually for the cost of preparation of local impact notes as required by section 3.987, and other local government activities. The commissioner of revenue shall transfer to the commissioner of education $7,000 annually for the cost of preparation of local impact notes for school districts as required by section 3.987. The commissioner of revenue shall deduct the amounts transferred under this paragraph from the appropriation under this paragraph. The amounts transferred are appropriated to the commissioner of management and budget and the commissioner of education respectively.
Sec. 4. [477A.30]
LOCAL HOMELESS PREVENTION AID.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "city" means a statutory
or home rule charter city;
(2)
"distribution factor" means the total number of students experiencing
homelessness in a county in the current school year and the previous two school
years divided by the total number of students experiencing homelessness in all
counties in the current school year and the previous two school years; and
(3) "families" means families
and persons 24 years of age or younger.
Subd. 2. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to help
local governments ensure no child is homeless within a local jurisdiction by
keeping families from losing housing and helping those experiencing
homelessness find housing.
Subd. 3. Distribution. The money appropriated to local
homeless prevention aid under this section must be allocated to counties by multiplying
each county's distribution factor by the total distribution available under
this section. Distribution factors must
be based on the most recent counts of students experiencing homelessness in
each county, as certified by the commissioner of education to the commissioner
of revenue by July 1 of the year the aid is certified to the counties under
subdivision 5.
Subd. 4. Use
of proceeds. (a) Counties
that receive a distribution under this section must use the proceeds to fund
new or existing family homeless prevention and assistance projects or programs. These projects or programs may be
administered by a county, a group of contiguous counties jointly acting
together, a city, a group of contiguous cities jointly acting together, a
Tribe, a group of Tribes, or a community-based nonprofit organization. Each project or program must include plans
for:
(1) targeting families with children who
are eligible for a prekindergarten through grade 12 academic program and are:
(i) living in overcrowded conditions in
their current housing;
(ii) paying more than 50 percent of
their income for rent; or
(iii) lacking a fixed, regular, and
adequate nighttime residence;
(2) targeting unaccompanied youth in
need of an alternative residential setting;
(3) connecting families with the social
services necessary to maintain the families' stability in their homes,
including but not limited to housing navigation, legal representation, and
family outreach; and
(4) one or more of the following:
(i) providing rental assistance for a
specified period of time which may exceed 24 months; or
(ii) providing support and case
management services to improve housing stability, including but not limited to
housing navigation and family outreach.
(b) Counties may choose not to spend all
or a portion of the distribution under this section. Any unspent funds must be returned to the
commissioner of revenue by December 31 of the year following the year that the
aid was received. Any funds returned to
the commissioner under this paragraph must be added to the overall distribution
of aids certified under this section in the following year. Any unspent funds returned to the
commissioner after the expiration under subdivision 8 are canceled to the
general fund.
Subd. 5. Payments. The commissioner of revenue must
compute the amount of local homeless prevention aid payable to each county
under this section. On or before August
1 of each year, the commissioner shall certify the amount to be paid to each
county in the following year. The
commissioner shall pay local homeless prevention aid annually at the times
provided in section 477A.015.
Subd. 6. Appropriation. $25,000,000 is annually appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue to make payments required
under this section.
Subd. 7. Report. (a) No later than January 15, 2024,
the commissioner of revenue must produce a report on projects and programs
funded by counties under this section. The
report must include a list of the projects and programs, the number of people
served by each, and an assessment of how each project and program impacts
people who are currently experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of
experiencing homelessness, as reported by the counties to the commissioner by
December 31 each year on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The commissioner must provide a copy of the
report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over property taxes and services for persons experiencing
homelessness.
(b) The report in paragraph (a) must be
updated every two years and the commissioner of revenue must provide copies of
the updated reports to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over property taxes and services for
persons experiencing homelessness by January 15 of the year the report is due. Report requirements under this subdivision
expire following the report which includes the final distribution preceding the
expiration in subdivision 8.
Subd. 8. Expiration. Distributions under this section
expire after aids payable in 2029 have been distributed.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with aids payable in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 5. COUNTY
RELIEF GRANTS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES; APPROPRIATION.
Subdivision 1. Appropriation. (a) $69,750,000 in fiscal year 2022 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue for payments
to counties for relief grants under this section. This is a onetime appropriation. The appropriation under this section must be
used for the following purposes:
(1) $63,000,000 must be used for grants
under subdivision 2;
(2) $2,000,000 must be used for grants
under subdivision 3; and
(3) $4,750,000 must be used for grants
under subdivision 4.
(b) Each county may use the greater of
$6,250 or 2.5 percent of the total amount received under subdivisions 1 and 2
for administrative costs incurred from making grants under this section. A county may contract with a third party to
administer the grant program on behalf of the county.
Subd. 2. Business
relief grants. (a) From the
amount appropriated under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), each county
shall be issued a payment in the amount of $100,000 or a per capita amount
determined by reference to the population of each county according to the most
recently available 2019 population estimate from the state demographer as of
December 1, 2020, whichever is greater.
(b) Counties shall use the funds under
this subdivision to make grants to individual businesses, nonprofits, and
establishments operated by congressionally chartered veterans' organizations
that, to the extent it is feasible for the county to determine:
(1) are located in the applicable county
in the state, in a county with which there is a collaborative agreement under
paragraph (g), or on adjacent Tribal land;
(2) have no current tax liens on record
with the secretary of state as of the time of application for a grant under
this section; and
(3) were impacted by an executive order
related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) A county shall determine
grant recipients and the grant amount awarded per grant. A county may award a grant to a business that
is owned by a Tribal government and located on Tribal land if the business has
voluntarily complied with Executive Order No. 20-99. Nonprofits, including nonprofit arts
organizations, museums, and fitness centers, that earn revenue similar to
businesses, including but not limited to ticket sales and membership fees, are
eligible for grants under this section.
(d) Grant funds must be used by an
eligible business or nonprofit for operating expenses incurred during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
(e) Grants under this subdivision must
be awarded by July 31, 2021.
(f) Grants and the process of making
grants under this subdivision are exempt from the following statutes and
related policies: Minnesota Statutes,
sections 16A.15, subdivision 3; 16B.97; and 16B.98, subdivisions 5, 7, and 8. A county opting to use a third party to
administer grants is exempt from Minnesota Statutes, section 471.345, in the
selection of the third-party administrator.
The exemptions under this paragraph expire July 31, 2021.
(g) Two or more counties may enter into
a collaborative agreement and combine payments received under paragraph (a). These combined funds must be used to make
grants as allowed by this subdivision.
(h) By January 31, 2022, the
commissioner of employment and economic development shall report to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over economic development policy and
finance on the grants provided under this subdivision.
(i)
Any amount from the appropriation in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1),
unexpended after August 15, 2021, is canceled.
Subd. 3. Northwest
Angle grants. (a) Lake of the
Woods County shall be issued a payment equal to the amount appropriated under
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), to make grants to individual
businesses, nonprofits, and establishments operated by congressionally
chartered veterans' organizations that, to the extent it is feasible for the
county to determine:
(1) are located in Angle Township; and
(2) have no current tax liens on record
with the secretary of state as of the time of application for a grant under
this section.
(b) The county shall determine grant
recipients and the grant amount awarded per grant.
(c) Grants under this subdivision must
be awarded by July 31, 2021.
(d) Grants and the process of making
grants under this subdivision are exempt from the following statutes and related
policies: Minnesota Statutes, sections
16A.15, subdivision 3; 16B.97; and 16B.98, subdivisions 5, 7, and 8. A county opting to use a third party to
administer grants is exempt from Minnesota Statutes, section 471.345, in the
selection of the third-party administrator.
The exemptions under this paragraph expire July 31, 2021.
(e) By January 31, 2022, the
commissioner of employment and economic development shall report to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over economic development policy and
finance on the grants provided under this subdivision.
(f) Any amount from the appropriation
in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), unexpended after August 15, 2021,
is canceled.
Subd. 4. Damage
remediation grants. (a)
Hennepin County shall be issued a payment equal to the amount appropriated
under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (3), for grants to remediate the effects
of fires and vandalism that occurred due to the unrest in the city of
Minneapolis and surrounding communities after May 24, 2020, and before June 16,
2020.
(b) A grant recipient must use the money
issued under this subdivision for remediation costs, including disaster
recovery, infrastructure, reimbursement for emergency personnel costs,
reimbursement for equipment costs, and reimbursement for property tax
abatements, incurred by public or private entities as a result of the fires and
vandalism. This appropriation under
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (3), is available until June 30, 2023.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 9
LOCAL TAXES
Section 1. Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6, article 6, section 25, is amended to read:
Sec. 25. CITY
OF PLYMOUTH; LOCAL LODGING TAX AUTHORIZED.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other provision of law, ordinance, or city charter, the city council for the city of Plymouth may impose by ordinance a tax of up to three percent on the gross receipts subject to the lodging tax under Minnesota Statutes, section 469.190. This tax is in addition to any tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, section 469.190, and the total tax imposed under that section and this provision must not exceed six percent.
(b) Two-thirds of the revenue from the tax imposed under this section must be dedicated and used for capital improvements to public recreational facilities and marketing and promotion of the community, and the remaining one-third of the revenue must be used for the same purposes as a tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, section 469.190.
(c) The tax imposed under this authority
terminates at the earlier of: (1) ten
years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) December 31, 2030 when the
city council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to
retire bonds issued before January 1, 2022, for capital improvements under
paragraph (b), plus an amount sufficient to pay costs, including interest
costs, related to the issuance of the bonds.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2. Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6, article 6, section 27, is amended to read:
Sec. 27. CITY
OF SARTELL; LOCAL TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Food
and beverage tax authorized. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99 or 477A.016, or any ordinance or other
provision of law, and if approved by voters at the November 3, 2020, a
general election, or at a special election held before
November 3, 2020 pursuant to a resolution adopted by its governing body,
the city of Sartell may, by ordinance, impose a sales tax of up to 1-1/2
percent on the gross receipts of all food and beverages sold by a restaurant or
place of refreshment, as defined by ordinance of the city, that is located
within the city. For purposes of this
section, "food and beverages" include retail on-sale of intoxicating
liquor and fermented malt beverages.
Subd. 2. Use of proceeds from authorized taxes. The proceeds of the taxes imposed under subdivision 1 must be used by the city to fund capital or operational costs for new and existing recreational facilities and related amenities within the city. Authorized expenses include securing or paying debt service on bonds or other obligations issued to finance construction and improvement projects.
Subd. 3. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires five years after the tax is first imposed.
Subd. 4. Collection, administration, and enforcement. The city may enter into an agreement with the commissioner of revenue to administer, collect, and enforce the taxes under subdivision 1. If the commissioner agrees to collect the tax, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 270C.171 and 297A.99, related to collection, administration, and enforcement apply.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Sartell and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 3. CARLTON
COUNTY; LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, sections 297A.99, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), and
477A.016, or any other law or ordinance, and if approved by the voters at a
general election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, Carlton County may impose, by ordinance, a sales and use tax of
one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
Carlton County to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax, and to
finance up to $60,000,000 for the construction of a new law enforcement center
and jail serving a regional female offender program. Authorized costs include related parking,
design, construction, reconstruction, mechanical upgrades, and engineering
costs, as well as the associated bond costs for any bonds issued under
subdivision 3.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) Carlton County
may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all or a
portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2. The aggregate principal amount of bonds
issued under this subdivision may not exceed $60,000,000, plus an amount
applied to the payment of costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the county, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the county. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) 30 years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the county
determines that it has received from this tax $60,000,000 to fund the project
listed in subdivision 2, plus an amount sufficient to pay costs, including
interest costs, related to the issuance of the bonds authorized in subdivision
3. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of the allowed costs due to timing of the termination of the tax
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in
the county's general fund. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the county
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of Carlton County and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 4. CITY
OF CLOQUET; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Cloquet may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half of
one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision. The tax imposed under this
subdivision is in addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any
other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Cloquet to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax
and the capital and administrative costs of any or all of the projects listed
in this subdivision. The amount spent on
each project is limited to the amount set forth below plus an amount equal to
interest on and the costs of issuing any bonds:
(1) construction, reconstruction,
expansion, or improvement related to the Pine Valley Regional Park Project,
including ski jump repairs, chalet replacement, and parking and lighting
improvements, in an amount not to exceed $2,124,700; and
(2) restoration, repair, and upgrading
of the Cloquet Ice Arena in an amount not to exceed $6,025,500.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Cloquet may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance up to
$8,150,200 of the portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in
subdivision 2 and approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a).
The aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision
may not exceed $8,150,200 plus an amount to be applied to the payment of the
costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds
may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city of Cloquet,
including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Cloquet, and any levy
of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 10 years after the tax is first
imposed, or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from
the tax is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision
2 for projects approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the
costs related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3,
including interest on the bonds. Except
as otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of the termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Cloquet and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 5. CITY
OF EDINA; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Edina may impose by
ordinance a sales and use tax
of one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision. The tax imposed under this
subdivision is in addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any
other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Edina to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax and
paying for the following projects in the city, including securing and paying
debt service on bonds issued to finance all or part of the following projects:
(1) $17,700,000 plus associated bonding
costs for development of Fred Richards Park as identified in the Fred Richards
Park Master Plan; and
(2) $21,600,000 plus associated bonding
costs for improvements to Braemar Park as identified in the Braemar Park Master
Plan.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Edina may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all or
a portion of the costs of the projects authorized in subdivision 2 and approved
by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed: (1) $17,700,000 for the project
listed in subdivision 2, clause (1), plus an amount to be applied to the
payment of the costs of issuing the bonds; and (2) $21,600,000 for the project
listed in subdivision 2, clause (2), plus an amount to be applied to the
payment of the costs of issuing the bonds.
The bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city
of Edina, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Edina, and any levy of
taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and interest
on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 19 years after the tax is first
imposed, or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from
the tax is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision
2 for projects approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the
costs related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3,
including interest on the bonds. Except
as otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of the termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 12, must be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Edina and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 6. CITY
OF FERGUS FALLS; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax; authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, the city of Fergus Falls may, if approved by
the voters at a general election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, impose, by ordinance, a sales and use tax of one-half
of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision. The tax imposed under this
subdivision is in addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any
other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Fergus Falls to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax and for the following projects in the city, including securing and paying
debt service, on bonds issued to finance all or part of the following projects:
(1) $7,800,000 for an aquatics center;
and
(2) $5,200,000 for the DeLagoon
Improvement Project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Fergus Falls may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in subdivision 2,
and approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed:
(1) $7,800,000 for the project listed
in subdivision 2, clause (1), plus an amount needed to pay capitalized interest
and an amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds;
and
(2) $5,200,000 for the project listed
in subdivision 2, clause (2), plus an amount needed to pay capitalized interest
and an amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds.
(b) The bonds may be paid from or secured
by any funds available to the city of Fergus Falls, including the tax
authorized under subdivision 1. The
issuance of bonds under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes,
sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(c) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Fergus Falls, and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) December 31, 2037, or (2) when the
city council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to
pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for projects approved
by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to issuance
of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the bonds. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of the allowed costs due to the timing of the termination of the
tax under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed
in the general fund of the city. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the city so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Fergus Falls and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 7. CITY
OF GRAND RAPIDS; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Grand Rapids may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of
one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Grand Rapids to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax including securing and paying debt service on bonds issued and to finance
up to $5,980,000 for reconstruction, remodeling, and upgrades to the Grand
Rapids IRA Civic Center. Authorized
costs include design, construction, reconstruction, mechanical upgrades, and
engineering costs, as well as the associated bond costs for any bonds issued
under subdivision 3.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Grand Rapids may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in subdivision 2. The aggregate principal amount of bonds
issued under this subdivision may not exceed $5,980,000, plus an amount to be
applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the city of Grand Rapids, including the tax authorized under
subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds
under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60
and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Grand Rapids, and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) seven years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that $5,980,000, plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs
related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including
interest on the bonds, has been received from the tax to pay the costs of the
project authorized under subdivision 2, and approved by the voters as required
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3. Any funds remaining after payment of all such
costs and retirement or redemption of the bonds shall be placed in the general
fund of the city, except for funds required to be retained in the state general
fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Grand Rapids and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 8. CITY
OF HERMANTOWN; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Hermantown may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half
of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision. The tax imposed under this
subdivision is in addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any
other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Hermantown to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax
and paying for the following projects in the city related to a Community
Recreational Initiative, including securing and paying debt service on bonds
issued to finance all or part of the following projects:
(1) $10,840,000 for an addition of a
second ice sheet with locker rooms and other facilities and upgrades to the
Hermantown Hockey Arena; and
(2) $4,570,000 for construction of the
Hermantown-Proctor trail running from the Essentia Wellness Center to the
border with Proctor and eventually connecting to the Munger Trail.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Hermantown may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in subdivision 2 and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed: (1) $10,840,000 for the project
listed in subdivision 2, clause (1), plus an amount to be applied to the
payment of the costs of issuing the bonds; and (2) $4,570,000 for the project
listed in subdivision 2, clause (2), plus an amount to be applied to the
payment of the costs of issuing the bonds.
The bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city
of Hermantown, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Hermantown, and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 16 years after being first imposed,
or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from the tax
is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for
projects approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs
related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including
interest on the bonds. Except as
otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of the termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Hermantown and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 9. ITASCA
COUNTY; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law or ordinance and if approved by the voters at a general election as
required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, Itasca
County may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one percent for the
purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except
as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
Itasca County to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax and
paying for up to $75,000,000 for new construction of or upgrades to
correctional facilities, new construction of or upgrades to court facilities
including ancillary support accommodations, and new construction of or upgrades
to county offices, plus an amount needed for securing and paying debt service
on bonds issued for the project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) Itasca County
may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance the costs of
the facility authorized in subdivision 2.
The aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision
may not exceed $75,000,000 for the project listed in subdivision 2, plus an
amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the county, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included
in computing any debt limitation applicable to the county, and any levy of
taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and interest
on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 30 years after the tax is first
imposed, or (2) when the county board determines that the amount received from
the tax is sufficient to pay $75,000,000 in project costs authorized under
subdivision 2, plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to issuance
of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the bonds. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of the allowed costs due to the timing of the termination of the
tax under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed
in the general fund of the county. The
tax imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the county so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of Itasca County and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 10. CITY
OF LITCHFIELD; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Litchfield may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half
of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Litchfield to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax
and for up to $10,000,000 for the cost of constructing a community
wellness/recreation center that will include a gymnasium and general fitness
spaces, a dedicated walking section, a community room, and any locker rooms and
mechanical equipment needed for future additions to the facility.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Litchfield may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in subdivision 2 and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed $10,000,000 for the project listed in subdivision 2 plus an amount to be
applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the city of Litchfield, including the tax authorized under
subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds
under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60
and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Litchfield and any levy
of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 20 years after being first imposed,
or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from the tax
is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for
projects approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the
costs related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3,
including interest on the bonds. Except
as otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of
the termination of the tax
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in
the general fund of the city. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the city so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Litchfield and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 11. CITY
OF LITTLE FALLS; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Little Falls may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of
one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Little Falls to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax and for up to $17 million for the cost of constructing a community
recreational facility that includes a gymnasium with an indoor track, multipurpose
rooms for meeting and educational spaces, office and storage space, and outdoor
recreational facilities for aquatic recreation with a master plan to
incorporate future additions to the facility.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Little Falls may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2 and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed $17,000,000 for the project listed in subdivision 2 plus an amount
needed to pay capitalized interest and an amount to be applied to the payment
of the costs of issuing the bonds. The
bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city of Little
Falls, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Little Falls, and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 30 years after being first imposed,
or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from the tax
is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for
the project if approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the
costs related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3,
including interest on the bonds. Except
as otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of the termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Little Falls and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 12. CITY
OF MAPLE GROVE; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other law, ordinance, or city
charter, and if approved by the voters at a general election as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, the city of Maple Grove may
impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent for the
purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except
as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision. The tax imposed under this subdivision is in
addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Maple Grove to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax, and to finance up to $90,000,000 for the expansion and renovation of the
Maple Grove Community Center, plus an amount needed for securing and paying
debt service on bonds issued to finance the project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Maple Grove may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2, and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed $90,000,000, plus an amount applied to the payment of the costs of
issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid
from or secured by any funds available to the city, including the tax
authorized under subdivision 1. The
issuance of bonds under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes,
sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) 20 years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to pay
for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for the project approved
by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to issuance
of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the bonds. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of allowed costs due to the timing of the termination of the tax
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in
the general fund of the city. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the city so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Maple Grove and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 13. COUNTY
OF MILLE LACS; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other law or ordinance, and if
approved by the voters at a general election as required under Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, Mille Lacs County may impose by
ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent for the purposes
specified in subdivision 2. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
Mille Lacs County to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax, and
to finance up to $10,000,000 for the construction of a public works building in
Mille Lacs County, plus an amount needed for securing and paying debt service
on bonds issued to finance the project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) Mille Lacs
County may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all or
a portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2, and approved
by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed $10,000,000, plus an amount applied to the payment of the costs of
issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid
from or secured by any funds available to the county, including the tax
authorized under subdivision 1. The
issuance of bonds under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes,
sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the county. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) eight years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the county
board determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to pay for
the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for the project approved by
voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to issuance
of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the bonds. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of allowed costs due to the timing of the termination of the tax
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in
the general fund of the county. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the county so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of Mille Lacs County and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 14. CITY
OF MOORHEAD; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other law, ordinance, or city
charter, and if approved by the voters at a general election as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, the city of Moorhead may
impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent for the
purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except
as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision. The tax imposed under this subdivision is in
addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Moorhead to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax,
and to finance up to $31,590,000 for the construction of a regional library and
community center in the city of Moorhead, plus an amount needed for securing
and paying debt service on bonds issued to finance the project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Moorhead may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all
or a portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2, and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed $31,590,000, plus an amount applied to the payment of the costs of
issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid
from or secured by any funds available to the city, including the tax
authorized under subdivision 1. The
issuance of bonds under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes,
sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) 22 years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to pay
for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2 for the project approved
by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to issuance
of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the bonds. Except as otherwise provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds remaining
after payment of allowed costs due to the timing of the termination of the tax
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in
the general fund of the city. The tax
imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the city so
determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Moorhead and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 15. CITY
OF OAKDALE; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other ordinance or city charter,
and if approved by the voters at a general election as required under Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, the city of Oakdale may impose, by
ordinance, a sales and use tax of one‑half of one percent for the
purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except
as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Oakdale to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax
and paying for the following projects in the city, including securing and
paying debt service on bonds issued to finance all or part of the following
projects:
(1) $22,000,000 plus associated bonding costs for construction of a new public works facility; and
(2) $15,000,000 plus associated bonding
costs for expansion of the police department facility.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Oakdale may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all
or a portion of the costs of the projects authorized in subdivision 2. The aggregate principal amount of bonds
issued under this subdivision may not exceed:
(1) $22,000,000 for the project listed in subdivision 2, clause (1),
plus an amount applied to the payment of costs of issuing the bonds; and (2)
$15,000,000 for the projects listed in subdivision 2, clause (2), plus an
amount applied to the payment of costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the city of Oakdale, including the tax authorized under
subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds
under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60
and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) 25 years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that the city has received from this tax $37,000,000 to fund
the projects listed in subdivision 2 plus an amount sufficient to pay costs,
including interest costs, related to the issuance of the bonds authorized in
subdivision 3. Except as otherwise
provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph
(f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to timing of
the termination under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, shall be placed in
the city's general fund. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by
ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Oakdale and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 16. CITY
OF ST. CLOUD; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other law, ordinance, or city
charter, and if approved by the voters at a general election as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, the city of St. Cloud
may impose, by ordinance, a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent for
the purposes specified in subdivision 2.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration,
collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision. The tax imposed under this subdivision is in
addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of St. Cloud to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax, including securing and paying debt service on bonds issued, and to finance
up to $21,100,000 plus associated bonding costs for expansion and improvement
of St. Cloud's Municipal Athletic Complex.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of St. Cloud
may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all or a
portion of the costs of the projects authorized in subdivision 2. The aggregate principal amount of bonds
issued under this subdivision may not exceed $21,100,000 plus an amount applied
to the payment of costs of issuing the bonds.
The bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city
of St. Cloud, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) five years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to pay
for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2, and approved by the
voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
plus an amount sufficient to pay costs, including interest costs, related to
the issuance of the bonds authorized in subdivision 3. Any funds remaining after payment of the
allowed costs due to timing of the termination under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, shall be placed in the city's general fund. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of St. Cloud and
its chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 17. CITY
OF ST. PETER; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of St. Peter may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of
one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of St. Peter to pay the costs of collecting and administering the
tax and paying for up to $9,121,000 for construction of a new fire station,
plus an amount needed for securing and paying debt service on bonds issued to
finance the project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of St. Peter
may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance the costs of
the facility authorized in subdivision 2.
The aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision
may not exceed $9,121,000 for the project listed in subdivision 2, plus an
amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds. The bonds may be paid from or secured by any
funds available to the city of St. Peter, including the tax authorized
under subdivision 1. The issuance of
bonds under this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections
275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of St. Peter; and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 40 years after the tax is first
imposed, or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from
the tax is sufficient to pay for the $9,121,000 in project costs authorized
under subdivision 2, plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs related to
issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including interest on the
bonds. Except as otherwise provided in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), any funds
remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to the timing of the
termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision
12, shall be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of St. Peter and
its chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 18. CITY
OF WADENA; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.016, or any other law, ordinance, or city
charter, and if approved by the voters at a general election as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3, the city of Wadena may
impose, by ordinance, a sales and use tax of one-quarter of one percent for the
purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except
as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, govern the imposition, administration, collection, and
enforcement of the tax authorized under this subdivision.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Wadena to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax and
to finance up to $3,000,000, plus associated bonding costs including securing
and paying debt service on bonds issued, for the Wadena Library Rehabilitation
Project.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Wadena may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance all or
a portion of the costs of the project authorized in subdivision 2. The aggregate principal amount of bonds
issued under this subdivision may not exceed $3,000,000, plus an amount applied
to the payment of costs of issuing the bonds.
The bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds available to the city
of Wadena, including the tax authorized under subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under this subdivision
is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and 275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city. Any levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes,
section 475.61, to pay principal of and interest on the bonds is not subject to
any levy limitation. A separate election
to approve the bonds under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. The tax imposed
under subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of:
(1) 20 years after the tax is first imposed; or (2) when the city
council determines that the amount received from the tax is sufficient to pay
for the project costs authorized under subdivision 2, and approved by the
voters as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 3, plus an amount sufficient to pay costs, including
interest costs, related to the issuance of the bonds authorized in subdivision
3. Any funds remaining after payment of
the allowed costs due to timing of the termination under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.99, shall be placed in the city's general fund. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may
expire at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Wadena and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 19. CITY
OF WAITE PARK; TAXES AUTHORIZED.
Subdivision 1. Sales
and use tax authorization. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 1, or 477A.016, or any other
law, ordinance, or city charter, and if approved by the voters at a general
election as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
the city of Waite Park may impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of one-half
of one percent for the purposes specified in subdivision 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, govern the imposition,
administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax authorized under this
subdivision. The tax imposed under this
subdivision is in addition to any local sales and use tax imposed under any
other special law.
Subd. 2. Use
of sales and use tax revenues. The
revenues derived from the tax authorized under subdivision 1 must be used by
the city of Waite Park to pay the costs of collecting and administering the tax
and for the following projects in the city, including securing and paying debt
service on bonds issued to finance all or part of the following projects:
(1) up to $7,500,000 plus associated
bonding costs for regional trail connections; and
(2) up to $20,000,000 plus associated
bonding costs for construction and equipping of a public safety facility.
Subd. 3. Bonding
authority. (a) The city of
Waite Park may issue bonds under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, to finance
all or a portion of the costs of the facilities authorized in subdivision 2 and
approved by the voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The
aggregate principal amount of bonds issued under this subdivision may not
exceed:
(1) $7,500,000 for the project listed
in subdivision 2, clause (1), plus an amount needed to pay capitalized interest
and an amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds;
and
(2) $20,000,000 for the project listed
in subdivision 2, clause (2), plus an amount needed to pay capitalized interest
and an amount to be applied to the payment of the costs of issuing the bonds.
The bonds may be paid from or secured by any funds
available to the city of Waite Park, including the tax authorized under
subdivision 1. The issuance of bonds under
this subdivision is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.60 and
275.61.
(b) The bonds are not included in
computing any debt limitation applicable to the city of Waite Park, and any
levy of taxes under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal and
interest on the bonds is not subject to any levy limitation. A separate election to approve the bonds
under Minnesota Statutes, section 475.58, is not required.
Subd. 4. Termination
of taxes. Subject to
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 12, the tax imposed under
subdivision 1 expires at the earlier of (1) 19 years after the tax is first
imposed, or (2) when the city council determines that the amount received from
the tax is sufficient to pay for the project costs authorized under
subdivision 2 for projects
approved by voters as required under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
subdivision 3, paragraph (a), plus an amount sufficient to pay the costs
related to issuance of any bonds authorized under subdivision 3, including
interest on the bonds. Except as
otherwise provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99, subdivision 3,
paragraph (f), any funds remaining after payment of the allowed costs due to
the timing of the termination of the tax under Minnesota Statutes, section
297A.99, subdivision 12, shall be placed in the general fund of the city. The tax imposed under subdivision 1 may expire
at an earlier time if the city so determines by ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Waite Park and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
ARTICLE 10
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 469.176, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4n. Temporary
use of increment authorized. (a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other law to the
contrary, except the requirements to pay bonds to which increments are pledged,
the authority may elect by resolution to transfer unobligated increments from a
district either (1) to the municipality for deposit into the municipality's
general fund upon the request of the municipality, or (2) to provide
improvements, loans, interest rate subsidies, or assistance in any form to
businesses impacted by COVID-19. The
authority may transfer increments under this subdivision after the spending
plan and public hearing requirements under paragraph (c) are met. The municipality may expend transferred
increments under clause (1) for any purpose permitted under the municipality's
general fund.
(b) For each calendar year for which
transfers are permitted under this subdivision, the maximum transfer equals the
excess of the district's unobligated increments which includes any increment
not required for payments of obligations due during the six months following
the transfer on outstanding bonds, binding contracts, and other outstanding
financial obligations of the district to which the district's increments are
pledged.
(c) The authority may transfer
increments permitted under this subdivision after creating a written spending
plan that authorizes the authority to take the action described in paragraph
(a) and details the use of transferred increments. Additionally, the municipality must approve
the authority's spending plan after holding a public hearing. The municipality must publish notice of the
hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality and on the
municipality's public website at least ten days, but not more than 30 days,
prior to the date of the hearing.
(d) Increment that is improperly
retained, received, spent, or transferred is not eligible for a transfer under
this subdivision.
(e) An authority making a transfer
under this subdivision must provide to the Office of the State Auditor a copy
of the spending plan approved and signed by the municipality.
(f) The authority to transfer
increments under this subdivision expires on December 31, 2022. All transferred increments must be spent by
December 31, 2022. If the municipality
cannot spend the transferred increments by December 31, 2022, the municipality
must adopt a spending plan that details the use of transferred increments, and
must provide a copy of this spending plan to the Office of the State Auditor.
EFFECTIVE
DATE; APPLICATION. This
section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to increments
from any district that are unobligated as of the date of final enactment
regardless of when the authority made a request for certification.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Expenditures outside district. (a) For each tax increment financing district, an amount equal to at least 75 percent of the total revenue derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district must be expended on activities in the district or to pay bonds, to the extent that the proceeds of the bonds were used to finance activities in the district or to pay, or secure payment of, debt service on credit enhanced bonds. For districts, other than redevelopment districts for which the request for certification was made after June 30, 1995, the in-district percentage for purposes of the preceding sentence is 80 percent. Not more than 25 percent of the total revenue derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district may be expended, through a development fund or otherwise, on activities outside of the district but within the defined geographic area of the project except to pay, or secure payment of, debt service on credit enhanced bonds. For districts, other than redevelopment districts for which the request for certification was made after June 30, 1995, the pooling percentage for purposes of the preceding sentence is 20 percent. The revenues derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district that are expended on costs under section 469.176, subdivision 4h, paragraph (b), may be deducted first before calculating the percentages that must be expended within and without the district.
(b) In the case of a housing district, a
housing project, as defined in section 469.174, subdivision 11, is an activity
in the district. the following
are considered to be activities in the district:
(1) a housing project, as defined in
section 469.174, subdivision 11; and
(2) a transfer of increments to an
affordable housing trust fund established pursuant to section 462C.16, for
expenditures made in conformity with the political subdivision's ordinance and
policy establishing the trust fund. Any
transfers made pursuant to this clause are not subject to the annual reporting
requirements imposed by section 469.175, subdivision 6, except that the amount
of any transfer must be reported.
(c) All administrative expenses are for activities outside of the district, except that if the only expenses for activities outside of the district under this subdivision are for the purposes described in paragraph (d), administrative expenses will be considered as expenditures for activities in the district.
(d) The authority may elect, in the tax
increment financing plan for the district, to increase by up to ten 25
percentage points the permitted amount of expenditures for activities located
outside the geographic area of the district under paragraph (a). As permitted by section 469.176, subdivision
4k, the expenditures, including the permitted expenditures under paragraph (a),
need not be made within the geographic area of the project. Expenditures that meet the requirements of
this paragraph are legally permitted expenditures of the district,
notwithstanding section 469.176, subdivisions 4b, 4c, and 4j. To qualify for the increase under this
paragraph, the expenditures must:
(1) be used exclusively to assist
housing that meets the requirement for a qualified low-income building, as that
term is used in section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, or to assist
owner-occupied housing that meets the requirements of section 469.1761; and
(2) not exceed the qualified basis of the housing, as defined under section 42(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, less the amount of any credit allowed under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(3) be used to:
(i) acquire and prepare the site of the housing;
(ii) acquire, construct, or rehabilitate the housing; or
(iii) make public improvements directly related to the housing; or
(4) be used to develop housing:
(i) if the market value of the housing does not exceed the lesser of:
(A) 150 percent of the average market value of single-family homes in that municipality; or
(B) $200,000 for municipalities located in the metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, or $125,000 for all other municipalities; and
(ii) if the expenditures are used to pay the cost of site acquisition, relocation, demolition of existing structures, site preparation, and pollution abatement on one or more parcels, if the parcel contains a residence containing one to four family dwelling units that has been vacant for six or more months and is in foreclosure as defined in section 325N.10, subdivision 7, but without regard to whether the residence is the owner's principal residence, and only after the redemption period has expired.
(e) The authority under paragraph (d), clause (4), expires on December 31, 2016. Increments may continue to be expended under this authority after that date, if they are used to pay bonds or binding contracts that would qualify under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), if December 31, 2016, is considered to be the last date of the five-year period after certification under that provision.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 469.1763, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Five-year rule. (a) Revenues derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district are considered to have been expended on an activity within the district under subdivision 2 only if one of the following occurs:
(1) before or within five years after certification of the district, the revenues are actually paid to a third party with respect to the activity;
(2) bonds, the proceeds of which must be used to finance the activity, are issued and sold to a third party before or within five years after certification, the revenues are spent to repay the bonds, and the proceeds of the bonds either are, on the date of issuance, reasonably expected to be spent before the end of the later of (i) the five-year period, or (ii) a reasonable temporary period within the meaning of the use of that term under section 148(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, or are deposited in a reasonably required reserve or replacement fund;
(3) binding contracts with a third party are entered into for performance of the activity before or within five years after certification of the district and the revenues are spent under the contractual obligation;
(4) costs with respect to the activity are paid before or within five years after certification of the district and the revenues are spent to reimburse a party for payment of the costs, including interest on unreimbursed costs; or
(5) expenditures are made for housing purposes as permitted by subdivision 2, paragraphs (b) and (d), or for public infrastructure purposes within a zone as permitted by subdivision 2, paragraph (e).
(b) For purposes of this subdivision, bonds include subsequent refunding bonds if the original refunded bonds meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (2).
(c) For a redevelopment district or a renewal and renovation district certified after June 30, 2003, and before April 20, 2009, the five-year periods described in paragraph (a) are extended to ten years after certification of the district. For a redevelopment district certified after April 20, 2009, and before June 30, 2012, the five-year periods described in paragraph (a) are extended to eight years after certification of the district. This extension is provided primarily to accommodate delays in development activities due to unanticipated economic circumstances.
(d) For a redevelopment district that
was certified after December 31, 2017, the five-year periods described in
paragraph (a) are extended to ten years after certification of the district.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 469.1763, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Use of revenues for decertification. (a) In each year beginning with the sixth year following certification of the district, or beginning with the 11th year following certification of the district for districts whose five-year rule is extended to ten years under subdivision 3, paragraph (d), if the applicable in-district percent of the revenues derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district exceeds the amount of expenditures that have been made for costs permitted under subdivision 3, an amount equal to the difference between the in-district percent of the revenues derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district and the amount of expenditures that have been made for costs permitted under subdivision 3 must be used and only used to pay or defease the following or be set aside to pay the following:
(1) outstanding bonds, as defined in subdivision 3, paragraphs (a), clause (2), and (b);
(2) contracts, as defined in subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4);
(3) credit enhanced bonds to which the revenues derived from tax increments are pledged, but only to the extent that revenues of the district for which the credit enhanced bonds were issued are insufficient to pay the bonds and to the extent that the increments from the applicable pooling percent share for the district are insufficient; or
(4) the amount provided by the tax increment financing plan to be paid under subdivision 2, paragraphs (b), (d), and (e).
(b) The district must be decertified and the pledge of tax increment discharged when the outstanding bonds have been defeased and when sufficient money has been set aside to pay, based on the increment to be collected through the end of the calendar year, the following amounts:
(1) contractual obligations as defined in subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4);
(2) the amount specified in the tax increment financing plan for activities qualifying under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), that have not been funded with the proceeds of bonds qualifying under paragraph (a), clause (1); and
(3) the additional expenditures permitted by the tax increment financing plan for housing activities under an election under subdivision 2, paragraph (d), that have not been funded with the proceeds of bonds qualifying under paragraph (a), clause (1).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. CITY
OF BLOOMINGTON; TIF AUTHORITY; AMERICAN BOULEVARD.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. Pursuant to the special rules
established in subdivision 2, the housing and redevelopment authority of the
city of Bloomington or the city of Bloomington may establish a redevelopment
district within the city of Bloomington, limited to the following parcels,
identified by tax identification numbers, together with adjacent roads and
rights-of-way: 04-027-24-11-0032,
04-027-24-11-0033, and 04-027-24-11-0034.
Subd. 2. Special rules. If the city or authority establishes a tax increment financing district under this section, the following special rules apply:
(1) the district meets all the
requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.174, subdivision 10;
(2) expenditures incurred in connection
with the development of the property described in subdivision 1 meet the
requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.176, subdivision 4j; and
(3) increments generated from
the district may be expended on undergrounding or overhead power lines,
transformers, and related utility infrastructure within the project area and
all such expenditures are deemed expended on activities within the district for
purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Bloomington and its
chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes,
section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 6. CITY
OF BLOOMINGTON; TIF AUTHORITY; 98TH & ALDRICH.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. Pursuant to the special rules
established in subdivision 2, the housing and redevelopment authority of the
city of Bloomington or the city of Bloomington may establish a redevelopment
district within the city of Bloomington, limited to the following parcels,
identified by tax identification numbers, together with adjacent roads and
rights-of-way: 16-027-24-41-0010,
16-027-24-41-0011, and 16-027-24-41-0012.
Subd. 2. Special
rules. If the city or
authority establishes a tax increment financing district under this section,
the following special rules apply:
(1) the district meets all the
requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.174, subdivision 10; and
(2) expenditures incurred in connection
with the development of the property described in subdivision 1 meet the
requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.176, subdivision 4j.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Bloomington and its
chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes,
section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 7. CITY
OF BURNSVILLE; TIF AUTHORITY.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. Under the special rules established in
subdivision 2, the economic development authority of the city of Burnsville or
the city of Burnsville may establish one or more redevelopment districts
located wholly within the area of the city of Burnsville, Dakota County,
Minnesota, limited to the parcels comprising the Burnsville Center mall
together with adjacent roads and rights-of-way.
Subd. 2. Special
rules. If the city or
authority establishes a tax increment financing district under this section,
the following special rules apply:
(1) the districts are deemed to meet
all the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.174, subdivision 10;
(2) expenditures incurred in connection
with the development of the property described in subdivision 1 are deemed to
meet the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.176, subdivision 4j;
and
(3) increments generated from the
districts may be expended for the construction and acquisition of property for
a bridge, tunnel, or other connector from the property described in subdivision
1 across adjacent roads and rights‑of‑way and all such expenditures
are deemed expended on activities within the district for purposes of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Burnsville and its
chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes,
section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 8. CITY
OF FRIDLEY; TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT; SPECIAL RULES.
Subdivision 1. Housing
program uses. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 469.176, subdivision 4j, or 469.1763, subdivision
2, or any law to the contrary, the governing body of the city of Fridley or its
development authority may elect to spend tax increments from Tax Increment
Financing District No. 20 on housing programs outside of the district. The authorized housing programs include but
are not limited to:
(1) the revolving rehab loan program;
(2) the multifamily improvement loan program;
(3) the mobile home improvement loan program;
(4) the last resort emergency deferred loan program;
(5) the senior deferred loan program;
(6) the down payment assistance loan program;
(7) the residential major project grant program;
(8) the residential paint rebate grant program; and
(9) the front door grant program.
Subd. 2. Decertification. The five-year rule under Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 3, and the use of revenues for
decertification in Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 4, do not
apply to Tax Increment Financing District No. 20.
Subd. 3. Expiration. The authority to make the election
under this section expires December 31, 2023.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Fridley and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 9. CITY
OF MINNETONKA; USE OF INCREMENT AUTHORIZED.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 469.1763, or any law to the contrary, tax increments from any
redevelopment tax increment financing district in the city of Minnetonka may be
used to assist affordable housing development that meets the requirements of
Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1761, subdivision 2 or 3.
(b) The city of Minnetonka, or its
economic development authority, is authorized to transfer tax increments from
tax increment districts in the city of Minnetonka to the affordable housing
trust fund established by the city of Minnetonka pursuant to Minnesota
Statutes, section 462C.16, for expenditures made in conformity with the city
ordinance establishing the trust fund. Transfers
made pursuant to this paragraph are in addition to tax increment expenditures
under Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (d). Any transfers made pursuant to this paragraph
are not subject to the annual reporting requirements imposed by Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.175, subdivision 6, except that the amount of any
transfer must be reported.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Minnetonka and its
chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes,
section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 10. CITY
OF MOUNTAIN LAKE; TIF DISTRICT NO. 1-8;
FIVE-YEAR RULE EXTENSION.
(a) The requirement of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 3, that activities must be undertaken
within a five-year period from the date of certification of a tax increment
financing district, is extended by a five‑year period for Tax Increment
Financing District No. 1-8, administered by the city of Mountain Lake or
its economic development authority.
(b) The requirement of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 4, relating to the use of increment
after the expiration of the five-year period in Minnesota Statutes, section
469.1763, subdivision 3, is extended to the district's 11th year.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Mountain Lake and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 11. CITY
OF RICHFIELD; USE OF TAX INCREMENT AUTHORIZED.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 469.1763, or any law to the contrary, tax increments from any tax
increment financing district in the city of Richfield may be used to assist
affordable housing development that meets the requirements of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1761, subdivision 2 or 3.
(b) The city of Richfield, or its
housing and redevelopment authority, is authorized to transfer up to 15 percent
of tax increments from redevelopment tax increment districts in the city of
Richfield, including amounts previously accumulated, to the Affordable Housing
Trust Fund established by the city of Richfield pursuant to Minnesota Statutes,
section 462C.16, for expenditures made in conformity with the city ordinance
establishing the trust fund. Transfers
made pursuant to this paragraph are in addition to tax increment expenditures
under Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (d). Any transfers made pursuant to this paragraph
are not subject to the annual reporting requirements imposed by Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.175, subdivision 6, except that the amount of any
transfer must be reported.
(c) The authority to make transfers of
tax increments pursuant to this section expires December 31, 2030.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Richfield and its
chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes,
section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 12. CITY
OF ST. LOUIS PARK; USE OF INCREMENT AUTHORIZED.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), or any law to the contrary, tax
increment from any district for which the economic development authority of St. Louis
Park has elected to increase the permitted amount of expenditures for
activities located outside the district's area, as allowed by Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), clause (1), must be
used exclusively to assist housing development that meets either the
requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1761, subdivision 2, or
Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), clauses (1)
to (3).
(b) The economic development authority
of St. Louis Park is authorized to make permanent transfers of tax
increments accumulated for housing development pursuant to either Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 2, paragraph (b) or (d), from the tax
increment accounts to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund established by the city
of St. Louis Park pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 462C.16, for
expenditures made in conformity with the city ordinance and policy establishing
such trust fund. Any transfers made
pursuant to this paragraph are not subject to the annual reporting requirements
imposed by Minnesota Statutes, section 469.175, subdivision 6, except that the
amount of any transfer must be reported.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of St. Louis Park
and its chief clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota
Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 13. CITY
OF WAYZATA; TIF DISTRICT NO. 6.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 469.1763, subdivision 2, the city of Wayzata may expend increments
generated from Tax Increment Financing District No. 6 for the design and
construction of the lakefront pedestrian walkway and community transient lake
public access infrastructure related to the Panoway on Wayzata Bay project, and
all such expenditures are deemed expended on activities within the district.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Wayzata and its chief
clerical officer comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section
645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 14. CITY
OF WINDOM; TIF DISTRICT 1-22; FIVE-YEAR RULE EXTENDED.
(a) The requirement of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 3, that activities must be undertaken
within a five-year period from the date of certification of a tax increment
financing district, is considered to be met for Tax Increment Financing
District 1-22, administered by the city of Windom or its economic development
authority, if activities are undertaken within ten years of the district's
certification.
(b) The requirement of Minnesota
Statutes, section 469.1763, subdivision 4, relating to the use of increment
after the expiration of the five-year period in Minnesota Statutes, section
469.1763, subdivision 3, is extended to the district's 11th year.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day after the governing body of the city of Windom and its chief
clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
Sec. 15. CITY
OF WINDOM; TIF DISTRICT 1-22; DURATION EXTENSION.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 469.176, subdivision 1b, or any other law to the contrary, the city of
Windom or its economic development authority may elect to extend the duration
limit of Tax Increment Financing District 1-22 by five years.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective upon compliance by the city of Windom, Cottonwood County, and
Independent School District No. 177 with the requirements of Minnesota
Statutes, sections 469.1782, subdivision 2, and 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
ARTICLE 11
PUBLIC FINANCE
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.993, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Allocation;
termination. The proceeds of the
taxes must be dedicated exclusively to: (1)
payment of the capital cost of a specific transportation project or
improvement; (2) payment of the costs, which may include both capital and
operating costs, of a specific transit project or improvement; (3) payment of
the capital costs of a safe routes to school program under section 174.40; or
(4) payment of transit operating costs; or (5) payment of the capital cost
of constructing buildings and other facilities for maintaining transportation
or transit projects or improvements.
The transportation or transit project or improvement must be designated
by the board of the county, or more than one county acting under a joint powers
agreement. Except for taxes for
operating costs of a transit project or improvement, or for transit operations,
the taxes must terminate when revenues raised are sufficient to finance the
project. Nothing in this subdivision
prohibits the exclusive dedication of the proceeds of the taxes to payments for
more than one project or improvement. After
a public hearing a county may, by resolution, dedicate the proceeds of the tax
for a new enumerated project.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 453A.04, subdivision 21, is amended to read:
Subd. 21. All
other powers Exercising powers of a municipal power agency. It may exercise all other powers not
inconsistent with the Constitution of the state of Minnesota or the United
States Constitution, which powers may be reasonably necessary or appropriate
for or incidental to the effectuation of its authorized purposes or to the
exercise of any of the powers enumerated in this section, and generally may
exercise in connection with its property and affairs, and in connection with
property within its control, any and all powers which might be exercised by a
natural person or a private corporation in connection with similar property and
affairs. It may exercise the
powers of a municipal power agency under chapter 453, for the limited purpose
of engaging in tax-exempt prepayments and related transactions as described in
section 148(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the
Code of Federal Regulations, title 26, part 1, section 1.148-1(e)(2)(iii), both
as may be amended from time to time, or as may otherwise be authorized by
statute or the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 453A.04, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 22. All
other powers. It may exercise
all other powers not inconsistent with the Constitution of the state of
Minnesota or the United States Constitution, which powers may be reasonably
necessary or appropriate for or incidental to the effectuation of its
authorized purposes or to the exercise of any of the powers enumerated in this
section, and generally may exercise in connection with its property and
affairs, and in connection with property within its control, any and all powers
which might be exercised by a natural person or a private corporation in connection
with similar property and affairs.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 465.71, is amended to read:
465.71
INSTALLMENT, LEASE PURCHASE; CITY, COUNTY, TOWN, SCHOOL.
A home rule charter city, statutory city, county, town, or school district may purchase personal property under an installment contract, or lease real or personal property with an option to purchase under a lease-purchase agreement, by which contract or agreement title is retained by the seller or vendor or assigned to a third party as security for the purchase price, including interest, if any, but such purchases are subject to statutory and charter provisions applicable to the purchase of real or personal property. For purposes of the bid requirements contained in section 471.345, "the amount of the contract" shall include the total of all lease payments for the entire term of the lease under a lease-purchase agreement. The obligation created by an installment contract or a lease-purchase agreement for personal property, or an installment contract or a lease-purchase agreement for real property if the amount of the contract for purchase of the real property is less than $1,000,000, shall not be included in the calculation of net debt for purposes of section 475.53, and shall not constitute debt under any other statutory provision. No election shall be required in connection with the execution of an installment contract or a lease-purchase agreement authorized by this section. The city, county, town, or school district must have the right to terminate a lease-purchase agreement at the end of any fiscal year during its term.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 475.56, is amended to read:
475.56
INTEREST RATE.
(a) Any municipality issuing obligations
under any law may issue obligations bearing interest at a single rate or at
rates varying from year to year which may be lower or higher in later years
than in earlier years. Such higher
rate for any period prior to maturity may be represented in part by separate
coupons designated as additional coupons, extra coupons, or B coupons, but the
The highest aggregate rate of interest contracted to be so paid for any
period shall not exceed the maximum rate authorized by law. Such higher rate may also be represented in
part by the issuance of additional obligations of the same series, over and
above but not exceeding two percent of the amount otherwise authorized to be
issued, and the amount of such additional obligations shall not be included in
the amount
required by section 475.59 to
be stated in any bond resolution, notice, or ballot, or in the sale price
required by section 475.60 or any other law to be paid; but if the principal
amount of the entire series exceeds its cash sale price, such excess shall not,
when added to the total amount of interest payable on all obligations of the
series to their stated maturity dates, cause and the average annual
rate of such interest to may not exceed the maximum rate
authorized by law. This section does not
authorize a provision in any such obligations for the payment of a higher rate
of interest after maturity than before.
(b) Any municipality issuing obligations
under any law may sell original issue discount or premium obligations having
a stated principal amount in excess of the authorized amount and the sale
price, provided that:. To
determine the average annual rate of interest on the obligations, any discount
shall be added to, and any premium subtracted from, the total amount of
interest on the obligations to their stated maturity dates.
(1) the sale price does not exceed by
more than two percent the amount of obligations otherwise authorized to be
issued;
(2) the underwriting fee, discount, or
other sales or underwriting commission does not exceed two percent of the sale
price; and
(3) the discount rate necessary to
present value total principal and interest payments over the term of the issue
to the sale price does not exceed the lesser of the maximum rate permitted by
law for municipal obligations or ten percent.
(c) Any obligation may bear interest at a rate varying periodically at the time or times and on the terms, including convertibility to a fixed rate of interest, determined by the governing body of the municipality, but the rate of interest for any period shall not exceed any maximum rate of interest for the obligations established by law. For purposes of section 475.61, subdivisions 1 and 3, the interest payable on variable rate obligations for their term shall be determined as if their rate of interest is the lesser of the maximum rate of interest payable on the obligations in accordance with their terms or the rate estimated for such purpose by the governing body, but if the interest rate is subsequently converted to a fixed rate the levy may be modified to provide at least five percent in excess of amounts necessary to pay principal of and interest at the fixed rate on the obligations when due. For purposes of computing debt service or interest pursuant to section 475.67, subdivision 12, interest throughout the term of bonds issued pursuant to this subdivision is deemed to accrue at the rate of interest first borne by the bonds. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to general obligations issued by a statutory or home rule charter city with a population of less than 7,500, as defined in section 477A.011, subdivision 3, or to general obligations that are not rated A or better, or an equivalent subsequently established rating, by Standard and Poor's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service or other similar nationally recognized rating agency, except that any statutory or home rule charter city, regardless of population or bond rating, may issue variable rate obligations as a participant in a bond pooling program established by the League of Minnesota Cities that meets this bond rating requirement.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 475.58, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:
Subd. 3b. Street reconstruction and bituminous overlays. (a) A municipality may, without regard to the election requirement under subdivision 1, issue and sell obligations for street reconstruction or bituminous overlays, if the following conditions are met:
(1) the streets are reconstructed or overlaid under a street reconstruction or overlay plan that describes the street reconstruction or overlay to be financed, the estimated costs, and any planned reconstruction or overlay of other streets in the municipality over the next five years, and the plan and issuance of the obligations has been approved by a vote of a two-thirds majority of the members of the governing body present at the meeting following a public hearing for which notice has been published in the official newspaper at least ten days but not more than 28 days prior to the hearing; and
(2) if a petition requesting a vote on the issuance is signed by voters equal to five percent of the votes cast in the last municipal general election and is filed with the municipal clerk within 30 days of the public hearing, the municipality may issue the bonds only after obtaining the approval of a majority of the voters voting on the question of the issuance of the obligations. If the municipality elects not to submit the question to the voters, the municipality shall not propose the issuance of bonds under this section for the same purpose and in the same amount for a period of 365 days from the date of receipt of the petition. If the question of issuing the bonds is submitted and not approved by the voters, the provisions of section 475.58, subdivision 1a, shall apply.
(b) Obligations issued under this subdivision are subject to the debt limit of the municipality and are not excluded from net debt under section 475.51, subdivision 4.
(c) For purposes of this subdivision, street
reconstruction and bituminous overlays includes include but are not
limited to: utility replacement and
relocation and other activities incidental to the street reconstruction,;
the addition or reconstruction of turn lanes, bicycle lanes, sidewalks,
paths, and other improvements having a substantial public safety function,;
realignments, and other modifications to intersect with state and
county roads,; and the local share of state and county road
projects. For purposes of this
subdivision, "street reconstruction" includes expenditures for street
reconstruction that have been incurred by a municipality before approval of a
street reconstruction plan, if such expenditures are included in a street
reconstruction plan approved on or before the date of the public hearing under
paragraph (a), clause (1), regarding issuance of bonds for such expenditures.
(d) Except in the case of turn lanes, bicycle
lanes, sidewalks, paths, and other safety improvements,; realignments,;
intersection modifications,; and the local share of state and
county road projects, street reconstruction and bituminous overlays does not
include the portion of project cost allocable to widening a street or adding
curbs and gutters where none previously existed.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 475.60, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Advertisement. All obligations shall be negotiated and
sold by the governing body, except when authority therefor is delegated by the
governing body or by the charter of the municipality to a board, department, or
officers of the municipality. Except
as provided in section 475.56, obligations shall be sold at not less than par
value plus accrued interest to date of delivery and not greater than two
percent greater than the amount authorized to be issued plus accrued interest. Except as provided in subdivision 2 all
obligations shall be sold at competitive sale after notice given as provided in
subdivision 3.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 475.67, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Escrow account securities. Securities purchased for the escrow account shall be limited to:
(1) general obligations of the United
States, securities whose principal and interest payments are guaranteed by the
United States, including but not limited to Resolution Funding Corporation
Interest Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
and United States Agency for International Development Bonds, and
securities issued by the following agencies of the United States: Banks for Cooperatives, United States
government‑sponsored enterprises including but not limited to Federal
Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, and
the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal National Mortgage
Association, or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation; or
(2) obligations issued or guaranteed by any state or any political subdivision of a state, which at the date of purchase are rated in the highest or the next highest rating category by Standard and Poor's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service, or a similar nationally recognized rating agency, but not less than the rating on the refunded bonds immediately prior to the refunding.
"Rating category," as used in this subdivision, means a generic securities rating category, without regard in the case of a long-term rating category to any refinement or gradation of such long-term rating category by a numerical modifier or otherwise.
Sec. 9. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section
469.055, subdivision 7, is repealed.
ARTICLE 12
TAX EXPENDITURE REVIEW
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 3.192, is amended to read:
3.192
REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW OR RENEWED TAX EXPENDITURES.
(a) Any bill that creates, renews, or continues a tax expenditure must include a statement of intent that clearly provides the purpose of the tax expenditure and a standard or goal against which its effectiveness may be measured.
(b) For purposes of this section, "tax expenditure" has the meaning given in section 270C.11, subdivision 6.
(c) Any bill that creates a new tax
expenditure or continues an expiring tax expenditure must include an expiration
date for the tax expenditure that is no more than eight years from the day the
provision takes effect.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective beginning with the 2022 legislative session.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 3.8853, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Director; staff. (a) The Legislative Budget Office Oversight Commission must appoint a director and establish the director's duties. The director may hire staff necessary to do the work of the office. The director serves in the unclassified service for a term of six years and may not be removed during a term except for cause after a public hearing.
(b) The director and staff hired under
this section must provide professional and technical assistance to the Tax
Expenditure Review Commission under section 3.8855.
Sec. 3. [3.8855]
TAX EXPENDITURE REVIEW COMMISSION.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. The Tax Expenditure Review Commission
is created to review Minnesota's tax expenditures and evaluate their
effectiveness and fiscal impact.
Subd. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section,
"significant tax expenditure," "tax," and "tax
expenditure" have the meanings given in section 270C.11, subdivision 6.
Subd. 3. Membership. (a) The commission consists of:
(1) two senators appointed by the senate
majority leader;
(2) two senators appointed by the senate
minority leader;
(3) two representatives appointed by the
speaker of the house;
(4) two representatives appointed by the
minority leader of the house of representatives; and
(5) the commissioner of revenue
or the commissioner's designee.
(b) Each appointing authority must make
appointments by January 31 of the regular legislative session in the odd-numbered
year.
(c) If the chair of the house or senate
committee with primary jurisdiction over taxes is not an appointed member, the
chair is an ex officio, nonvoting member of the commission.
Subd. 4. Duties. (a) In the first three years after the
commission is established, the commission must complete an initial review of
the state's tax expenditures. The
initial review must identify the purpose of each of the state's tax
expenditures, if none was identified in the enacting legislation in accordance
with section 3.192. The commission may
also identify metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of an expenditure.
(b) In each year following the initial
review under paragraph (a), the commission must review and evaluate Minnesota's
tax expenditures on a regular, rotating basis.
The commission must establish a review schedule that ensures each tax
expenditure will be reviewed by the commission at least once every ten years. The commission may review expenditures
affecting similar constituencies or policy areas in the same year, but the
commission must review a subset of the tax expenditures within each tax type
each year. To the extent possible, the
commission must review a similar number of tax expenditures within each tax
type each year. The commission may
decide not to review a tax expenditure that is adopted by reference to federal
law.
(c) Before December 1 of the year a tax
expenditure is included in a commission report, the commission must hold a
public hearing on the expenditure, including but not limited to a presentation
of the review components in subdivision 5.
Subd. 5. Components
of review. (a) When reviewing
a tax expenditure, the commission must at a minimum:
(1) provide an estimate of the annual
revenue lost as a result of the expenditure;
(2) identify the purpose of the tax
expenditure if none was identified in the enacting legislation in accordance
with section 3.192;
(3) estimate the measurable impacts and
efficiency of the tax expenditure in accomplishing the purpose of the expenditure;
(4) compare the effectiveness of the tax
expenditure and a direct expenditure with the same purpose;
(5) identify potential modifications to
the tax expenditure to increase its efficiency or effectiveness;
(6) estimate the amount by which the tax
rate for the relevant tax could be reduced if the revenue lost due to the tax
expenditure were applied to a rate reduction;
(7) if the tax expenditure is a significant tax expenditure, estimate the incidence of the tax expenditure and the effect of the expenditure on the incidence of the state's tax system;
(8) consider the cumulative fiscal
impacts of other state and federal taxes providing benefits to taxpayers for
similar activities; and
(9) recommend whether the expenditure be
continued, repealed, or modified.
(b) The commission may omit a component
in paragraph (a) if the commission determines it is not feasible due to the
lack of available data, third-party research, staff resources, or lack of a
majority support for a recommendation.
Subd. 6. Department
of Revenue; research support. (a)
The research division of the Department of Revenue must provide the commission
with the data required to complete the review components in subdivision 5,
paragraph (a), clauses (1), (6), (7), and (8).
(b) At the request of the commission, the research division of the Department of Revenue must provide the commission with summary data on a tax expenditure in support of a review.
(c)
Data shared under this section must comply with the rules governing statistical
studies under section 270B.04.
Subd. 7. Report
to legislature. (a) By
December 15 of each year, the commission must submit a written report to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over tax policy. The report must detail the results of the
commission's review of tax expenditures in the previous calendar year,
including the review components detailed in subdivision 5.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a),
during the period of initial review under subdivision 4, the report may be
limited to the purpose statements and metrics for evaluating the effectiveness
of expenditures, as identified by the commission. The report may also include relevant publicly
available data on an expenditure.
(c) The report may include any
additional information the commission deems relevant to the review of an
expenditure.
(d) The legislative committees with
jurisdiction over tax policy must hold a public hearing on the report during
the regular legislative session in the year following the year in which the
report was submitted.
Subd. 8. Terms;
vacancies. (a) Members of the
commission serve a term beginning upon appointment and ending at the beginning
of the regular legislative session in the next odd-numbered year. The appropriate appointing authority must
fill a vacancy for a seat of a current legislator for the remainder of the
unexpired term. Members may be removed
or replaced at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
(b) If a commission member ceases to be a member of the legislative body from which the member was appointed, the member vacates membership on the commission.
Subd. 9. Officers. The commission shall elect a chair and
vice-chair as presiding officers. The
chair and vice‑chair must alternate every two years between members of
the house of representatives and senate.
The chair and vice-chair may not be from the same legislative chamber.
Subd. 10. Staff. Legislative Budget Office staff hired
under section 3.8853, subdivision 2, must provide professional and technical
assistance to the commission as the commission deems necessary, including
assistance with the report under subdivision 7.
Subd. 11. Expenses. The members of the commission and its
staff shall be reimbursed for all expenses actually and necessarily incurred in
the performance of their duties. Reimbursement
for expenses incurred shall be made in accordance with policies adopted by the
Legislative Coordinating Commission.
EFFECTIVE
DATE; SPECIAL PROVISIONS. (a)
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
(b) Appointing authorities for the
commission must make initial appointments by January 15, 2022. The speaker of the house must designate one
member of the commission to convene the first meeting of the commission by
July 1, 2022. The first report of
the commission under Minnesota Statutes, section 3.8855, subdivision 7, is due
on December 15, 2022.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270B.14, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 22. Tax
Expenditure Review Commission. The
commissioner must disclose to the Tax Expenditure Review Commission the data
required under section 3.8855, subdivision 6.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Preparation;
submission. The commissioner shall
prepare a tax expenditure budget for the state.
The tax expenditure budget report
shall be submitted to the legislature by February November 1 of
each even-numbered year.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for tax expenditure budgets due on or after November 1, 2023.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.11, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Contents. (a) The report shall detail for
each tax expenditure item:
(1) the amount of tax revenue
forgone,;
(2) a citation of the statutory or
other legal authority for the expenditure, and;
(3) the year in which it was
enacted or the tax year in which it became effective.;
(4) the purpose of the expenditure, as
identified in the enacting legislation in accordance with section 3.192 or by
the Tax Expenditure Review Commission;
(5) the incidence of the expenditure,
if it is a significant sales or income tax expenditure; and
(6) the revenue-neutral amount by which
the relevant tax rate could be reduced if the expenditure were repealed.
(b) The report may contain
additional information which the commissioner considers relevant to the
legislature's consideration and review of individual tax expenditure items. This may include, but is not limited
to, statements of the intended purpose of the tax expenditure, analysis
of whether the expenditure is achieving that objective, and the effect
of the expenditure device on the distribution of the tax burden and
administration of the tax system.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for tax expenditure budgets due on or after November 1, 2023.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.11, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "business tax credit"
means:
(i) a credit against the corporate franchise tax claimed by a C corporation; or
(ii) a credit against the individual or
fiduciary income tax claimed by a pass-through entity that is allocated to its
partners, members, or shareholders;
(2) "pass-through entity"
means a partnership, limited liability corporation, or S corporation;
(3) "significant tax
expenditure" means a tax expenditure, but excluding any tax expenditure
that:
(i) is incorporated into state law by
reference to a federal definition of income;
(ii) results in a revenue reduction of
less than $10,000,000 per biennium; or
(iii) is a business tax credit;
(4) "tax expenditure"
means a tax provision which provides a gross income definition, deduction,
exemption, credit, or rate for certain persons, types of income, transactions,
or property that results in reduced tax revenue, but excludes provisions
used to mitigate tax pyramiding; and
(2) (5) "tax"
means any tax of statewide application or any tax authorized by state law to be
levied by local governments generally. It
does not include a special local tax levied pursuant to special law or to a
special local tax levied pursuant to general authority that is no longer
applicable to local governments generally.; and
(6) "tax pyramiding" means
imposing sales taxes under chapter 297A on intermediate business-to-business
transactions rather than sales to final consumers.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for tax expenditure budgets due on or after November 1, 2023.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Biennial
report. (a) The commissioner
shall report to the legislature by March 1 of each odd‑numbered year
on the overall incidence of the income tax, sales and excise taxes, and
property tax.
(b) The commissioner must submit the
report:
(1) by March 1, 2021; and
(2) by March 1, 2024, and each
even-numbered year thereafter.
(c) The report shall present information on the distribution of the tax burden as follows: (1) for the overall income distribution, using a systemwide incidence measure such as the Suits index or other appropriate measures of equality and inequality; (2) by income classes, including at a minimum deciles of the income distribution; and (3) by other appropriate taxpayer characteristics.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for tax incidence reports due on or after March 1, 2021.
Sec. 9. STATEMENT
OF INTENT; TAX EXPENDITURE PURPOSE STATEMENTS.
The intent of sections 10 to 15 is to
identify purpose statements for the tax expenditures identified, in accordance
with Minnesota Statutes, section 3.192. The
purpose statements in this act for previously enacted expenditures were
included in proposed legislation, but were omitted from the legislation that
enacted the expenditures. The provisions
of this act are intended to provide context for evaluating the effectiveness of
the tax expenditures referenced and are not intended to have a substantive
effect on the meaning or administration of the laws referenced.
Sec. 10. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2021 OMNIBUS TAX BILL.
Subdivision 1. Intent. In accordance with the requirements in
Minnesota Statutes, section 3.192, the purpose and goals for the tax
expenditures in this act are listed in this section.
Subd. 2. Sales
tax purpose statements. (a)
The purpose of the exemption in article 4, section 1, is to create parity
between the purchase of season tickets in a preferred viewing location for a
college sporting event with the purchase of suite licenses in a stadium for an
amusement or athletic event. The
standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the increase in the
number of college sporting event season tickets purchased.
(b) The purpose of the exemption in
article 4, section 2, is to allow student groups to make fund-raising sales
without the requirement of collecting sales tax and to restore the exemption
that existed prior to a 2019 law change that imposed the requirement for
student groups to collect sales tax on fund-raising sales when the proceeds are
deposited into a school district account.
The standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the amount
of time school districts spent collecting and filing sales tax and to increase
the amount raised by school groups.
(c) The purpose of the exemption in
article 4, section 3, is to reduce the cost to nonprofit organizations for
providing prepared food through their charitable missions. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the number of meals nonprofit organizations provided to those
in need.
(d) The purpose of the exemptions in
article 4, sections 4, 5, and 11 to 19, is to reduce the cost of constructions
of public safety facilities and other publicly owned buildings. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the decrease in the growth in local property taxes and
services in these communities.
(e) The purpose of the exemptions in
article 4, sections 9, 10, and 20, is to encourage rebuilding in the damaged
area of each city. The standard against
which effectiveness is to be measured is whether these properties returned to
the tax rolls at the same or greater value.
(f) The purpose of the exemption in
article 4, section 21, is to reduce the cost to restaurants for purchasing
items that adapt the building to health guidelines surrounding COVID-19. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the profitability of restaurants affected by the peacetime
health emergency.
Subd. 3. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. (a) The purpose of the tax expenditure
in article 2, sections 2 and 3, extending the sunset date for the small
business investment credit is to encourage investment in innovative small
businesses in Minnesota. The standard
against which effectiveness is to be measured is the increase in the number of
these businesses in the state, the number of people employed by these
businesses in the state, the productivity of these businesses, or the sales of
these businesses.
(b) The purpose of the tax expenditure
in article 2, sections 5, 21, and 40, establishing the film production credit
is to encourage investment in Minnesota film productions. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the increase in the number of these productions and people
employed in the state's film industry.
(c) The purpose of the tax expenditure
in article 2, section 27, extending the sunset date for the credit for historic
structure rehabilitation is to encourage investment in rehabilitating historic
buildings. The standard against which
effectiveness is to be measured is the increase in the number of historic
rehabilitation projects in the state.
(d) The purpose of the tax expenditures
in article 1, sections 1, 2, 3, 13, and 14, conforming Minnesota individual
income, corporate franchise, and estate taxes to changes in federal law through
December 31, 2020, is to simplify compliance with and administration of those
taxes. The standard against which
effectiveness is to be measured is the reduction in the number of income tax
forms and text in the instructions for taxpayers resulting from this provision.
(e) The purpose of the tax expenditure
in article 1, section 17, providing a subtraction for a portion of unemployment
compensation is to provide financial support to unemployed persons and to
encourage economic activity in the state.
The standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the
increase in after-tax income of unemployed persons and gross state product.
(f) The purpose of the tax
expenditure in article 1, section 15, subdivisions 2 and 3, providing a
subtraction for gross income related to the federal employer credits for paid
family and medical leave is to provide financial support to businesses in
Minnesota. The standard against which
effectiveness is to be measured is the amount of tax paid by small businesses
receiving the federal credits and the number of individuals employed by
businesses receiving the federal credits.
(g) The purpose of the tax expenditure
in article 1, section 15, subdivisions 4 and 5, providing a subtraction for
wages used to claim the federal employee retention credit is to encourage
businesses to retain their employees. The
standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the employment rate
in Minnesota and the number of individuals employed by businesses receiving the
federal credits.
Subd. 4. Property
tax purpose statements. (a)
The provision in article 7, section 3, creating a property tax exemption for
certain property owned by an Indian Tribe is intended to reduce the tax burden
on Tribe-owned property that fails to qualify for an exemption under Minnesota
Statutes, section 272.02, subdivision 7, because the Tribe is not exempt from
federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the reduction in property tax levied on Tribe-owned property.
(b) The provision in article 7, section
16, which sets the classification rate of all manufactured home park property
at 0.75 percent is intended to reduce the tax burden on manufactured home parks
and preserve manufactured home parks as an affordable housing option in
Minnesota. The standard against which
effectiveness is to be measured is the reduction in property tax burden on
manufactured home parks and the number of manufactured home parks in Minnesota.
Sec. 11. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2019 OMNIBUS TAX BILL.
Subdivision 1. Source
of purpose statements. The
purpose statements in this section were originally included in the 2019 bill
styled as House File 2125, the third engrossment, in the 91st Legislature. The tax expenditures referenced were enacted
in Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6.
Subd. 2. Sales
tax purpose statements. (a)
The purpose of the exemption in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.67,
subdivision 37, is to level the playing field for costs between local
governments and private entities of managing invasive species in lakes. The goal is an increase in the number of
lakes where invasive species are being controlled.
(b) The purpose of the exemption in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.70, subdivision 10, paragraph (c), is to
reduce the cost of providing education on the state's farming history. The goal is to decrease the public cost of
access to this facility.
(c) The purpose of the exemption in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.70, subdivision 20, is to decrease maintenance
costs for the ice arena. The goal is to
increase local recreation opportunities and reduce local participation costs.
(d) The purpose of the exemption in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.70, subdivision 21, is to help county
agricultural societies maintain county fairgrounds. The goal is to increase spending on
fairground maintenance and capital improvements.
(e) The purpose of the exemptions in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.71, subdivision 50, is to encourage rebuilding
in the damaged area of each city. The
goal is to have these properties returned to the tax rolls at the same or
greater value.
(f) The purpose of the
exemptions in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.71, subdivision 51, is to
encourage rebuilding in the damaged area of each city. The goal is to have these properties returned
to the tax rolls at the same or greater value.
(g) The purpose of the exemption in
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.71, subdivision 52, is to reduce the cost of
providing local public services in these communities. The goal is to decrease the growth in local
property taxes and service fees in these communities.
Subd. 3. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. (a) The purpose and goal of the tax
expenditure under Minnesota Statutes, sections 290.0132, subdivision 29; 290.0134,
subdivision 18; 290.0921, subdivisions 2 and 3; relating to disallowed expenses
under section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, is to provide equitable state
tax treatment between medical cannabis manufacturers that are not allowed to
deduct their business expenses under the Internal Revenue Code and
manufacturers of other goods who may deduct these expenses.
(b) The purpose of the tax expenditures
under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.8737, subdivision 1, relating to the
minimum qualified investment threshold for minority-, veteran-, or women-owned
businesses; subdivision 5, relating to the $10,000,000 allocation for taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2018, and before January 1, 2020, and
beginning after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2022; and subdivision
12, relating to the extension of the sunset date; is to encourage investment in
innovative small businesses in Minnesota and the goal of the these expenditures
is to increase the number of these businesses in the state, the number of
people employed by these businesses in the state, the productivity of these
businesses, or the sales of these businesses.
Sec. 12. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2017 OMNIBUS TAX BILL.
Subdivision 1. Source
of purpose statements. The
purpose statements in this section were originally included in the 2015 bill
styled as House File 848, the third engrossment, in the 89th Legislature. The tax expenditures referenced were enacted
in Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 1.
Subd. 2. Sales
tax purpose statements. (a)
The provision of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.67, subdivision 34, is
intended to provide equitable tax treatment for different types of investments. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the increase in precious metal bullion sold in the state and
in number of coin and precious metal trade shows held in the state.
(b) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.70, subdivision 14, are intended to increase the ability
of the nonprofit to provide opportunities for educating the public on the
history of farming. The standard against
which effectiveness is to be measured is an increase in the percent of the
organization's budget being used for direct spending for its mission.
Subd. 3. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. (a) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.0132, subdivision 26, are intended to attract to
Minnesota recipients of Social Security benefits and to retain those already
present, by providing a phased-in subtraction of Social Security benefits. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the change over time in the number of Social Security
recipients in Minnesota, after adjusting for demographic changes.
(b) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.0132, subdivision 23, and Minnesota Statutes, section
290.0684, are intended to increase saving for higher education expenses. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the change over time, as tracked by the Minnesota Office of
Higher Education, in: (1) the estimated
number of Minnesota residents making contributions to the Minnesota College
Savings Plan, and (2) the amount contributed.
(c) The modifications to
Minnesota Dependent Care Credit amending Minnesota Statutes, section 290.067,
subdivision 1, and repealing Minnesota Statutes, section 290.067, subdivision
2, modifying the limitations for claiming the credit, are intended to simplify
the dependent care credit by tying it more closely to the federal credit and to
recognize an increased burden in dependent care expenses as a cost of workforce
participation for parents. The standard
against which effectiveness is to be measured is the change in the error rate
on claims for dependent care credits and the change in the average credit
amount claimed by parents in the income range eligible for the credit under
present law.
(d) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.0686, are intended to improve the quality of teaching in
Minnesota kindergarten through grade 12 schools by encouraging teachers to
obtain master's degrees in the subject areas they teach. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the change over time in the number of kindergarten through
grade 12 classroom teachers with master's degrees in the subject area that they
teach.
(e) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 290.0682, are intended to reduce the debt burden of recent
graduates of higher education programs and to reduce and potentially reverse
the current net demographic loss of young adults in Minnesota. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the change over time in the number of young adults choosing
to move to or remain in Minnesota, as measured by the state demographer.
(f) The purpose of the tax expenditures
under Minnesota Statutes, sections 290.01, subdivision 19; 289A.02, subdivision
7; 290.01, subdivision 31; and 290A.03, subdivision 15; conforming Minnesota
individual income, corporate franchise, and estate taxes to changes in federal
law through December 16, 2016, are intended to simplify compliance with and
administration of those taxes. The
standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the reduction in the
number of income tax forms and text in the instructions for taxpayers resulting
from this provision.
Subd. 4. Other
purpose statements. (a) The
provisions in Minnesota Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 38, are intended
to reduce the effect of school bond referenda on owners of agricultural
property. The standard against which the
effectiveness of the credit is to be measured is the amount of property tax
reductions provided to owners of agricultural land.
(b) The provisions in Minnesota
Statutes, section 298.24, subdivision 1, are intended to encourage the
production of direct reduced ore and the establishment of more direct reduced
ore production facilities in Minnesota. The
standard against which this effectiveness is to be measured is the amount of
direct reduced ore produced and the number of producers of direct reduced ore
before and after enactment.
Sec. 13. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2017 TAX CONFORMITY BILL.
Subdivision 1. Source
of purpose statements. The
purpose statements in this section were originally included in the 2015 bill
styled as House File 848, the third engrossment, in the 89th Legislature. The tax expenditure referenced was enacted in
Laws 2017, chapter 1.
Subd. 2. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. The purpose of the tax expenditures
under Minnesota Statutes, sections 290.01, subdivision 19; 289A.02, subdivision
7; 290.01, subdivision 31; and 290A.03, subdivision 15; conforming Minnesota
individual income, corporate franchise, and estate taxes to changes in federal
law through December 16, 2016, are intended to simplify compliance with and
administration of those taxes. The
standard against which effectiveness is to be measured is the reduction in the
number of income tax forms and text in the instructions for taxpayers resulting
from this provision.
Sec. 14. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2016 OMNIBUS SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING BILL.
Subdivision 1. Source
of purpose statements. The
purpose statements in this section were originally included in the 2015 bill
styled as House File 848, the third engrossment, in the 89th Legislature. The tax expenditure referenced was enacted in
Laws 2016, chapter 189.
Subd. 2. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. The provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 290.0132, subdivision 21, are intended to attract to Minnesota military
retirees, and to retain those already present, by allowing a subtraction from
income tied to the number of years of military service provided. The standard against which effectiveness is
to be measured is the change over time in the number of military retirees in
Minnesota.
Sec. 15. PURPOSE
STATEMENTS; 2014 OMNIBUS TAX BILL.
Subdivision 1. Source
of purpose statements. The
purpose statements in this section were originally included in the 2014 bill
styled as House File 3167, the third engrossment, in the 89th Legislature. The tax expenditures referenced were enacted
in Laws 2014, chapter 308.
Subd. 2. Sales
tax purpose statements. (a)
The provision of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.68, subdivision 3a, defining
certain coin-operated amusement devices as sales for resale is intended to
reduce tax pyramiding by exempting an input to a taxable service.
(b) The provision of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.70, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (5), modifying the sales
tax on certain local government purchases is intended to reduce the cost of
providing local government services, remove a barrier for intergovernmental
cooperation, and reduce existing compliance and administration costs for local
governments.
(c) The provisions of Minnesota
Statutes, section 297A.70, subdivision 13, raising the limit on tax exempt fund‑raising
by nonprofit organizations are intended to reflect the impact on inflation over
time on the limit and reduce compliance costs for groups that exceed the limit.
(d) The provision of Minnesota Statutes,
section 297G.03, subdivision 5, allowing a microdistillery credit is to relieve
small distillers of the burden of paying excise tax on the distribution of free
samples of their products and to encourage the development and marketing of products
by niche distillers in the state.
Subd. 3. Income
and corporate franchise tax purpose statements. The modifications to the National
Guard subtraction contained in Laws 2014, chapter 308, article 4, section 12,
are intended to provide equitable tax treatment to Minnesota residents who are
members of the National Guard and serve full time in Active Guard/Reserve
status by allowing an income tax subtraction for military pay equivalent to
that allowed under Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 290.01, subdivision 19b,
clause (11), now codified as Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0132, subdivision
11, for Minnesota residents who serve full time in the armed forces of the
United States.
Subd. 4. Other
purpose statements. The
purpose of the tax expenditure under Minnesota Statutes, section 291.005,
subdivision 1, clause (8), subclause (iii), deeming certain qualified art on
loan to Minnesota nonprofit entities as property with a situs outside Minnesota
under the estate tax is intended to prevent the Minnesota estate tax from
discouraging nonresident owners of art from loaning it to Minnesota nonprofit
museums.
Sec. 16. APPROPRIATION;
TAX EXPENDITURE REVIEW.
(a) $36,000 in fiscal year 2022 and
$766,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the general fund to the
Legislative Coordinating Commission for the Tax Expenditure Review Commission
under Minnesota Statutes, section 3.8855.
The base for this appropriation is $745,000 in fiscal year 2024 and
$796,000 in fiscal year 2025.
(b) $148,000 in fiscal year
2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue to
provide research support to the Tax Expenditure Review Commission under
Minnesota Statutes, section 3.8855.
ARTICLE 13
MISCELLANEOUS TAX PROVISIONS
Section 1.
[16A.067] TAXPAYER RECEIPT.
(a) The commissioner, in consultation
with the commissioner of revenue, must develop and publish on the Department of
Management and Budget's website an interactive taxpayer receipt in accordance
with this section. The receipt must
describe the share of state general fund expenditures represented by major
expenditure categories in the most recent fiscal year for which data is
available. The receipt must show the
approximate allocation of motor vehicle fuel taxes among eligible
transportation purposes.
(b) For each expenditure category, the
receipt must include select data on the performance goals and outcomes for the
category, based on the goals and outcomes data required under section 16A.10,
subdivision 1b.
(c) The website must allow a user to
input an income amount, and must estimate the amount of major state taxes paid
by the user. The website must allocate
the user's estimated state tax liability to each major expenditure category
based on the category's percentage share of total state general fund spending. For the purposes of this section, "major
state taxes" means income, sales, alcohol, tobacco, and motor vehicle
fuels taxes.
(d) Using the income amount entered by
the user, the website must estimate the amount of income and direct sales taxes
paid based upon the taxpayer's income. The
website must allow a user to indicate whether the user used tobacco, consumed
alcohol, or purchased motor vehicle fuel in the previous year, and provide a
corresponding estimate of the cigarette, alcohol, and motor vehicle fuel taxes
paid by the user.
(e) The commissioner, in consultation
with the commissioner of revenue, must update the receipt by December 31 of
each year, and must annually promote to the public the availability of the
website.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 16A.152, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Additional revenues; priority. (a) If on the basis of a forecast of general fund revenues and expenditures, the commissioner of management and budget determines that there will be a positive unrestricted budgetary general fund balance at the close of the biennium, the commissioner of management and budget must allocate money to the following accounts and purposes in priority order:
(1) the cash flow account established in subdivision 1 until that account reaches $350,000,000;
(2) the budget reserve account established in subdivision 1a until that account reaches $1,596,522,000;
(3) the amount necessary to increase the aid payment schedule for school district aids and credits payments in section 127A.45 to not more than 90 percent rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent without exceeding the amount available and with any remaining funds deposited in the budget reserve;
(4) the amount necessary to restore all or a portion of the net aid reductions under section 127A.441 and to reduce the property tax revenue recognition shift under section 123B.75, subdivision 5, by the same amount;
(5) the clean water fund established in
section 114D.50 until $22,000,000 has been transferred into the fund; and
(6) (5) the amount necessary
to increase the Minnesota 21st century fund by not more than the difference
between $5,000,000 and the sum of the amounts credited and canceled to it in
the previous 12 months under Laws 2020, chapter 71, article 1, section 11,
until the sum of all transfers under this section and all amounts credited or
canceled under Laws 2020, chapter 71, article 1, section 11, equals $20,000,000.;
and
(6) for a forecast in November only, the amount necessary to reduce the percentage of accelerated June liability tax payments required under sections 289A.20, subdivision 4, paragraph (b); 297F.09, subdivision 10; and 297G.09, subdivision 9, until the percentage equals zero, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent with any remaining funds deposited in the budget reserve. By March 15 following the November forecast, the commissioner must provide the commissioner of revenue with the percentage of accelerated June liability owed based on the reduction required by this clause. By April 15 each year, the commissioner of revenue must certify that percentage to qualifying vendors and distributors.
(b) The amounts necessary to meet the requirements of this section are appropriated from the general fund within two weeks after the forecast is released or, in the case of transfers under paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), as necessary to meet the appropriations schedules otherwise established in statute.
(c) The commissioner of management and budget shall certify the total dollar amount of the reductions under paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), to the commissioner of education. The commissioner of education shall increase the aid payment percentage and reduce the property tax shift percentage by these amounts and apply those reductions to the current fiscal year and thereafter.
(d) Paragraph (a), clause (5), expires
after the entire amount of the transfer has been made.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270A.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Claimant agency. "Claimant agency" means any
state agency, as defined by section 14.02, subdivision 2, the regents of the
University of Minnesota, any district court of the state, any county, any statutory
or home rule charter city, including a city that is presenting a claim for a
municipal hospital or a public library or a municipal ambulance service, a
hospital district, a private nonprofit hospital that leases its building
from the county or city in which it is located, any ambulance service
licensed under chapter 144E, any public agency responsible for child support
enforcement, any public agency responsible for the collection of court-ordered
restitution, and any public agency established by general or special law that
is responsible for the administration of a low-income housing program.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.08, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 18. Taxpayer
receipt. (a) The commissioner
must offer all individual income taxpayers the opportunity to elect to receive
information about a taxpayer receipt via email or United States mail. In the manner selected by the taxpayer, the
commissioner must provide the taxpayer with information about how to access the
taxpayer receipt website established under section 16A.067. The commissioner must allow a taxpayer to
elect not to receive information about the receipt.
(b) Both the long and short forms
described in subdivision 13 must include the opportunity to elect to receive
information about the receipt.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.20, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Sales and use tax. (a) The taxes imposed by chapter 297A are due and payable to the commissioner monthly on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which the taxable event occurred, or following another reporting period as the commissioner prescribes or as allowed under section 289A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (f) or (g), except that use taxes due on an annual use tax return as provided under section 289A.11, subdivision 1, are payable by April 15 following the close of the calendar year.
(b) A vendor having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30 must remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(1) Two business days before June 30 of calendar year 2020 and 2021, the vendor must remit 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the commissioner. Two business days before June 30 of calendar year 2022 and thereafter, the vendor must remit 84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage as certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), of the estimated June liability to the commissioner.
(2) On or before August 20 of the year, the vendor must pay any additional amount of tax not remitted in June.
(c) A vendor having a liability of:
(1) $10,000 or more, but less than $250,000,
during a fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, and fiscal years thereafter, must
remit by electronic means all liabilities on returns due for periods beginning
in all subsequent calendar years on or before the 20th day of the month
following the month in which the taxable event occurred, or on or before the
20th day of the month following the month in which the sale is reported under
section 289A.18, subdivision 4; or
(2) $250,000 or more, during a
fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, and fiscal years thereafter, must
remit by electronic means all liabilities in the manner provided in paragraph
(a) on returns due for periods beginning in the subsequent calendar year,
except for 90 percent of the estimated June liability, which is due two
business days before June 30. The
remaining amount of the June liability is due on August 20.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) or (c), a person prohibited by the person's religious beliefs from paying electronically shall be allowed to remit the payment by mail. The filer must notify the commissioner of revenue of the intent to pay by mail before doing so on a form prescribed by the commissioner. No extra fee may be charged to a person making payment by mail under this paragraph. The payment must be postmarked at least two business days before the due date for making the payment in order to be considered paid on a timely basis.
(e) Paragraph (b) expires after the
percentage of estimated payment is reduced to zero in accordance with section
16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimate payments required to be made after July 1, 2021.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.60, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
Subd. 15. Accelerated payment of June sales tax liability; penalty for underpayment. (a) For payments made after December 31, 2019 and before December 31, 2021, if a vendor is required by law to submit an estimation of June sales tax liabilities and 87.5 percent payment by a certain date, the vendor shall pay a penalty equal to ten percent of the amount of actual June liability required to be paid in June less the amount remitted in June. The penalty must not be imposed, however, if the amount remitted in June equals the lesser of 87.5 percent of the preceding May's liability or 87.5 percent of the average monthly liability for the previous calendar year.
(b) For payments made after December 31, 2021, the penalty must not be imposed if the amount remitted in June equals the lesser of 84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage as certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), of the preceding May's liability or 84.5 percent of the average monthly liability for the previous calendar year.
(c) This subdivision expires after the
percentage of estimated payment is reduced to zero in accordance with section
16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimate payments required to be made after July 1, 2021.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290A.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Homeowners; homestead credit refund. A claimant whose property taxes payable are in excess of the percentage of the household income stated below shall pay an amount equal to the percent of income shown for the appropriate household income level along with the percent to be paid by the claimant of the remaining amount of property taxes payable. The state refund equals the amount of property taxes payable that remain, up to the state refund amount shown below.
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The payment made to a claimant shall be the
amount of the state refund calculated under this subdivision. No payment is allowed if the claimant's
household income is $113,150 $118,650 or more.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for refunds based on
property taxes payable after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290A.04, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. Renters. A claimant whose rent constituting property taxes exceeds the percentage of the household income stated below must pay an amount equal to the percent of income shown for the appropriate household income level along with the percent to be paid by the claimant of the remaining amount of rent constituting property taxes. The state refund equals the amount of rent constituting property taxes that remain, up to the maximum state refund amount shown below.
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The payment made to a claimant is the amount
of the state refund calculated under this subdivision. No payment is allowed if the claimant's
household income is $61,320 $64,300 or more.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for refunds based on rent paid after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297E.021, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Appropriation; general reserve account. To the extent the commissioner determines that revenues are available under subdivision 3 for the fiscal year, those amounts are appropriated from the general fund for deposit in a general reserve account established by order of the commissioner of management and budget until the amount in the reserve is equal to $100,000,000. Amounts in this reserve are appropriated as necessary for application against any shortfall in the amounts deposited to the general fund under section 297A.994 or, after consultation with the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy, amounts in this reserve are appropriated to the commissioner of management and budget for other uses related to the stadium authorized under section 473J.03, subdivision 8, that the commissioner deems financially prudent including but not limited to reimbursements for capital and operating costs relating to the stadium, refundings, and prepayment of debt. In no event, shall available revenues be pledged, nor shall the appropriations of available revenues made by this section constitute a pledge of available revenues as security for the prepayment of principal and interest on the appropriation bonds under section 16A.965.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Accelerated tax payment; cigarette or tobacco products distributor. A cigarette or tobacco products distributor having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30, shall remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(a) Two business days before June 30 of
calendar years 2020 and year 2021, the distributor shall remit
the actual May liability and 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to
the commissioner and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner. Two business days
before June 30 of calendar year 2022 and each calendar year thereafter, the distributor
must remit the actual May liability and 84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage
as certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision 2,
paragraph (a), clause (6), of the estimated June liability to the commissioner
and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) On or before August 18 of the year, the distributor shall submit a return showing the actual June liability and pay any additional amount of tax not remitted in June. A penalty is imposed equal to ten percent of the amount of June liability required to be paid in June, less the amount remitted in June. However, the penalty is not imposed if the amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:
(1) for calendar year 2021, 87.5
percent of the actual June liability for the that calendar year 2020
and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 of the actual June liability for June 2022
and thereafter or 87.5 percent of the May liability for that calendar
year; or
(2) 87.5 percent of the preceding May
liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 percent
of the preceding May liability for June 2022 and thereafter. for calendar year 2022 and each calendar
year thereafter, 84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage as certified by the
commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6),
of the actual June liability for that calendar year or 84.5 percent, or a
reduced percentage as certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152,
subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), of the May liability for that
calendar year.
(c) For calendar year 2022 and
thereafter, the percent of the estimated June liability the vendor must remit
by two business days before June 30 is 84.5 percent. This subdivision expires after the
percentage of estimated payment is reduced to zero in accordance with section
16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimate payments required to be made after July 1, 2021.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Tax and use tax on cigarettes. Revenue received from cigarette taxes, as well as related penalties, interest, license fees, and miscellaneous sources of revenue shall be deposited by the commissioner in the state treasury and credited as follows:
(1) $22,250,000 each year must be credited to the Academic Health Center special revenue fund hereby created and is annually appropriated to the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota for Academic Health Center funding at the University of Minnesota; and
(2) $3,937,000 each year must be credited to the medical education and research costs account hereby created in the special revenue fund and is annually appropriated to the commissioner of health for distribution under section 62J.692, subdivision 4; and
(3) $15,000,000 each year must be
credited to the tobacco use prevention and cessation account hereby created in
the special revenue fund and is annually appropriated to the commissioner of
health for tobacco use prevention and cessation projects consistent with the
duties specified in section 144.392; a public information program under section
144.393; the development of health promotion and health education materials
about tobacco use prevention and cessation; tobacco use prevention activities
under section 144.396; and statewide tobacco cessation services under section
144.397. In activities funded under this
clause, the commissioner of health must prioritize preventing youth use of
commercial tobacco and electronic delivery devices, must promote racial and
health equity, and must use strategies that are evidence-based or based on
promising practices. For purposes of
this clause, "tobacco" and "electronic delivery device"
have the meanings given in section 609.685, subdivision 1. This clause expires after the deposit made in
fiscal year 2029; and
(3) (4) the balance of the
revenues derived from taxes, penalties, and interest (under this chapter) and
from license fees and miscellaneous sources of revenue shall be credited to the
general fund.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for revenue received after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297G.09, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Accelerated tax payment; penalty. A person liable for tax under this chapter having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30, shall remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(a) Two business days before June 30 of
calendar years 2020 and year 2021, the taxpayer shall remit the
actual May liability and 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the
commissioner and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner. Two business days before
June 30 of calendar year 2022 and each calendar year thereafter, the
distributor must remit the actual May liability and 84.5 percent, or a reduced
percentage as certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision
2, paragraph (a), clause (6), of the estimated June liability to the
commissioner and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner.
(b) On or before August 18 of the year, the taxpayer shall submit a return showing the actual June liability and pay any additional amount of tax not remitted in June. A penalty is imposed equal to ten percent of the amount of June liability required to be paid in June less the amount remitted in June. However, the penalty is not imposed if the amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:
(1) for calendar year 2021, 87.5
percent of the actual June liability for the that calendar year 2020
and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 percent of the actual June liability for
June 2022 and thereafter or 87.5 percent of the May liability for that
calendar year; or
(2) 87.5 percent of the preceding May
liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 percent
of the preceding May liability for June 2022 and thereafter. for calendar year 2022 and thereafter,
84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage as certified by the commissioner under
section 16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), of the actual June
liability for that calendar year or 84.5 percent, or a reduced percentage as
certified by the commissioner under section 16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph
(a), clause (6), of the May liability for that calendar year.
(c) For calendar year 2022 and
thereafter, the percent of the estimated June liability the vendor must remit
by two business days before June 30 is 84.5 percent. This subdivision expires after the
percentage of estimated payment is reduced to zero in accordance with section
16A.152, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimate payments required to be made after July 1, 2021.
Sec. 13. [428B.01]
DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1. Applicability. As used in sections 428B.01 to
428B.09, the terms in this section have the meanings given them.
Subd. 2. Activity. "Activity" means but is not
limited to all of the following:
(1) promotion of tourism within the
district;
(2) promotion of business activity,
including but not limited to tourism, of businesses subject to the service
charge within the tourism improvement district;
(3) marketing, sales, and economic
development; and
(4) other services provided for the
purpose of conferring benefits upon businesses located in the tourism
improvement district that are subject to the tourism improvement district
service charge.
Subd. 3. Business. "Business" means the type or
class of lodging business that is described in the municipality's ordinance,
which benefits from district activities, adopted under section 428B.02.
Subd. 4. Business
owner. "Business
owner" means a person recognized by a municipality as the owner of a
business.
Subd. 5. City. "City" means a home rule
charter or statutory city.
Subd. 6. Clerk. "Clerk" means the chief
clerical officer of the municipality.
Subd. 7. Governing
body. "Governing
body" means, with respect to a city, a city council or other governing
body of a city. With respect to a town,
governing body means a town board or other governing body of a town. With respect to a county, governing body
means a board of commissioners or other governing body of a county.
Subd. 8. Impacted
business owners. "Impacted
business owners" means a majority of business owners located within a
tourism improvement district.
Subd. 9. Municipality. "Municipality" means a
county, city, or town.
Subd. 10. Tourism
improvement association. "Tourism
improvement association" means a new or existing and tax-exempt nonprofit
corporation, entity, or agency charged with promoting tourism within the
tourism improvement district and that is under contract with the municipality
to administer the tourism improvement district and implement the activities and
improvements listed in the municipality's ordinance.
Subd. 11. Tourism
improvement district. "Tourism
improvement district" means a tourism improvement district established
under this chapter.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 14. [428B.02]
ESTABLISHMENT OF TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
Subdivision 1. Ordinance. (a) Upon a petition by impacted
business owners, a governing body of a municipality may adopt an ordinance
establishing a tourism improvement district after holding a public hearing on
the district. The ordinance must
include:
(1) a map that identifies the tourism
improvement district boundaries in sufficient detail to allow a business owner
to reasonably determine whether a business is located within the tourism
improvement district boundaries;
(2) the name of the tourism improvement
association designated to administer the tourism improvement district and
implement the approved activities and improvements;
(3) a list of the proposed activities
and improvements in the tourism improvement district;
(4) the time and manner of collecting
the service charge and any interest and penalties for nonpayment;
(5) a definition describing the type or class of businesses to be included in the tourism improvement district and subject to the service charge;
(6) the rate, method, and basis of the
service charge for the district, including the portion dedicated to covering
expenses listed in subdivision 4, paragraph (b); and
(7) the number of years the service
charge will be in effect.
(b) If the boundaries of a
proposed tourism improvement district overlap with the boundaries of an
existing special service district, the tourism improvement district ordinance
may list measures to avoid any impediments on the ability of the special
service district to continue to provide its services to benefit its property
owners.
Subd. 2. Notice. A municipality must provide notice of
the hearing by publication in at least two issues of the official newspaper of
the municipality. The two publications
must be two weeks apart and the municipality must hold the hearing at least
three days after the last publication. Not
less than ten days before the hearing, the municipality must mail notice to the
business owner of each business subject to the proposed service charge by the
tourism improvement district. The notice
must include:
(1) a map showing the boundaries of the
proposed district;
(2) the time and place of the public
hearing;
(3) a statement that all interested
persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing regarding the
proposed service charge; and
(4) a brief description of the proposed
activities, improvements, and service charge.
Subd. 3. Business
owner determination. A
business must provide ownership information to the municipality. A municipality has no obligation to obtain
other information regarding the ownership of businesses, and its determination
of ownership shall be final for the purposes of this chapter. If this chapter requires the signature of a
business owner, the signature of the authorized representative of a business
owner is sufficient.
Subd. 4. Service
charges; relationship to services. (a)
A municipality may impose a service charge on a business pursuant to this
chapter for the purpose of providing activities and improvements that will
provide benefits to a business that is located within the tourism improvement
district and subject to the tourism improvement district service charge. Each business paying a service charge within
a district must benefit directly or indirectly from improvements provided by a
tourism improvement association, provided, however, the business need not
benefit equally. Service charges must be
based on a percent of gross business revenue, a fixed dollar amount per
transaction, or any other reasonable method based upon benefit and approved by
the municipality.
(b) Service charges may be used to cover
the costs of collections, as well as other administrative costs associated with
operating, forming, or maintaining the district.
Subd. 5. Public
hearing. At the public
hearing regarding the adoption of the ordinance establishing a tourism
improvement district, business owners and persons affected by the proposed
district may testify on issues relevant to the proposed district. The hearing may be adjourned from time to
time. The ordinance establishing the
district may be adopted at any time within six months after the date of the
conclusion of the hearing by a vote of the majority of the governing body of
the municipality.
Subd. 6. Appeal
to district court. Within 45
days after the adoption of the ordinance establishing a tourism improvement
district, a person aggrieved, who is not precluded by failure to object before
or at the public hearing, may appeal to the district court by serving a notice
on the clerk of the municipality or governing body. The validity of the tourism improvement
district and the service charge imposed under this chapter shall not be
contested in an action or proceeding unless the action or proceeding is
commenced within 45 days after the adoption of the ordinance establishing a
tourism improvement district. The
petitioner must file notice with the court administrator of the district court
within ten days after its service. The
clerk of the municipality must provide the petitioner with a certified copy of
the findings and determination of the governing body. The court may affirm the action objected to
or, if the petitioner's objections have merit, modify or cancel it. If the petitioner does not prevail on the
appeal, the costs incurred shall be taxed to the petitioner by the court and
judgment entered for them. All
objections shall be deemed waived unless presented on appeal.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 15. [428B.03]
SERVICE CHARGE AUTHORITY; NOTICE; HEARING REQUIREMENT.
Subdivision 1. Authority. A municipality may impose service
charges authorized under section 428B.02, subdivision 4, to finance an activity
or improvement in the tourism improvement district that is provided by the
municipality if the activity or improvement is provided in the tourism
improvement district at an increased level of service. The service charges may be imposed in the
amount needed to pay for the increased level of service provided by the
activity or improvement.
Subd. 2. Annual
hearing requirement; notice. Beginning
one year after the establishment of the tourism improvement district, the
municipality must hold an annual hearing regarding continuation of the service
charges in the tourism improvement district.
The municipality must provide notice of the hearing by publication in
the official newspaper at least seven days before the hearing. The municipality must mail notice of the
hearing to business owners subject to the service charge at least seven days
before the hearing. At the public
hearing, a person affected by the proposed district may testify on issues
relevant to the proposed district. Within
six months of the public hearing, the municipality may adopt a resolution to
continue imposing service charges within the district not exceeding the amount
or rate expressed in the notice. For
purposes of this section, the notice must include:
(1) a map showing the boundaries of the
district;
(2) the time and place of the public
hearing;
(3) a statement that all interested
persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing regarding the
proposed service charge;
(4) a brief description of the proposed
activities and improvements;
(5) the estimated annual amount of proposed expenditures for activities and improvements;
(6) the rate of the service charge for
the district during the year and the nature and character of the proposed
activities and improvements for the district during the year in which service
charges are collected;
(7) the number of years the service
charge will be in effect; and
(8) a statement that the petition
requirement of section 428B.07 has either been met or does not apply to the
proposed service charge.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 16. [428B.04]
MODIFICATION OF ORDINANCE.
Subdivision 1. Adoption
of ordinance; request for modification.
Upon written request of the tourism improvement association, the
governing body of a municipality may adopt an ordinance to modify the district
after conducting a public hearing on the proposed modifications. If the modification includes a change to the
rate, method, and basis of imposing the service charge or the expansion of the
tourism improvement district's geographic boundaries, a petition as described
in section 428B.07 must be submitted by impacted business owners to initiate
proceedings for modification.
Subd. 2. Notice
of modification. A
municipality must provide notice of the hearing by publication in at least two
issues of the municipality's official newspaper. The two publications must be two weeks apart
and the municipality must hold a hearing at least three days after the last
publication. Not less than ten days
before the hearing, the municipality must mail notice to the business owner of
each business subject to the service charge by the tourism improvement district. The notice must include:
(1)
a map showing the boundaries of the district;
(2) the time and place of the public
hearing;
(3) a statement that all interested
persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing regarding the
proposed service charge; and
(4) a brief description of the proposed
modification to the ordinance.
Subd. 3. Hearing
on modification. At the
public hearing regarding modification to the ordinance, a person affected by
the proposed modification may testify on issues relevant to the proposed
modification. Within six months after
the conclusion of the hearing, the municipality may adopt the ordinance
modifying the district by a vote of the majority of the governing body in
accordance with the request for modification by the tourism improvement
association and as described in the notice.
Subd. 4. Objection. If the modification of the ordinance
includes the expansion of the tourism improvement district's geographic
boundaries, the ordinance modifying the district may be adopted after following
the notice and veto requirements in section 428B.08; however, a successful
objection will be determined based on a majority of business owners who will
pay the service charge in the expanded area of the district. For all other modifications, the ordinance
modifying the district may be adopted following the notice and veto
requirements in section 428B.08.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 17. [428B.05]
COLLECTION OF SERVICE CHARGES; PENALTIES.
The service charges imposed under this
chapter may be collected by the municipality, tourism improvement association,
or other designated agency or entity. Collection
of the service charges must be made at the time and in the manner set forth in
the ordinance. The entity collecting the
service charges may charge interest and penalties on delinquent payments for
service charges imposed under this chapter as set forth in the municipality's
ordinance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 18. [428B.06]
TOURISM IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.
Subdivision 1. Composition
and duties. The tourism
improvement association must be designated in the municipality's ordinance. The tourism improvement association shall
appoint a governing board or committee composed of a majority of business
owners who pay the tourism improvement district service charge, or the
representatives of those business owners.
The governing board or committee must manage the funds raised by the tourism
improvement district and fulfill the obligations of the tourism improvement
district. A tourism improvement
association has full discretion to select the specific activities and
improvements that are funded with tourism improvement district service charges
within the authorized activities and improvements described in the ordinance.
Subd. 2. Annual
report. The tourism
improvement association must submit to the municipality an annual report for
each year in which a service charge is imposed.
The report must include a financial statement of revenue raised by the
district. The municipality may also, as
part of the enabling ordinance, require the submission of other relevant
information related to the association.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
the day following final enactment.
Sec. 19. [428B.07]
PETITION REQUIRED.
A municipality may not establish a
tourism improvement district under section 428B.02 unless impacted business
owners file a petition requesting a public hearing on the proposed action with
the clerk of the municipality.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 20. [428B.08]
VETO POWER OF OWNERS.
Subdivision 1. Notice
of right to file objections. The
effective date of an ordinance or resolution adopted under this chapter must be
at least 45 days after it is adopted by the municipality. Within five days after the municipality
adopts the ordinance or resolution, the municipality must mail a summary of the
ordinance or resolution to each business owner subject to the service charge
within the tourism improvement district in the same manner that notice is mailed
under section 428B.02. The mailing must
include a notice that business owners subject to the service charge have the
right to veto, by a simple majority, the ordinance or resolution by filing the
required number of objections with the clerk of the municipality before the
effective date of the ordinance or resolution and include notice that a copy of
the ordinance or resolution is available for public inspection with the clerk
of the municipality.
Subd. 2. Requirements
for veto. If impacted
business owners file an objection to the ordinance or resolution before the
effective date of the ordinance or resolution, the ordinance or resolution does
not become effective.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 21. [428B.09]
DISESTABLISHMENT.
Subdivision 1. Procedure
for disestablishment. An
ordinance adopted under this chapter must provide a 30‑day period each
year in which business owners subject to the service charge may request
disestablishment of the district. Beginning
one year after establishment of the tourism improvement district, an annual
30-day period of disestablishment begins with the anniversary of the date of
establishment. Upon submission of a
petition from impacted business owners, the municipality may disestablish a
tourism improvement district by adopting an ordinance after holding a public
hearing on the disestablishment. Prior
to the public hearing, the municipality must publish notice of the public
hearing on disestablishment in at least two issues of the municipality's
official newspaper. The two publications
must be two weeks apart and the municipality must hold the hearing at least
three days after the last publication. Not
less than ten days before the hearing, the municipality must mail notice to the
business owner of each business subject to the service charge. The notice must include:
(1) the time and place of the public
hearing;
(2) a statement that all interested
persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing regarding
disestablishment;
(3) the reason for disestablishment;
and
(4) a proposal to dispose of any assets acquired with the revenues of the service charge imposed under the tourism improvement district.
Subd. 2. Objection. An ordinance disestablishing the
tourism improvement district becomes effective following the notice and veto
requirements in section 428B.08.
Subd. 3. Refund
to business owners. (a) Upon
the disestablishment of a tourism improvement district, any remaining revenues
derived from the service charge, or any revenues derived from the sale of
assets acquired with the service charge revenues, shall be refunded to business
owners located and operating within the tourism improvement district in which
service charges were imposed by applying the same method and basis that was
used to calculate the service charges levied in the fiscal year in which the
district is disestablished.
(b) If the disestablishment occurs
before the service charge is imposed for the fiscal year, the method and basis
that was used to calculate the service charge imposed in the immediate prior
fiscal year shall be used to calculate the amount of a refund, if any.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 22. [428B.10]
COORDINATION OF DISTRICTS.
If a county establishes a tourism
improvement district in a city or town under this chapter, a city or town may
not establish a tourism improvement district in the part of the city or town
located in the county-established district.
If a city or town establishes a tourism improvement district under this
chapter, a county may not establish a tourism improvement district in the part
of the city or town located in the city- or town-established district.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 462A.38, is amended to read:
462A.38
WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. A workforce and affordable homeownership development program is established to award homeownership development grants and loans to cities, counties, Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, cooperatives created under chapter 308A or 308B, and community land trusts created for the purposes outlined in section 462A.31, subdivision 1, for development of workforce and affordable homeownership projects. The purpose of the program is to increase the supply of workforce and affordable, owner-occupied multifamily or single-family housing throughout Minnesota.
Subd. 2. Use of funds. (a) Grant funds and loans awarded under this program may be used for:
(1) development costs;
(2) rehabilitation;
(3) land development; and
(4) residential housing, including storm shelters and related community facilities.
(b) A project funded through the grant
this program shall serve households that meet the income limits as
provided in section 462A.33, subdivision 5, unless a project is intended for
the purpose outlined in section 462A.02, subdivision 6.
Subd. 3. Application. The commissioner shall develop forms and procedures for soliciting and reviewing applications for grants and loans under this section. The commissioner shall consult with interested stakeholders when developing the guidelines and procedures for the program. In making grants and loans, the commissioner shall establish semiannual application deadlines in which grants and loans will be authorized from all or part of the available appropriations.
Subd. 4. Awarding grants and loans. Among comparable proposals, preference must be given to proposals that include contributions from nonstate resources for the greatest portion of the total development cost.
Subd. 5. Statewide program. The agency shall attempt to make grants and loans in approximately equal amounts to applicants outside and within the metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2.
Subd. 6. Report. Beginning January 15, 2018 2022,
the commissioner must annually submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the senate and house of representatives committees having
jurisdiction over housing and workforce development specifying the projects
that received grants and loans under this section and the specific
purposes for which the grant or loan funds were used.
Subd. 7. Workforce
and affordable homeownership development account. A workforce and affordable
homeownership development account is established in the housing development
fund. Money in the account, including
interest, is appropriated to the commissioner of the Housing Finance Agency for
the purposes of this section. The amount
appropriated under this section must supplement traditional sources of funding
for this purpose and must not be used as a substitute or to pay debt service on
bonds.
Subd. 8. Deposits;
funding amount. (a) In fiscal
years 2022 to 2029, an amount equal to $15,000,000 of the state's portion of
the proceeds derived from the mortgage registry tax imposed under section
287.035 and the deed tax imposed under section 287.21 is appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of the Housing Finance Agency to transfer to
the housing development fund for deposit into the workforce and affordable
homeownership development account. The
appropriation must be made annually by September 15.
(b) All loan repayments received under
this section are to be deposited into the workforce and affordable
homeownership development account in the housing development fund.
(c) This subdivision expires September
16, 2028.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 24. 4D
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS REPORT.
(a) No later than January 15, 2022, the
commissioner of revenue, in consultation with the Minnesota Housing Finance
Agency, must produce a report on class 4d property, as defined in Minnesota
Statutes, section 273.13, subdivision 25, and on local 4d affordable housing
programs. The commissioner must provide
a copy of the report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over property taxation. The report must comply with the requirements
of Minnesota Statutes, sections 3.195 and 3.197. The report must include the following to the
extent available:
(1) for properties classified in part
or in whole as 4d qualifying under Minnesota Statutes, section 273.128,
subdivision 1, clauses (1) to (4), with separate amounts given for properties
under each clause:
(i)
the number of units classified as 4d in each property in the previous
assessment year as reported by each county;
(ii) the number of units not classified
as 4d in each property in the previous assessment year;
(iii) the property tax paid in 2021;
(iv) the property tax reduction in 2021
resulting from the property being classified as 4d rather than 4a; and
(v) the total number of 4d units in
each of the last ten years; and
(2) for properties classified
in part or in whole as 4d qualifying under Minnesota Statutes, section 273.128,
subdivision 1, clauses (1) to (4):
(i) the percent change in each political
subdivision's net tax capacity if the first-tier class rate of the 4d
classification was reduced from 0.75 percent to 0.25 percent;
(ii) the number of 4d properties located
within tax increment financing districts, and the impact on increment
generation in those districts as a result of these properties being classified
as 4d rather than 4a;
(iii) the impact that a 4d class rate reduction
from 0.75 percent to 0.25 percent for the entire valuation would have on the
property tax burden for homestead property;
(iv) the total number of 4d units whose
value qualifies for the second tier in each year since 2019;
(v) the impact that a reduction of the
4d class rate from 0.75 percent to 0.25 percent for the entire valuation would
have on property tax refunds received by renters and on property tax refunds
received by homeowners in jurisdictions that contain 4d property; and
(vi) a profile of income limits and area
median incomes used in Minnesota by the United States Department of Housing and
Urban Development to determine the eligibility for assisted housing programs.
(b) Counties must report to the
commissioner of revenue any data required by paragraph (a), clauses (1) and
(2), by November 1, 2021.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 25. BUDGET
RESERVE REDUCTION.
On July 1, 2021, the balance of the
budget reserve account established in Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.152,
subdivision 1a, is reduced by $150,000,000.
This reduction is in addition to the reduction authorized in Laws 2019,
First Special Session chapter 6, article 11, section 17.
Sec. 26. APPROPRIATIONS;
FIRE REMEDIATION GRANTS.
Subdivision 1. City
of Melrose. $643,729 in
fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue for a grant to the city
of Melrose to remediate the effects of fires in the city on September 8,
2016. This appropriation represents the
amounts that lapsed by the terms of the appropriation in Laws 2017, First
Special Session chapter 1, article 4, section 31. The commissioner of revenue must remit the
funds to the city of Melrose by July 20, 2021.
The city must use the funds to administer grants to public or private
entities for use in accordance with subdivision 3.
Subd. 2. City
of Alexandria. $120,000 in
fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
revenue for a grant to the city of Alexandria to remediate the effects of the
fire in the city on February 25, 2020. The
commissioner of revenue must remit the funds to the city of Alexandria by July
20, 2021. The city must use the funds to administer grants to public or private
entities for use in accordance with subdivision 3.
Subd. 3. Allowed
use. A grant recipient must
use the money appropriated under this section for remediation costs, including
disaster recovery, infrastructure, reimbursement for emergency personnel costs,
reimbursement for equipment costs, and reimbursements for property tax
abatements, incurred by public or private entities as a result of the fires. These appropriations are onetime and are
available until June 30, 2023.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
the day following final enactment.
Sec. 27. DEPARTMENT
OF REVENUE FREE FILING REPORT.
Subdivision 1. Report
required. (a) By February 15,
2022, the commissioner of revenue must provide a written report to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over taxes. The report must comply with
the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, sections 3.195 and 3.197, and must also
provide information on free electronic filing options for preparing and filing
Minnesota individual income tax returns.
(b) The commissioner must survey tax preparation software vendors for information on a free electronic preparation and filing option for taxpayers to file Minnesota individual income tax returns. The survey must request information from vendors that addresses the following concerns:
(1) system development, capability,
security, and costs for consumer-based tax filing software;
(2) costs per return that would be
charged to the state of Minnesota to provide an electronic individual income
tax return preparation, submission, and payment remittance process;
(3) providing customer service and issue
resolution to taxpayers using the software;
(4) providing and maintaining an
appropriate link between the Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue
Service Modernized Electronic Filing Program;
(5) ensuring that taxpayer return
information is maintained and protected as required by Minnesota Statutes,
chapters 13 and 270B, Internal Revenue Service Publication 1075, and any other
applicable requirements; and
(6) current availability of products for
the free filing and submitting of both Minnesota and federal returns offered to
customers and the income thresholds for using those products.
(c) The report by the commissioner must
include at a minimum:
(1) a review of options that other
states use for state electronic filing;
(2) an assessment of taxpayer needs for
electronic filing, including current filing practices;
(3) an analysis of alternative options
to provide free filing, such as tax credits, vendor incentives, or other
benefits; and
(4) an analysis of the Internal Revenue
Service Free File Program usage.
Subd. 2. Appropriation. $175,000 in fiscal year 2022 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue for the free
filing report required under this section.
This is a onetime appropriation.
Sec. 28. APPROPRIATION;
TAXPAYER RECEIPT.
(a) $100,000 in fiscal year 2022 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of management and budget
to develop and publish the taxpayer receipt under Minnesota Statutes, section
16A.067. The base funding for this
program is $47,000 in fiscal year 2023 and thereafter.
(b) $19,000 in fiscal year 2022 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue to coordinate
with the commissioner of management and budget to provide information that
meets the requirements of the taxpayer receipt under Minnesota Statutes,
section 16A.067. The base funding is
$8,000 in fiscal year 2023 and thereafter.
ARTICLE 14
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICY AND TECHNICAL:
INCOME AND CORPORATE FRANCHISE TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.08, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Composite income tax returns for nonresident partners, shareholders, and beneficiaries. (a) The commissioner may allow a partnership with nonresident partners to file a composite return and to pay the tax on behalf of nonresident partners who have no other Minnesota source income. This composite return must include the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, income allocation, and tax liability for the nonresident partners electing to be covered by the composite return.
(b) The computation of a partner's tax liability must be determined by multiplying the income allocated to that partner by the highest rate used to determine the tax liability for individuals under section 290.06, subdivision 2c. Nonbusiness deductions, standard deductions, or personal exemptions are not allowed.
(c) The partnership must submit a request to use this composite return filing method for nonresident partners. The requesting partnership must file a composite return in the form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The filing of a composite return is considered a request to use the composite return filing method.
(d) The electing partner must not have any Minnesota source income other than the income from the partnership and other electing partnerships. If it is determined that the electing partner has other Minnesota source income, the inclusion of the income and tax liability for that partner under this provision will not constitute a return to satisfy the requirements of subdivision 1. The tax paid for the individual as part of the composite return is allowed as a payment of the tax by the individual on the date on which the composite return payment was made. If the electing nonresident partner has no other Minnesota source income, filing of the composite return is a return for purposes of subdivision 1.
(e) This subdivision does not negate the requirement that an individual pay estimated tax if the individual's liability would exceed the requirements set forth in section 289A.25. The individual's liability to pay estimated tax is, however, satisfied when the partnership pays composite estimated tax in the manner prescribed in section 289A.25.
(f) If an electing partner's share of the partnership's gross income from Minnesota sources is less than the filing requirements for a nonresident under this subdivision, the tax liability is zero. However, a statement showing the partner's share of gross income must be included as part of the composite return.
(g) The election provided in this subdivision is only available to a partner who has no other Minnesota source income and who is either (1) a full-year nonresident individual or (2) a trust or estate that does not claim a deduction under either section 651 or 661 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(h) A corporation defined in section 290.9725 and its nonresident shareholders may make an election under this paragraph. The provisions covering the partnership apply to the corporation and the provisions applying to the partner apply to the shareholder.
(i) Estates and trusts distributing current income only and the nonresident individual beneficiaries of the estates or trusts may make an election under this paragraph. The provisions covering the partnership apply to the estate or trust. The provisions applying to the partner apply to the beneficiary.
(j) For the purposes of this subdivision,
"income" means the partner's share of federal adjusted gross income
from the partnership modified by the additions provided in section 290.0131,
subdivisions 8 to 10 and, 16, and 17, and the subtractions
provided in: (1) section 290.0132, subdivision
subdivisions 9, 27, and 28, to the extent the
amount is assignable or allocable to Minnesota under section 290.17; and (2) section 290.0132, subdivision 14. The subtraction allowed under section 290.0132, subdivision 9, is only allowed on the composite tax computation to the extent the electing partner would have been allowed the subtraction.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.09, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Withholding statement. (a) A person required to deduct and
withhold from an employee a tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 3, or
290.923, subdivision 2, or who would have been required to deduct and withhold
a tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 3, or persons required to
withhold tax under section 290.923, subdivision 2, determined without regard to
section 290.92, subdivision 19, if the employee or payee had claimed no more
than one withholding exemption allowance, or who paid wages or
made payments not subject to withholding under section 290.92, subdivision 2a
or 3, or 290.923, subdivision 2, to an employee or person receiving royalty
payments in excess of $600, or who has entered into a voluntary withholding
agreement with a payee under section 290.92, subdivision 20, must give every
employee or person receiving royalty payments in respect to the remuneration
paid by the person to the employee or person receiving royalty payments during
the calendar year, on or before January 31 of the succeeding year, or, if
employment is terminated before the close of the calendar year, within 30 days
after the date of receipt of a written request from the employee if the 30-day
period ends before January 31, a written statement showing the following:
(1) name of the person;
(2) the name of the employee or payee and the employee's or payee's Social Security account number;
(3) the total amount of wages as that term is defined in section 290.92, subdivision 1, paragraph (1); the total amount of remuneration subject to withholding under section 290.92, subdivision 20; the amount of sick pay as required under section 6051(f) of the Internal Revenue Code; and the amount of royalties subject to withholding under section 290.923, subdivision 2; and
(4) the total amount deducted and withheld as tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 3, or 290.923, subdivision 2.
(b) The statement required to be furnished by paragraph (a) with respect to any remuneration must be furnished at those times, must contain the information required, and must be in the form the commissioner prescribes.
(c) The commissioner may prescribe rules providing for reasonable extensions of time, not in excess of 30 days, to employers or payers required to give the statements to their employees or payees under this subdivision.
(d) A duplicate of any statement made under this subdivision and in accordance with rules prescribed by the commissioner must be filed with the commissioner on or before January 31 of the year after the payments were made.
(e) If an employer cancels the employer's Minnesota withholding account number required by section 290.92, subdivision 24, the information required by paragraph (d), must be filed with the commissioner within 30 days of the end of the quarter in which the employer cancels its account number.
(f) The employer must submit the statements required to be sent to the commissioner. The commissioner shall prescribe the content, format, and manner of the statement pursuant to section 270C.30.
(g) A "third-party bulk filer" as defined in section 290.92, subdivision 30, paragraph (a), clause (2), must submit the returns required by this subdivision and subdivision 1, paragraph (a), with the commissioner by electronic means.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0121, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Inflation
adjustment. For taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2019, the commissioner must adjust for inflation the exemption amount in subdivision 1, paragraph
(b), and the threshold amounts in subdivision 2, as provided in section
270C.22. The statutory year is taxable
year 2019. The amounts as adjusted must
be rounded down to the nearest $50 amount.
If the amount ends in $25, the amount is rounded down to the nearest
$50 amount. The threshold amount for
married individuals filing separate returns must be one-half of the adjusted
amount for married individuals filing joint returns.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (1) Wages. For purposes of this section, the term "wages" means the same as that term is defined in section 3401(a), (f), and (i) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) Payroll period. For purposes of this section the term "payroll period" means a period for which a payment of wages is ordinarily made to the employee by the employee's employer, and the term "miscellaneous payroll period" means a payroll period other than a daily, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual payroll period.
(3) Employee. For purposes of this section the term "employee" means any resident individual performing services for an employer, either within or without, or both within and without the state of Minnesota, and every nonresident individual performing services within the state of Minnesota, the performance of which services constitute, establish, and determine the relationship between the parties as that of employer and employee. As used in the preceding sentence, the term "employee" includes an officer of a corporation, and an officer, employee, or elected official of the United States, a state, or any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing.
(4) Employer. For purposes of this section the term "employer" means any person, including individuals, fiduciaries, estates, trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations transacting business in or deriving any income from sources within the state of Minnesota for whom an individual performs or performed any service, of whatever nature, as the employee of such person, except that if the person for whom the individual performs or performed the services does not have control of the payment of the wages for such services, the term "employer," except for purposes of paragraph (1), means the person having control of the payment of such wages. As used in the preceding sentence, the term "employer" includes any corporation, individual, estate, trust, or organization which is exempt from taxation under section 290.05 and further includes, but is not limited to, officers of corporations who have control, either individually or jointly with another or others, of the payment of the wages.
(5) Number
of withholding exemptions allowances claimed. For purposes of this section, the term
"number of withholding exemptions allowances claimed"
means the number of withholding exemptions allowances claimed in
a withholding exemption allowances certificate in effect under
subdivision 5, except that if no such certificate is in effect, the number of
withholding exemptions allowances claimed shall be considered to
be zero.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. Collection at source. (1) Deductions. Every employer making payment of wages shall deduct and withhold upon such wages a tax as provided in this section.
(2) Withholding on payroll period. The employer shall withhold the tax on the basis of each payroll period or as otherwise provided in this section.
(3)
Withholding tables. Unless the amount of tax to be withheld
is determined as provided in subdivision 3, the amount of tax to be withheld
for each individual shall be based upon tables to be prepared and distributed
by the commissioner. The tables shall be
computed for the several permissible withholding periods and shall take account
of exemptions allowances allowed under this section; and the
amounts computed for withholding shall be such that the amount withheld for any
individual during the individual's taxable year shall approximate in the
aggregate as closely as possible the tax which is levied and imposed under this
chapter for that taxable year, upon the individual's salary, wages, or
compensation for personal services of any kind for the employer.
(4) Miscellaneous payroll period. If wages are paid with respect to a period which is not a payroll period, the amount to be deducted and withheld shall be that applicable in the case of a miscellaneous payroll period containing a number of days, including Sundays and holidays, equal to the number of days in the period with respect to which such wages are paid.
(5) Miscellaneous payroll period. (a) In any case in which wages are paid by an employer without regard to any payroll period or other period, the amount to be deducted and withheld shall be that applicable in the case of a miscellaneous payroll period containing a number of days equal to the number of days, including Sundays and holidays, which have elapsed since the date of the last payment of such wages by such employer during the calendar year, or the date of commencement of employment with such employer during such year, or January 1 of such year, whichever is the later.
(b) In any case in which the period, or the time described in clause (a), in respect of any wages is less than one week, the commissioner, under rules prescribed by the commissioner, may authorize an employer to determine the amount to be deducted and withheld under the tables applicable in the case of a weekly payroll period, in which case the aggregate of the wages paid to the employee during the calendar week shall be considered the weekly wages.
(6) Wages computed to nearest dollar. If the wages exceed the highest bracket, in determining the amount to be deducted and withheld under this subdivision, the wages may, at the election of the employer, be computed to the nearest dollar.
(7) Rules on withholding. The commissioner may, by rule, authorize employers:
(a) to estimate the wages which will be paid to any employee in any quarter of the calendar year;
(b) to determine the amount to be deducted and withheld upon each payment of wages to such employee during such quarter as if the appropriate average of the wages so estimated constituted the actual wages paid; and
(c) to deduct and withhold upon any payment of wages to such employee during such quarter such amount as may be necessary to adjust the amount actually deducted and withheld upon wages of such employee during such quarter to the amount required to be deducted and withheld during such quarter without regard to this paragraph (7).
(8) Additional withholding. The commissioner is authorized to provide by rule for increases or decreases in the amount of withholding otherwise required under this section in cases where the employee requests the changes. Such additional withholding shall for all purposes be considered tax required to be deducted and withheld under this section.
(9) Tips. In the case of tips which constitute wages, this subdivision shall be applicable only to such tips as are included in a written statement furnished to the employer pursuant to section 6053 of the Internal Revenue Code and only to the extent that the tax can be deducted and withheld by the employer, at or after the time such statement is so furnished and before the close of the calendar year in which such statement is furnished, from such wages of the employee (excluding tips, but including funds turned over by the employee to the employer for the purpose of such deduction and withholding) as are under the control of the employer; and an employer who is furnished by an
employee a written statement of tips (received in a calendar month) pursuant to section 6053 of the Internal Revenue Code to which subdivision 1 is applicable may deduct and withhold the tax with respect to such tips from any wages of the employee (excluding tips) under the employer's control, even though at the time such statement is furnished the total amount of the tips included in statements furnished to the employer as having been received by the employee in such calendar month in the course of employment by such employer is less than $20. Such tax shall not at any time be deducted and withheld in an amount which exceeds the aggregate of such wages and funds as are under the control of the employer minus any tax required by other provisions of state or federal law to be collected from such wages and funds.
(10) Vehicle fringe benefits. An employer shall not deduct and withhold any tax under this section with respect to any vehicle fringe benefit provided to an employee if the employer has so elected for federal purposes and the requirement of and the definition contained in section 3402(s) of the Internal Revenue Code are complied with.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Withholding, irregular period. If payment of wages is made to an employee by an employer
(a) With respect to a payroll period or other period, any part of which is included in a payroll period or other period with respect to which wages are also paid to such employees by such employer, or
(b) Without regard to any payroll period or other period, but on or prior to the expiration of a payroll period or other period with respect to which wages are also paid to such employee by such employer, or
(c) With respect to a period beginning in one and ending in another calendar year, or
(d) Through an agent, fiduciary, or other person who also has the control, receipt, custody, or disposal of or pays, the wages payable by another employer to such employee.
The manner of withholding and the amount to
be deducted and withheld under subdivision 2a shall be determined in accordance
with rules prescribed by the commissioner under which the withholding exemption
allowance allowed to the employee in any calendar year shall approximate
the withholding exemption allowance allowable with respect to an
annual payroll period, except that if supplemental wages are not paid
concurrent with a payroll period the employer shall withhold tax on the
supplemental payment at the rate of 6.25 percent as if no exemption allowance
had been claimed.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 4b, is amended to read:
Subd. 4b. Withholding by partnerships. (a) A partnership shall deduct and withhold a tax as provided in paragraph (b) for nonresident individual partners based on their distributive shares of partnership income for a taxable year of the partnership.
(b) The amount of tax withheld is
determined by multiplying the partner's distributive share allocable to
Minnesota under section 290.17, paid or credited during the taxable year by the
highest rate used to determine the income tax liability for an individual under
section 290.06, subdivision 2c, except that the amount of tax withheld may be
determined by the commissioner if the partner submits a withholding exemption
allowance certificate under subdivision 5.
(c) The commissioner may reduce or abate the tax withheld under this subdivision if the partnership had reasonable cause to believe that no tax was due under this section.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a partnership is not required to deduct and withhold tax for a nonresident partner if:
(1) the partner elects to have the tax due paid as part of the partnership's composite return under section 289A.08, subdivision 7;
(2) the
partner has Minnesota assignable federal adjusted gross income from the
partnership of less than $1,000; or
(3) the partnership is liquidated or terminated, the income was generated by a transaction related to the termination or liquidation, and no cash or other property was distributed in the current or prior taxable year;
(4) the distributive shares of partnership income are attributable to:
(i) income required to be recognized because of discharge of indebtedness;
(ii) income recognized because of a sale, exchange, or other disposition of real estate, depreciable property, or property described in section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code; or
(iii) income recognized on the sale, exchange, or other disposition of any property that has been the subject of a basis reduction pursuant to section 108, 734, 743, 754, or 1017 of the Internal Revenue Code
to the extent that the income does not include cash received or receivable or, if there is cash received or receivable, to the extent that the cash is required to be used to pay indebtedness by the partnership or a secured debt on partnership property; or
(5) the partnership is a publicly traded partnership, as defined in section 7704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(e) For purposes of sections 270C.60, 289A.09, subdivision 2, 289A.20, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), 289A.50, 289A.56, 289A.60, and 289A.63, a partnership is considered an employer.
(f) To the extent that income is exempt from withholding under paragraph (d), clause (4), the commissioner has a lien in an amount up to the amount that would be required to be withheld with respect to the income of the partner attributable to the partnership interest, but for the application of paragraph (d), clause (4). The lien arises under section 270C.63 from the date of assessment of the tax against the partner, and attaches to that partner's share of the profits and any other money due or to become due to that partner in respect of the partnership. Notice of the lien may be sent by mail to the partnership, without the necessity for recording the lien. The notice has the force and effect of a levy under section 270C.67, and is enforceable against the partnership in the manner provided by that section. Upon payment in full of the liability subsequent to the notice of lien, the partnership must be notified that the lien has been satisfied.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 4c, is amended to read:
Subd. 4c. Withholding by S corporations. (a) A corporation having a valid election in effect under section 290.9725 shall deduct and withhold a tax as provided in paragraph (b) for nonresident individual shareholders their share of the corporation's income for the taxable year.
(b) The amount of tax withheld is
determined by multiplying the amount of income allocable to Minnesota under
section 290.17 by the highest rate used to determine the income tax liability
of an individual under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, except that the amount
of tax withheld may be determined by the commissioner if the shareholder
submits a withholding exemption allowance certificate under
subdivision 5.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a corporation is not required to deduct and withhold tax for a nonresident shareholder, if:
(1) the shareholder elects to have the tax due paid as part of the corporation's composite return under section 289A.08, subdivision 7;
(2) the shareholder has Minnesota assignable federal adjusted gross income from the corporation of less than $1,000; or
(3) the corporation is liquidated or terminated, the income was generated by a transaction related to the termination or liquidation, and no cash or other property was distributed in the current or prior taxable year.
(d) For purposes of sections 270C.60, 289A.09, subdivision 2, 289A.20, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), 289A.50, 289A.56, 289A.60, and 289A.63, a corporation is considered an employer.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Exemptions
Allowances. (1) Entitlement. An employee receiving wages shall on any
day be entitled to claim withholding exemptions allowances in a
number not to exceed the number of withholding exemptions allowances
that the employee claims and that are allowable pursuant to section 3402(f)(1),
(m), and (n) of the Internal Revenue Code for federal withholding purposes,
except:
(i) the standard deduction amount for the
purposes of section 3402(f)(1)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be the
amount calculated under section 290.0123, subdivision 1; and
(ii) the exemption allowance
amount for the purposes of section 3402(f)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code
shall be the amount calculated under section 290.0121, subdivision 1.;
(iii) withholding allowances under
sections 3402(f)(1)(C) and (D) of the Internal Revenue Code are not allowed;
(iv) estimated itemized deductions allowable under section 290.0122, but only if the employee's spouse does not have in effect a withholding certificate electing this allowance; and
(v) any additional allowances, at the
discretion of the commissioner, that are in the best interests of determining
the proper amount to withhold for the payment of taxes under this chapter.
(2) Withholding
exemption allowance certificate.
The provisions concerning exemption allowance
certificates contained in section 3402(f)(2) and (3) of the Internal Revenue
Code shall apply.
(3) Form
of certificate. Withholding exemption
allowance certificates shall be in such form and contain such
information as the commissioner may by rule prescribe.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:
Subd. 5a. Verification
of withholding exemptions allowances; appeal. (a) An employer shall submit to the
commissioner a copy of any withholding exemption allowance
certificate or any affidavit of residency received from an employee on which
the employee claims any of the following:
(1) a total number of
withholding exemptions allowances in excess of ten or a number
prescribed by the commissioner, or
(2) a status that would exempt the employee from Minnesota withholding, including where the employee is a nonresident exempt from withholding under subdivision 4a, clause (3), except where the employer reasonably expects, at the time that the certificate is received, that the employee's wages under subdivision 1 from the employer will not then usually exceed $200 per week, or
(3) any number of withholding exemptions
allowances which the employer has reason to believe is in excess of the
number to which the employee is entitled.
(b) Copies of exemption allowance
certificates and affidavits of residency required to be submitted by paragraph
(a) shall be submitted to the commissioner within 30 days after receipt by the
employer unless the employer is also required by federal law to submit copies
to the Internal Revenue Service, in which case the employer may elect to submit
the copies to the commissioner at the same time that the employer is required
to submit them to the Internal Revenue Service.
(c) An employer who submits a copy of a
withholding exemption allowance certificate in accordance with
paragraph (a) shall honor the certificate until notified by the commissioner
that the certificate is invalid. The
commissioner shall mail a copy of any such notice to the employee. Upon notification that a particular
certificate is invalid, the employer shall not honor that certificate or any
subsequent certificate unless instructed to do so by the commissioner. The employer shall allow the employee the
number of exemptions allowances and compute the withholding tax
as instructed by the commissioner in accordance with paragraph (d).
(d) The commissioner may require an
employee to verify entitlement to the number of exemptions allowances
or to the exempt status claimed on the withholding exemption allowance
certificate or, to verify nonresidency. The
employee shall be allowed at least 30 days to submit the verification, after
which time the commissioner shall, on the basis of the best information
available to the commissioner, determine the employee's status and allow the
employee the maximum number of withholding exemptions allowances
allowable under this chapter. The
commissioner shall mail a notice of this determination to the employee at the
address listed on the exemption allowance certificate in question
or to the last known address of the employee.
Pursuant to section 270B.06, the commissioner may notify the employer of
this determination and instruct the employer to withhold tax in accordance with
the determination.
However, where the commissioner has
reasonable grounds for believing that the employee is about to leave the state
or that the collection of any tax due under this chapter will be jeopardized by
delay, the commissioner may immediately notify the employee and the employer,
pursuant to section 270B.06, that the certificate is invalid, and the employer
must not honor that certificate or any subsequent certificate unless instructed
to do so by the commissioner. The
employer shall allow the employee the number of exemptions allowances
and compute the withholding tax as instructed by the commissioner.
(e) The commissioner's determination under paragraph (d) shall be appealable to Tax Court in accordance with section 271.06, and shall remain in effect for withholding tax purposes pending disposition of any appeal.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 19, is amended to read:
Subd. 19. Employees incurring no income tax liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, except the provisions of subdivision 5a, an employer is not required to deduct and withhold any tax under this chapter from wages paid to an employee if:
(1) the employee furnished the
employer with a withholding exemption allowance certificate that:
(i) certifies the employee incurred no liability for income tax imposed under this chapter for the employee's preceding taxable year;
(ii) certifies the employee anticipates incurring no liability for income tax imposed under this chapter for the current taxable year; and
(iii) is in a form and contains any other information prescribed by the commissioner; or
(2)(i) the employee is not a resident of Minnesota when the wages were paid; and
(ii) the employer reasonably expects that the employer will not pay the employee enough wages assignable to Minnesota under section 290.17, subdivision 2, paragraph (a)(1), to meet the nonresident requirement to file a Minnesota individual income tax return for the taxable year under section 289A.08, subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.92, subdivision 20, is amended to read:
Subd. 20. Voluntary
withholding agreements Miscellaneous withholding arrangements. (a) For purposes of this section, any
payment of an annuity to an individual, if at the time the payment is made a
request that such annuity be subject to withholding under this section is in
effect, or distribution to an individual as defined under section
3405(e)(2) or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be treated as if it
were a payment of wages by an employer to an employee for a payroll period. Any payment to an individual of sick pay
which does not constitute wages, determined without regard to this subdivision,
shall be treated as if it were a payment of wages by an employer to an employee
for a payroll period, if, at the time the payment is made a request that such
sick pay be subject to withholding under this section is in effect. Sick pay means any amount which:
(1) is paid to an employee pursuant to a plan to which the employer is a party, and
(2) constitutes remuneration or a payment in lieu of remuneration for any period during which the employee is temporarily absent from work on account of sickness or personal injuries.
(b) A request for withholding, the amount withheld, and sick pay paid pursuant to certain collective bargaining agreements shall conform with the provisions of section 3402(o)(3), (4), and (5) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) The commissioner is authorized by rules to provide for withholding:
(1) from remuneration for services performed by an employee for the employer which, without regard to this subdivision, does not constitute wages, and
(2) from any other type of payment with respect to which the commissioner finds that withholding would be appropriate under the provisions of this section, if the employer and the employee, or in the case of any other type of payment the person making and the person receiving the payment, agree to such withholding. Such agreement shall be made in such form and manner as the commissioner may by rules provide. For purposes of this section remuneration or other payments with respect to which such agreement is made shall be treated as if they were wages paid by an employer to an employee to the extent that such remuneration is paid or other payments are made during the period for which the agreement is in effect.
(d) An individual receiving a payment or
distribution under paragraph (a) may elect to have paragraph (a) not apply to
the payment or distribution as follows.
(1)
For payments defined under section 3405(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, an
election remains in effect until revoked by such individual.
(2) For distributions defined under
section 3405(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the election is on a
distribution-by-distribution basis.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for payments and distributions made after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.923, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Payees
incurring no income tax liability. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this section a payor shall not be required to deduct and
withhold any tax under this chapter upon a payment of royalties to a payee if
there is in effect with respect to the payment a withholding exemption allowance
certificate, in the form and containing the
information prescribed by the commissioner, furnished to the payor by the payee
certifying that the payee:
(1) incurred no liability for income tax imposed under this chapter for the payee's preceding taxable year; and
(2) anticipates incurring no liability for income tax under this chapter for the current taxable year.
The commissioner shall provide by rule for the coordination of the provisions of this subdivision with the provisions of subdivision 4.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.993, is amended to read:
290.993
SPECIAL LIMITED ADJUSTMENT.
(a) For an individual income taxpayer
subject to tax under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, estate, or trust,
or a partnership that elects to file a composite return under section 289A.08,
subdivision 7, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before
January 1, 2019, the following special rules apply:
(1) an individual income taxpayer may: (i) take the standard deduction; or (ii) make an election under section 63(e) of the Internal Revenue Code to itemize, for Minnesota individual income tax purposes, regardless of the choice made on their federal return; and
(2) there is an adjustment to tax equal to the difference between the tax calculated under this chapter using the Internal Revenue Code as amended through December 16, 2016, and the tax calculated under this chapter using the Internal Revenue Code amended through December 31, 2018, before the application of credits. The end result must be zero additional tax due or refund.
(b) The adjustment in paragraph (a), clause (2), does not apply to any changes due to sections 11012, 13101, 13201, 13202, 13203, 13204, 13205, 13207, 13301, 13302, 13303, 13313, 13502, 13503, 13801, 14101, 14102, 14211 through 14215, and 14501 of Public Law 115-97; and section 40411 of Public Law 115-123.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
and before January 1, 2019.
ARTICLE 15
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICY AND TECHNICAL:
PROPERTY TAXES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AIDS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270.41, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. Report
on disciplinary actions. Each
odd-numbered year, When issuing the report required under section
214.07, the board must publish a report detailing include the
number and types of disciplinary actions recommended by the commissioner of
revenue under section 273.0645, subdivision 2, and the disposition of those
recommendations by the board. The report
must be presented to the house of representatives and senate committees with
jurisdiction over property taxes by February 1 of each odd-numbered year
in addition to the recipients required under section 214.07.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for reports issued in 2022 and thereafter.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270.44, is amended to read:
270.44
CHARGES FOR COURSES, EXAMINATIONS OR MATERIALS.
The board shall charge the following fees:
(1) $150 for a senior accredited Minnesota assessor license;
(2) $125 for an accredited Minnesota assessor license;
(3) $95 for a certified Minnesota assessor specialist license;
(4) $85 for a certified Minnesota assessor license;
(5) $85 for a temporary license;
(6) $50 for a trainee registration;
(7) $80 for grading a form appraisal;
(8) $140 for grading a narrative appraisal; and
(9) $50 for reinstatement; and.
(10) $20 for record retention.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 272.029, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "wind energy conversion system" has the meaning given in section 216C.06, subdivision 19, and also includes a substation that is used and owned by one or more wind energy conversion facilities;
(2) "large scale wind energy conversion system" means a wind energy conversion system of more than 12 megawatts, as measured by the nameplate capacity of the system or as combined with other systems as provided in paragraph (b);
(3) "medium scale wind energy conversion system" means a wind energy conversion system of over two and not more than 12 megawatts, as measured by the nameplate capacity of the system or as combined with other systems as provided in paragraph (b); and
(4) "small scale wind energy conversion system" means a wind energy conversion system of two megawatts and under, as measured by the nameplate capacity of the system or as combined with other systems as provided in paragraph (b).
(b) For systems installed and contracted for after January 1, 2002, the total size of a wind energy conversion system under this subdivision shall be determined according to this paragraph. Unless the systems are interconnected with different distribution systems, the nameplate capacity of one wind energy conversion system shall be combined with the nameplate capacity of any other wind energy conversion system that is:
(1) located within five miles of the wind energy conversion system;
(2) constructed within the same 12-month period as the wind energy conversion system; and
(3) under common ownership.
In the case of a dispute, the commissioner of commerce shall determine the total size of the system, and shall draw all reasonable inferences in favor of combining the systems.
For the purposes of making a determination under this paragraph,
the original construction date of an existing wind energy conversion system is
not changed if the system is replaced, repaired, or otherwise maintained or
altered.
(c) In making a determination under paragraph (b), the commissioner of commerce may determine that two wind energy conversion systems are under common ownership when the underlying ownership structure contains similar persons or entities, even if the ownership shares differ between the two systems. Wind energy conversion systems are not under common ownership solely because the same person or entity provided equity financing for the systems.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 272.0295, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the term "solar energy generating system" means a set of devices whose primary purpose is to produce electricity by means of any combination of collecting, transferring, or converting solar generated energy.
(b) The total size of a solar energy generating system under this subdivision shall be determined according to this paragraph. Unless the systems are interconnected with different distribution systems, the nameplate capacity of a solar energy generating system shall be combined with the nameplate capacity of any other solar energy generating system that:
(1) is constructed within the same 12-month period as the solar energy generating system; and
(2) exhibits characteristics of being a single development, including but not limited to ownership structure, an umbrella sales arrangement, shared interconnection, revenue-sharing arrangements, and common debt or equity financing.
In the case of a dispute, the commissioner of commerce shall determine the total size of the system and shall draw all reasonable inferences in favor of combining the systems.
For
the purposes of making a determination under this paragraph, the original
construction date of an existing solar energy conversion system is not changed
if the system is replaced, repaired, or otherwise maintained or altered.
(c) In making a determination under paragraph (b), the commissioner of commerce may determine that two solar energy generating systems are under common ownership when the underlying ownership structure contains similar persons or entities, even if the ownership shares differ between the two systems. Solar energy generating systems are not under common ownership solely because the same person or entity provided equity financing for the systems.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 272.0295, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Notification of tax. (a) On or before February 28, the commissioner of revenue shall notify the owner of each solar energy generating system of the tax due to each county for the current year and shall certify to the county auditor of each county in which the system is located the tax due from each owner for the current year.
(b) If the commissioner of revenue
determines that the amount of production tax has been erroneously calculated,
the commissioner may correct the error. The
commissioner must notify the owner of the solar energy generating system of the
correction and the amount of tax due to each county and must certify the
correction to the county auditor of each county in which the system is located
on or before April 1 of the current year.
The commissioner may correct errors that are clerical in nature until
December 31.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.063, is amended to read:
273.063
APPLICATION; LIMITATIONS.
The provisions of sections 272.161, 273.061, 273.062, 273.063, 273.072, 273.08, 273.10, 274.01, and 375.192 shall apply to all counties except Ramsey County. The following limitations shall apply as to the extent of the county assessors jurisdiction:
In counties having a city of the first
class, the powers and duties of the county assessor within such city shall be
performed by the duly appointed city assessor.
In all other cities having a population of 30,000 persons or more,
according to the last preceding federal census, except in counties having a
county assessor on January 1, 1967, the powers and duties of the county
assessor within such cities shall be performed by the duly appointed city
assessor, provided that the county assessor shall retain the supervisory duties
contained in section 273.061, subdivision 8.
For purposes of this section, "powers and duties" means the
powers and duties identified in section 273.061, subdivision 8, clauses (5) to
(16).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.0755, is amended to read:
273.0755
TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF PROPERTY TAX PERSONNEL.
(a) Beginning with the four-year period
starting on July 1, 2000 2020, every person licensed by the state
Board of Assessors at the Accredited Minnesota Assessor level or higher, shall
successfully complete a weeklong Minnesota laws course 30 hours of
educational coursework on Minnesota laws, assessment administration, and
administrative procedures sponsored by the Department of Revenue at
least once in every four-year period.
An assessor need not attend the course if they successfully pass the
test for the course.
(b) The commissioner of revenue may require that each county, and each city for which the city assessor performs the duties of county assessor, have (1) a person on the assessor's staff who is certified by the Department of Revenue in sales ratio calculations, (2) an officer or employee who is certified by the Department of Revenue in tax calculations, and (3) an officer or employee who is certified by the Department of Revenue in the proper preparation of information reported to the commissioner under section 270C.85, subdivision 2, clause (4). Certifications under this paragraph expire after four years.
(c) Beginning with the four-year educational licensing period starting on July 1, 2004, every Minnesota assessor licensed by the State Board of Assessors must attend and participate in a seminar that focuses on ethics, professional conduct and the need for standardized assessment practices developed and presented by the commissioner of revenue. This requirement must be met at least once in every subsequent four-year period. This requirement applies to all assessors licensed for one year or more in the four-year period.
(d) When the commissioner of revenue determines that an individual or board that performs functions related to property tax administration has performed those functions in a manner that is not uniform or equitable, the commissioner may require that the individual or members of the board complete supplemental training. The commissioner may not require that an individual complete more than 32 hours of supplemental training pursuant to this paragraph. If the individual is required to complete supplemental training due to that individual's membership on a local or county board of appeal and equalization, the commissioner may not require that the individual complete more than two hours of supplemental training.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
retroactively for the four-year licensing period starting on July 1, 2020, and
thereafter.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.124, subdivision 14, is amended to read:
Subd. 14. Agricultural homesteads; special provisions. (a) Real estate of less than ten acres that is the homestead of its owner must be classified as class 2a under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), if:
(1) the parcel on which the house is located is contiguous on at least two sides to (i) agricultural land, (ii) land owned or administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or (iii) land administered by the Department of Natural Resources on which in lieu taxes are paid under sections 477A.11 to 477A.14 or section 477A.17;
(2) its owner also owns a noncontiguous parcel of agricultural land that is at least 20 acres;
(3) the noncontiguous land is located not farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of townships or cities from the homestead; and
(4) the agricultural use value of the noncontiguous land and farm buildings is equal to at least 50 percent of the market value of the house, garage, and one acre of land.
Homesteads initially classified as class 2a under the provisions of this paragraph shall remain classified as class 2a, irrespective of subsequent changes in the use of adjoining properties, as long as the homestead remains under the same ownership, the owner owns a noncontiguous parcel of agricultural land that is at least 20 acres, and the agricultural use value qualifies under clause (4). Homestead classification under this paragraph is limited to property that qualified under this paragraph for the 1998 assessment.
(b)(i) Agricultural property shall be classified as the owner's homestead, to the same extent as other agricultural homestead property, if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the
agricultural property consists of at least 40 acres including undivided
government lots and correctional 40's;
(2) the owner, the owner's spouse, or a grandchild, child, sibling, or parent of the owner or of the owner's spouse, is actively farming the agricultural property, either on the person's own behalf as an individual or on behalf of a partnership operating a family farm, family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, or limited liability company of which the person is a partner, shareholder, or member;
(3) both the owner of the agricultural property and the person who is actively farming the agricultural property under clause (2), are Minnesota residents;
(4) neither the owner nor the spouse of the owner claims another agricultural homestead in Minnesota; and
(5) neither the owner nor the person actively farming the agricultural property lives farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of four townships or cities, from the agricultural property, except that if the owner or the owner's spouse is required to live in employer-provided housing, the owner or owner's spouse, whichever is actively farming the agricultural property, may live more than four townships or cities, or combination of four townships or cities from the agricultural property.
The relationship under this paragraph may be either by blood or marriage.
(ii) Property containing the residence of an owner who owns qualified property under clause (i) shall be classified as part of the owner's agricultural homestead, if that property is also used for noncommercial storage or drying of agricultural crops.
(iii) As used in this paragraph, "agricultural property" means class 2a property and any class 2b property that is contiguous to and under the same ownership as the class 2a property.
(c) Noncontiguous land shall be included as part of a homestead under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), only if the homestead is classified as class 2a and the detached land is located in the same township or city, or not farther than four townships or cities or combination thereof from the homestead. Any taxpayer of these noncontiguous lands must notify the county assessor that the noncontiguous land is part of the taxpayer's homestead, and, if the homestead is located in another county, the taxpayer must also notify the assessor of the other county.
(d) Agricultural land used for purposes of a homestead and actively farmed by a person holding a vested remainder interest in it must be classified as a homestead under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a). If agricultural land is classified class 2a, any other dwellings on the land used for purposes of a homestead by persons holding vested remainder interests who are actively engaged in farming the property, and up to one acre of the land surrounding each homestead and reasonably necessary for the use of the dwelling as a home, must also be assessed class 2a.
(e) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 1997 assessment shall remain classified as agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of the April 1997 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Polk, Clay, Kittson, Marshall, Norman, or Wilkin;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 1997 assessment year and continue to be used for agricultural purposes;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in Minnesota and is within 30 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the 1997 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in dwelling. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(f) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 1998 assessment shall remain classified agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of damage caused by a March 29, 1998, tornado;
(2) the property is located in the county of Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, LeSueur, Nicollet, Nobles, or Rice;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 1998 assessment year;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in this state and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to a March 29, 1998, tornado, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in homestead dwelling. For taxes payable in 1999, the owner must notify the assessor by December 1, 1998. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(g) Agricultural property of a family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, family farm limited liability company, or partnership operating a family farm as described under subdivision 8 shall be classified homestead, to the same extent as other agricultural homestead property, if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) the property consists of at least 40 acres including undivided government lots and correctional 40's;
(2) a shareholder, member, or partner of that entity is actively farming the agricultural property;
(3) that
shareholder, member, or partner who is actively farming the agricultural
property is a Minnesota resident;
(4) neither that shareholder, member, or partner, nor the spouse of that shareholder, member, or partner claims another agricultural homestead in Minnesota; and
(5) that shareholder, member, or partner does not live farther than four townships or cities, or a combination of four townships or cities, from the agricultural property.
Homestead treatment applies under this paragraph even if:
(i) the shareholder, member, or partner of that entity is actively farming the agricultural property on the shareholder's, member's, or partner's own behalf; or
(ii) the family farm is operated by a family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company other than the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that owns the land, provided that:
(A) the shareholder, member, or partner of the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that owns the land who is actively farming the land is a shareholder, member, or partner of the family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company that is operating the farm; and
(B) more than half of the shareholders, members, or partners of each family farm corporation, joint family farm venture, partnership, or limited liability company are persons or spouses of persons who are a qualifying relative under section 273.124, subdivision 1, paragraphs (c) and (d).
Homestead treatment applies under this paragraph for property leased to a family farm corporation, joint farm venture, limited liability company, or partnership operating a family farm if legal title to the property is in the name of an individual who is a member, shareholder, or partner in the entity.
(h) To be eligible for the special agricultural homestead under this subdivision, an initial full application must be submitted to the county assessor where the property is located. Owners and the persons who are actively farming the property shall be required to complete only a one-page abbreviated version of the application in each subsequent year provided that none of the following items have changed since the initial application:
(1) the day-to-day operation, administration, and financial risks remain the same;
(2) the owners and the persons actively farming the property continue to live within the four townships or city criteria and are Minnesota residents;
(3) the same operator of the agricultural property is listed with the Farm Service Agency;
(4) a Schedule F or equivalent income tax form was filed for the most recent year;
(5) the property's acreage is unchanged; and
(6) none of the property's acres have been enrolled in a federal or state farm program since the initial application.
The owners and any persons who are actively farming the property must include the appropriate Social Security numbers, and sign and date the application. If any of the specified information has changed since the full application was filed, the owner must notify the assessor, and must complete a new application to determine if the property continues to qualify for the special agricultural homestead. The commissioner of revenue shall prepare a standard reapplication form for use by the assessors.
(i) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 2007 assessment shall remain classified agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of damage caused by the August 2007 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, or Winona;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 2007 assessment year;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in this state and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the August 2007 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in homestead dwelling. For taxes payable in 2009, the owner must notify the assessor by December 1, 2008. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
(j) Agricultural land and buildings that were class 2a homestead property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (a), for the 2008 assessment shall remain classified as agricultural homesteads for subsequent assessments if:
(1) the property owner abandoned the homestead dwelling located on the agricultural homestead as a result of the March 2009 floods;
(2) the property is located in the county of Marshall;
(3) the agricultural land and buildings remain under the same ownership for the current assessment year as existed for the 2008 assessment year and continue to be used for agricultural purposes;
(4) the dwelling occupied by the owner is located in Minnesota and is within 50 miles of one of the parcels of agricultural land that is owned by the taxpayer; and
(5) the owner notifies the county assessor that the relocation was due to the 2009 floods, and the owner furnishes the assessor any information deemed necessary by the assessor in verifying the change in dwelling. Further notifications to the assessor are not required if the property continues to meet all the requirements in this paragraph and any dwellings on the agricultural land remain uninhabited.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 273.18, is amended to read:
273.18
LISTING, VALUATION, AND ASSESSMENT OF EXEMPT PROPERTY BY COUNTY AUDITORS.
(a) In every sixth year after the year 2010, the county auditor shall enter the description of each tract of real property exempt by law from taxation, with the name of the owner, and the assessor shall value and assess the same in the same manner that other real property is valued and assessed, and shall designate in each case the purpose for which the property is used.
(b) The county auditor shall include in the exempt property information that the commissioner may require under section 270C.85, subdivision 2, clause (4), the total number of acres of all natural resources lands for which in lieu payments are made under sections 477A.11 to 477A.14 and 477A.17. The assessor shall estimate its market value, provided that if the assessor is not able to estimate the market value of the land on a per parcel basis, the assessor shall furnish the commissioner of revenue with an estimate of the average value per acre of this land within the county.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 287.04, is amended to read:
287.04
EXEMPTIONS.
The tax imposed by section 287.035 does not apply to:
(a) (1) a decree of marriage
dissolution or an instrument made pursuant to it.;
(b) (2) a mortgage
given to correct a misdescription of the mortgaged property.;
(c) (3) a mortgage or other
instrument that adds additional security for the same debt for which mortgage
registry tax has been paid.;
(d) (4) a contract for the
conveyance of any interest in real property, including a contract for deed.;
(e) (5) a mortgage secured
by real property subject to the minerals production tax of sections 298.24 to
298.28.;
(f) The principal amount of (6)
a mortgage loan made under a low and moderate income housing program, or
other affordable housing program, if:
(i) the mortgagee is a federal, state, or local government agency.;
or (ii) the assignee is a federal, state, or local government agency;
(g) (7) mortgages granted by
fraternal benefit societies subject to section 64B.24.;
(h) (8) a mortgage amendment
or extension, as defined in section 287.01.;
(i) (9) an agricultural
mortgage if the proceeds of the loan secured by the mortgage are used to
acquire or improve real property classified under section 273.13, subdivision
23, paragraph (a) or (b).; and
(j) (10) a mortgage on an
armory building as set forth in section 193.147.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for mortgages recorded after June 30, 2021.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 477A.10, is amended to read:
477A.10
NATURAL RESOURCES LAND PAYMENTS IN LIEU; PURPOSE.
The purposes of sections 477A.11 to 477A.14 and 477A.17 are:
(1) to compensate local units of government for the loss of tax base from state ownership of land and the need to provide services for state land;
(2) to address the disproportionate impact of state land ownership on local units of government with a large proportion of state land; and
(3) to address the need to manage state lands held in trust for the local taxing districts.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 16
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICY AND TECHNICAL:
SALES AND USE TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 289A.20, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Sales and use tax. (a) The taxes imposed by chapter 297A are due and payable to the commissioner monthly on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which the taxable event occurred, or following another reporting period as the commissioner prescribes or as allowed under section 289A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (f) or (g), except that use taxes due on an annual use tax return as provided under section 289A.11, subdivision 1, are payable by April 15 following the close of the calendar year.
(b) A vendor having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30 must remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(1) Two business days before June 30 of calendar year 2020 and 2021, the vendor must remit 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the commissioner. Two business days before June 30 of calendar year 2022 and thereafter, the vendor must remit 84.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the commissioner.
(2) On or before August 20 of the year, the vendor must pay any additional amount of tax not remitted in June.
(c) A vendor having a liability of:
(1) $10,000 or more, but less than $250,000 during a fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, and fiscal years thereafter, must remit by electronic means all liabilities on returns due for periods beginning in all subsequent calendar years on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which the taxable event occurred, or on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which the sale is reported under section 289A.18, subdivision 4; or
(2) $250,000 or more, during a fiscal year
ending June 30, 2013, and fiscal years thereafter, must remit by electronic
means all liabilities in the manner provided in paragraph (a) on returns due
for periods beginning in the subsequent calendar year, except for 90 percent
the percentage of the estimated June liability, as provided in
paragraph (b), clause (1), which is due two business days before June 30. The remaining amount of the June liability is
due on August 20.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) or (c), a person prohibited by the person's religious beliefs from paying electronically shall be allowed to remit the payment by mail. The filer must notify the commissioner of revenue of the intent to pay by mail before doing so on a form prescribed by the commissioner. No extra fee may be charged to a person making payment by mail under this paragraph. The payment must be postmarked at least two business days before the due date for making the payment in order to be considered paid on a timely basis.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 295.75, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Gross
receipts tax imposed. A tax is
imposed on each liquor retailer equal to 2.5 percent of gross receipts from
retail sales in Minnesota of liquor. The
liquor retailer may, but is not required to, collect the tax from the purchaser. If separately stated on the invoice, bill of
sale, or similar document given to the purchaser, the tax is excluded from the
sales price for purposes of the tax imposed under chapter 297A.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297A.66, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Marketplace provider liability. (a) A marketplace provider is deemed the retailer or seller for all retail sales it facilitates, and is subject to audit on the retail sales it facilitates if it is required to collect sales and use taxes and remit them to the commissioner under subdivision 2, paragraphs (b) and (c).
(b) A marketplace provider is not liable for failing to file, collect, and remit sales and use taxes to the commissioner if the marketplace provider demonstrates that the error was due to incorrect or insufficient information given to the marketplace provider by the retailer. This paragraph does not apply if the marketplace provider and the marketplace retailer are related as defined in subdivision 4, paragraph (b).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section
270C.17, subdivision 2, is repealed.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 17
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICY AND TECHNICAL:
SPECIAL TAXES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 296A.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Suspension of license. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, the license of a distributor, special fuel dealer, or bulk purchaser that has not filed a tax return or report or paid a delinquent tax or fee within five days after notice and demand by the commissioner is suspended. The suspension remains in effect until the demanded tax return or report has been filed and the tax and fees shown on that return or report have been paid. If the commissioner determines that the failure to file or failure to pay is due to reasonable cause, then a license must not be suspended, or if suspended, must be reinstated.
(b) A licensee whose license is suspended under this subdivision may request a contested case hearing under chapter 14. Any such hearing must be held within 20 days of the issuance of the notice and demand issued under paragraph (a), unless the parties agree to a later hearing date. The administrative law judge's report must be issued within 20 days after the close of the hearing record, unless the parties agree to a later report issuance date. The commissioner must issue a final decision within 30 days after receipt of the report of the administrative law judge and subsequent exceptions and argument under section 14.61. The suspension imposed under paragraph (a) remains in effect during any contested case hearing process requested pursuant to this paragraph.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Refusal to issue or renew; revocation. The commissioner must not issue or renew a license under this chapter, and may revoke a license under this chapter, if the applicant or licensee:
(1) owes $500 or more in delinquent taxes as defined in section 270C.72, subdivision 2;
(2) after demand, has not filed tax returns required by the commissioner;
(3) had a cigarette or tobacco license revoked by the commissioner within the past two years;
(4) had a sales and use tax permit revoked by the commissioner within the past two years; or
(5) has been convicted of a crime involving cigarettes or tobacco products, including but not limited to: selling stolen cigarettes or tobacco products, receiving stolen cigarettes or tobacco products, or involvement in the smuggling of cigarettes or tobacco products.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Accelerated tax payment; cigarette or tobacco products distributor. A cigarette or tobacco products distributor having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30, shall remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(a) Two business days before
June 30 of calendar years 2020 and year 2021, the distributor
shall remit the actual May liability and 87.5 percent of the estimated June
liability to the commissioner and file the return in the form and manner
prescribed by the commissioner. Two
business days before June 30 of calendar year 2022 and each calendar year
thereafter, the distributor must remit the actual May liability and 84.5
percent of the estimated June liability to the commissioner and file the return
in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) On or before August 18 of the year, the
distributor shall submit a return showing the actual June liability and pay any
additional amount of tax not remitted in June.
A penalty is imposed equal to ten percent of the amount of June
liability required to be paid in June, less the amount remitted in June. However, the penalty is not imposed if the
amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:
(1) for calendar year 2021, the lesser of
87.5 percent of the actual June liability for the that calendar
year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 of the actual June liability
for June 2022 and thereafter or 87.5 percent of the May liability for
that calendar year; or
(2) 87.5 for calendar year 2022
and each calendar year thereafter, the lesser of 84.5 percent of the preceding
actual June liability for that calendar year or 84.5 percent of the May
liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5
percent of the preceding May liability for June 2022 and thereafter for
that calendar year.
(c) For calendar year 2022 and
thereafter, the percent of the estimated June liability the vendor must remit
by two business days before June 30 is 84.5 percent.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimated payments required to be made after the date following
final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.13, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Retailer and subjobber to preserve purchase invoices. Every retailer and subjobber shall procure itemized invoices of all cigarettes or tobacco products purchased.
The retailer and subjobber shall preserve a legible copy of each invoice for one year from the date of the invoice or as long as the cigarette or tobacco product listed on the invoice is available for sale or in their possession, whichever period is longer. The retailer and subjobber shall preserve copies of the invoices at each retail location or at a central location provided that the invoice must be produced and made available at a retail location within one hour when requested by the commissioner or duly authorized agents and employees. Copies should be numbered and kept in chronological order.
To determine whether the business is in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, at any time during usual business hours, the commissioner, or duly authorized agents and employees, may enter any place of business of a retailer or subjobber without a search warrant and inspect the premises, the records required to be kept under this chapter, and the packages of cigarettes, tobacco products, and vending devices contained on the premises.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for all cigarette and tobacco products available for sale or in a
retailer or subjobber's possession after December 31, 2021.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297F.17, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General
rule. Except as otherwise provided
in this chapter, the amount of any tax due must be assessed within 3-1/2 years
after a return is filed. The taxes
are considered assessed within the meaning of this section when the
commissioner has prepared a notice of tax assessment and mailed it to the
person required to file a
return to the post office
address given in the return. The notice
of tax assessment must be sent by mail to the post office address given in the
return and the record of the mailing is presumptive evidence of the giving of
such notice, and such records must be preserved by the commissioner.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for notices of tax assessment issued after the date of final
enactment.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 297G.09, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Accelerated tax payment; penalty. A person liable for tax under this chapter having a liability of $250,000 or more during a fiscal year ending June 30, shall remit the June liability for the next year in the following manner:
(a) Two business days before June 30 of
calendar years 2020 and year 2021, the taxpayer shall remit the
actual May liability and 87.5 percent of the estimated June liability to the
commissioner and file the return in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner. Two business days
before June 30 of calendar year 2022 and each calendar year thereafter, the
distributor must remit the actual May liability and 84.5 percent of the
estimated June liability to the commissioner and file the return in the form
and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) On or before August 18 of the year, the
taxpayer shall submit a return showing the actual June liability and pay any
additional amount of tax not remitted in June.
A penalty is imposed equal to ten percent of the amount of June
liability required to be paid in June less the amount remitted in June. However, the penalty is not imposed if the
amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:
(1) for calendar year 2021, the lesser of
87.5 percent of the actual June liability for the that calendar
year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5 percent of the actual June
liability for June 2022 and thereafter or 87.5 percent of the May
liability for that calendar year; or
(2) 87.5 for calendar year 2022
and each calendar year thereafter, the lesser of 84.5 percent of the preceding
actual June liability for that calendar year or 84.5 percent of the May
liability for the calendar year 2020 and 2021 June liabilities and 84.5
percent of the preceding May liability for June 2022 and thereafter for
that calendar year.
(c) For calendar year 2022 and
thereafter, the percent of the estimated June liability the vendor must remit
by two business days before June 30 is 84.5 percent.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective for estimated payments required to be made after the date following
final enactment.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609B.153, is amended to read:
609B.153
CIGARETTE AND TOBACCO DISTRIBUTOR OR SUBJOBBER LICENSE; SUSPENSION OR
REVOCATION.
Under section 297F.04, the commissioner of revenue must not issue or renew a license issued under chapter 297F, and may revoke a license issued under chapter 297F, if the applicant has been convicted of a crime involving cigarettes or tobacco products.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 18
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICY AND TECHNICAL:
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Adjustment; definition; period; rounding. (a) The commissioner shall annually make a cost of living adjustment to the dollar amounts noted in sections that reference this section. The commissioner shall adjust the amounts based on the index as provided in this section. For purposes of this section, "index" means the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The values of the index used to determine the adjustments under this section are the latest published values when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the initial value of the index for August of the year preceding the year to which the adjustment applies.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "statutory year" means the year preceding the first year for which dollar amounts are to be adjusted for inflation under sections that reference this section. For adjustments under chapter 290A, the statutory year refers to the year in which a taxpayer's household income used to calculate refunds under chapter 290A was earned and not the year in which refunds are payable. For all other adjustments, the statutory year refers to the taxable year unless otherwise specified.
(c) To determine the dollar amounts for taxable year 2020, the commissioner shall determine the percentage change in the index for the 12-month period ending on August 31, 2019, and increase each of the unrounded dollar amounts in the sections referencing this section by that percentage change. For each subsequent taxable year, the commissioner shall increase the dollar amounts by the percentage change in the index from August 31 of the year preceding the statutory year to August 31 of the year preceding the taxable year.
(d) To determine the dollar amounts for
refunds payable in 2020 under chapter 290A, the commissioner shall determine
the percentage change in the index for the 12-month period ending on August 31,
2019, and increase each of the unrounded dollar amounts in the sections
referencing this section by that percentage change. For each subsequent year, the commissioner
shall increase the dollar amounts by the percentage change in the index from
August 31 of the year preceding the statutory year to August 31 of the
year preceding the year in which refunds are payable.
(e) Unless otherwise provided, the commissioner shall round the amounts as adjusted to the nearest $10 amount. If an amount ends in $5, the amount is rounded up to the nearest $10 amount.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively for property tax refunds based on property taxes
payable in 2020, and rent paid in 2019.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 270C.445, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Standards of conduct. No tax preparer shall:
(1) without good cause fail to promptly, diligently, and without unreasonable delay complete a client's return;
(2) obtain the signature of a client to a return or authorizing document that contains blank spaces to be filled in after it has been signed;
(3) fail to sign a client's return when compensation for services rendered has been made;
(4) fail to provide on a client's return the preparer tax identification number when required under section 6109(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code or section 289A.60, subdivision 28;
(5) fail or refuse to give a client a copy of any document requiring the client's signature within a reasonable time after the client signs the document;
(6) fail to retain for at least four years a copy of a client's returns;
(7) fail to maintain a confidential relationship with clients or former clients;
(8) fail to take commercially reasonable measures to safeguard a client's nonpublic personal information;
(9) make, authorize, publish, disseminate, circulate, or cause to make, either directly or indirectly, any false, deceptive, or misleading statement or representation relating to or in connection with the offering or provision of tax preparation services;
(10) require a client to enter into a loan arrangement in order to complete a client's return;
(11) claim credits or deductions on a client's return for which the tax preparer knows or reasonably should know the client does not qualify;
(12) report a household income on a client's claim filed under chapter 290A that the tax preparer knows or reasonably should know is not accurate;
(13) engage in any conduct that is subject to a penalty under section 289A.60, subdivision 13, 20, 20a, 26, or 28;
(14) whether or not acting as a taxpayer representative, fail to conform to the standards of conduct required by Minnesota Rules, part 8052.0300, subpart 4;
(15) whether or not acting as a taxpayer representative, engage in any conduct that is incompetent conduct under Minnesota Rules, part 8052.0300, subpart 5;
(16) whether or not acting as a taxpayer representative, engage in any conduct that is disreputable conduct under Minnesota Rules, part 8052.0300, subpart 6;
(17) charge, offer to accept, or accept a fee based upon a percentage of an anticipated refund for tax preparation services;
(18) under any circumstances, withhold or fail to return to a client a document provided by the client for use in preparing the client's return;
(19) establish take control or
ownership of a client's refund by any means, including:
(i) directly or indirectly endorsing or
otherwise negotiating a check or other refund instrument, including an
electronic version of a check;
(ii) directing an electronic or direct
deposit of the refund into an account unless the client's name is on the
account; and
(iii) establishing or using an account in the preparer's name to receive a client's refund through a direct deposit or any other instrument unless the client's name is also on the account, except that a taxpayer may assign the portion of a refund representing the Minnesota education credit available under section 290.0674 to a bank account without the client's name, as provided under section 290.0679;
(20) fail to act in the best interests of the client;
(21) fail to safeguard and account for any money handled for the client;
(22) fail to disclose all material facts of which the preparer has knowledge which might reasonably affect the client's rights and interests;
(23) violate any provision of section 332.37;
(24) include any of the following in any document provided or signed in connection with the provision of tax preparation services:
(i) a hold harmless clause;
(ii) a confession of judgment or a power of attorney to confess judgment against the client or appear as the client in any judicial proceeding;
(iii) a waiver of the right to a jury trial, if applicable, in any action brought by or against a debtor;
(iv) an assignment of or an order for payment of wages or other compensation for services;
(v) a provision in which the client agrees not to assert any claim or defense otherwise available;
(vi) a waiver of any provision of this section or a release of any obligation required to be performed on the part of the tax preparer; or
(vii) a waiver of the right to injunctive, declaratory, or other equitable relief or relief on a class basis; or
(25) if making, providing, or facilitating a refund anticipation loan, fail to provide all disclosures required by the federal Truth in Lending Act, United States Code, title 15, in a form that may be retained by the client.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment."
Delete the title and insert:
"A bill for an act relating to financing and operation of state and local government; providing conformity and nonconformity to certain federal tax law changes; modifying individual income and corporate franchise taxes, sales and use taxes, partnership taxes, special and excise taxes, property taxes, local government aids, provisions related to local taxes, tax increment financing, public finance, and other miscellaneous taxes and tax provisions; providing for various individual and corporate additions and subtractions to income; modifying certain income tax credits and authorizing new credits; providing for a pass-through entity tax; modifying definitions for resident trusts; modifying existing and providing new sales tax exemptions; modifying vapor and tobacco tax provisions; modifying and providing certain property tax exemptions; modifying property classification provisions; allowing for certain special assessments; modifying local government aid appropriations; modifying existing local taxes and authorizing new local taxes; modifying property tax homeowners' and renters' refunds; authorizing and modifying certain tax increment financing provisions; providing for a tax expenditure review commission and the required expiration of tax expenditures; making appointments; requiring reports; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 3.192; 3.8853, subdivision 2; 16A.152, subdivision 2; 41B.0391, subdivisions 2, 4; 116J.8737, subdivisions 5, 12; 270.41, subdivision 3a; 270.44; 270A.03, subdivision 2; 270B.12, subdivisions 8, 9; 270B.14, by adding a subdivision; 270C.11, subdivisions 2, 4, 6; 270C.13, subdivision 1; 270C.22, subdivision 1; 270C.445, subdivisions 3, 6; 272.02, by adding a subdivision; 272.029, subdivision 2; 272.0295, subdivisions 2, 5; 272.115, subdivision 1; 273.063; 273.0755; 273.124, subdivisions 1, 3a, 6, 9, 13, 13a, 13c, 13d, 14; 273.1245, subdivision 1; 273.13,
subdivisions 23, 25, 34; 273.1315, subdivision 2; 273.18; 275.025, subdivisions 1, 2; 275.065, subdivisions 1, 3, by adding subdivisions; 275.066; 287.04; 289A.02, subdivision 7; 289A.08, subdivisions 7, 11, by adding subdivisions; 289A.09, subdivision 2; 289A.20, subdivision 4; 289A.31, subdivision 1; 289A.37, subdivision 2; 289A.38, subdivisions 7, 8, 9, 10; 289A.42; 289A.60, subdivisions 15, 24; 290.01, subdivisions 19, 31, by adding a subdivision; 290.0121, subdivision 3; 290.0122, subdivisions 4, 8; 290.0131, by adding subdivisions; 290.0132, subdivision 27, by adding subdivisions; 290.0133, subdivision 6, by adding subdivisions; 290.0134, subdivision 18, by adding a subdivision; 290.06, subdivisions 2c, 2d, 22, by adding subdivisions; 290.0671, subdivisions 1, 1a, 7; 290.0674, subdivision 2a; 290.0681, subdivision 10; 290.0682; 290.0685, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 290.091, subdivision 2; 290.17, by adding subdivisions; 290.21, subdivision 9, by adding a subdivision; 290.31, subdivision 1; 290.92, subdivisions 1, 2a, 3, 4b, 4c, 5, 5a, 19, 20; 290.923, subdivision 9; 290.993; 290A.03, subdivisions 3, 15; 290A.04, subdivisions 2, 2a; 290A.25; 291.005, subdivision 1; 295.75, subdivision 2; 296A.06, subdivision 2; 297A.66, subdivision 3; 297A.67, by adding a subdivision; 297A.70, subdivision 13, by adding a subdivision; 297A.71, subdivision 52, by adding a subdivision; 297A.75, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 297A.993, subdivision 2; 297E.021, subdivision 4; 297F.01, subdivisions 19, 22b, 23, by adding subdivisions; 297F.031; 297F.04, subdivision 2; 297F.05, by adding a subdivision; 297F.09, subdivisions 3, 4a, 7, 10; 297F.10, subdivision 1; 297F.13, subdivision 4; 297F.17, subdivisions 1, 6; 297G.09, subdivision 9; 297G.16, subdivision 7; 297H.04, subdivision 2; 297H.05; 297I.05, subdivision 7; 297I.20, by adding a subdivision; 298.001, by adding a subdivision; 298.24, subdivision 1; 298.405, subdivision 1; 325F.781, subdivisions 1, 5, 6; 429.021, subdivision 1; 429.031, subdivision 3; 453A.04, subdivision 21, by adding a subdivision; 462A.38; 465.71; 469.176, by adding a subdivision; 469.1763, subdivisions 2, 3, 4; 469.319, subdivision 4; 475.56; 475.58, subdivision 3b; 475.60, subdivision 1; 475.67, subdivision 8; 477A.013, subdivision 13; 477A.03, subdivisions 2a, 2b; 477A.10; 609B.153; Laws 2009, chapter 88, article 2, section 46, subdivision 3, as amended; Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section 32, as amended; Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 6, article 6, sections 25; 27; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 3; 16A; 116U; 289A; 477A; proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapters 299O; 428B; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 270C.17, subdivision 2; 290.01, subdivisions 7b, 19i; 290.0131, subdivision 18; 327C.01, subdivision 13; 327C.16; 469.055, subdivision 7."
With the recommendation that when so amended the bill be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The
report was adopted.
Stephenson from the Committee on Commerce Finance and Policy to which was referred:
H. F. No. 1031, A bill for an act relating to commerce; establishing the Governor's budget for Department of Commerce and Public Utilities Commission activities; modifying various provisions governing commerce and energy policy; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 60A.14, subdivision 1; 115C.094; 216B.62, subdivision 3b; 332.31, subdivisions 3, 6, by adding subdivisions; 332.311; 332.32; 332.33, subdivisions 1, 2, 5, 5a, 7, 8, by adding a subdivision; 332.34; 332.345; 332.355; 332.37; 332.385; 332.40, subdivision 3; 332.42, subdivisions 1, 2; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115C.13.
Reported the same back with the following amendments:
Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"ARTICLE 1
COMMERCE FINANCE
|
Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS. |
The sums shown in the columns marked
"Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies and for the
purposes specified in this article. The
appropriations are from the general fund, or another named fund, and are
available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. The figures "2022" and
"2023" used in this article mean that the
appropriations
listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, or
June 30, 2023, respectively. "The
first year" is fiscal year 2022. "The
second year" is fiscal year 2023. "The
biennium" is fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
If an appropriation in this act is enacted more than once in the 2021
legislative session, the appropriation must be given effect only once.
|
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|
|
APPROPRIATIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Available for the Year |
|
|
|
|
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Ending June 30 |
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2022 |
2023 |
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Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE |
|
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|
|
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Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
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$27,603,000 |
|
$26,920,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
24,267,000
|
24,061,000
|
|
Special Revenue |
2,570,000
|
2,093,000
|
|
Workers' Compensation Fund |
766,000
|
766,000
|
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
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Subd. 2. Financial
Institutions |
|
1,923,000
|
|
1,941,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
General |
1,923,000
|
1,941,000
|
(a) $400,000 each year is for a grant to
Prepare and Prosper to develop, market, evaluate, and distribute a financial
services inclusion program that (1) assists low-income and financially
underserved populations to build savings and strengthen credit, and (2)
provides services to assist low-income and financially underserved populations
to become more financially stable and secure.
Money remaining after the first year is available for the second year.
(b) $254,000 each year is to administer
the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 58B.
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Subd. 3. Administrative
Services |
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9,346,000
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|
8,821,000
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(a) $392,000 in the first year and
$401,000 in the second year are for additional compliance efforts with
unclaimed property. The commissioner may
issue contracts for these services.
(b) $5,000 each year is for
Real Estate Appraisal Advisory Board compensation pursuant to Minnesota
Statutes, section 82B.073, subdivision 2a.
(c) $353,000 each year is for system
modernization and cybersecurity upgrades for the unclaimed property program.
(d) $564,000 each year is for additional
operations of the unclaimed property program.
(e) $832,000 in the first year and
$208,000 in the second year are for IT system modernization. The base in fiscal year 2024 and beyond is
$0.
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Subd. 4. Telecommunications
|
|
3,443,000
|
|
3,183,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
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General |
1,073,000
|
1,090,000
|
|
Special Revenue |
2,370,000
|
2,093,000
|
$2,370,000 in the first year and
$2,093,000 in the second year are from the telecommunications access Minnesota
fund account in the special revenue fund for the following transfers:
(1) $1,620,000 each year is to the
commissioner of human services to
supplement the ongoing operational expenses of the Commission of Deaf,
DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing Minnesotans.
This transfer is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.281;
(2) $290,000 each year is to the chief
information officer to coordinate technology accessibility and usability;
(3) $410,000 in the first year and
$133,000 in the second year are to the Legislative Coordinating Commission for
captioning legislative coverage. This
transfer is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.281. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
commissioner of management and budget must determine whether $310,000 of the
expenditures authorized under this clause for the first year are eligible uses
of federal funding received under the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund or
any other federal funds received by the state under the American Rescue Plan
Act, Public Law 117-2. If the
commissioner of management and budget determines an expenditure is eligible for
funding under Public Law 117-2, the amount of the eligible expenditure is
appropriated from the account where the federal funds have been deposited and
the corresponding Telecommunications Access Minnesota Fund amounts appropriated
under this clause cancel to the Telecommunications Access Minnesota Fund; and
(4) $50,000 each year is to the
Office of MN.IT Services for a consolidated access fund to provide grants or
services to other state agencies related to accessibility of web-based
services.
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Subd. 5. Enforcement
|
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6,231,000
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5,632,000
|
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Appropriations
by Fund |
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General |
5,825,000
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5,426,000
|
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Workers' Compensation |
206,000
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206,000
|
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Special Revenue Fund |
200,000
|
-0-
|
(a) $283,000 in the first year and $286,000
in the second year are for health care enforcement.
(b) $201,000 each year is from the workers'
compensation fund.
(c) $5,000 each year is from the workers'
compensation fund for insurance fraud specialist salary increases.
(d) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 297I.11, subdivision 2, $200,000 in the first year is from the auto
theft prevention account in the special revenue fund for the catalytic
converter theft prevention pilot project.
This balance does not cancel but is available in the second year.
(e) $190,000 in the first year is from the
general fund for the catalytic converter theft prevention pilot project. This balance does not cancel but is available
in the second year. The general fund
base for the catalytic converter theft prevention pilot project in fiscal year
2024 and fiscal year 2025 is $92,000.
(f) $300,000 in the first year is
transferred from the consumer education account in the special revenue fund to
the general fund. $300,000 in the first
year is to the commissioner of education to issue grants of $150,000 each year
to the Minnesota Council on Economic Education.
This balance does not cancel but is available in the second year.
|
Subd. 6. Insurance
|
|
6,660,000
|
|
7,343,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
General |
6,100,000
|
6,783,000
|
|
Workers' Compensation |
560,000
|
560,000
|
(a) $656,000 in the first year and $671,000
in the second year are for health insurance rate review staffing.
(b) $421,000 in the first year and $431,000 in the second year are for actuarial work to prepare for implementation of principle-based reserves.
(c) $30,000 in the first year is to pay for two years of membership dues for Minnesota to the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.
(d) $428,000 in the first year and $432,000
in the second year are for licensing activities under Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 62W. Of this amount, $246,000
each year must be used only for staff costs associated with two enforcement
investigators to enforce Minnesota Statutes, chapter 62W.
(e) $560,000 each year is from the workers'
compensation fund.
(f) $197,000 in the first year is to
establish the Prescription Drug Affordability Board under Minnesota Statutes,
section 62J.87. Following the first
meeting of the board and prior to June 30, 2022, the commissioner shall
transfer any funds remaining from this appropriation to the board.
(g) $358,000 in the second year is to the
Prescription Drug Affordability Board established under Minnesota Statutes,
section 62J.87, to implement the Prescription Drug Affordability Act.
(h) $456,000 in the second year is to the
attorney general's office to enforce the Prescription Drug Affordability Act.
Sec. 3. CANCELLATION;
FISCAL YEAR 2021.
$1,220,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriation under Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 7,
article 1, section 6, subdivision 3, is canceled.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE; APPROPRIATION.
(a) $4,000 in fiscal year 2021 is
appropriated from the workers' compensation fund to the commissioner of
commerce for insurance fraud specialist salary increases.
(b) $97,000 in fiscal year 2021 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of commerce for
enforcement.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 2
PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY BOARD
Section 1.
[62J.85] CITATION.
Sections 62J.85 to 62J.95 may be cited
as the "Prescription Drug Affordability Act."
Sec. 2. [62J.86]
DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. For the purposes of sections 62J.85 to
62J.95, the following terms have the meanings given them.
Subd. 2. Advisory
council. "Advisory
council" means the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council
established under section 62J.88.
Subd. 3. Biologic. "Biologic" means a drug that
is produced or distributed in accordance with a biologics license application
approved under Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 447.502.
Subd. 4. Biosimilar. "Biosimilar" has the meaning
given in section 62J.84, subdivision 2, paragraph (b).
Subd. 5. Board. "Board" means the
Prescription Drug Affordability Board established under section 62J.87.
Subd. 6. Brand
name drug. "Brand name drug"
has the meaning given in section 62J.84, subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
Subd. 7. Generic
drug. "Generic
drug" has the meaning given in section 62J.84, subdivision 2, paragraph
(e).
Subd. 8. Group
purchaser. "Group
purchaser" has the meaning given in section 62J.03, subdivision 6, and
includes pharmacy benefit managers, as defined in section 62W.02, subdivision
15.
Subd. 9. Manufacturer. "Manufacturer" means an
entity that:
(1) engages in the manufacture of a
prescription drug product or enters into a lease with another manufacturer to
market and distribute a prescription drug product under the entity's own name;
and
(2) sets or changes the wholesale
acquisition cost of the prescription drug product it manufacturers or markets.
Subd. 10. Prescription
drug product. "Prescription
drug product" means a brand name drug, a generic drug, a biologic, or a
biosimilar.
Subd. 11. Wholesale
acquisition cost or WAC. "Wholesale
acquisition cost" or "WAC" has the meaning given in United
States Code, title 42, section 1395W-3a(c)(6)(B).
Sec. 3. [62J.87]
PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY BOARD.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of commerce shall
establish the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which shall be governed as
a board under section 15.012, paragraph (a), to protect consumers, state and
local governments, health plan companies, providers, pharmacies, and other
health care system stakeholders from unaffordable costs of certain prescription
drugs.
Subd. 2. Membership. (a) The Prescription Drug
Affordability Board consists of nine members appointed as follows:
(1) seven voting members appointed by
the governor;
(2) one nonvoting member appointed by
the majority leader of the senate; and
(3) one nonvoting member appointed by the
speaker of the house.
(b) All members appointed must have
knowledge and demonstrated expertise in pharmaceutical economics and finance or
health care economics and finance. A
member must not be an employee of, a board member of, or a consultant to a manufacturer
or trade association for manufacturers or a pharmacy benefit manager or trade
association for pharmacy benefit managers.
(c) Initial appointments shall be made
by January 1, 2022.
Subd. 3. Terms. (a) Board appointees shall serve
four-year terms, except that initial appointees shall serve staggered terms of
two, three, or four years as determined by lot by the secretary of state. A board member shall serve no more than two
consecutive terms.
(b) A board member may resign at any
time by giving written notice to the board.
Subd. 4. Chair;
other officers. (a) The
governor shall designate an acting chair from the members appointed by the
governor. The acting chair shall convene
the first meeting of the board.
(b) The board shall elect a chair to
replace the acting chair at the first meeting of the board by a majority of the
members. The chair shall serve for one
year.
(c) The board shall elect a vice-chair
and other officers from the board's membership as the board deems necessary.
Subd. 5. Staff;
technical assistance. (a) The
board shall hire an executive director and other staff, who shall serve in the
unclassified service. The executive
director must have knowledge and demonstrated expertise in pharmacoeconomics,
pharmacology, health policy, health services research, medicine, or a related
field or discipline. The board may
employ or contract for professional and technical assistance as the board deems
necessary to perform the board's duties.
(b) The attorney general shall provide
legal services to the board.
Subd. 6. Compensation. The board members shall not receive
compensation but may receive reimbursement for expenses as authorized under
section 15.059, subdivision 3.
Subd. 7. Meetings. (a) Meetings of the board are subject
to chapter 13D. The board shall meet
publicly at least every three months to review prescription drug product
information submitted to the board under section 62J.90. If there are no pending submissions, the
chair of the board may cancel or postpone the required meeting. The board may meet in closed session when
reviewing proprietary information, as determined under the standards developed
in accordance with section 62J.91, subdivision 4.
(b) The board shall announce each
public meeting at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date of the meeting. Any materials for the meeting shall be made
public at least one week prior to the scheduled date of the meeting.
(c) At each public meeting, the board
shall provide the opportunity for comments from the public, including the
opportunity for written comments to be submitted to the board prior to a
decision by the board.
Sec. 4. [62J.88]
PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. The governor shall appoint a 12-member
stakeholder advisory council to provide advice to the board on drug cost issues
and to represent stakeholders' views. The
members of the advisory council shall be appointed based on the members'
knowledge and demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: the pharmaceutical business; practice of
medicine; patient perspectives; health care cost trends and drivers; clinical
and health services research; and the health care marketplace.
Subd. 2. Membership. The council's membership shall consist
of the following:
(1) two members representing patients
and health care consumers;
(2) two members representing health
care providers;
(3) one member representing
health plan companies;
(4) two members representing employers,
with one member representing large employers and one member representing small
employers;
(5) one member representing government
employee benefit plans;
(6) one member representing
pharmaceutical manufacturers;
(7) one member who is a health services
clinical researcher;
(8) one member who is a pharmacologist;
and
(9) one member with expertise in health
economics representing the commissioner of health.
Subd. 3. Terms. (a) The initial appointments to the
advisory council shall be made by January 1, 2022. The initial appointed advisory council
members shall serve staggered terms of two, three, or four years determined by
lot by the secretary of state. Following
the initial appointments, the advisory council members shall serve four-year
terms.
(b) Removal and vacancies of advisory
council members is governed by section 15.059.
Subd. 4. Compensation. Advisory council members may be
compensated according to section 15.059.
Subd. 5. Meetings. Meetings of the advisory council are
subject to chapter 13D. The advisory
council shall meet publicly at least every three months to advise the board on
drug cost issues related to the prescription drug product information submitted
to the board under section 62J.90.
Subd. 6. Exemption. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the
advisory council does not expire.
Sec. 5. [62J.89]
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Subdivision 1. Definition. For purposes of this section,
"conflict of interest" means a financial or personal association that
has the potential to bias or have the appearance of biasing a person's
decisions in matters related to the board, the advisory council, or in the
conduct of the board's or council's activities.
A conflict of interest includes any instance in which a person, a
person's immediate family member, including a spouse, parent, child, or other
legal dependent, or an in-law of any of the preceding individuals has received
or could receive a direct or indirect financial benefit of any amount deriving
from the result or findings of a decision or determination of the board. For purposes of this section, a financial
benefit includes honoraria, fees, stock, the value of the member's, immediate
family member's, or in-law's stock holdings, and any direct financial benefit
deriving from the finding of a review conducted under sections 62J.85 to 62J.95. Ownership of securities is not a conflict of
interest if the securities are: (1) part
of a diversified mutual or exchange traded fund; or (2) in a tax-deferred or
tax-exempt retirement account that is administered by an independent trustee.
Subd. 2. General. (a) Prior to the acceptance of an
appointment or employment, or prior to entering into a contractual agreement, a
board or advisory council member, board staff member, or third-party contractor
must disclose to the appointing authority or the board any conflicts of
interest. The information disclosed
shall include the type, nature, and magnitude of the interests involved.
(b) A board member, board staff member,
or third-party contractor with a conflict of interest with regard to any
prescription drug product under review must recuse themselves from any
discussion, review, decision, or determination made by the board relating to
the prescription drug product.
(c) Any conflict of interest
must be disclosed in advance of the first meeting after the conflict is
identified or within five days after the conflict is identified, whichever is
earlier.
Subd. 3. Prohibitions. Board members, board staff, or
third-party contractors are prohibited from accepting gifts, bequeaths, or
donations of services or property that raise the specter of a conflict of
interest or have the appearance of injecting bias into the activities of the
board.
Sec. 6. [62J.90]
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICE INFORMATION; DECISION TO CONDUCT COST REVIEW.
Subdivision 1. Drug
price information from the commissioner of health and other sources. (a) The commissioner of health shall
provide to the board the information reported to the commissioner by drug
manufacturers under section 62J.84, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5. The commissioner shall provide this
information to the board within 30 days of the date the information is received
from drug manufacturers.
(b) The board shall subscribe to one or
more prescription drug pricing files, such as Medispan or FirstDatabank, or as
otherwise determined by the board.
Subd. 2. Identification
of certain prescription drug products.
(a) The board, in consultation with the advisory council, shall
identify the following prescription drug products:
(1) brand name drugs or biologics for
which the WAC increases by more than ten percent or by more than $10,000 during
any 12-month period or course of treatment if less than 12 months, after
adjusting for changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI);
(2) brand name drugs or biologics that
have been introduced at a WAC of $30,000 or more per calendar year or per
course of treatment;
(3) biosimilar drugs that have been introduced
at a WAC that is not at least 15 percent lower than the referenced brand name
biologic at the time the biosimilar is introduced; and
(4) generic drugs for which the WAC:
(i) is $100 or more, after adjusting
for changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), for:
(A) a 30-day supply lasting a patient
for a period of 30 consecutive days based on the recommended dosage approved
for labeling by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
(B) a supply lasting a patient for
fewer than 30 days based on recommended dosage approved for labeling by the
FDA; or
(C) one unit of the drug if the
labeling approved by the FDA does not recommend a finite dosage; and
(ii) is increased by 200 percent or
more during the immediate preceding 12-month period, as determined by the
difference between the resulting WAC and the average of the WAC reported over
the preceding 12 months, after adjusting for changes in the Consumer Price
Index (CPI).
(b) The board, in consultation with the
advisory council, shall identify prescription drug products not described in
paragraph (a) that may impose costs that create significant affordability
challenges for the state health care system or for patients, including but not
limited to drugs to address public health emergencies.
(c) The board shall make
available to the public the names and related price information of the
prescription drug products identified under this subdivision, with the
exception of information determined by the board to be proprietary under the
standards developed by the board under section 62J.91, subdivision 4.
Subd. 3. Determination
to proceed with review. (a)
The board may initiate a cost review of a prescription drug product identified
by the board under this section.
(b) The board shall consider requests
by the public for the board to proceed with a cost review of any prescription
drug product identified under this section.
(c) If there is no consensus among the
members of the board with respect to whether or not to initiate a cost review
of a prescription drug product, any member of the board may request a vote to
determine whether or not to review the cost of the prescription drug product.
Sec. 7. [62J.91]
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRODUCT REVIEWS.
Subdivision 1. General. Once a decision by the board has been
made to proceed with a cost review of a prescription drug product, the board
shall conduct the review and make a determination as to whether appropriate
utilization of the prescription drug under review, based on utilization that is
consistent with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label or
standard medical practice, has led or will lead to affordability challenges for
the state health care system or for patients.
Subd. 2. Review
considerations. In reviewing
the cost of a prescription drug product, the board may consider the following
factors:
(1) the price at which the prescription
drug product has been and will be sold in the state;
(2) the average monetary price
concession, discount, or rebate the manufacturer provides to a group purchaser
in this state as reported by the manufacturer and the group purchaser expressed
as a percent of the WAC for prescription drug product under review;
(3) the price at which therapeutic
alternatives have been or will be sold in the state;
(4) the average monetary price
concession, discount, or rebate the manufacturer provides or is expected to
provide to a group purchaser in the state or is expected to provide to group
purchasers in the state for therapeutic alternatives;
(5) the cost to group purchasers based
on patient access consistent with the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) labeled indications;
(6) the impact on patient access
resulting from the cost of the prescription drug product relative to insurance
benefit design;
(7) the current or expected dollar
value of drug-specific patient access programs that are supported by
manufacturers;
(8) the relative financial impacts to
health, medical, or other social services costs that can be quantified and
compared to baseline effects of existing therapeutic alternatives;
(9) the average patient co-pay or other
cost-sharing for the prescription drug product in the state;
(10) any information a
manufacturer chooses to provide; and
(11) any other factors as determined by
the board.
Subd. 3. Further
review factors. If, after
considering the factors described in subdivision 2, the board is unable to
determine whether a prescription drug product will produce or has produced an
affordability challenge, the board may consider:
(1) manufacturer research and
development costs, as indicated on the manufacturer's federal tax filing for
the most recent tax year in proportion to the manufacturer's sales in the
state;
(2) that portion of direct-to-consumer
marketing costs eligible for favorable federal tax treatment in the most recent
tax year that are specific to the prescription drug product under review and
that are multiplied by the ratio of total manufacturer in-state sales to total
manufacturer sales in the United States for the product under review;
(3) gross and net manufacturer revenues
for the most recent tax year;
(4) any information and research
related to the manufacturer's selection of the introductory price or price
increase, including but not limited to:
(i) life cycle management;
(ii) market competition and context;
and
(iii) projected revenue; and
(5) any additional factors determined
by the board to be relevant.
Subd. 4. Public
data; proprietary information. (a)
Any submission made to the board related to a drug cost review shall be made
available to the public, with the exception of information determined by the
board to be proprietary.
(b) The board shall establish the
standards for the information to be considered proprietary under paragraph (a)
and section 62J.90, subdivision 2, including standards for heightened
consideration of proprietary information for submissions for a cost review of a
drug that is not yet approved by the FDA.
(c) Prior to the board establishing the
standards under paragraph (b), the public shall be provided notice and the
opportunity to submit comments.
Sec. 8. [62J.92]
DETERMINATIONS; COMPLIANCE; REMEDIES.
Subdivision 1. Upper
payment limit. (a) In the
event the board finds that the spending on a prescription drug product reviewed
under section 62J.91 creates an affordability challenge for the state health
care system or for patients, the board shall establish an upper payment limit
after considering:
(1) the cost to administer the drug;
(2) the cost to deliver the drug to consumers;
(3) the range of prices at which the
drug is sold in the United States according to one or more pricing files
accessed under section 62J.90, subdivision 1, and the range at which pharmacies
are reimbursed in Canada; and
(4) any other relevant pricing
and administrative cost information for the drug.
(b) The upper payment limit shall apply
to all public and private purchases, payments, and payer reimbursements for the
prescription drug product that is intended for individuals in the state in
person, by mail, or by other means.
Subd. 2. Noncompliance. (a) The failure of an entity to comply
with an upper payment limit established by the board under this section shall
be referred to the Office of the Attorney General.
(b) If the Office of the Attorney
General finds that an entity was noncompliant with the upper payment limit
requirements, the attorney general may pursue remedies consistent with chapter
8 or appropriate criminal charges if there is evidence of intentional
profiteering.
(c) An entity who obtains price
concessions from a drug manufacturer that result in a lower net cost to the
stakeholder than the upper payment limit established by the board shall not be
considered to be in noncompliance.
(d) The Office of the Attorney General
may provide guidance to stakeholders concerning activities that could be
considered noncompliant.
Subd. 3. Appeals. (a) A person affected by a decision of
the board may request an appeal of the board's decision within 30 days of the
date of the decision. The board shall
hear the appeal and render a decision within 60 days of the hearing.
(b) All appeal decisions are subject to
judicial review in accordance with chapter 14.
Sec. 9. [62J.93]
REPORTS.
Beginning March 1, 2022, and each March
1 thereafter, the board shall submit a report to the governor and legislature
on general price trends for prescription drug products and the number of
prescription drug products that were subject to the board's cost review and
analysis, including the result of any analysis as well as the number and
disposition of appeals and judicial reviews.
Sec. 10. [62J.94]
ERISA PLANS AND MEDICARE DRUG PLANS.
(a) Nothing in sections 62J.85 to 62J.95
shall be construed to require ERISA plans or Medicare Part D plans to comply
with decisions of the board, but are free to choose to exceed the upper payment
limit established by the board under section 62J.92.
(b) Providers who dispense and
administer drugs in the state must bill all payers no more than the upper
payment limit without regard to whether or not an ERISA plan or Medicare Part D
plan chooses to reimburse the provider in an amount greater than the upper
payment limit established by the board.
(c) For purposes of this section, an
ERISA plan or group health plan is an employee welfare benefit plan established
by or maintained by an employer or an employee organization, or both, that
provides employer sponsored health coverage to employees and the employee's
dependents and is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (ERISA).
Sec. 11. [62J.95]
SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of sections 62J.85 to
62J.94 or the application of sections 62J.85 to 62J.94 to any person or
circumstance is held invalid for any reason in a court of competent
jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or any other
application of sections 62J.85 to 62J.94 that can be given effect without the invalid
provision or application.
ARTICLE 3
INSURANCE
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 60A.092, subdivision 10a, is amended to read:
Subd. 10a. Other
jurisdictions. The reinsurance is
ceded and credit allowed to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subdivision 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10, or 10b, but only with respect to
the insurance of risks located in jurisdictions where the reinsurance is
required by applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022, and applies to reinsurance contracts entered into or
renewed on or after that date.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 60A.092, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 10b. Credit
allowed; reciprocal jurisdiction. (a)
Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer
meeting each of the following conditions:
(1) the assuming insurer must have its
head office in or be domiciled in, as applicable, and be licensed in a
reciprocal jurisdiction. A
"reciprocal jurisdiction" means a jurisdiction that is:
(i) a non-United States jurisdiction
that is subject to an in-force covered agreement with the United States, each
within its legal authority, or, in the case of a covered agreement between the
United States and the European Union, is a member state of the European Union. For purposes of this subdivision, a
"covered agreement" means an agreement entered into pursuant to the
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, United States Code,
title 31, sections 313 and 314, that is currently in effect or in a period of
provisional application and addresses the elimination, under specified
conditions, of collateral requirements as a condition for entering into any
reinsurance agreement with a ceding insurer domiciled in Minnesota or for
allowing the ceding insurer to recognize credit for reinsurance;
(ii) a United States jurisdiction that
meets the requirements for accreditation under the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) financial standards and accreditation program;
or
(iii)
a qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the commissioner, which is not
otherwise described in item (i) or (ii) and which meets the following
additional requirements, consistent with the terms and conditions of in-force
covered agreements:
(A) provides that an insurer which has
its head office or is domiciled in such qualified jurisdiction shall receive
credit for reinsurance ceded to a United States-domiciled assuming insurer in
the same manner as credit for reinsurance is received for reinsurance assumed
by insurers domiciled in such qualified jurisdiction;
(B) does not require a United
States-domiciled assuming insurer to establish or maintain a local presence as
a condition for entering into a reinsurance agreement with any ceding insurer
subject to regulation by the non-United States jurisdiction or as a condition
to allow the ceding insurer to recognize credit for such reinsurance;
(C) recognizes the United States state
regulatory approach to group supervision and group capital, by providing
written confirmation by a competent regulatory authority, in such qualified
jurisdiction, that insurers and insurance groups that are domiciled or maintain
their headquarters in this state or another jurisdiction accredited by the NAIC
shall be subject only to worldwide prudential insurance group supervision
including worldwide group governance, solvency and capital, and reporting, as
applicable, by the commissioner or the commissioner of the domiciliary state
and will not be subject to group supervision at the level of the worldwide
parent undertaking of the insurance or reinsurance group by the qualified
jurisdiction; and
(D) provides written
confirmation by a competent regulatory authority in such qualified jurisdiction
that information regarding insurers and their parent, subsidiary, or affiliated
entities, if applicable, shall be provided to the commissioner in accordance
with a memorandum of understanding or similar document between the commissioner
and such qualified jurisdiction, including but not limited to the International
Association of Insurance Supervisors Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding
or other multilateral memoranda of understanding coordinated by the NAIC;
(2) the assuming insurer must have and
maintain, on an ongoing basis, minimum capital and surplus, or its equivalent,
calculated according to the methodology of its domiciliary jurisdiction, on at
least an annual basis as of the preceding December 31 or on the date otherwise
statutorily reported to the reciprocal jurisdiction, in the following amounts:
(i) no less than $250,000,000; or
(ii) if the assuming insurer is an
association, including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters:
(A) minimum capital and surplus
equivalents, net of liabilities, or own funds of the equivalent of at least
$250,000,000; and
(B) a central fund containing a balance
of the equivalent of at least $250,000,000;
(3) the assuming insurer must have and
maintain, on an ongoing basis, a minimum solvency or capital ratio, as
applicable, as follows:
(i) if the assuming insurer has its
head office or is domiciled in a reciprocal jurisdiction defined in clause (1),
item (i), the ratio specified in the applicable covered agreement;
(ii) if the assuming insurer is
domiciled in a reciprocal jurisdiction defined in clause (1), item (ii), a
risk-based capital ratio of 300 percent of the authorized control level,
calculated in accordance with the formula developed by the NAIC; or
(iii) if the assuming insurer is
domiciled in a Reciprocal Jurisdiction defined in clause (1), item (iii), after
consultation with the reciprocal jurisdiction and considering any
recommendations published through the NAIC Committee Process, such solvency or
capital ratio as the commissioner determines to be an effective measure of
solvency;
(4) the assuming insurer must agree and
provide adequate assurance in the form of a properly executed Form AR-1, Form
CR-1, and Form RJ-1 of its agreement to the following:
(i) the assuming insurer must provide
prompt written notice and explanation to the commissioner if it falls below the
minimum requirements set forth in clause (2) or (3), or if any regulatory
action is taken against the assuming insurer for serious noncompliance with
applicable law;
(ii) the assuming insurer must consent
in writing to the jurisdiction of the courts of Minnesota and to the
appointment of the commissioner as agent for service of process. The commissioner may require that consent for
service of process be provided to the commissioner and included in each
reinsurance agreement. Nothing in this
subdivision shall limit or in any way alter the capacity of parties to a
reinsurance agreement to agree to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms,
except to the extent such agreements are unenforceable under applicable
insolvency or delinquency laws;
(iii) the assuming insurer must
consent in writing to pay all final judgments, wherever enforcement is sought,
obtained by a ceding insurer or its legal successor, that have been declared
enforceable in the jurisdiction where the judgment was obtained;
(iv) each reinsurance agreement must include a provision requiring the assuming insurer to provide security in an amount equal to 100 percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded pursuant to that agreement if the assuming insurer resists enforcement of a final judgment that is enforceable under the law of the jurisdiction in which it was obtained or a properly enforceable arbitration award, whether obtained by the ceding insurer or by its legal successor on behalf of its resolution estate;
(v) the assuming insurer must confirm
that it is not presently participating in any solvent scheme of arrangement
which involves this state's ceding insurers, and agree to notify the ceding
insurer and the commissioner and to provide security in an amount equal to 100
percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities to the ceding insurer, should the
assuming insurer enter into such a solvent scheme of arrangement. The security shall be in a form consistent
with sections 60A.092, subdivision 10, 60A.093, 60A.096, and 60A.097. For purposes of this section, the term
"solvent scheme of arrangement" means a foreign or alien statutory or
regulatory compromise procedure subject to requisite majority creditor approval
and judicial sanction in the assuming insurer's home jurisdiction either to
finally commute liabilities of duly noticed classed members or creditors of a
solvent debtor, or to reorganize or restructure the debts and obligations of a
solvent debtor on a final basis, and which may be subject to judicial
recognition and enforcement of the arrangement by a governing authority outside
the ceding insurer's home jurisdiction; and
(vi) the assuming insurer must agree in
writing to meet the applicable information filing requirements set forth in
clause (5);
(5) the assuming insurer or its legal
successor must provide, if requested by the commissioner, on behalf of itself
and any legal predecessors, the following documentation to the commissioner:
(i) for the two years preceding entry
into the reinsurance agreement and on an annual basis thereafter, the assuming
insurer's annual audited financial statements, in accordance with the
applicable law of the jurisdiction of its head office or domiciliary
jurisdiction, as applicable, including the external audit report;
(ii) for the two years preceding entry
into the reinsurance agreement, the solvency and financial condition report or
actuarial opinion, if filed with the assuming insurer's supervisor;
(iii) prior to entry into the
reinsurance agreement and not more than semiannually thereafter, an updated
list of all disputed and overdue reinsurance claims outstanding for 90 days or
more, regarding reinsurance assumed from ceding insurers domiciled in the
United States; and
(iv) prior to entry into the reinsurance
agreement and not more than semiannually thereafter, information regarding the
assuming insurer's assumed reinsurance by ceding insurer, ceded reinsurance by
the assuming insurer, and reinsurance recoverable on paid and unpaid losses by
the assuming insurer to allow for the evaluation of the criteria set forth in
clause (6);
(6) the assuming insurer must maintain a
practice of prompt payment of claims under reinsurance agreements. The lack of prompt payment will be evidenced
if any of the following criteria is met:
(i) more than 15 percent of the
reinsurance recoverables from the assuming insurer are overdue and in dispute
as reported to the commissioner;
(ii) more than 15 percent of the
assuming insurer's ceding insurers or reinsurers have overdue reinsurance
recoverable on paid losses of 90 days or more which are not in dispute and
which exceed for each ceding insurer $100,000, or as otherwise specified in a
covered agreement; or
(iii) the aggregate amount of
reinsurance recoverable on paid losses which are not in dispute, but are
overdue by 90 days or more, exceeds $50,000,000, or as otherwise specified in a
covered agreement;
(7) the assuming insurer's supervisory
authority must confirm to the commissioner by December 31, 2021, and annually
thereafter, or at the annual date otherwise statutorily reported to the
reciprocal jurisdiction, that the assuming insurer complies with the requirements
set forth in clauses (2) and (3); and
(8) nothing in this subdivision
precludes an assuming insurer from providing the commissioner with information
on a voluntary basis.
(b) The commissioner shall timely
create and publish a list of reciprocal jurisdictions. The commissioner's list shall include any
reciprocal jurisdiction as defined under paragraph (a), clause (1), items (i)
and (ii), and shall consider any other reciprocal jurisdiction included on the
NAIC list. The commissioner may approve
a jurisdiction that does not appear on the NAIC list of reciprocal
jurisdictions in accordance with criteria developed under rules issued by the
commissioner. The commissioner may
remove a jurisdiction from the list of reciprocal jurisdictions upon a
determination that the jurisdiction no longer meets the requirements of a
reciprocal jurisdiction, in accordance with a process set forth in rules issued
by the commissioner, except that the commissioner shall not remove from the
list a reciprocal jurisdiction as defined under paragraph (a), clause (1),
items (i) and (ii). Upon removal of a
reciprocal jurisdiction from the list, credit for reinsurance ceded to an
assuming insurer which has its home office or is domiciled in that jurisdiction
shall be allowed, if otherwise allowed pursuant to law.
(c) The commissioner shall timely
create and publish a list of assuming insurers that have satisfied the
conditions set forth in this subdivision and to which cessions shall be granted
credit in accordance with this subdivision.
The commissioner may add an assuming insurer to the list if an NAIC
accredited jurisdiction has added the assuming insurer to a list of assuming
insurers or if, upon initial eligibility, the assuming insurer submits the
information to the commissioner as required under paragraph (a), clause (4),
and complies with any additional requirements that the commissioner may impose
by rule, except to the extent that they conflict with an applicable covered
agreement.
(i) If an NAIC-accredited jurisdiction
has determined that the conditions set forth in paragraph (a), clause (2), have
been met, the commissioner has the discretion to defer to that jurisdiction's
determination, and add such assuming insurer to the list of assuming insurers
to which cessions shall be granted credit in accordance with this paragraph. The commissioner may accept financial
documentation filed with another NAIC-accredited jurisdiction or with the NAIC
in satisfaction of the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (2);
(ii) When requesting that the
commissioner defer to another NAIC-accredited jurisdiction's determination, an
assuming insurer must submit a properly executed Form RJ-1 and additional
information as the commissioner may require.
A state that has received such a request will notify other states
through the NAIC Committee Process and provide relevant information with
respect to the determination of eligibility.
(d) If the commissioner determines that
an assuming insurer no longer meets one or more of the requirements under this
subdivision, the commissioner may revoke or suspend the eligibility of the
assuming insurer for recognition under this subdivision in accordance with
procedures set forth in rule. While an
assuming insurer's eligibility is suspended, no reinsurance agreement issued,
amended, or renewed after the effective date of the suspension qualifies for
credit, except to the extent that the assuming insurer's obligations under the
contract are secured in accordance with this section. If an assuming insurer's eligibility is
revoked, no credit for reinsurance may be granted after the effective date of
the revocation with respect to any reinsurance agreements entered into by the
assuming insurer, including reinsurance agreements entered into prior to the
date of revocation, except to the extent that the assuming insurer's
obligations under the contract are secured in a form acceptable to the
commissioner and consistent with the provisions of this section.
(e) Before denying statement
credit or imposing a requirement to post security with respect to paragraph (d)
or adopting any similar requirement that will have substantially the same
regulatory impact as security, the commissioner shall:
(1) communicate with the ceding
insurer, the assuming insurer, and the assuming insurer's supervisory authority
that the assuming insurer no longer satisfies one of the conditions listed in
paragraph (a), clause (2);
(2) provide the assuming insurer with
30 days from the initial communication to submit a plan to remedy the defect,
and 90 days from the initial communication to remedy the defect, except in
exceptional circumstances in which a shorter period is necessary for
policyholder and other consumer protection;
(3) after the expiration of 90 days or
less, as set out in clause (2), if the commissioner determines that no or
insufficient action was taken by the assuming insurer, the commissioner may
impose any of the requirements as set out in this paragraph; and
(4) provide a written explanation to
the assuming insurer of any of the requirements set out in this paragraph.
(f) If subject to a legal process of
rehabilitation, liquidation, or conservation, as applicable, the ceding
insurer, or its representative, may seek and, if determined appropriate by the
court in which the proceedings are pending, may obtain an order requiring that
the assuming insurer post security for all outstanding ceded liabilities.
(g) Nothing in this subdivision limits
or in any way alters the capacity of parties to a reinsurance agreement to
agree on requirements for security or other terms in the reinsurance agreement,
except as expressly prohibited by applicable law or rule.
(h) Credit may be taken under this
subdivision only for reinsurance agreements entered into, amended, or renewed
on or after the effective date of this subdivision, and only with respect to
losses incurred and reserves reported on or after the later of: (1) the date on which the assuming insurer
has met all eligibility requirements pursuant to this subdivision; and (2) the
effective date of the new reinsurance agreement, amendment, or renewal. This paragraph does not alter or impair a
ceding insurer's right to take credit for reinsurance, to the extent that
credit is not available under this subdivision, as long as the reinsurance
qualifies for credit under any other applicable provision of law. Nothing in this subdivision shall authorize
an assuming insurer to withdraw or reduce the security provided under any
reinsurance agreement, except as permitted by the terms of the agreement. Nothing in this subdivision shall limit, or
in any way alter, the capacity of parties to any reinsurance agreement to
renegotiate the agreement.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022, and applies to reinsurance contracts entered into or
renewed on or after that date.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 60A.0921, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Certification procedure. (a) The commissioner shall post notice on the department's website promptly upon receipt of any application for certification, including instructions on how members of the public may respond to the application. The commissioner may not take final action on the application until at least 30 days after posting the notice.
(b) The commissioner shall issue written notice to an assuming insurer that has applied and been approved as a certified reinsurer. The notice must include the rating assigned the certified reinsurer in accordance with subdivision 1. The commissioner shall publish a list of all certified reinsurers and their ratings.
(c) In order to be eligible for certification, the assuming insurer must:
(1) be domiciled and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in a qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the commissioner under subdivision 3;
(2) maintain capital and surplus, or its equivalent, of no less than $250,000,000 calculated in accordance with paragraph (d), clause (8). This requirement may also be satisfied by an association including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters having minimum capital and surplus equivalents net of liabilities of at least $250,000,000 and a central fund containing a balance of at least $250,000,000;
(3) maintain financial strength ratings from two or more rating agencies acceptable to the commissioner. These ratings shall be based on interactive communication between the rating agency and the assuming insurer and shall not be based solely on publicly available information. These financial strength ratings shall be one factor used by the commissioner in determining the rating that is assigned to the assuming insurer. Acceptable rating agencies include the following:
(i) Standard & Poor's;
(ii) Moody's Investors Service;
(iii) Fitch Ratings;
(iv) A.M. Best Company; or
(v) any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization; and
(4) ensure that the certified reinsurer complies with any other requirements reasonably imposed by the commissioner.
(d) Each certified reinsurer shall be rated on a legal entity basis, with due consideration being given to the group rating where appropriate, except that an association including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters that has been approved to do business as a single certified reinsurer may be evaluated on the basis of its group rating. Factors that may be considered as part of the evaluation process include, but are not limited to:
(1) certified reinsurer's financial strength rating from an acceptable rating agency. The maximum rating that a certified reinsurer may be assigned will correspond to its financial strength rating as outlined in the table below. The commissioner shall use the lowest financial strength rating received from an approved rating agency in establishing the maximum rating of a certified reinsurer. A failure to obtain or maintain at least two financial strength ratings from acceptable rating agencies will result in loss of eligibility for certification;
|
Ratings |
Best |
S&P |
Moody's |
Fitch |
|
Secure - 1 |
A++ |
AAA |
Aaa |
AAA |
|
Secure - 2 |
A+ |
AA+, AA, AA- |
Aa1, Aa2, Aa3 |
AA+, AA, AA- |
|
Secure - 3 |
A |
A+, A |
A1, A2 |
A+, A |
|
Secure - 4 |
A- |
A- |
A3 |
A- |
|
Secure - 5 |
B++, B- |
BBB+, BBB, BBB- |
Baa1, Baa2, Baa3 |
BBB+, BBB, BBB- |
|
Vulnerable - 6 |
B, B-C++, C+, C, C-, D, E, F |
BB+, BB, BB-, B+, B, B-, CCC, CC, C, D, R |
Ba1, Ba2, Ba3, B1, B2, B3, Caa, Ca, C |
BB+, BB, BB-, B+, B, B-, CCC+, CC, CCC-, DD |
(2) the business practices of the certified reinsurer in dealing with its ceding insurers, including its record of compliance with reinsurance contractual terms and obligations;
(3) for certified reinsurers domiciled in the United States, a review of the most recent applicable NAIC annual statement;
(4) for certified reinsurers not domiciled in the United States, a review annually of such forms as may be required by the commissioner;
(5) the reputation of the certified reinsurer for prompt payment of claims under reinsurance agreements, based on an analysis of ceding insurers' reporting of overdue reinsurance recoverables, including the proportion of obligations that are more than 90 days past due or are in dispute, with specific attention given to obligations payable to companies that are in administrative supervision or receivership;
(6) regulatory actions against the certified reinsurer;
(7) the report of the independent auditor on the financial statements of the insurance enterprise, on the basis described in clause (8);
(8) for certified reinsurers not domiciled
in the United States, audited financial statements (audited United States GAAP
basis if available, audited IFRS basis statements are allowed, but must include
an audited footnote reconciling equity and net income to a United States GAAP
basis, or, with permission of the commissioner, audited IFRS statements with
reconciliation to United States GAAP certified by an officer of the company). Upon the initial application for
certification, the commissioner will consider audited financial statements for the
last three two years filed with its non-United States
jurisdiction supervisor;
(9) the liquidation priority of obligations to a ceding insurer in the certified reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction in the context of an insolvency proceeding;
(10) a certified reinsurer's participation in any solvent scheme of arrangement, or similar procedure, which involves United States ceding insurers. The commissioner must receive prior notice from a certified reinsurer that proposes participation by the certified reinsurer in a solvent scheme of arrangement; and
(11) other information as determined by the commissioner.
(e) Based on the analysis conducted under paragraph (d), clause (5), of a certified reinsurer's reputation for prompt payment of claims, the commissioner may make appropriate adjustments in the security the certified reinsurer is required to post to protect its liabilities to United States ceding insurers, provided that the commissioner shall, at a minimum, increase the security the certified reinsurer is required to post by one rating level under paragraph (d), clause (1), if the commissioner finds that:
(1) more than 15 percent of the certified reinsurer's ceding insurance clients have overdue reinsurance recoverables on paid losses of 90 days or more which are not in dispute and which exceed $100,000 for each cedent; or
(2) the aggregate amount of reinsurance recoverables on paid losses which are not in dispute that are overdue by 90 days or more exceeds $50,000,000.
(f) The assuming insurer must submit such forms as required by the commissioner as evidence of its submission to the jurisdiction of this state, appoint the commissioner as an agent for service of process in this state, and agree to provide security for 100 percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers if it resists enforcement of a final United States judgment. The commissioner shall not certify an assuming insurer that is domiciled in a jurisdiction that the commissioner has determined does not adequately and promptly enforce final United States judgments or arbitration awards.
(g) The certified reinsurer must agree to meet filing requirements as determined by the commissioner, both with respect to an initial application for certification and on an ongoing basis. All data submitted by certified reinsurers to the commissioner is nonpublic under section 13.02, subdivision 9. The certified reinsurer must file with the commissioner:
(1) a notification within ten days of any regulatory actions taken against the certified reinsurer, any change in the provisions of its domiciliary license, or any change in rating by an approved rating agency, including a statement describing such changes and the reasons therefore;
(2) an annual report regarding reinsurance assumed, in a form determined by the commissioner;
(3) an annual report of the independent auditor on the financial statements of the insurance enterprise, on the basis described in clause (4);
(4) an annual audited financial statement,
regulatory filings, and actuarial opinion filed with the certified reinsurer's
supervisor. Upon the initial certification,
audited financial statements for the last three two years filed
with the certified reinsurer's supervisor;
(5) at least annually, an updated list of all disputed and overdue reinsurance claims regarding reinsurance assumed from United States domestic ceding insurers;
(6) a certification from the certified reinsurer's domestic regulator that the certified reinsurer is in good standing and maintains capital in excess of the jurisdiction's highest regulatory action level; and
(7) any other relevant information as determined by the commissioner.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022, and applies to reinsurance contracts entered into or
renewed on or after that date.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 60A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Fees other than examination fees. In addition to the fees and charges provided for examinations, the following fees must be paid to the commissioner for deposit in the general fund:
(a) by township mutual fire insurance companies:
(1) for filing certificate of incorporation $25 and amendments thereto, $10;
(2) for filing annual statements, $15;
(3) for each annual certificate of authority, $15;
(4) for filing bylaws $25 and amendments thereto, $10;
(b) by other domestic and foreign companies including fraternals and reciprocal exchanges:
(1) for filing an application for an initial certification of authority to be admitted to transact business in this state, $1,500;
(2) for filing certified copy of certificate of articles of incorporation, $100;
(3) for filing annual
statement, $225 $300;
(4) for filing certified copy of amendment to certificate or articles of incorporation, $100;
(5) for filing bylaws, $75 or amendments thereto, $75;
(6) for each company's certificate of
authority, $575 $750, annually;
(c) the following general fees apply:
(1) for each certificate, including certified copy of certificate of authority, renewal, valuation of life policies, corporate condition or qualification, $25;
(2) for
each copy of paper on file in the commissioner's office 50 cents per page, and
$2.50 for certifying the same;
(3) for license to procure insurance in unadmitted foreign companies, $575;
(4) for valuing the policies of life
insurance companies, one cent two cents per $1,000 of insurance
so valued, provided that the fee shall not exceed $13,000 $26,000
per year for any company. The
commissioner may, in lieu of a valuation of the policies of any foreign life
insurance company admitted, or applying for admission, to do business in this
state, accept a certificate of valuation from the company's own actuary or from
the commissioner of insurance of the state or territory in which the company is
domiciled;
(5) for receiving and filing certificates of policies by the company's actuary, or by the commissioner of insurance of any other state or territory, $50;
(6) for each appointment of an agent filed with the commissioner, $30;
(7) for filing forms, rates, and compliance certifications under section 60A.315, $140 per filing, or $125 per filing when submitted via electronic filing system. Filing fees may be paid on a quarterly basis in response to an invoice. Billing and payment may be made electronically;
(8) for annual renewal of surplus lines
insurer license, $300 $400.
The commissioner shall adopt rules to define filings that are subject to a fee.
Sec. 5. [60A.985]
DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1. Terms. As used in sections 60A.985 to
60A.9857, the following terms have the meanings given.
Subd. 2. Authorized
individual. "Authorized
individual" means an individual known to and screened by the licensee and
determined to be necessary and appropriate to have access to the nonpublic
information held by the licensee and its information systems.
Subd. 3. Consumer. "Consumer" means an
individual, including but not limited to an applicant, policyholder, insured,
beneficiary, claimant, and certificate holder who is a resident of this state
and whose nonpublic information is in a licensee's possession, custody, or
control.
Subd. 4. Cybersecurity
event. "Cybersecurity
event" means an event resulting in unauthorized access to, or disruption
or misuse of, an information system or nonpublic information stored on an
information system.
Cybersecurity event does not
include the unauthorized acquisition of encrypted nonpublic information if the
encryption, process, or key is not also acquired, released, or used without
authorization.
Cybersecurity event does not include an
event with regard to which the licensee has determined that the nonpublic
information accessed by an unauthorized person has not been used or released
and has been returned or destroyed.
Subd. 5. Encrypted. "Encrypted" means the
transformation of data into a form which results in a low probability of
assigning meaning without the use of a protective process or key.
Subd. 6. Information
security program. "Information
security program" means the administrative, technical, and physical
safeguards that a licensee uses to access, collect, distribute, process,
protect, store, use, transmit, dispose of, or otherwise handle nonpublic
information.
Subd. 7. Information
system. "Information
system" means a discrete set of electronic information resources organized
for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or
disposition of nonpublic electronic information, as well as any specialized
system such as industrial or process controls systems, telephone switching and
private branch exchange systems, and environmental control systems.
Subd. 8. Licensee. "Licensee" means any person
licensed, authorized to operate, or registered, or required to be licensed,
authorized, or registered by the Department of Commerce or the Department of
Health under chapters 59A to 62M and 62Q to 79A.
Subd. 9. Multifactor
authentication. "Multifactor
authentication" means authentication through verification of at least two
of the following types of authentication factors:
(1) knowledge factors, such as a
password;
(2) possession factors, such as a token
or text message on a mobile phone; or
(3) inherence factors, such as a
biometric characteristic.
Subd. 10. Nonpublic
information. "Nonpublic
information" means electronic information that is not publicly available
information and is:
(1) any information concerning a
consumer which because of name, number, personal mark, or other identifier can
be used to identify the consumer, in combination with any one or more of the
following data elements:
(i) Social Security number;
(ii) driver's license number or
nondriver identification card number;
(iii) financial account number, credit
card number, or debit card number;
(iv) any security code, access code, or
password that would permit access to a consumer's financial account; or
(v) biometric records; or
(2) any information or data, except age
or gender, in any form or medium created by or derived from a health care
provider or a consumer that can be used to identify a particular consumer and
that relates to:
(i) the past, present, or future physical,
mental, or behavioral health or condition of any consumer or a member of the
consumer's family;
(ii) the provision of health
care to any consumer; or
(iii) payment for the provision of
health care to any consumer.
Subd. 11. Person. "Person" means any
individual or any nongovernmental entity, including but not limited to any
nongovernmental partnership, corporation, branch, agency, or association.
Subd. 12. Publicly
available information. "Publicly
available information" means any information that a licensee has a
reasonable basis to believe is lawfully made available to the general public
from: federal, state, or local government
records; widely distributed media; or disclosures to the general public that
are required to be made by federal, state, or local law.
For the purposes of this definition, a
licensee has a reasonable basis to believe that information is lawfully made
available to the general public if the licensee has taken steps to determine:
(1) that the information is of the type
that is available to the general public; and
(2) whether a consumer can direct that
the information not be made available to the general public and, if so, that
such consumer has not done so.
Subd. 13. Risk
assessment. "Risk
assessment" means the risk assessment that each licensee is required to
conduct under section 60A.9853, subdivision 3.
Subd. 14. State. "State" means the state of
Minnesota.
Subd. 15. Third-party
service provider. "Third-party
service provider" means a person, not otherwise defined as a licensee,
that contracts with a licensee to maintain, process, or store nonpublic
information, or is otherwise permitted access to nonpublic information through
its provision of services to the licensee.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 6. [60A.9851]
INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1. Implementation
of an information security program. Commensurate
with the size and complexity of the licensee, the nature and scope of the
licensee's activities, including its use of third-party service providers, and
the sensitivity of the nonpublic information used by the licensee or in the
licensee's possession, custody, or control, each licensee shall develop,
implement, and maintain a comprehensive written information security program
based on the licensee's risk assessment and that contains administrative,
technical, and physical safeguards for the protection of nonpublic information
and the licensee's information system.
Subd. 2. Objectives
of an information security program. A
licensee's information security program shall be designed to:
(1) protect the security and
confidentiality of nonpublic information and the security of the information
system;
(2) protect against any threats or
hazards to the security or integrity of nonpublic information and the
information system;
(3) protect against unauthorized access
to, or use of, nonpublic information, and minimize the likelihood of harm to
any consumer; and
(4) define and periodically reevaluate a
schedule for retention of nonpublic information and a mechanism for its
destruction when no longer needed.
Subd. 3. Risk
assessment. The licensee
shall:
(1) designate one or more employees, an
affiliate, or an outside vendor authorized to act on behalf of the licensee who
is responsible for the information security program;
(2) identify reasonably foreseeable
internal or external threats that could result in unauthorized access,
transmission, disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of nonpublic
information, including threats to the security of information systems and
nonpublic information that are accessible to, or held by, third-party service
providers;
(3) assess the likelihood and potential
damage of the threats identified pursuant to clause (2), taking into consideration
the sensitivity of the nonpublic information;
(4) assess the sufficiency of policies,
procedures, information systems, and other safeguards in place to manage these
threats, including consideration of threats in each relevant area of the licensee's
operations, including:
(i) employee training and management;
(ii) information systems, including
network and software design, as well as information classification, governance,
processing, storage, transmission, and disposal; and
(iii) detecting, preventing, and
responding to attacks, intrusions, or other systems failures; and
(5) implement information safeguards to
manage the threats identified in its ongoing assessment, and no less than
annually, assess the effectiveness of the safeguards' key controls, systems,
and procedures.
Subd. 4. Risk
management. Based on its risk
assessment, the licensee shall:
(1) design its information security
program to mitigate the identified risks, commensurate with the size and
complexity of the licensee, the nature and scope of the licensee's activities,
including its use of third-party service providers, and the sensitivity of the
nonpublic information used by the licensee or in the licensee's possession,
custody, or control;
(2) determine which of the following
security measures are appropriate and implement any appropriate security
measures:
(i) place access controls on
information systems, including controls to authenticate and permit access only
to authorized individuals, to protect against the unauthorized acquisition of
nonpublic information;
(ii) identify and manage the data,
personnel, devices, systems, and facilities that enable the organization to
achieve business purposes in accordance with their relative importance to
business objectives and the organization's risk strategy;
(iii) restrict physical access to
nonpublic information to authorized individuals only;
(iv) protect, by encryption or other
appropriate means, all nonpublic information while being transmitted over an
external network and all nonpublic information stored on a laptop computer or
other portable computing or storage device or media;
(v) adopt secure development practices
for in-house developed applications utilized by the licensee;
(vi) modify the information system in
accordance with the licensee's information security program;
(vii) utilize effective
controls, which may include multifactor authentication procedures for any
authorized individual accessing nonpublic information;
(viii) regularly test and monitor
systems and procedures to detect actual and attempted attacks on, or intrusions
into, information systems;
(ix) include audit trails within the
information security program designed to detect and respond to cybersecurity
events and designed to reconstruct material financial transactions sufficient
to support normal operations and obligations of the licensee;
(x) implement measures to protect against
destruction, loss, or damage of nonpublic information due to environmental
hazards, such as fire and water damage, other catastrophes, or technological
failures; and
(xi) develop, implement, and maintain
procedures for the secure disposal of nonpublic information in any format;
(3) include cybersecurity risks in the
licensee's enterprise risk management process;
(4) stay informed regarding emerging
threats or vulnerabilities and utilize reasonable security measures when
sharing information relative to the character of the sharing and the type of
information shared; and
(5) provide its personnel with
cybersecurity awareness training that is updated as necessary to reflect risks
identified by the licensee in the risk assessment.
Subd. 5. Oversight
by board of directors. If the
licensee has a board of directors, the board or an appropriate committee of the
board shall, at a minimum:
(1) require the licensee's executive
management or its delegates to develop, implement, and maintain the licensee's
information security program;
(2) require the licensee's executive
management or its delegates to report in writing, at least annually, the
following information:
(i) the overall status of the
information security program and the licensee's compliance with this act; and
(ii) material matters related to the
information security program, addressing issues such as risk assessment, risk
management and control decisions, third-party service provider arrangements,
results of testing, cybersecurity events or violations and management's
responses thereto, and recommendations for changes in the information security
program; and
(3) if executive management delegates
any of its responsibilities under this section, it shall oversee the
development, implementation, and maintenance of the licensee's information
security program prepared by the delegate and shall receive a report from the
delegate complying with the requirements of the report to the board of
directors.
Subd. 6. Oversight
of third-party service provider arrangements. (a) A licensee shall exercise due
diligence in selecting its third-party service provider.
(b) A licensee shall require a
third-party service provider to implement appropriate administrative,
technical, and physical measures to protect and secure the information systems
and nonpublic information that are accessible to, or held by, the third-party
service provider.
Subd. 7. Program
adjustments. The licensee
shall monitor, evaluate, and adjust, as appropriate, the information security
program consistent with any relevant changes in technology, the sensitivity of
its nonpublic information, internal or external threats to information, and the
licensee's own changing business arrangements, such as mergers and
acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures, outsourcing arrangements, and
changes to information systems.
Subd. 8. Incident
response plan. (a) As part of
its information security program, each licensee shall establish a written
incident response plan designed to promptly respond to, and recover from, any
cybersecurity event that compromises the confidentiality, integrity, or
availability of nonpublic information in its possession, the licensee's
information systems, or the continuing functionality of any aspect of the
licensee's business or operations.
(b) The incident response plan shall
address the following areas:
(1) the internal process for responding
to a cybersecurity event;
(2) the goals of the incident response
plan;
(3) the definition of clear roles,
responsibilities, and levels of decision-making authority;
(4) external and internal
communications and information sharing;
(5) identification of requirements for
the remediation of any identified weaknesses in information systems and
associated controls;
(6) documentation and reporting
regarding cybersecurity events and related incident response activities; and
(7) the evaluation and revision, as
necessary, of the incident response plan following a cybersecurity event.
Subd. 9. Annual
certification to commissioner. (a)
Subject to paragraph (b), by April 15 of each year, an insurer domiciled in
this state shall certify in writing to the commissioner that the insurer is in
compliance with the requirements set forth in this section. Each insurer shall maintain all records,
schedules, and data supporting this certificate for a period of five years and
shall permit examination by the commissioner.
To the extent an insurer has identified areas, systems, or processes
that require material improvement, updating, or redesign, the insurer shall
document the identification and the remedial efforts planned and underway to
address such areas, systems, or processes.
Such documentation must be available for inspection by the commissioner.
(b) The commissioner must post on the
department's website, no later than 60 days prior to the certification required
by paragraph (a), the form and manner of submission required and any
instructions necessary to prepare the certification.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021. Licensees have
one year from the effective date to implement subdivisions 1 to 5 and 7 to 9,
and two years from the effective date to implement subdivision 6.
Sec. 7. [60A.9852]
INVESTIGATION OF A CYBERSECURITY EVENT.
Subdivision 1. Prompt
investigation. If the
licensee learns that a cybersecurity event has or may have occurred, the
licensee, or an outside vendor or service provider designated to act on behalf
of the licensee, shall conduct a prompt investigation.
Subd. 2. Investigation
contents. During the
investigation, the licensee, or an outside vendor or service provider
designated to act on behalf of the licensee, shall, at a minimum and to the
extent possible:
(1) determine whether a
cybersecurity event has occurred;
(2) assess the nature and scope of the
cybersecurity event, if any;
(3) identify whether any nonpublic
information was involved in the cybersecurity event and, if so, what nonpublic
information was involved; and
(4) perform or oversee reasonable
measures to restore the security of the information systems compromised in the
cybersecurity event in order to prevent further unauthorized acquisition,
release, or use of nonpublic information in the licensee's possession, custody,
or control.
Subd. 3. Third-party
systems. If the licensee learns
that a cybersecurity event has or may have occurred in a system maintained by a
third-party service provider, the licensee will complete the steps listed in
subdivision 2 or confirm and document that the third-party service provider has
completed those steps.
Subd. 4. Records. The licensee shall maintain records
concerning all cybersecurity events for a period of at least five years from
the date of the cybersecurity event and shall produce those records upon demand
of the commissioner.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 8. [60A.9853]
NOTIFICATION OF A CYBERSECURITY EVENT.
Subdivision 1. Notification
to the commissioner. Each
licensee shall notify the commissioner of commerce or commissioner of health,
whichever commissioner otherwise regulates the licensee, without unreasonable
delay but in no event later than three business days from a determination that
a cybersecurity event has occurred when either of the following criteria has
been met:
(1) this state is the licensee's state
of domicile, in the case of an insurer, or this state is the licensee's home
state, in the case of a producer, as those terms are defined in chapter 60K and
the cybersecurity event has a reasonable likelihood of materially harming:
(i) any consumer residing in this state;
or
(ii) any part of the normal operations
of the licensee; or
(2) the licensee reasonably believes
that the nonpublic information involved is of 250 or more consumers residing in
this state and that is either of the following:
(i) a cybersecurity event impacting the
licensee of which notice is required to be provided to any government body,
self-regulatory agency, or any other supervisory body pursuant to any state or
federal law; or
(ii) a cybersecurity event that has a
reasonable likelihood of materially harming:
(A) any consumer residing in this state;
or
(B) any part of the normal operations of
the licensee.
Subd. 2. Information;
notification. A licensee
making the notification required under subdivision 1 shall provide the
information in electronic form as directed by the commissioner. The licensee shall have a continuing
obligation to update and supplement initial and subsequent notifications to the
commissioner concerning material changes to previously provided information
relating to the cybersecurity event. The
licensee shall provide as much of the following information as possible:
(1) date of the cybersecurity
event;
(2) description of how the information
was exposed, lost, stolen, or breached, including the specific roles and
responsibilities of third-party service providers, if any;
(3) how the cybersecurity event was
discovered;
(4) whether any lost, stolen, or
breached information has been recovered and, if so, how this was done;
(5) the identity of the source of the
cybersecurity event;
(6) whether the licensee has filed a
police report or has notified any regulatory, government, or law enforcement
agencies and, if so, when such notification was provided;
(7) description of the specific types of
information acquired without authorization.
Specific types of information means particular data elements including,
for example, types of medical information, types of financial information, or
types of information allowing identification of the consumer;
(8) the period during which the
information system was compromised by the cybersecurity event;
(9) the number of total consumers in
this state affected by the cybersecurity event.
The licensee shall provide the best estimate in the initial report to
the commissioner and update this estimate with each subsequent report to the
commissioner pursuant to this section;
(10) the results of any internal review
identifying a lapse in either automated controls or internal procedures, or
confirming that all automated controls or internal procedures were followed;
(11) description of efforts being
undertaken to remediate the situation which permitted the cybersecurity event
to occur;
(12) a copy of the licensee's privacy
policy and a statement outlining the steps the licensee will take to
investigate and notify consumers affected by the cybersecurity event; and
(13) name of a contact person who is
familiar with the cybersecurity event and authorized to act for the licensee.
Subd. 3. Notification
to consumers. (a) If a
licensee is required to submit a report to the commissioner under subdivision
1, the licensee shall notify any consumer residing in Minnesota if, as a result
of the cybersecurity event reported to the commissioner, the consumer's
nonpublic information was or is reasonably believed to have been acquired by an
unauthorized person, and there is a reasonable likelihood of material harm to
the consumer as a result of the cybersecurity event. Consumer notification is not required for a
cybersecurity event resulting from the good faith acquisition of nonpublic
information by an employee or agent of the licensee for the purposes of the
licensee's business, provided the nonpublic information is not used for a
purpose other than the licensee's business or subject to further unauthorized
disclosure. The notification must be
made in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay,
consistent with the legitimate needs of law enforcement or with any measures
necessary to determine the scope of the breach, identify the individuals
affected, and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system. The notification may be delayed to a date
certain if the commissioner determines that providing the notice impedes a
criminal investigation. The licensee
shall provide a copy of the notice to the commissioner.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
notice required under paragraph (a) must be provided by one of the following
methods:
(1) written notice to the consumer's
most recent address in the licensee's records;
(2)
electronic notice, if the licensee's primary method of communication with the
consumer is by electronic means or if the notice provided is consistent with
the provisions regarding electronic records and signatures in United States
Code, title 15, section 7001; or
(3) if the cost of providing notice
exceeds $250,000, the affected class of consumers to be notified exceeds
500,000, or the licensee does not have sufficient contact information for the
subject consumers, notice as follows:
(i) email notice when the licensee has
an email address for the subject consumers;
(ii) conspicuous posting of the notice
on the website page of the licensee; and
(iii) notification to major statewide
media.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), a
licensee that maintains its own notification procedure as part of its
information security program that is consistent with the timing requirements of
this subdivision is deemed to comply with the notification requirements if the
licensee notifies subject consumers in accordance with its program.
(d) A waiver of the requirements under
this subdivision is contrary to public policy, and is void and unenforceable.
Subd. 4. Notice
regarding cybersecurity events of third-party service providers. (a) In the case of a cybersecurity
event in a system maintained by a third-party service provider, of which the
licensee has become aware, the licensee shall treat such event as it would
under subdivision 1 unless the third-party service provider provides the notice
required under subdivision 1.
(b) The computation of a licensee's
deadlines shall begin on the day after the third-party service provider
notifies the licensee of the cybersecurity event or the licensee otherwise has
actual knowledge of the cybersecurity event, whichever is sooner.
(c) Nothing in this act shall prevent or
abrogate an agreement between a licensee and another licensee, a third‑party
service provider, or any other party to fulfill any of the investigation
requirements imposed under section 60A.9854 or notice requirements imposed
under this section.
Subd. 5. Notice
regarding cybersecurity events of reinsurers to insurers. (a) In the case of a cybersecurity
event involving nonpublic information that is used by the licensee that is
acting as an assuming insurer or in the possession, custody, or control of a
licensee that is acting as an assuming insurer and that does not have a direct
contractual relationship with the affected consumers, the assuming insurer
shall notify its affected ceding insurers and the commissioner of its state of
domicile within three business days of making the determination that a
cybersecurity event has occurred.
(b) The ceding insurers that have a
direct contractual relationship with affected consumers shall fulfill the
consumer notification requirements imposed under subdivision 3 and any other
notification requirements relating to a cybersecurity event imposed under this
section.
(c) In the case of a cybersecurity event
involving nonpublic information that is in the possession, custody, or control
of a third-party service provider of a licensee that is an assuming insurer,
the assuming insurer shall notify its affected ceding insurers and the
commissioner of its state of domicile within three business days of receiving
notice from its third-party service provider that a cybersecurity event has
occurred.
(d) The ceding insurers that have a
direct contractual relationship with affected consumers shall fulfill the
consumer notification requirements imposed under subdivision 3 and any other
notification requirements relating to a cybersecurity event imposed under this
section.
(e) Any licensee acting as an
assuming insurer shall have no other notice obligations relating to a
cybersecurity event or other data breach under this section.
Subd. 6. Notice
regarding cybersecurity events of insurers to producers of record. (a) In the case of a cybersecurity
event involving nonpublic information that is in the possession, custody, or
control of a licensee that is an insurer or its third-party service provider
and for which a consumer accessed the insurer's services through an independent
insurance producer, the insurer shall notify the producers of record of all
affected consumers no later than the time at which notice is provided to the
affected consumers.
(b) The insurer is excused from this
obligation for those instances in which it does not have the current producer
of record information for any individual consumer or in those instances in
which the producer of record is no longer appointed to sell, solicit, or
negotiate on behalf of the insurer.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 9. [60A.9854]
POWER OF COMMISSIONER.
(a) The commissioner of commerce or
commissioner of health, whichever commissioner otherwise regulates the
licensee, shall have power to examine and investigate into the affairs of any
licensee to determine whether the licensee has been or is engaged in any
conduct in violation of sections 60A.985 to 60A.9857. This power is in addition to the powers which
the commissioner has under section 60A.031.
Any such investigation or examination shall be conducted pursuant to section
60A.031.
(b) Whenever the commissioner of
commerce or commissioner of health has reason to believe that a licensee has
been or is engaged in conduct in this state which violates sections 60A.985 to
60A.9857, the commissioner of commerce or commissioner of health may take
action that is necessary or appropriate to enforce those sections.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 10. [60A.9855]
CONFIDENTIALITY.
Subdivision 1. Licensee
information. Any documents,
materials, or other information in the control or possession of the department
that are furnished by a licensee or an employee or agent thereof acting on
behalf of a licensee pursuant to section 60A.9851, subdivision 9; section
60A.9853, subdivision 2, clauses (2), (3), (4), (5), (8), (10), and (11); or
that are obtained by the commissioner in an investigation or examination
pursuant to section 60A.9854 shall be classified as confidential, protected
nonpublic, or both; shall not be subject to subpoena; and shall not be subject
to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. However, the commissioner is authorized to
use the documents, materials, or other information in the furtherance of any
regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the commissioner's duties.
Subd. 2. Certain
testimony prohibited. Neither
the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other
information while acting under the authority of the commissioner shall be
permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any
confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subdivision 1.
Subd. 3. Information
sharing. In order to assist
in the performance of the commissioner's duties under this act, the
commissioner:
(1) may share documents, materials, or
other information, including the confidential and privileged documents,
materials, or information subject to subdivision 1, with other state, federal,
and international regulatory agencies, with the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and with state, federal, and
international law enforcement authorities, provided that the recipient agrees
in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the
document, material, or other information;
(2) may receive documents,
materials, or information, including otherwise confidential and privileged
documents, materials, or information, from the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and from regulatory
and law enforcement officials of other foreign or domestic jurisdictions, and
shall maintain as confidential or privileged any document, material, or
information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential
or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the
document, material, or information;
(3) may share documents, materials, or
other information subject to subdivision 1, with a third-party consultant or
vendor provided the consultant agrees in writing to maintain the
confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material, or other
information; and
(4) may enter into agreements governing
sharing and use of information consistent with this subdivision.
Subd. 4. No
waiver of privilege or confidentiality.
No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality
in the documents, materials, or information shall occur as a result of
disclosure to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing as
authorized in subdivision 3. Any
document, material, or information disclosed to the commissioner under this
section about a cybersecurity event must be retained and preserved by the
licensee for the time period under section 541.05, or longer if required by the
licensee's document retention policy.
Subd. 5. Certain
actions public. Nothing in
sections 60A.985 to 60A.9857 shall prohibit the commissioner from releasing
final, adjudicated actions that are open to public inspection pursuant to
chapter 13 to a database or other clearinghouse service maintained by the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates, or
subsidiaries.
Subd. 6. Classification,
protection, and use of information by others. Documents, materials, or other
information in the possession or control of the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners or a third-party consultant pursuant to sections
60A.985 to 60A.9857 are classified as confidential, protected nonpublic, and
privileged; are not subject to subpoena; and are not subject to discovery or
admissible in evidence in a private civil action.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 11. [60A.9856]
EXCEPTIONS.
Subdivision 1. Generally. The following exceptions shall apply
to sections 60A.985 to 60A.9857:
(1) a licensee with fewer than 25
employees is exempt from sections 60A.9851 and 60A.9852;
(2) a licensee subject to and in compliance
with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Public Law
104-191, 110 Stat. 1936 (HIPAA), is considered to comply with sections
60A.9851, 60A.9852, and 60A.9853, subdivisions 3 to 5, provided the licensee
submits a written statement certifying its compliance with HIPAA;
(3) a licensee affiliated with a
depository institution that maintains an information security program in
compliance with the interagency guidelines establishing standards for
safeguarding customer information as set forth pursuant to United States Code,
title 15, sections 6801 and 6805, shall be considered to meet the requirements
of section 60A.9851 provided that the licensee produce, upon request,
documentation satisfactory to the commission that independently validates the
affiliated depository institution's adoption of an information security program
that satisfies the interagency guidelines;
(4) an employee, agent, representative,
or designee of a licensee, who is also a licensee, is exempt from sections
60A.9851 and 60A.9852 and need not develop its own information security program
to the extent that the employee, agent, representative, or designee is covered
by the information security program of the other licensee; and
(5) an employee, agent,
representative, or designee of a producer licensee, as defined under section
60K.31, subdivision 6, who is also a licensee, is exempt from sections 60A.985
to 60A.9857.
Subd. 2. Exemption
lapse; compliance. In the
event that a licensee ceases to qualify for an exception, such licensee shall
have 180 days to comply with this act.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 12. [60A.9857]
PENALTIES.
In the case of a violation of sections
60A.985 to 60A.9856, a licensee may be penalized in accordance with section
60A.052.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 61A.245, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Minimum values. The minimum values as specified in subdivisions 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 of any paid-up annuity, cash surrender or death benefits available under an annuity contract shall be based upon minimum nonforfeiture amounts as defined in this subdivision.
(a) The minimum nonforfeiture amount at any time at or prior to the commencement of any annuity payments shall be equal to an accumulation up to that time at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph (b) of the net considerations, as defined in this subdivision, paid prior to that time, decreased by the sum of clauses (1) through (4):
(1) any prior withdrawals from or partial surrenders of the contract accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph (b);
(2) an annual contract charge of $50, accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph (b);
(3) any premium tax paid by the company for the contract and not subsequently credited back to the company, such as upon early termination of the contract, in which case this decrease must not be taken, accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph (b); and
(4) the amount of any indebtedness to the company on the contract, including interest due and accrued.
The net considerations for a given contract year used to define the minimum nonforfeiture amount shall be an amount equal to 87.5 percent of the gross considerations credited to the contract during that contract year.
(b) The interest rate used in determining minimum nonforfeiture amounts must be an annual rate of interest determined as the lesser of three percent per annum and the following, which must be specified in the contract if the interest rate will be reset:
(1) the five-year constant maturity treasury rate reported by the Federal Reserve as of a date, or average over a period, rounded to the nearest 1/20 of one percent, specified in the contract no longer than 15 months prior to the contract issue date or redetermination date under clause (4);
(2) reduced by 125 basis points;
(3) where the resulting interest rate is
not less than one 0.15 percent; and
(4) the interest rate shall apply for an initial period and may be redetermined for additional periods. The redetermination date, basis, and period, if any, shall be stated in the contract. The basis is the date or average over a specified period that produces the value of the five-year constant maturity treasury rate to be used at each redetermination date.
(c) During the period or term that a contract provides substantive participation in an equity indexed benefit, it may increase the reduction described in clause (2) by up to an additional 100 basis points to reflect the value of the equity index benefit. The present value at the contract issue date, and at each redetermination date thereafter, of the additional reduction must not exceed the market value of the benefit. The commissioner may require a demonstration that the present value of the additional reduction does not exceed the market value of the benefit. Lacking such a demonstration that is acceptable to the commissioner, the commissioner may disallow or limit the additional reduction.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following enactment.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 62J.23, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Restrictions. (a) From July 1, 1992, until rules are adopted by the commissioner under this section, the restrictions in the federal Medicare antikickback statutes in section 1128B(b) of the Social Security Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1320a-7b(b), and rules adopted under the federal statutes, apply to all persons in the state, regardless of whether the person participates in any state health care program.
(b) Nothing in paragraph (a) shall be construed to prohibit an individual from receiving a discount or other reduction in price or a limited-time free supply or samples of a prescription drug, medical supply, or medical equipment offered by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, medical supply or device manufacturer, health plan company, or pharmacy benefit manager, so long as:
(1) the discount or reduction in price is provided to the individual in connection with the purchase of a prescription drug, medical supply, or medical equipment prescribed for that individual;
(2) it otherwise complies with the requirements of state and federal law applicable to enrollees of state and federal public health care programs;
(3) the discount or reduction in price does not exceed the amount paid directly by the individual for the prescription drug, medical supply, or medical equipment; and
(4) the limited-time free supply or samples are provided by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or pharmacist, as provided by the federal Prescription Drug Marketing Act.
For purposes of this paragraph, "prescription drug" includes prescription drugs that are administered through infusion, injection, or other parenteral methods, and related services and supplies.
(c) No benefit, reward, remuneration, or incentive for continued product use may be provided to an individual or an individual's family by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, medical supply or device manufacturer, or pharmacy benefit manager, except that this prohibition does not apply to:
(1) activities permitted under paragraph (b);
(2) a pharmaceutical manufacturer, medical supply or device manufacturer, health plan company, or pharmacy benefit manager providing to a patient, at a discount or reduced price or free of charge, ancillary products necessary for treatment of the medical condition for which the prescription drug, medical supply, or medical equipment was prescribed or provided; and
(3) a pharmaceutical manufacturer, medical supply or device manufacturer, health plan company, or pharmacy benefit manager providing to a patient a trinket or memento of insignificant value.
(d) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit a health plan company from offering a tiered formulary with different co-payment or cost-sharing amounts for different drugs.
Sec. 15. [62Q.472]
SCREENING AND TESTING FOR OPIOIDS.
(a) A health plan company shall not
place a lifetime or annual limit on screenings and urinalysis testing for
opioids for an enrollee in an inpatient or outpatient substance use disorder treatment
program when the screening or testing is ordered by a health care provider and
performed by an accredited clinical laboratory.
A health plan company is not prohibited from conducting a medical
necessity review when screenings or urinalysis testing for an enrollee exceeds
24 tests in any 12-month period.
(b) This section does not apply to
managed care plans or county-based purchasing plans when the plan provides
coverage to public health care program enrollees under chapter 256B or 256L.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022, and applies to health plans offered, issued, or
renewed on or after that date.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 256B.0625, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Laboratory and x-ray services. (a) Medical assistance covers laboratory and x-ray services.
(b) Medical assistance covers screening
and urinalysis tests for opioids without lifetime or annual limits.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 17. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
60A.98; 60A.981; and 60A.982, are repealed.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
ARTICLE 4
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 13.712, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7. Student
loan servicers. Data
collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated under chapter 58B are
governed by section 58B.10.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.59, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Application. Extensions of credit or purchases of
extensions of credit by financial institutions under sections 47.20, 47.21,
47.201, 47.204, 47.58, 47.60, 48.153, 48.185, 48.195, 59A.01 to 59A.15,
334.01, 334.011, 334.012, 334.022, 334.06, and 334.061 to 334.19 may, but need
not, be made according to those sections in lieu of the authority set forth in
this section to the extent those sections authorize the financial institution
to make extensions of credit or purchase extensions of credit under those
sections. If a financial institution
elects to make an extension of credit or to purchase an extension of credit
under those other sections, the extension of credit or the purchase of an
extension of credit is subject to those sections and not this section, except
this subdivision, and
except as expressly provided in those sections. A financial institution may also charge an organization a rate of interest and any charges agreed to by the organization and may calculate and collect finance and other charges in any manner agreed to by that organization. Except for extensions of credit a financial institution elects to make under section 334.01, 334.011, 334.012, 334.022, 334.06, or 334.061 to 334.19, chapter 334 does not apply to extensions of credit made according to this section or the sections listed in this subdivision. This subdivision does not authorize a financial institution to extend credit or purchase an extension of credit under any of the sections listed in this subdivision if the financial institution is not authorized to do so under those sections. A financial institution extending credit under any of the sections listed in this subdivision shall specify in the promissory note, contract, or other loan document the section under which the extension of credit is made.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.60, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Authorization,
terms, conditions, and prohibitions. (a)
In lieu of the interest, finance charges, or fees in any other law, A
consumer small loan lender may charge the following: interest,
finance charges, and fees. The sum of
any interest, finance charges, and fees must not exceed an annual percentage
rate, as defined in section 47.59, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), of 36 percent.
(1) on any amount up to and including
$50, a charge of $5.50 may be added;
(2) on amounts in excess of $50, but not
more than $100, a charge may be added equal to ten percent of the loan proceeds
plus a $5 administrative fee;
(3) on amounts in excess of $100, but
not more than $250, a charge may be added equal to seven percent of the loan
proceeds with a minimum of $10 plus a $5 administrative fee;
(4) for amounts in excess of $250 and
not greater than the maximum in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), a charge may be
added equal to six percent of the loan proceeds with a minimum of $17.50 plus a
$5 administrative fee.
(b) The term of a loan made under this section shall be for no more than 30 calendar days.
(c) After maturity, the contract rate must not exceed 2.75 percent per month of the remaining loan proceeds after the maturity date calculated at a rate of 1/30 of the monthly rate in the contract for each calendar day the balance is outstanding.
(d) No insurance charges or other charges must be permitted to be charged, collected, or imposed on a consumer small loan except as authorized in this section.
(e) On a loan transaction in which cash is advanced in exchange for a personal check, a return check charge may be charged as authorized by section 604.113, subdivision 2, paragraph (a). The civil penalty provisions of section 604.113, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), may not be demanded or assessed against the borrower.
(f) A loan made under this section must not be repaid by the proceeds of another loan made under this section by the same lender or related interest. The proceeds from a loan made under this section must not be applied to another loan from the same lender or related interest. No loan to a single borrower made pursuant to this section shall be split or divided and no single borrower shall have outstanding more than one loan with the result of collecting a higher charge than permitted by this section or in an aggregate amount of principal exceed at any one time the maximum of $350.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.601, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Consumer short-term loan contract. (a) No contract or agreement between a consumer short-term loan lender and a borrower residing in Minnesota may contain the following:
(1) a provision selecting a law other than Minnesota law under which the contract is construed or enforced;
(2) a provision choosing a forum for dispute resolution other than the state of Minnesota; or
(3) a provision limiting class actions against a consumer short-term lender for violations of subdivision 3 or for making consumer short-term loans:
(i) without a required license issued by the commissioner; or
(ii) in which interest rates, fees,
charges, or loan amounts exceed those allowable under section 47.59,
subdivision 6, or 47.60, subdivision 2, other than by de minimis amounts
if no pattern or practice exists.
(b) Any provision prohibited by paragraph (a) is void and unenforceable.
(c) A consumer short-term loan lender must furnish a copy of the written loan contract to each borrower. The contract and disclosures must be written in the language in which the loan was negotiated with the borrower and must contain:
(1) the name; address, which may not be a post office box; and telephone number of the lender making the consumer short-term loan;
(2) the name and title of the individual employee or representative who signs the contract on behalf of the lender;
(3) an itemization of the fees and interest charges to be paid by the borrower;
(4) in bold, 24-point type, the annual percentage rate as computed under United States Code, chapter 15, section 1606; and
(5) a description of the borrower's payment obligations under the loan.
(d) The holder or assignee of a check or other instrument evidencing an obligation of a borrower in connection with a consumer short-term loan takes the instrument subject to all claims by and defenses of the borrower against the consumer short-term lender.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.601, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Penalties for violation; private right of action. (a) Except for a "bona fide error" as set forth under United States Code, chapter 15, section 1640, subsection (c), an individual or entity who violates subdivision 2 or 3 is liable to the borrower for:
(1) all money collected or received in connection with the loan;
(2) actual, incidental, and consequential damages;
(3) statutory damages of up to $1,000 per violation;
(4) costs, disbursements, and reasonable attorney fees; and
(5) injunctive relief.
(b) In addition to the remedies provided in paragraph (a), a loan is void, and the borrower is not obligated to pay any amounts owing if the loan is made:
(1) by a consumer short-term lender who has not obtained an applicable license from the commissioner;
(2) in violation of any provision of subdivision 2 or 3; or
(3) in which interest, fees, charges, or
loan amounts exceed the interest, fees, charges, or loan amounts allowable
under sections 47.59, subdivision 6, and section 47.60,
subdivision 2.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 48.512, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Required information. Before opening or authorizing signatory power over a transaction account, a financial intermediary shall require one applicant to provide the following information on an application document signed by the applicant:
(a) full name;
(b) birth date;
(c) address of residence;
(d) address of current employment, if employed;
(e) telephone numbers of residence and place of employment, if any;
(f) Social Security number;
(g) driver's license or identification
card number issued pursuant to section 171.07.
If the applicant does not have a driver's license or identification
card, the applicant may provide an identification document number issued for
identification purposes by any state, federal, or foreign government if the
document includes the applicant's photograph, full name, birth date, and
signature. A valid Wisconsin driver's
license without a photograph may be accepted in satisfaction of the requirement
of this paragraph until January 1, 1985;
(h) whether the applicant has had a transaction account at the same or another financial intermediary within 12 months immediately preceding the application, and if so, the name of the financial intermediary;
(i) whether the applicant has had a transaction account closed by a financial intermediary without the applicant's consent within 12 months immediately preceding the application, and if so, the reason the account was closed; and
(j) whether the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offense because of the use of a check or other similar item within 24 months immediately preceding the application.
A financial intermediary may require an applicant to disclose additional information.
An applicant who makes a false material statement that the applicant does not believe to be true in an application document with respect to information required to be provided by this subdivision is guilty of perjury. The financial intermediary shall notify the applicant of the provisions of this paragraph.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 48.512, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Confirm no involuntary closing. (a) Before opening or authorizing signatory power over a transaction account, the financial intermediary shall attempt to verify the information disclosed for subdivision 2, clause (i). Inquiries made to verify this information through persons in the business of providing such information must include an inquiry based on the applicant's identification number provided under subdivision 2, clause (g).
(b) The financial intermediary may
not open or authorize signatory power over a transaction account if (i) the
applicant had a transaction account closed by a financial intermediary without
consent because of issuance by the applicant of dishonored checks within 12
months immediately preceding the application, or (ii) the applicant has been
convicted of a criminal offense because of the use of a check or other similar
item within 24 months immediately preceding the application. This paragraph does not apply to programs
designed to expand access to financial services to individuals who do not
possess a transaction account.
(c) If the transaction account is refused pursuant to this subdivision, the reasons for the refusal shall be given to the applicant in writing and the applicant shall be allowed to provide additional information.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 48.512, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Transaction account service charges and charges relating to dishonored checks. (a) The establishment of transaction account service charges and the amounts of the charges not otherwise limited or prescribed by law or rule is a business decision to be made by each financial intermediary according to sound business judgment and safe, sound financial institution operational standards. In establishing transaction account service charges, the financial intermediary may consider, but is not limited to considering:
(1) costs incurred by the institution, plus a profit margin, in providing the service;
(2) the deterrence of misuse by customers of financial institution services;
(3) the establishment of the competitive position of the financial institution in accordance with the institution's marketing strategy; and
(4) maintenance of the safety and soundness of the institution.
(b) Transaction account service charges must be reasonable in relation to these considerations and should be arrived at by each financial intermediary on a competitive basis and not on the basis of any agreement, arrangement, undertaking, or discussion with other financial intermediaries or their officers.
(c) A financial intermediary may not impose
a service charge in excess of $4 $10 for a dishonored check on
any person other than the issuer of the check.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 53.04, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. Loans. (a) The right to make loans, secured or unsecured, at the rates and on the terms and other conditions permitted under chapters 47 and 334. Loans made under this authority must be in amounts in compliance with section 53.05, clause (7). A licensee making a loan under this chapter secured by a lien on real estate shall
comply with the requirements of
section 47.20, subdivision 8. A
licensee making a loan that is a consumer small loan, as defined in section
47.60, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), must comply with section 47.60. A licensee making a loan that is a consumer
short-term loan, as defined in section 47.601, subdivision 1, paragraph (d),
must comply with section 47.601.
(b) Loans made under this subdivision may be secured by real or personal property, or both. If the proceeds of a loan secured by a first lien on the borrower's primary residence are used to finance the purchase of the borrower's primary residence, the loan must comply with the provisions of section 47.20.
(c) An agency or instrumentality of the United States government or a corporation otherwise created by an act of the United States Congress or a lender approved or certified by the secretary of housing and urban development, or approved or certified by the administrator of veterans affairs, or approved or certified by the administrator of the Farmers Home Administration, or approved or certified by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or approved or certified by the Federal National Mortgage Association, that engages in the business of purchasing or taking assignments of mortgage loans and undertakes direct collection of payments from or enforcement of rights against borrowers arising from mortgage loans, is not required to obtain a certificate of authorization under this chapter in order to purchase or take assignments of mortgage loans from persons holding a certificate of authorization under this chapter.
(d) This subdivision does not authorize an industrial loan and thrift company to make loans under an overdraft checking plan.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 56.131, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Interest rates and charges. (a) On any loan in a principal amount not exceeding $100,000 or 15 percent of a Minnesota corporate licensee's capital stock and surplus as defined in section 53.015, if greater, a licensee may contract for and receive interest, finance charges, and other charges as provided in section 47.59.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a
licensee making a loan that is a consumer small loan, as defined in section
47.60, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), must comply with section 47.60. A licensee making a loan that is a consumer
short-term loan, as defined in section 47.601, subdivision 1, paragraph (d),
must comply with section 47.601.
(b) (c) With respect to a
loan secured by an interest in real estate, and having a maturity of more than
60 months, the original schedule of installment payments must fully amortize
the principal and interest on the loan. The
original schedule of installment payments for any other loan secured by an
interest in real estate must provide for payment amounts that are sufficient to
pay all interest scheduled to be due on the loan.
(c) (d) A licensee may contract for and
collect a delinquency charge as provided for in section 47.59, subdivision 6,
paragraph (a), clause (4).
(d) (e) A licensee may grant
extensions, deferments, or conversions to interest-bearing as provided in
section 47.59, subdivision 5.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to consumer short-term loans and small
loans originated on or after that date.
Sec. 11. [58B.01]
TITLE.
This chapter may be cited as the
"Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights."
Sec. 12. [58B.02]
DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1. Scope. For purposes of this chapter, the
following terms have the meanings given them.
Subd. 2. Borrower. "Borrower" means a resident
of this state who has received or agreed to pay a student loan or a person who
shares responsibility with a resident for repaying a student loan.
Subd. 3. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the
commissioner of commerce.
Subd. 4. Financial
institution. "Financial
institution" means any of the following organized under the laws of this
state, any other state, or the United States:
a bank, bank and trust, trust company with banking powers, savings bank,
savings association, or credit union.
Subd. 5. Person
in control. "Person in
control" means any member of senior management, including owners or
officers, and other persons who directly or indirectly possess the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management policies of an applicant or
student loan servicer under this chapter, regardless of whether the person has
any ownership interest in the applicant or student loan servicer. Control is presumed to exist if a person
directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds with power to vote ten percent
or more of the voting stock of an applicant or student loan servicer or of a
person who owns, controls, or holds with power to vote ten percent or more of
the voting stock of an applicant or student loan servicer.
Subd. 6. Servicing. "Servicing" means:
(1) receiving any scheduled periodic
payments from a borrower or notification of payments, and applying payments to
the borrower's account pursuant to the terms of the student loan or of the
contract governing servicing;
(2) during a period when no payment is
required on a student loan, maintaining account records for the loan and
communicating with the borrower regarding the loan, on behalf of the loan's
holder; and
(3) interacting with a borrower, including
activities to help prevent default on obligations arising from student loans,
conducted to facilitate the requirements in clauses (1) and (2).
Subd. 7. Student
loan. "Student
loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation loan for actual costs
paid for tuition and reasonable education and living expenses.
Subd. 8. Student
loan servicer. "Student
loan servicer" means any person, wherever located, responsible for the
servicing of any student loan to any borrower, including a nonbank covered
person, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 12, section 1090.101,
who is responsible for the servicing of any student loan to any borrower.
Sec. 13. [58B.03]
LICENSING OF STUDENT LOAN SERVICERS.
Subdivision 1. License
required. No person shall
directly or indirectly act as a student loan servicer without first obtaining a
license from the commissioner.
Subd. 2. Exempt
persons. The following
persons are exempt from the requirements of this chapter:
(1) a financial institution;
(2) a person servicing student loans
made with the person's own funds, if no more than three student loans are made
in any 12-month period;
(3)
an agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of this state that makes,
services, or guarantees student loans;
(4) a person acting in a fiduciary capacity, such as a trustee or receiver, as a result of a specific order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(5) the University of Minnesota; or
(6) a person exempted by order of the
commissioner.
Subd. 3. Application
for licensure. (a) Any person
seeking to act within the state as a student loan servicer must apply for a
license in a form and manner specified by the commissioner. At a minimum, the application must include:
(1) a financial statement prepared by a
certified public accountant or a public accountant;
(2) the history of criminal
convictions, excluding traffic violations, for persons in control of the
applicant;
(3) any information requested by the
commissioner related to the history of criminal convictions disclosed under
clause (2);
(4) a nonrefundable license fee
established by the commissioner; and
(5) a nonrefundable investigation fee
established by the commissioner.
(b) The commissioner may conduct a
state and national criminal history records check of the applicant and of each
person in control or employee of the applicant.
Subd. 4. Issuance
of a license. (a) Upon
receipt of a complete application for an initial license and the payment of
fees for a license and investigation, the commissioner must investigate the
financial condition and responsibility, character, financial and business
experience, and general fitness of the applicant. The commissioner may issue a license if the
commissioner finds:
(1) the applicant's financial condition
is sound;
(2) the applicant's business will be
conducted honestly, fairly, equitably, carefully, and efficiently within the
purposes and intent of this chapter;
(3) each person in control of the
applicant is in all respects properly qualified and of good character;
(4) no person, on behalf of the
applicant, has knowingly made any incorrect statement of a material fact in the
application or in any report or statement made pursuant to this section;
(5) no person, on behalf of the
applicant, has knowingly omitted any information required by the commissioner
from an application, report, or statement made pursuant to this section;
(6) the applicant has paid the fees
required under this section; and
(7) the application has met other
similar requirements as determined by the commissioner.
(b) A license issued under this chapter
is not transferable or assignable.
Subd. 5. Notification
of a change in status. An
applicant or student loan servicer must notify the commissioner in writing of
any change in the information provided in the initial application for a license
or the most recent renewal application for a license. The notification must be received no later
than ten business days after the date of an event that results in the
information becoming inaccurate.
Subd. 6. Term
of license. Licenses issued
under this chapter expire on December 31 of each year and are renewable on
January 1.
Subd. 7. Exemption
from application. (a) A
person is exempt from the application procedures under subdivision 3 if the
commissioner determines that the person is servicing student loans in this
state pursuant to a contract awarded by the United States Secretary of
Education under United States Code, title 20, section 1087f. Documentation of eligibility for this exemption
shall be in a form and manner determined by the commissioner.
(b) A person determined to be eligible
for the exemption under paragraph (a) shall, upon payment of the fees under
subdivision 3, be issued a license and deemed to meet all of the requirements
of subdivision 4.
Subd. 8. Notice. (a) A person issued a license under
subdivision 7 must provide the commissioner with written notice no less than
seven days after the date the person's contract under United States Code, title
20, section 1087f, expires, is revoked, or is terminated.
(b) A person issued a license under
subdivision 7 has 30 days from the date the notification under paragraph (a) is
provided to complete the requirements of subdivision 3. If a person does not meet the requirements of
subdivision 3 within this time period, the commissioner shall immediately
suspend the person's license under this chapter.
Sec. 14. [58B.04]
LICENSING MULTIPLE PLACES OF BUSINESS.
A person licensed to act as a student
loan servicer in this state is prohibited from servicing student loans under
any other name or at any other place of business than that named in the license. Any time a student loan servicer changes the
location of the servicer's place of business, the servicer must provide prior
written notice to the commissioner. A
student loan servicer may not maintain more than one place of business under
the same license. The commissioner may
issue more than one license to the same student loan servicer, provided that
the servicer complies with the application procedures in section 58B.03 for
each license.
Sec. 15. [58B.05]
LICENSE RENEWAL.
Subdivision 1. Term. Licenses are renewable on January 1 of
each year.
Subd. 2. Timely
renewal. (a) A person whose
application is properly and timely filed who has not received notice of denial
of renewal is considered approved for renewal.
The person may continue to act as a student loan servicer whether or not
the renewed license has been received on or before January 1 of the renewal
year. An application for renewal of a
license is considered timely filed if the application is received by the
commissioner, or mailed with proper postage and postmarked, by the December 15
before the renewal year. An application
for renewal is considered properly filed if the application is made upon forms
duly executed, accompanied by fees prescribed by this chapter, and containing
any information that the commissioner requires.
(b) A person who fails to make a timely
application for renewal of a license and who has not received the renewal
license as of January 1 of the renewal year is unlicensed until the renewal
license has been issued by the commissioner and is received by the person.
Subd. 3. Contents
of renewal application. An
application for renewal of an existing license must contain the information
specified in section 58B.03, subdivision 3, except that only the requested
information having changed from the most recent prior application need be
submitted.
Subd. 4. Cancellation. A student loan servicer ceasing an
activity or activities regulated by this chapter and desiring to no longer be
licensed shall inform the commissioner in writing and, at the same time,
surrender the license and all other symbols or indicia of licensure. The licensee shall include a plan for the
withdrawal from student loan servicing, including a timetable for the
disposition of the student loans being serviced.
Subd. 5. Renewal
fees. The following fees must
be paid to the commissioner for a renewal license:
(1) a nonrefundable renewal license fee
established by the commissioner; and
(2) a nonrefundable renewal
investigation fee established by the commissioner.
Sec. 16. [58B.06]
DUTIES OF STUDENT LOAN SERVICERS.
Subdivision 1. Response
requirements. Upon receiving
a written communication from a borrower, a student loan servicer must:
(1) acknowledge receipt of the
communication in less than ten days from the date the communication is
received; and
(2) provide information relating to the
communication and, if applicable, the action the student loan servicer will
take to either (i) correct the borrower's issue or (ii) explain why the issue
cannot be corrected. The information
must be provided less than 30 days after the date the written communication was
received by the student loan servicer.
Subd. 2. Overpayments. (a) A student loan servicer must ask a
borrower in what manner the borrower would like any overpayment to be applied
to a student loan. A borrower's
instruction regarding the application of overpayments is effective for the term
of the loan or until the borrower provides a different instruction.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
"overpayment" means a payment on a student loan that exceeds the
monthly amount due.
Subd. 3. Partial
payments. (a) A student loan
servicer must apply a partial payment in a manner intended to minimize late
fees and the negative impact on the borrower's credit history. If a borrower has multiple student loans with
the same student loan servicer, upon receipt of a partial payment the servicer
must apply the payments to satisfy as many individual loan payments as
possible.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
"partial payment" means a payment on a student loan that is less than
the monthly amount due.
Subd. 4. Transfer
of student loan. (a) If a
borrower's student loan servicer changes pursuant to the sale, assignment, or
transfer of the servicing, the original student loan servicer must:
(1) require the new student loan
servicer to honor all benefits that were made available, or which may have
become available, to a borrower from the original student loan servicer; and
(2) transfer to the new student loan
servicer all information regarding the borrower, the account of the borrower,
and the borrower's student loan, including but not limited to the repayment
status of the student loan and the benefits described in clause (1).
(b) The student loan servicer
must complete the transfer under paragraph (a), clause (2), less than 45 days
from the date of the sale, assignment, or transfer of the servicing.
(c) A sale, assignment, or transfer of
the servicing must be completed no less than seven days from the date the next
payment is due on the student loan.
(d) A new student loan servicer must
adopt policies and procedures to verify that the original student loan servicer
has met the requirements of paragraph (a).
Subd. 5. Income-driven repayment. A student loan servicer must evaluate a borrower for eligibility for an income-driven repayment program before placing a borrower in forbearance or default.
Subd. 6. Records. A student loan servicer must maintain
adequate records of each student loan for not less than two years following the
final payment on the student loan or the sale, assignment, or transfer of the
servicing.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021, and applies to student loan contracts executed on or
after that date.
Sec. 17. [58B.07]
PROHIBITED CONDUCT.
Subdivision 1. Misleading
borrowers. A student loan
servicer must not directly or indirectly attempt to mislead a borrower.
Subd. 2. Misrepresentation. A student loan servicer must not
engage in any unfair or deceptive practice or misrepresent or omit any material
information in connection with the servicing of a student loan, including but
not limited to misrepresenting the amount, nature, or terms of any fee or
payment due or claimed to be due on a student loan, the terms and conditions of
the loan agreement, or the borrower's obligations under the loan.
Subd. 3. Misapplication
of payments. A student loan
servicer must not knowingly or negligently misapply student loan payments.
Subd. 4. Inaccurate
information. A student loan
servicer must not knowingly or negligently provide inaccurate information to
any consumer reporting agency.
Subd. 5. Reporting
of payment history. A student
loan servicer must not fail to report both the favorable and unfavorable
payment history of the borrower to a consumer reporting agency at least
annually, if the student loan servicer regularly reports payment history
information.
Subd. 6. Refusal
to communicate with a borrower's representative. A student loan servicer must not
refuse to communicate with a representative of the borrower who provides a
written authorization signed by the borrower.
The student loan servicer may adopt procedures reasonably related to
verifying that the representative is in fact authorized to act on behalf of the
borrower.
Subd. 7. False
statements and omissions. A
student loan servicer must not knowingly or negligently make any false
statement or omission of material fact in connection with any application,
information, or reports filed with the commissioner or any other federal,
state, or local government agency.
Subd. 8. Noncompliance
with applicable laws. A
student loan servicer must not violate any other federal, state, or local laws,
including those related to fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices.
Subd. 9. Incorrect
information regarding student loan forgiveness. A student loan servicer must not
misrepresent the availability of student loan forgiveness for which the
servicer has reason to know the borrower is eligible. This includes but is not limited to student
loan forgiveness programs specific to military borrowers, borrowers working in
public service, or borrowers with disabilities.
Subd. 10. Compliance
with servicer duties. A
student loan servicer must comply with the duties and obligations under section
58B.06.
Sec. 18. [58B.08]
EXAMINATIONS.
The commissioner has the same powers
with respect to examinations of student loan servicers under this chapter that
the commissioner has under section 46.04.
Sec. 19. [58B.09]
DENIAL; SUSPENSION; REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
Subdivision 1. Powers
of commissioner. (a) The
commissioner may by order take any or all of the following actions:
(1) bar a person from engaging in
student loan servicing;
(2) deny, suspend, or revoke a student
loan servicer license;
(3) censure a student loan servicer;
(4) impose a civil penalty, as provided
in section 45.027, subdivision 6;
(5) order restitution to the borrower,
if applicable; or
(6) revoke an exemption.
(b) In order to take the action in
paragraph (a), the commissioner must find:
(1) the order is in the public
interest; and
(2) the student loan servicer,
applicant, person in control, employee, or agent has:
(i) violated any provision of this
chapter or a rule or order adopted or issued under this chapter;
(ii) violated a standard of conduct or
engaged in a fraudulent, coercive, deceptive, or dishonest act or practice,
including but not limited to negligently making a false statement or knowingly
omitting a material fact, whether or not the act or practice involves student
loan servicing;
(iii) engaged in an act or practice
that demonstrates untrustworthiness, financial irresponsibility, or
incompetence, whether or not the act or practice involves student loan
servicing;
(iv) pled guilty or nolo contendere to
or been convicted of a felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor;
(v) paid a civil penalty or been the
subject of a disciplinary action by the commissioner, order of suspension or
revocation, cease and desist order, injunction order, or order barring
involvement in an industry or profession issued by the commissioner or any
other federal, state, or local government agency;
(vi)
been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have engaged in conduct
evidencing gross negligence, fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit;
(vii) refused to cooperate with an
investigation or examination by the commissioner;
(viii) failed to pay any fee or
assessment imposed by the commissioner; or
(ix) failed to comply with state and
federal tax obligations.
Subd. 2. Orders
of the commissioner. To begin
a proceeding under this section, the commissioner shall issue an order
requiring the subject of the proceeding to show cause why action should not be
taken against the person according to this section. The order must be calculated to give
reasonable notice of the time and place for the hearing and must state the
reasons for entry of the order. The
commissioner may by order summarily suspend a license or exemption or summarily
bar a person from engaging in student loan servicing pending a final
determination of an order to show cause.
If a license or exemption is summarily suspended or if the person is
summarily barred from any involvement in the servicing of student loans pending
final determination of an order to show cause, a hearing on the merits must be
held within 30 days of the issuance of the order of summary suspension or bar. All hearings must be conducted under chapter
14. After the hearing, the commissioner
shall enter an order disposing of the matter as the facts require. If the subject of the order fails to appear
at a hearing after having been duly notified, the person is considered in
default and the proceeding may be determined against the subject of the order
upon consideration of the order to show cause, the allegations of which may be
considered to be true.
Subd. 3. Actions
against lapsed license. If a
license or certificate of exemption lapses; is surrendered, withdrawn, or
terminated; or otherwise becomes ineffective, the commissioner may (1)
institute a proceeding under this subdivision within two years after the
license or certificate of exemption was last effective and enter a revocation
or suspension order as of the last date on which the license or certificate of
exemption was in effect, and (2) impose a civil penalty as provided for in this
section or section 45.027, subdivision 6.
Sec. 20. [58B.10]
DATA PRACTICES.
Subdivision 1. Classification
of data. Data collected,
created, received, maintained, or disseminated by the Department of Commerce
under this chapter are governed by section 46.07.
Subd. 2. Data
sharing. To the extent data
collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated under this chapter
are not public data as defined by section 13.02, subdivision 8a, the data may,
when necessary to accomplish the purpose of this chapter, be shared between:
(1) the United States Department of Education;
(2) the Office of Higher Education;
(3) the Department of Commerce;
(4) the Office of the Attorney General;
and
(5) any other local, state, and federal
law enforcement agencies.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 65B.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Grounds and notice. No cancellation or reduction in the limits of liability of coverage during the policy period of any policy shall be effective unless notice thereof is given and unless based on one or more reasons stated in the policy which shall be limited to the following:
1. nonpayment of premium; or
2. the policy was obtained through a material misrepresentation; or
3. any insured made a false or fraudulent claim or knowingly aided or abetted another in the presentation of such a claim; or
4. the named insured failed to disclose fully motor vehicle accidents and moving traffic violations of the named insured for the preceding 36 months if called for in the written application; or
5. the named insured failed to disclose in the written application any requested information necessary for the acceptance or proper rating of the risk; or
6. the named insured knowingly failed to give any required written notice of loss or notice of lawsuit commenced against the named insured, or, when requested, refused to cooperate in the investigation of a claim or defense of a lawsuit; or
7. the named insured or any other operator who either resides in the same household, or customarily operates an automobile insured under such policy, unless the other operator is identified as a named insured in another policy as an insured:
(a) has, within the 36 months prior to the notice of cancellation, had that person's driver's license under suspension or revocation because the person committed a moving traffic violation or because the person refused to be tested under section 169A.20, subdivision 1; or
(b) is or becomes subject to epilepsy or heart attacks, and such individual does not produce a written opinion from a physician testifying to that person's medical ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, such opinion to be based upon a reasonable medical probability; or
(c) has an accident record, conviction record (criminal or traffic), physical condition or mental condition, any one or all of which are such that the person's operation of an automobile might endanger the public safety; or
(d) has been convicted, or forfeited bail, during the 24 months immediately preceding the notice of cancellation for criminal negligence in the use or operation of an automobile, or assault arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle, or operating a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition or while under the influence of drugs; or leaving the scene of an accident without stopping to report; or making false statements in an application for a driver's license, or theft or unlawful taking of a motor vehicle; or
(e) has been convicted of, or forfeited bail for, one or more violations within the 18 months immediately preceding the notice of cancellation, of any law, ordinance, or rule which justify a revocation of a driver's license; or
8. the insured automobile is:
(a) so mechanically defective that its operation might endanger public safety; or
(b) used in carrying passengers for hire or compensation, provided however that the use of an automobile for a car pool or a private passenger vehicle used by a volunteer driver, as defined under section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h), shall not be considered use of an automobile for hire or compensation; or
(c) used in the business of transportation of flammables or explosives; or
(d) an authorized emergency vehicle; or
(e) subject to an inspection law and has not been inspected or, if inspected, has failed to qualify within the period specified under such inspection law; or
(f) substantially changed in type or condition during the policy period, increasing the risk substantially, such as conversion to a commercial type vehicle, a dragster, sports car or so as to give clear evidence of a use other than the original use.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 65B.43, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Commercial vehicle. "Commercial vehicle" means:
(a) any motor vehicle used as a common carrier,
(b) any motor vehicle, other than a passenger vehicle defined in section 168.002, subdivision 24, which has a curb weight in excess of 5,500 pounds apart from cargo capacity, or
(c) any motor vehicle while used in the for-hire transportation of property.
Commercial vehicle does not include a
"commuter van," which for purposes of this chapter shall mean means
(1) a motor vehicle having a capacity of seven to 16 persons which is used
principally to provide prearranged transportation of persons to or from their
place of employment or to or from a transit stop authorized by a local transit
authority which vehicle is to be operated by a person who does not drive the
vehicle as a principal occupation but is driving it only to or from the
principal place of employment, to or from a transit stop authorized by a local
transit authority or, for personal use as permitted by the owner of the
vehicle, or (2) a private passenger vehicle driven by a volunteer driver.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 65B.472, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) Unless a different meaning is expressly made applicable, the terms defined in paragraphs (b) through (g) have the meanings given them for the purposes of this chapter.
(b) A "digital network" means any online-enabled application, software, website, or system offered or utilized by a transportation network company that enables the prearrangement of rides with transportation network company drivers.
(c) A "personal vehicle" means a vehicle that is used by a transportation network company driver in connection with providing a prearranged ride and is:
(1) owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the transportation network company driver; and
(2) not a taxicab, limousine, or
for-hire vehicle, or a private passenger vehicle driven by a volunteer
driver.
(d) A "prearranged ride" means the provision of transportation by a driver to a rider, beginning when a driver accepts a ride requested by a rider through a digital network controlled by a transportation network company, continuing while the driver transports a requesting rider, and ending when the last requesting rider departs from the personal vehicle. A prearranged ride does not include transportation provided using a taxicab, limousine, or other for-hire vehicle.
(e) A "transportation network company" means a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other entity that is operating in Minnesota that uses a digital network to connect transportation network company riders to transportation network company drivers who provide prearranged rides.
(f) A "transportation network company driver" or "driver" means an individual who:
(1) receives connections to potential riders and related services from a transportation network company in exchange for payment of a fee to the transportation network company; and
(2) uses a personal vehicle to provide a prearranged ride to riders upon connection through a digital network controlled by a transportation network company in return for compensation or payment of a fee.
(g) A "transportation network company rider" or "rider" means an individual or persons who use a transportation network company's digital network to connect with a transportation network driver who provides prearranged rides to the rider in the driver's personal vehicle between points chosen by the rider.
(h) A "volunteer driver"
means an individual who transports persons or goods on behalf of a nonprofit
entity or governmental unit in a private passenger vehicle and receives no
compensation for services provided other than the reimbursement of actual
expenses.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 174.29, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definition. For the purpose of sections 174.29 and 174.30 "special transportation service" means motor vehicle transportation provided on a regular basis by a public or private entity or person that is designed exclusively or primarily to serve individuals who are elderly or disabled and who are unable to use regular means of transportation but do not require ambulance service, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 3. Special transportation service includes but is not limited to service provided by specially equipped buses, vans, taxis, and volunteers driving private automobiles, as defined in section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h). Special transportation service also means those nonemergency medical transportation services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 17, that are subject to the operating standards for special transportation service under sections 174.29 to 174.30 and Minnesota Rules, chapter 8840.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 174.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Applicability. (a) The operating standards for special transportation service adopted under this section do not apply to special transportation provided by:
(1) a public transit provider receiving financial assistance under sections 174.24 or 473.371 to 473.449;
(2) a volunteer driver, as defined in section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h), using a private automobile;
(3) a school bus as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 71; or
(4) an emergency ambulance regulated under chapter 144.
(b) The operating standards adopted under this section only apply to providers of special transportation service who receive grants or other financial assistance from either the state or the federal government, or both, to provide or assist in providing that service; except that the operating standards adopted under this section do not apply to any nursing home licensed under section 144A.02, to any board and care facility licensed under section 144.50, or to any day training and habilitation services, day care, or group home facility licensed under sections 245A.01 to 245A.19 unless the facility or program provides transportation to nonresidents on a regular basis and the facility receives reimbursement, other than per diem payments, for that service under rules promulgated by the commissioner of human services.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the operating standards adopted under this section do not apply to any vendor of services licensed under chapter 245D that provides transportation services to consumers or residents of other vendors licensed under chapter 245D and transports 15 or fewer persons, including consumers or residents and the driver.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 174.30, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Background studies. (a) Providers of special transportation service regulated under this section must initiate background studies in accordance with chapter 245C on the following individuals:
(1) each person with a direct or indirect ownership interest of five percent or higher in the transportation service provider;
(2) each controlling individual as defined under section 245A.02;
(3) managerial officials as defined in section 245A.02;
(4) each driver employed by the transportation service provider;
(5) each individual employed by the transportation service provider to assist a passenger during transport; and
(6) all employees of the transportation service agency who provide administrative support, including those who:
(i) may have face-to-face contact with or access to passengers, their personal property, or their private data;
(ii) perform any scheduling or dispatching tasks; or
(iii) perform any billing activities.
(b) The transportation service provider must initiate the background studies required under paragraph (a) using the online NETStudy system operated by the commissioner of human services.
(c) The transportation service provider shall not permit any individual to provide any service or function listed in paragraph (a) until the transportation service provider has received notification from the commissioner of human services indicating that the individual:
(1) is not disqualified under chapter 245C; or
(2) is disqualified, but has received a set-aside of that disqualification according to sections 245C.22 and 245C.23 related to that transportation service provider.
(d) When a local or contracted agency is authorizing a ride under section 256B.0625, subdivision 17, by a volunteer driver, as defined in section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h), and the agency authorizing the ride has reason to believe the volunteer driver has a history that would disqualify the individual or that may pose a risk to the health or safety of passengers, the agency may initiate a background study to be completed according to chapter 245C using the commissioner of human services' online NETStudy system, or through contacting the Department of Human Services background study division for assistance. The agency that initiates the background study under this paragraph shall be responsible for providing the volunteer driver with the privacy notice required under section 245C.05, subdivision 2c, and payment for the background study required under section 245C.10, subdivision 11, before the background study is completed.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 221.031, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:
Subd. 3b. Passenger transportation; exemptions. (a) A person who transports passengers for hire in intrastate commerce, who is not made subject to the rules adopted in section 221.0314 by any other provision of this section, must comply with the rules for hours of service of drivers while transporting employees of an employer who is directly or indirectly paying the cost of the transportation.
(b) This subdivision does not apply to:
(1) a local transit commission;
(2) a transit authority created by law; or
(3) persons providing transportation:
(i) in a school bus as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 71;
(ii) in a Head Start bus as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 34;
(iii) in a commuter van;
(iv) in an authorized emergency vehicle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 3;
(v) in special transportation service certified by the commissioner under section 174.30;
(vi) that is special transportation service as defined in section 174.29, subdivision 1, when provided by a volunteer driver, as defined in section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h), operating a private passenger vehicle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 52;
(vii) in a limousine the service of which is licensed by the commissioner under section 221.84; or
(viii) in a taxicab, if the fare for the transportation is determined by a meter inside the taxicab that measures the distance traveled and displays the fare accumulated.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 256B.0625, subdivision 17, is amended to read:
Subd. 17. Transportation costs. (a) "Nonemergency medical transportation service" means motor vehicle transportation provided by a public or private person that serves Minnesota health care program beneficiaries who do not require emergency ambulance service, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 3, to obtain covered medical services.
(b) Medical assistance covers medical transportation costs incurred solely for obtaining emergency medical care or transportation costs incurred by eligible persons in obtaining emergency or nonemergency medical care when paid directly to an ambulance company, nonemergency medical transportation company, or other recognized providers of transportation services. Medical transportation must be provided by:
(1) nonemergency medical transportation providers who meet the requirements of this subdivision;
(2) ambulances, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 2;
(3) taxicabs that meet the requirements of this subdivision;
(4) public transit, as defined in section 174.22, subdivision 7; or
(5)
not-for-hire vehicles, including volunteer drivers, as defined in section
65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (h).
(c) Medical assistance covers nonemergency medical transportation provided by nonemergency medical transportation providers enrolled in the Minnesota health care programs. All nonemergency medical transportation providers must comply with the operating standards for special transportation service as defined in sections 174.29 to 174.30 and Minnesota Rules, chapter 8840, and all drivers must be individually enrolled with the commissioner and reported on the claim as the individual who provided the service. All nonemergency medical transportation providers shall bill for nonemergency medical transportation services in accordance with Minnesota health care programs criteria. Publicly operated transit systems, volunteers, and not-for-hire vehicles are exempt from the requirements outlined in this paragraph.
(d) An organization may be terminated, denied, or suspended from enrollment if:
(1) the provider has not initiated background studies on the individuals specified in section 174.30, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3); or
(2) the provider has initiated background studies on the individuals specified in section 174.30, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), and:
(i) the commissioner has sent the provider a notice that the individual has been disqualified under section 245C.14; and
(ii) the individual has not received a disqualification set-aside specific to the special transportation services provider under sections 245C.22 and 245C.23.
(e) The administrative agency of nonemergency medical transportation must:
(1) adhere to the policies defined by the commissioner in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee;
(2) pay nonemergency medical transportation providers for services provided to Minnesota health care programs beneficiaries to obtain covered medical services;
(3) provide data monthly to the commissioner on appeals, complaints, no-shows, canceled trips, and number of trips by mode; and
(4) by July 1, 2016, in accordance with subdivision 18e, utilize a web-based single administrative structure assessment tool that meets the technical requirements established by the commissioner, reconciles trip information with claims being submitted by providers, and ensures prompt payment for nonemergency medical transportation services.
(f) Until the commissioner implements the single administrative structure and delivery system under subdivision 18e, clients shall obtain their level-of-service certificate from the commissioner or an entity approved by the commissioner that does not dispatch rides for clients using modes of transportation under paragraph (i), clauses (4), (5), (6), and (7).
(g) The commissioner may use an order by the recipient's attending physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or a medical or mental health professional to certify that the recipient requires nonemergency medical transportation services. Nonemergency medical transportation providers shall perform driver-assisted services for
eligible individuals, when appropriate. Driver-assisted service includes passenger pickup at and return to the individual's residence or place of business, assistance with admittance of the individual to the medical facility, and assistance in passenger securement or in securing of wheelchairs, child seats, or stretchers in the vehicle.
Nonemergency medical transportation providers must take clients to the health care provider using the most direct route, and must not exceed 30 miles for a trip to a primary care provider or 60 miles for a trip to a specialty care provider, unless the client receives authorization from the local agency.
Nonemergency medical transportation providers may not bill for separate base rates for the continuation of a trip beyond the original destination. Nonemergency medical transportation providers must maintain trip logs, which include pickup and drop-off times, signed by the medical provider or client, whichever is deemed most appropriate, attesting to mileage traveled to obtain covered medical services. Clients requesting client mileage reimbursement must sign the trip log attesting mileage traveled to obtain covered medical services.
(h) The administrative agency shall use the level of service process established by the commissioner in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee to determine the client's most appropriate mode of transportation. If public transit or a certified transportation provider is not available to provide the appropriate service mode for the client, the client may receive a onetime service upgrade.
(i) The covered modes of transportation are:
(1) client reimbursement, which includes client mileage reimbursement provided to clients who have their own transportation, or to family or an acquaintance who provides transportation to the client;
(2) volunteer transport, which includes transportation by volunteers using their own vehicle;
(3) unassisted transport, which includes transportation provided to a client by a taxicab or public transit. If a taxicab or public transit is not available, the client can receive transportation from another nonemergency medical transportation provider;
(4) assisted transport, which includes transport provided to clients who require assistance by a nonemergency medical transportation provider;
(5) lift-equipped/ramp transport, which includes transport provided to a client who is dependent on a device and requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider with a vehicle containing a lift or ramp;
(6) protected transport, which includes transport provided to a client who has received a prescreening that has deemed other forms of transportation inappropriate and who requires a provider: (i) with a protected vehicle that is not an ambulance or police car and has safety locks, a video recorder, and a transparent thermoplastic partition between the passenger and the vehicle driver; and (ii) who is certified as a protected transport provider; and
(7) stretcher transport, which includes transport for a client in a prone or supine position and requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider with a vehicle that can transport a client in a prone or supine position.
(j) The local agency shall be the single administrative agency and shall administer and reimburse for modes defined in paragraph (i) according to paragraphs (m) and (n) when the commissioner has developed, made available, and funded the web-based single administrative structure, assessment tool, and level of need assessment under subdivision 18e. The local agency's financial obligation is limited to funds provided by the state or federal government.
(k) The commissioner shall:
(1) in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee, verify that the mode and use of nonemergency medical transportation is appropriate;
(2) verify that the client is going to an approved medical appointment; and
(3) investigate all complaints and appeals.
(l) The administrative agency shall pay for the services provided in this subdivision and seek reimbursement from the commissioner, if appropriate. As vendors of medical care, local agencies are subject to the provisions in section 256B.041, the sanctions and monetary recovery actions in section 256B.064, and Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.2160 to 9505.2245.
(m) Payments for nonemergency medical transportation must be paid based on the client's assessed mode under paragraph (h), not the type of vehicle used to provide the service. The medical assistance reimbursement rates for nonemergency medical transportation services that are payable by or on behalf of the commissioner for nonemergency medical transportation services are:
(1) $0.22 per mile for client reimbursement;
(2) up to 100 percent of the Internal Revenue Service business deduction rate for volunteer transport;
(3) equivalent to the standard fare for unassisted transport when provided by public transit, and $11 for the base rate and $1.30 per mile when provided by a nonemergency medical transportation provider;
(4) $13 for the base rate and $1.30 per mile for assisted transport;
(5) $18 for the base rate and $1.55 per mile for lift-equipped/ramp transport;
(6) $75 for the base rate and $2.40 per mile for protected transport; and
(7) $60 for the base rate and $2.40 per mile for stretcher transport, and $9 per trip for an additional attendant if deemed medically necessary.
(n) The base rate for nonemergency medical transportation services in areas defined under RUCA to be super rural is equal to 111.3 percent of the respective base rate in paragraph (m), clauses (1) to (7). The mileage rate for nonemergency medical transportation services in areas defined under RUCA to be rural or super rural areas is:
(1) for a trip equal to 17 miles or less, equal to 125 percent of the respective mileage rate in paragraph (m), clauses (1) to (7); and
(2) for a trip between 18 and 50 miles, equal to 112.5 percent of the respective mileage rate in paragraph (m), clauses (1) to (7).
(o) For purposes of reimbursement rates for nonemergency medical transportation services under paragraphs (m) and (n), the zip code of the recipient's place of residence shall determine whether the urban, rural, or super rural reimbursement rate applies.
(p) For purposes of this subdivision, "rural urban commuting area" or "RUCA" means a census-tract based classification system under which a geographical area is determined to be urban, rural, or super rural.
(q) The commissioner, when determining reimbursement rates for nonemergency medical transportation under paragraphs (m) and (n), shall exempt all modes of transportation listed under paragraph (i) from Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0445, item R, subitem (2).
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325E.21, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 2b. Purchase
of catalytic converters. (a)
Any person who purchases or receives a catalytic converter must comply with
this section.
(b) Every scrap metal dealer, including
an agent, employee, or representative of the dealer, must create a permanent
record, written in English and using an electronic record program, at the time
of each catalytic converter purchase or acquisition. The record must include:
(1) the vehicle identification number
of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed; and
(2) the name of the person who removed
the catalytic converter.
(c) A scrap metal dealer must make the
information under paragraph (b) available for examination by a law enforcement
agency or a person who has reported theft of a catalytic converter.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325E.21, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 2c. Catalytic
converter theft prevention pilot project.
(a) The catalytic converter theft prevention pilot project is
created to deter the theft of catalytic converters by marking catalytic
converters with vehicle identification numbers or other unique identifiers.
(b) The commissioner must establish a
procedure to mark the catalytic converters of vehicles most likely to be
targeted for theft with unique identification numbers using labels, engraving,
theft deterrence paint, or other methods that permanently mark the catalytic
converter without damaging the catalytic converter's function.
(c) The commissioner must work with law
enforcement agencies, insurance companies, and scrap metal dealers to (1)
identify vehicles that are most frequently targeted for catalytic converter
theft, and (2) establish the most effective methods for marking catalytic
converters.
(d) Materials purchased under this
program may be distributed to dealers, as defined in section 168.002,
subdivision 6, automobile repair shops and service centers, law enforcement
agencies, and community organizations to arrange the catalytic converters of
vehicles most likely to be targeted for theft to be marked at no cost to the
vehicle owners.
(e) The commissioner may prioritize
distribution of materials to areas experiencing the highest rates of catalytic
converter theft.
(f) The commissioner must make
educational information resulting form the pilot program available to law
enforcement agencies and scrap metal dealers, and is encouraged to publicize
the program to the general public.
(g) The commissioner must include a
report on the pilot project in the report required under section 65B.84,
subdivision 2. The report must describe
the progress, results, and any findings of the pilot project including the
total number of catalytic converters marked under the program, and, to the
extent known, whether any catalytic converters marked under the pilot project
were stolen and the outcome of any criminal investigation into the thefts.
Sec. 31. [325E.80]
ABNORMAL MARKET DISRUPTIONS; UNCONSCIONABLY EXCESSIVE PRICES.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
terms in this subdivision have the meanings given.
(b) "Abnormal market
disruption" means a change in the market resulting from a natural or
man-made disaster, a national or local emergency, a public health emergency, or
an event resulting in a declaration of a state of emergency by the governor;
and occurs when specifically declared by the governor. The governor's declaration of an abnormal
market disruption must note the geographic area to which this section applies. An abnormal market disruption terminates no
later than 30 days after the end of the state of emergency for which the
abnormal market disruption was activated.
(c) "Essential consumer good or
service" means a good or service vital and necessary for the health,
safety, and welfare of the public, including without limitation: food; water; fuel; gasoline; shelter;
transportation; health care services; pharmaceuticals; and medical, personal
hygiene, sanitation, and cleaning supplies.
(d) "Seller" means a
manufacturer, supplier, wholesaler, distributor, or retail seller of goods or
services.
(e) "Unconscionably
excessive" means there is a gross disparity between the seller's price of
a good or service offered for sale or sold in the usual course of business
during the 30 days immediately prior to the governor's declaration of an
abnormal market disruption and the seller's price of the same or similar good
or service after the governor's declaration of an abnormal market disruption,
and the gross disparity is not substantially related to an increase in the cost
of obtaining or selling the good or of providing the service. A gross disparity between the price of a good
or service does not occur when the amount charged after the abnormal market
disruption increased the price 30 percent or less.
Subd. 2. Prohibition. If the governor declares an abnormal
market disruption a person is prohibited from selling or offering to sell an
essential consumer good or service for an amount that represents an
unconscionably excessive price.
Subd. 3. Civil
penalty. A person who is
found to have violated this section is subject to a civil penalty of not more
than $1,000 per sale or transaction, with a maximum penalty of $10,000 per day.
Subd. 4. Enforcement
authority. The attorney
general may investigate an alleged violation of this section. The authority of the attorney general under
this section includes but is not limited to the authority provided under
section 8.31.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325F.171, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 5. Enforcement. This section may be enforced as
provided under sections 325F.10 to 325F.12, 325F.14 to 325F.16, and 45.027,
subdivisions 1 to 6. The commissioner
may coordinate with the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency and the
commissioner of health to enforce this section.
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325F.172, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Enforcement. Sections 325F.173 to 325F.175 may be
enforced as provided under sections 325F.10 to 325F.12, 325F.14 to 325F.16, and
45.027, subdivisions 1 to 6. The
commissioner may coordinate with the commissioner of the Pollution Control
Agency and the commissioner of health to enforce this section.
Sec. 34. [325F.179]
ENFORCEMENT.
Sections 325F.177 and 325F.178 may be
enforced as provided under sections 325F.10 to 325F.12, 325F.14 to 325F.16, and
45.027, subdivisions 1 to 6. The
commissioner may coordinate with the commissioner of the Pollution Control
Agency and the commissioner of health to enforce this section.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.972, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Denial
of access. Upon default, the owner
shall mail notice of default as provided under section 514.974. The owner may deny the occupant access to the
personal property contained in the self-service storage facility after default,
service of the notice of default, expiration of the date stated for denial of
access, and application of any security deposit to unpaid rent. The notice of default must state the date
that the occupant will be denied access to the occupant's personal property in
the self-service storage facility and that access will be denied until the
owner's claim has been satisfied. The
notice of default must state that any dispute regarding denial of access can be
raised by the occupant beginning legal action in court. Notice of default must further state the
rights of the occupant contained in subdivision 5.
Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.972, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Access
to certain items. The occupant
may remove from the self-service storage facility personal papers, health aids,
personal clothing of the occupant and the occupant's dependents, and personal
property that is necessary for the livelihood of the occupant, that has a
market value of less than $50 per item, if demand is made to any of the persons
listed in section 514.976, subdivision 1.
The occupant shall present a list of the items, and may remove them
during the facility's ordinary business hours prior to the sale authorized by
section 514.973. If the owner
unjustifiably denies the occupant access for the purpose of removing the items
specified in this subdivision, the occupant is entitled to an order allowing
access to the storage unit for removal of the specified items. The self‑service storage facility is
liable to the occupant for the costs, disbursements and attorney fees expended
by the occupant to obtain this order.
(a) Any occupant may remove from the self-storage facility personal
papers and health aids upon demand made to any of the persons listed in section
514.976, subdivision 1.
(b) An occupant who provides
documentation from a government or nonprofit agency or legal aid office that
the occupant is a recipient of relief based on need, is eligible for legal aid
services, or is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault may remove,
in addition to the items provided in paragraph (a), personal clothing of the
occupant and the occupant's dependents and tools of the trade that are
necessary for the livelihood of the occupant that has a market value not to
exceed $125 per item.
(c) The occupant shall present a list
of the items and may remove the items during the facility's ordinary business
hours prior to the sale authorized by section 514.973. If the owner unjustifiably denies the
occupant access for the purpose of removing the items specified in this
subdivision, the occupant is entitled to request relief from the court for an
order allowing access to the storage space for removal of the specified items. The self-service storage facility is liable
to the occupant for the costs, disbursements, and attorney fees expended by the
occupant to obtain this order.
(d) For the purposes of this
subdivision, "relief based on need" includes but is not limited to
receipt of a benefit from the Minnesota family investment program and
diversionary work program, medical assistance, general assistance, emergency
general assistance, Minnesota supplemental aid, Minnesota supplemental aid
housing assistance, MinnesotaCare, Supplemental Security Income, energy
assistance, emergency assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
benefits, earned income tax credit, or Minnesota working family tax credit. Relief based on need can also be proven by
providing documentation from a legal aid organization that the individual is
receiving legal aid assistance, or by providing documentation from a government
agency, nonprofit, or housing assistance program that the individual is
receiving assistance due to domestic violence or sexual assault.
Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.973, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Contents of notice. The notice must include:
(1) a statement of the amount owed for rent and other charges and demand for payment within a specified time not less than 14 days after delivery of the notice;
(2) pursuant to section 514.972, subdivision 4, a notice of denial of access to the storage space, if this denial is permitted under the terms of the rental agreement;
(3) the date that the occupant will be
denied access to the occupant's personal property in the self-service storage
facility;
(4) a statement that access will be
denied until the owner's claim has been satisfied;
(5) a statement that any dispute
regarding denial of access can be raised by an occupant beginning legal action
in court;
(3) (6) the name, street
address, and telephone number of the owner, or of the owner's designated agent,
whom the occupant may contact to respond to the notice;
(4) (7) a conspicuous
statement that unless the claim is paid within the time stated in the notice,
the personal property will be advertised for sale. The notice must specify the time and place of
the sale; and
(5) (8) a conspicuous
statement of the items that the occupant may remove without charge pursuant to
section 514.972, subdivision 5, if the occupant is denied general access to the
storage space.
Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.973, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Sale of property. (a) A sale of personal property may take place no sooner than 45 days after default or, if the personal property is a motor vehicle or watercraft, no sooner than 60 days after default.
(b) After the expiration of the time given in the notice, the sale must be published once a week for two weeks consecutively in a newspaper of general circulation where the sale is to be held. The sale may take place no sooner than 15 days after the first publication. If the lien is satisfied before the second publication occurs, the second publication is waived. If there is no qualified newspaper under chapter 331A where the sale is to be held, the advertisement may be posted on an independent, publicly accessible website that advertises self-storage lien sales or public notices. The advertisement must include a general description of the goods, the name of the person on whose account the goods are being held, and the time and place of the sale.
(c) A sale of the personal property must conform to the terms of the notification.
(d) A sale of the personal property must be public and must be either:
(1) held via an online auction; or
(2) held at the storage facility, or at the nearest suitable place at which the personal property is held or stored.
Owners shall require all bidders, including online bidders, to register and agree to the rules of the sale.
(e) The sale must be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. A sale is commercially reasonable if the property is sold in conformity with the practices among dealers in the property sold or sellers of similar distressed property sales.
Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.974, is amended to read:
514.974
ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.
Notification of the proposed sale of
personal property must include a notice of denial of access to the personal
property until the owner's claim has been satisfied. Any notice the owner is required to mail to
the occupant under sections 514.970 to 514.979 shall be sent to:
(1) the email address, if consented to by the occupant, as provided in section 514.973, subdivision 2;
(2) the mailing address and any alternate mailing address provided by the occupant in the rental agreement; or
(3) the last known mailing address of the occupant, if the last known mailing address differs from the mailing address listed by the occupant in the rental agreement and the owner has reason to believe that the last known mailing address is more current.
Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 514.977, is amended to read:
514.977
DEFAULT ADDITIONAL REMEDIES.
Subdivision 1. Default;
breach of rental agreement. If
an occupant defaults in the payment of rent for the storage space or
otherwise breaches the rental agreement, the owner may commence an eviction
action under chapter 504B to terminate the rental agreement, recover
possession of the storage space, remove the occupant, and dispose of the stored
personal property. The action
shall be conducted in accordance with the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure,
except as provided in this section.
Subd. 2. Service
of summons. The summons must
be served at least seven days before the date of the court appearance as
provided in subdivision 3.
Subd. 3. Appearance. Except as provided in subdivision 4,
in an action filed under this section the appearance shall be not less than
seven or more than 14 days from the day of issuing the summons.
Subd. 4. Expedited
hearing. If the owner files a
motion and affidavit stating specific facts and instances in support of an
allegation that the occupant is causing a nuisance or engaging in illegal or
other behavior that seriously endangers the safety of others, others' property,
or the storage facility's property, the appearance shall be not less than three
days nor more than seven days from the date the summons is issued. The summons in an expedited hearing shall be
served upon the occupant within 24 hours of issuance unless the court orders
otherwise for good cause shown.
Subd. 5. Answer;
trial; continuance. At the
court appearance specified in the summons, the defendant may answer the
complaint, and the court shall hear and decide the action, unless it grants a
continuance of the trial, which may be for no longer than six days, unless all
parties consent to longer continuance.
Subd. 6. Counterclaims. The occupant is prohibited from
bringing counterclaims in the action that are unrelated to the possession of
the storage space. Nothing in this
section prevents the occupant from bringing the claim in a separate action.
Subd. 7. Judgment;
writ. Judgment in matters
adjudicated under this section shall be in accordance with section 504B.345,
paragraph (a). Execution of a writ
issued under this section shall be in accordance with section 504B.365,
paragraph (a).
Sec. 41. THIRD-PARTY
FOOD DELIVERY FEES; LIMITATION.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given.
(b) "Delivery fee" means a fee
charged by a third-party food delivery service to a food and beverage
establishment for a service that delivers food or beverages from the
establishment to customers. Delivery fee
does not include (1) any other fee that may be charged by a third-party food
delivery service to a food and beverage establishment, including but not
limited to fees for marketing, listing, or advertising the food and beverage
establishment on the third-party food delivery service platform, or (2) fees
related to processing an online order.
(c) "Food and beverage
establishment" or "establishment" means a retail business that
sells prepared food or beverages to the public.
(d) "Online order" means an
order, including a telephone order, placed by a customer through or with the
assistance of a platform provided by a third-party food delivery service.
(e) "Purchase price" means the
total price of the items contained in an online order that are listed on the
menu of the food and beverage establishment where the order is placed. Purchase price does not include taxes,
gratuities, or other fees that may make up the total cost of a customer's
online order.
(f) "Third-party food delivery
service" means a platform offered through an online-enabled application,
software, website, or other Internet service that offers or arranges for the
sale of food and beverages prepared by, delivered by, or picked up from a food
and beverage establishment.
Subd. 2. Limitation
on food delivery fees. (a) A
third-party food delivery service is prohibited from:
(1) charging a food and beverage
establishment a delivery fee that totals more than ten percent of an online
order's purchase price;
(2) charging a food and beverage
establishment any fee, other than the delivery fee described in clause (1), to
use the third-party delivery service that totals more than five percent of an
online order's purchase price;
(3) charging a customer a purchase price
that is higher than the price set by the food and beverage establishment or, if
no price is set by the food and beverage establishment, the price listed on the
establishment's menu; or
(4) reducing the compensation rates paid
to third-party food delivery service drivers as a result of the limitations on
fees instituted by this section.
(b) A food and beverage establishment
may choose, but a third-party food delivery service is prohibited from
requiring, an exemption for marketing or advertising the food and beverage
establishment on the third-party food delivery service platform from the
limitations in paragraph (a).
Subd. 3. Enforcement
by attorney general. (a) The
attorney general must enforce this section under Minnesota Statutes, section
8.31.
(b) In addition to the remedies
otherwise provided by law, a person injured by a violation of subdivision 2 may
bring a civil action and recover damages, together with costs and
disbursements, including costs of investigation and reasonable attorney fees,
and receive other equitable relief as determined by the court.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and expires 60 days after the
peacetime emergency declared by the governor in an executive order that relates
to the infectious disease known as COVID-19 is terminated or rescinded.
ARTICLE 5
COLLECTION AGENCIES AND DEBT BUYERS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.31, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Collection
agency. "Collection
agency" or "licensee" means and includes any (1)
a person engaged in the business of collection for others any account, bill,
or other indebtedness, except as hereinafter provided; or (2) a debt
buyer. It includes persons who
furnish collection systems carrying a name which simulates the name of a
collection agency and who supply forms or form letters to be used by the
creditor, even though such forms direct the debtor to make payments directly to
the creditor rather than to such fictitious agency.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.31, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Collector. "Collector" is a person acting
under the authority of a collection agency under subdivision 3 or a
debt buyer under subdivision 8, and on its behalf in the business of
collection for others an account, bill, or other indebtedness except as
otherwise provided in this chapter.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.31, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Debt
buyer. "Debt buyer"
means a business engaged in the purchase of any charged-off account, bill, or
other indebtedness for collection purposes, whether the business collects the
account, bill, or other indebtedness, hires a third party for collection, or
hires an attorney for litigation related to the collection.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.31, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9. Affiliated
company. "Affiliated
company" means a company that: (1)
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with another company or companies; (2) has the same executive management team
or owner that exerts control over the business operations of the company; (3)
maintains a uniform network of corporate and compliance policies and
procedures; and (4) does not engage in active collection of debts.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.311, is amended to read:
332.311
TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.
The powers, duties, and responsibilities of the consumer services section under sections 332.31 to 332.44 relating to collection agencies and debt buyers are hereby transferred to and imposed upon the commissioner of commerce.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.32, is amended to read:
332.32
EXCLUSIONS.
(a) The term "collection agency"
shall does not include persons whose collection activities are
confined to and are directly related to the operation of a business other than
that of a collection agency such as, but not limited to banks when
collecting accounts owed to the banks and when the bank will sustain any loss
arising from uncollectible accounts, abstract companies doing an escrow
business, real estate brokers, public officers, persons acting under order of a
court, lawyers, trust companies, insurance companies, credit unions, savings
associations, loan or finance companies unless they are engaged in asserting,
enforcing or prosecuting unsecured claims which have been purchased from any
person, firm, or association when there is recourse to the seller for all or
part of the claim if the claim is not collected.
(b) The term "collection agency" shall not include a trade association performing services authorized by section 604.15, subdivision 4a, but the trade association in performing the services may not engage in any conduct that would be prohibited for a collection agency under section 332.37.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Requirement. Except as otherwise provided in this
chapter, no person shall conduct within this state a collection agency or
engage within this state in the business of collecting claims for others business
in Minnesota as a collection agency or debt buyer, as defined in sections
332.31 to 332.44, without having first applied for and obtained a collection
agency license. A person acting under
the authority of a collection agency, debt buyer, or as a collector,
must first register with the commissioner under this section. A registered collector may use one additional
assumed name only if the assumed name is registered with and approved by the
commissioner. A business that
operates as a debt buyer must submit a completed license application no later
than January 1, 2022. A debt buyer who
has filed an application with the commissioner for a collection agency license
prior to January 1, 2022, and whose application remains pending with the
commissioner thereafter, may continue to operate without a license until the
commissioner approves or denies the application.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Penalty. A person who carries on business as a collection agency or debt buyer without first having obtained a license or acts as a collector without first having registered with the commissioner pursuant to sections 332.31 to 332.44, or who carries on this business after the revocation, suspension, or expiration of a license or registration is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Collection
agency License rejection. On
finding that an applicant for a collection agency license is not qualified
under sections 332.31 to 332.44, the commissioner shall reject the application
and shall give the applicant written notice of the rejection and the reasons
for the rejection.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:
Subd. 5a. Individual
collector registration. A licensed
collection agency licensee, on behalf of an individual collector,
must register with the state all individuals in the collection agency's licensee's
employ who are performing the duties of a collector as defined in sections
332.31 to 332.44. The collection
agency licensee must apply for an individual collection registration
in a form prescribed by the commissioner.
The collection agency licensee shall verify on the form
that the applicant has confirmed that the applicant meets the requirements to
perform the duties of a collector as defined in sections 332.31 to 332.44. Upon submission of the application to the
department, the individual may begin to perform the duties of a collector and
may continue to do so unless the licensed collection agency licensee
is informed by the commissioner that the individual is ineligible.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Changes;
notice to commissioner. (a) A licensed
collection agency licensee must give the commissioner written notice
of a change in company name, address, or ownership not later than ten days
after the change occurs. A registered
individual collector must give written notice of a change of address, name, or
assumed name no later than ten days after the change occurs.
(b) Upon the death of any collection
agency licensee, the license of the decedent may be transferred to the
executor or administrator of the estate for the unexpired term of the license. The executor or administrator may be
authorized to continue or discontinue the collection business of the decedent
under the direction of the court having jurisdiction of the probate.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Screening
process requirement. (a) Each licensed
collection agency licensee must establish procedures to follow when
screening an individual collector applicant prior to submitting an applicant to
the commissioner for initial registration and at renewal.
(b) The screening process for initial
registration must be done at the time of hiring. The process must include a national criminal
history record search, an attorney licensing search, and a county criminal
history search for all counties where the applicant has resided within the five
years immediately preceding the initial registration, to determine whether the
applicant is eligible to be registered under section 332.35. Each licensed collection agency licensee
shall use a vendor that is a member of the National Association of Professional
Background Screeners, or an equivalent vendor, to conduct this background
screening process.
(c) Screening for renewal of individual collector registration must include a national criminal history record search and a county criminal history search for all counties where the individual has resided during the immediate preceding year. Screening for renewal of individual collector registrations must take place no more than 60 days before the license expiration or renewal date. A renewal screening is not required if an individual collector has been subjected to an initial background screening within 12 months of the first registration renewal date. A renewal screening is required for all subsequent annual registration renewals.
(d) The commissioner may review the
procedures to ensure the integrity of the screening process. Failure by a licensed collection agency
licensee to establish these procedures is subject to action under
section 332.40.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.33, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9. Affiliated
companies. The commissioner
must permit affiliated companies to operate under a single license and be
subject to a single examination, provided that all of the affiliated company
names are listed on the license.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.34, is amended to read:
332.34
BOND.
The commissioner of commerce shall require
each collection agency licensee to file and maintain in force a
corporate surety bond, in a form to be prescribed by, and acceptable to, the
commissioner, and in a sum of at least $50,000 plus an additional $5,000 for
each $100,000 received by the collection agency from debtors located in
Minnesota during the previous calendar year, less commissions earned by the
collection agency on those collections for the previous calendar year. The total amount of the bond shall not exceed
$100,000. A collection agency licensee
may deposit cash in and with a depository acceptable to the commissioner in an
amount and in the manner prescribed and approved by the commissioner in lieu of
a bond.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.345, is amended to read:
332.345
SEGREGATED ACCOUNTS.
A payment collected by a collector or
collection agency on behalf of a customer shall be held by the collector or
collection agency in a separate trust account clearly designated for customer
funds. The account must be in a bank or
other depository institution authorized or chartered under the laws of any
state or of the United States. This
section does not apply to a debt buyer, except to the extent the debt buyer
engages in third-party debt collection for others.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.355, is amended to read:
332.355
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY FOR COLLECTORS.
The commissioner may take action against a collection
agency licensee for any violations of debt collection laws by its
debt collectors. The commissioner may
also take action against the debt collectors themselves for these same
violations.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.37, is amended to read:
332.37
PROHIBITED PRACTICES.
(a) No collection agency, debt buyer, or collector shall:
(1) in collection letters or publications, or in any communication, oral or written threaten wage garnishment or legal suit by a particular lawyer, unless it has actually retained the lawyer;
(2) use or employ sheriffs or any other officer authorized to serve legal papers in connection with the collection of a claim, except when performing their legally authorized duties;
(3) use or threaten to use methods of collection which violate Minnesota law;
(4) furnish legal advice or otherwise engage in the practice of law or represent that it is competent to do so;
(5) communicate with debtors in a misleading or deceptive manner by using the stationery of a lawyer, forms or instruments which only lawyers are authorized to prepare, or instruments which simulate the form and appearance of judicial process;
(6) exercise authority on behalf of a creditor
client to employ the services of lawyers unless the creditor client
has specifically authorized the agency in writing to do so and the agency's
course of conduct is at all times consistent with a true relationship of
attorney and client between the lawyer and the creditor client;
(7) publish or cause to be published any list of debtors except for credit reporting purposes, use shame cards or shame automobiles, advertise or threaten to advertise for sale any claim as a means of forcing payment thereof, or use similar devices or methods of intimidation;
(8) refuse to return any claim or claims
and all valuable papers deposited with a claim or claims upon written request
of the creditor client, claimant or forwarder after tender of the
amounts due and owing to the a collection agency within 30 days
after the request; refuse or intentionally fail to account to its clients for
all money collected within 30 days from the last day of the month in which the
same is collected; or, refuse or fail to furnish at intervals of not less than
90 days upon written request of the claimant or forwarder, a written report
upon claims received from the claimant or forwarder;
(9) operate under a name or in a manner which implies that the collection agency or debt buyer is a branch of or associated with any department of federal, state, county or local government or an agency thereof;
(10) commingle money collected for a customer with the collection agency's operating funds or use any part of a customer's money in the conduct of the collection agency's business;
(11) transact business or hold itself out
as a debt prorater settlement company, debt management company,
debt adjuster, or any person who settles, adjusts, prorates, pools, liquidates
or pays the indebtedness of a debtor, unless there is no charge to the debtor,
or the pooling or liquidation is done pursuant to court order or under the
supervision of a creditor's committee;
(12) violate any of the provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1977, Public Law 95-109, while attempting to collect on any account, bill or other indebtedness;
(13) communicate with a debtor by use of a
recorded message utilizing an automatic dialing announcing device unless the
recorded message is immediately preceded by a live operator who discloses prior
to the message the name of the collection agency and the fact the message
intends to solicit payment and the operator obtains the consent of the debtor
to hearing the message after the debtor expressly informs the agency or
collector to cease communication utilizing an automatic dialing announcing
device;
(14) in collection letters or publications, or in any communication, oral or written, imply or suggest that health care services will be withheld in an emergency situation;
(15) when a debtor has a listed telephone number, enlist the aid of a neighbor or third party to request that the debtor contact the licensee or collector, except a person who resides with the debtor or a third party with whom the debtor has authorized the licensee or collector to place the request. This clause does not apply to a call back message left at the debtor's place of employment which is limited to the licensee's or collector's telephone number and name;
(16) when attempting to collect a debt, fail to provide the debtor with the full name of the collection agency or debt buyer as it appears on its license or as listed on any "doing business as" or "d/b/a" registered with the Department of Commerce;
(17) collect any money from a debtor that
is not reported to a creditor or client;
(18) fail to return any amount of overpayment from a debtor to the debtor or to the state of Minnesota pursuant to the requirements of chapter 345;
(18) (19) accept currency or
coin as payment for a debt without issuing an original receipt to the debtor
and maintaining a duplicate receipt in the debtor's payment records;
(19) (20) attempt to collect
any amount of money, including any interest, fee, charge, or expense
incidental to the charge-off obligation, from a debtor or unless
the amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or is
otherwise permitted by law;
(21) charge a fee to a creditor
client that is not authorized by agreement with the client;
(20) (22) falsify any
collection agency documents with the intent to deceive a debtor, creditor, or
governmental agency;
(21) (23) when initially
contacting a Minnesota debtor by mail, fail to include a disclosure on the
contact notice, in a type size or font which is equal to or larger than the
largest other type of type size or font used in the text of the notice. The disclosure must state: "This collection agency is licensed by
the Minnesota Department of Commerce" or "This debt buyer is
licensed by the Minnesota Department of Commerce" as applicable; or
(22) (24) commence legal
action to collect a debt outside the limitations period set forth in section
541.053.
(b) Paragraph (a), clauses (6), (8),
(10), (17), and (21), do not apply to debt buyers except to the extent the debt
buyer engages in third-party debt collection for others.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.385, is amended to read:
332.385
NOTIFICATION TO COMMISSIONER.
The collection agency or debt buyer
licensee shall notify the commissioner of any employee termination within ten
days of the termination if it the termination is based in
whole or in part based on a violation of this chapter.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.40, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Commissioner's powers. (a) For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under sections 332.31 to 332.44, the commissioner or any person designated by the commissioner may administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena collection agencies, debt buyers, or collectors and compel their attendance, take evidence and require the production of any books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, agreements or other documents or records which the commissioner deems relevant or material to the inquiry. The subpoena shall contain a written statement setting forth the circumstances which have reasonably caused the commissioner to believe that a violation of sections 332.31 to 332.44 may have occurred.
(b) In the event that the collection agency, debt buyer, or collector refuses to obey the subpoena, or should the commissioner, upon completion of the examination of the collection agency, debt buyer, or collector, reasonably conclude that a violation has occurred, the commissioner may examine additional witnesses, including third parties, as may be necessary to complete the investigation.
(c) Any subpoena issued pursuant to this section shall be served by certified mail or by personal service. Service shall be made at least 15 days prior to the date of appearance.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.42, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Verified
financial statement. The
commissioner of commerce may at any time require a collection agency
licensee to submit a verified financial statement for examination by the
commissioner to determine whether the collection agency licensee is
financially responsible to carry on a collection agency business within
the intents and purposes of sections 332.31 to 332.44.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 332.42, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Record
keeping. The commissioner shall
require the collection agency or debt buyer licensee to keep such books
and records in the licensee's place of business in this state as will enable
the commissioner to determine whether there has been compliance with the
provisions of sections 332.31 to 332.44, unless the agency is a foreign
corporation duly authorized, admitted, and licensed to do business in this
state and complies with all the requirements of chapter 303 and with all other
requirements of sections 332.31 to 332.44.
Every collection agency licensee shall preserve the records of final
entry used in such business for a period of five years after final remittance
is made on any amount placed with the licensee for collection or after any
account has been returned to the claimant on which one or more payments have
been made. Every debt buyer licensee
must preserve the records of final entry used in the business for a period of
five years after final collection of any purchased account.
Sec. 22. GARNISHMENT
PROHIBITIONS ON COVID-19 GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.
(a) Federal, state, local, and tribal
governmental payments issued to relieve the adverse economic impact caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic are exempt from all claims for garnishments and levies of
consumer debtors of debt primarily for personal, family, or household purposes
governed by Minnesota Statutes, chapters 550, 551, and 571.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not
apply to domestic support orders and obligations, including child support and
spousal maintenance obligations, including but not limited to orders and
obligations under Minnesota Statutes, chapters 518 and 518A.
(c) This section expires on December
31, 2022.
EFFECTIVE
DATE; APPLICATION. This
section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to
government assistance provided on or after March 13, 2020.
ARTICLE 6
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 45.305, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Appraiser
and Insurance Internet prelicense courses.
The design and delivery of an appraiser prelicense education
course or an insurance prelicense education course must be approved by the
International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC) before the course
is submitted for the commissioner's approval.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 45.305, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Appraiser
Internet prelicense courses. The
requirements for the design and delivery of an appraiser prelicense education
course are the requirements established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board
of the Appraisal Foundation and published in the most recent version of the
Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 45.306, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Appraiser
Internet continuing education courses.
The requirements for the design and delivery of an appraiser
continuing education course are the requirements established by the Appraiser
Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation and published in the most recent
version of the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 45.33, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Prohibitions. In connection with an approved course, coordinators and instructors must not:
(1) recommend or promote the services or practices of a particular business;
(2) encourage or recruit individuals to engage the services of, or become associated with, a particular business;
(3) use materials, clothing, or other evidences of affiliation with a particular entity, except as provided under subdivision 3;
(4) require students to participate in other programs or services offered by the instructor, coordinator, or education provider;
(5) attempt, either directly or indirectly, to discover questions or answers on an examination for a license;
(6) disseminate to any other person specific questions, problems, or information known or believed to be included in licensing examinations;
(7) misrepresent any information submitted to the commissioner;
(8) fail to cover, or ensure coverage of, all points, issues, and concepts contained in the course outline approved by the commissioner during the approved instruction; and
(9) issue inaccurate course completion certificates.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 45.33, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3. Exceptions. In connection with an approved course,
coordinators and instructors may:
(1) display a company or course
provider's logo or branding;
(2) establish a trade-show or
conference booth outside the classroom where the educational content is being
delivered that is separate from a registration location used to track or
facilitate student attendance;
(3) display the logo or branding
associated with a particular entity to thank the entity as an organizational
partner of the course provider during a scheduled and approved break in the
delivery of course content. The display
must be separate from a registration location used to track or facilitate
student attendance; and
(4) display a third-party logo,
promotion, advertisement, or affiliation with a particular entity as part of a
course program or advertising for an approved course. For purposes of this subdivision, course
program means digital or paper literature describing the schedule of the
events, presenters, duration, or background information of the approved course
or courses. A course program may be made
available in the classroom or at a registration location used to track or
facilitate student attendance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 60A.71, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Duration; fees. (a) Each applicant for a reinsurance intermediary license shall pay to the commissioner a fee of $200 for an initial two-year license and a fee of $150 for each renewal. Applications shall be submitted on forms prescribed by the commissioner.
(b)
Initial licenses issued under this chapter are valid for a period not to exceed
24 months and expire on October 31 of the renewal year assigned by the
commissioner. Each renewal reinsurance
intermediary license is valid for a period of 24 months. Licensees who submit renewal applications
postmarked or delivered on or before October 15 of the renewal year may
continue to transact business whether or not the renewal license has been
received by November 1. Licensees who
submit applications postmarked or delivered after October 15 of the renewal
year must not transact business after the expiration date of the license until the
renewal license has been received.
(c) All fees are nonreturnable, except that an overpayment of any fee may be refunded upon proper application.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 79.55, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Duties
of commissioner; report. The
commissioner shall issue a report by March 1 of each year, comparing the
average rates charged by workers' compensation insurers in the state to the
pure premium base rates filed by the association, as reviewed by the Rate Oversight
Commission. The Rate Oversight
Commission shall review the commissioner's report and if the experience
indicates that rates have not reasonably reflected changes in pure premiums,
the rate oversight commission shall recommend to the legislature appropriate
legislative changes to this chapter.
(a) By March 1 of each year,
the commissioner must issue a report that evaluates the competitiveness of the
workers' compensation market in Minnesota in order to evaluate whether the
competitive rating law is working.
(b) The report under this subdivision
must: (1) compare the average rates
charged by workers' compensation insurers in Minnesota with the pure premium
base rates filed by the association; and (2) provide market information,
including but not limited to the number of carriers, market shares, the
loss-cost multipliers used by companies, and the residual market and self-insurance.
(c) The commissioner must provide the
report to the Rate Oversight Commission for review. If after reviewing the report the Rate
Oversight Commission concludes that concerns exist regarding the
competitiveness of the workers' compensation market in Minnesota, the Rate
Oversight Commission must recommend to the legislature appropriate
modifications to this chapter.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 80G.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Surety bond requirement. (a) Every dealer shall maintain a current, valid surety bond issued by a surety company admitted to do business in Minnesota in an amount based on the transactions conducted with Minnesota consumers (purchases from and sales to consumers at retail) during the 12-month period prior to registration, or renewal, whichever is applicable.
(b) The amount of the surety bond shall be as specified in the table below:
|
Transaction Amount in Preceding 12-month Period
|
Surety Bond Required |
|
|
$25,000 |
|
$200,000.01 to $500,000 |
$50,000 |
|
$500,000.01 to $1,000,000 |
$100,000 |
|
$1,000,000.01 to $2,000,000 |
$150,000 |
|
Over $2,000,000 |
$200,000 |
Sec. 9. [80G.11]
NOTIFICATION TO COMMISSIONER.
A dealer must notify the commissioner
of any dealer representative termination within ten days of the termination if
the termination is based in whole or in part on a violation of this chapter.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82.57, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Amounts. The following fees shall be paid to the commissioner:
(a) a fee of $150 for each initial individual broker's license, and a fee of $100 for each renewal thereof;
(b) a fee of $70 for each initial salesperson's license, and a fee of $40 for each renewal thereof;
(c) a fee of $85 for each initial real estate closing agent license, and a fee of $60 for each renewal thereof;
(d) a fee of $150 for each initial corporate, limited liability company, or partnership license, and a fee of $100 for each renewal thereof;
(e) a fee for payment to the education, research and recovery fund in accordance with section 82.86;
(f) a fee of $20 for each transfer;
(g)
a fee of $50 for license reinstatement;
(h) (g) a fee of $20 for
reactivating a corporate, limited liability company, or partnership license;
and
(i) (h) in addition to the fees
required under this subdivision, individual licensees under clauses (a) and (b)
shall pay, for each initial license and renewal, a technology surcharge of up
to $40 under section 45.24, unless the commissioner has adjusted the surcharge
as permitted under that section.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82.57, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Initial
license expiration; fee reduction. If
an initial license issued under subdivision 1, paragraph (a),
(b), (c), or (d) expires less than 12 months after issuance, the license fee
shall be reduced by an amount equal to one-half the fee for a renewal of the
license. An initial license
issued under this chapter expires in the year that results in the term of the
license being at least 12 months, but no more than 24 months.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82.62, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Timely
renewals. A person whose
application for a license renewal has not been timely submitted and who has
not received notice of approval of renewal may not continue to transact
business either as a real estate broker, salesperson, or closing agent after
June 30 of the renewal year until approval of renewal is received. Application for renewal of a license is
timely submitted if: all requirements for renewal, including
continuing education requirements, have been completed and reported pursuant to
section 45.43, subdivision 1.
(1) all requirements for renewal,
including continuing education requirements, have been completed by June 15 of
the renewal year; and
(2) the application is submitted before
the renewal deadline in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, duly
executed and sworn to, accompanied by fees prescribed by this chapter, and
containing any information the commissioner requires.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82.81, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Fraudulent, deceptive, and dishonest practices. (a) Prohibitions. For the purposes of section 82.82, subdivision 1, clause (b), the following acts and practices constitute fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest practices:
(1) act on behalf of more than one party to a transaction without the knowledge and consent of all parties;
(2) act in the dual capacity of licensee and undisclosed principal in any transaction;
(3) receive funds while acting as principal which funds would constitute trust funds if received by a licensee acting as an agent, unless the funds are placed in a trust account. Funds need not be placed in a trust account if a written agreement signed by all parties to the transaction specifies a different disposition of the funds, in accordance with section 82.82, subdivision 1;
(4) violate any state or federal law concerning discrimination intended to protect the rights of purchasers or renters of real estate;
(5) make a material misstatement in an application for a license or in any information furnished to the commissioner;
(6) procure or attempt to procure a real
estate license for himself or herself the procuring individual or
any person by fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit;
(7) represent membership in any real estate-related organization in which the licensee is not a member;
(8) advertise in any manner that is misleading or inaccurate with respect to properties, terms, values, policies, or services conducted by the licensee;
(9) make any material misrepresentation or permit or allow another to make any material misrepresentation;
(10) make any false or misleading statements, or permit or allow another to make any false or misleading statements, of a character likely to influence, persuade, or induce the consummation of a transaction contemplated by this chapter;
(11) fail within a reasonable time to account for or remit any money coming into the licensee's possession which belongs to another;
(12) commingle with his or her the
individual's own money or property trust funds or any other money or
property of another held by the licensee;
(13) a demand from a seller for
a commission to or compensation to which the licensee is
not entitled, knowing that he or she the individual is not
entitled to the commission or compensation;
(14) pay or give money or goods of value to an unlicensed person for any assistance or information relating to the procurement by a licensee of a listing of a property or of a prospective buyer of a property (this item does not apply to money or goods paid or given to the parties to the transaction);
(15) fail to maintain a trust account at all times, as provided by law;
(16) engage, with respect to the offer, sale, or rental of real estate, in an anticompetitive activity;
(17) represent on advertisements, cards,
signs, circulars, letterheads, or in any other manner, that he or she the
individual is engaged in the business of financial planning unless he or
she the individual provides a disclosure document to the client. The document must be signed by the client and
a copy must be left with the client. The
disclosure document must contain the following:
(i) the basis of fees, commissions, or
other compensation received by him or her an individual in
connection with rendering of financial planning services or financial
counseling or advice in the following language:
"My compensation may be based on the following:
(a) ... commissions generated from the products I sell you;
(b) ... fees; or
(c) ... a combination of (a) and (b). [Comments]";
(ii) the name and address of any company or
firm that supplies the financial services or products offered or sold by him
or her an individual in the following language:
"I am authorized to offer or sell products and/or services issued by or through the following firm(s):
[List]
The products will be traded, distributed, or placed through the clearing/trading firm(s) of:
[List]";
(iii) the license(s) held by the person under this chapter or chapter 60A or 80A in the following language:
"I am licensed in Minnesota as a(n):
(a) ... insurance agent;
(b) ... securities agent or broker/dealer;
(c) ... real estate broker or salesperson;
(d) ... investment adviser"; and
(iv) the specific identity of any financial products or services, by category, for example mutual funds, stocks, or limited partnerships, the person is authorized to offer or sell in the following language:
"The license(s) entitles me to offer and sell the following products and/or services:
(a) ... securities, specifically the following: [List];
(b) ... real property;
(c) ... insurance; and
(d) ... other: [List]."
(b) Determining violation. A licensee shall be deemed to have violated this section if the licensee has been found to have violated sections 325D.49 to 325D.66, by a final decision or order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) Commissioner's authority. Nothing in this section limits the authority of the commissioner to take actions against a licensee for fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest practices not specifically described in this section.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 14a. Evaluation. "Evaluation" means an
estimate of the value of real property, made in accordance with the Interagency
Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines provided to an entity regulated by a
federal financial institution's regulatory agency, for use in a real
estate-related financial transaction for which an appraisal is not required by
federal law.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 16a. Interagency
Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines.
"Interagency Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines" means
the appraisal and evaluation guidelines provided by a federal financial
institution's regulatory agency, as provided by Federal Register, volume 75,
page 77450 (2010), as amended.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.021, subdivision 18, is amended to read:
Subd. 18. Licensed
real property appraiser. "Licensed
real property appraiser" means an individual licensed under this chapter
to perform appraisals on noncomplex one-family to four-family residential units
or agricultural property having a transactional value of less than $1,000,000
and complex one-family to four-family residential units or agricultural
property having a transactional value of less than $250,000 $400,000.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3. Evaluation. A licensed real estate appraiser may
provide an evaluation. When providing an
evaluation, a licensed real estate appraiser is not engaged in real estate
appraisal activity and is not subject to this chapter. An evaluation by a licensed real estate
appraiser under this subdivision must contain a disclosure that the evaluation
is not an appraisal.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.11, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Licensed
residential real property appraiser. A
licensed residential real property appraiser may appraise noncomplex
residential property or agricultural property having a transaction value less
than $1,000,000 and complex residential or agricultural property having a
transaction value less than $250,000 $400,000.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 82B.195, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 5. Evaluation. When providing an evaluation, a
licensed real estate appraiser is not required to comply with the Uniform
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Sec. 20. [82B.25]
VALUATION BIAS.
Subdivision 1. Definition. For the purposes of this section,
"valuation bias" means to explicitly, implicitly, or structurally
select data and apply that data to an appraisal methodology or technique in a
biased manner that harms a protected class, as defined by the Fair Housing Act
of 1968, as amended.
Subd. 2. Education. Within two years of receiving a
license under this chapter, and as required by the Appraiser Qualifications
Board, a real property appraiser shall provide to the commissioner evidence of
satisfactory completion of a continuing education course on the valuation bias
of real property.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2021. A real
property appraiser who has received their license prior to the effective date
of this section must complete the course required by this section by August 31,
2023.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115C.094, is amended to read:
115C.094
ABANDONED UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.
(a) As used in this section, an abandoned underground petroleum storage tank means an underground petroleum storage tank that was:
(1) taken out of service prior to December
22, 1988; or
(2) taken out of service on or after
December 22, 1988, if the current property owner did not know of the existence
of the underground petroleum storage tank and could not have reasonably been
expected to have known of the tank's existence at the time the owner first
acquired right, title, or interest in the tank.; or
(3) taken out of service and is located
on property that is being held by the state in trust for local taxing districts
under section 281.25.
(b) The board may contract for:
(1) a statewide assessment in order to determine the quantity, location, cost, and feasibility of removing abandoned underground petroleum storage tanks;
(2) the removal of an abandoned underground petroleum storage tank; and
(3) the removal and disposal of petroleum-contaminated soil if the removal is required by the commissioner at the time of tank removal.
(c) Before the board may contract for removal of an abandoned petroleum storage tank, the tank owner must provide the board with written access to the property and release the board from any potential liability for the work performed.
(d) If at the time of the forfeiture of
property identified under paragraph (a), clause (3), the property owner or the
owner's heirs, devisees, or representatives, or any person to whom the right to
pay taxes was granted by statute, mortgage, or other agreement, repurchases the
property under section 282.241, the board's contracted costs for the
underground storage tank removal project must be included as a special
assessment included in the repurchase price, as provided under section 282.251,
and must be returned to the board upon the sale of the property.
(d) (e) Money in the fund is
appropriated to the board for the purposes of this section.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 216B.62, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:
Subd. 3b. Assessment
for department regional and national duties.
In addition to other assessments in subdivision 3, the department
may assess up to $500,000 per fiscal year for performing its duties under
section 216A.07, subdivision 3a. The
amount in this subdivision shall be assessed to energy utilities in proportion
to their respective gross operating revenues from retail sales of gas or
electric service within the state during the last calendar year and shall be
deposited into an account in the special revenue fund and is appropriated to
the commissioner of commerce for the purposes of section 216A.07, subdivision
3a. An assessment made under this
subdivision is not subject to the cap on assessments provided in subdivision 3
or any other law. For the purpose of
this subdivision, an "energy utility" means public utilities,
generation and transmission cooperative electric associations, and municipal
power agencies providing natural gas or electric service in the state. This subdivision expires June 30, 2021.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 308A.201, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Electric cooperative powers. (a) An electric cooperative has the power and authority to:
(1) make loans to its members;
(2) prerefund debt;
(3) obtain funds through negotiated financing or public sale;
(4) borrow money and issue its bonds, debentures, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness;
(5) mortgage, pledge, or otherwise hypothecate its assets as may be necessary;
(6) invest its resources;
(7) deposit money in state and national banks and trust companies authorized to receive deposits; and
(8) exercise all other powers and authorities granted to cooperatives.
(b) A cooperative organized to provide rural electric power may enter agreements and contracts with other electric power cooperatives or with a cooperative constituted of electric power cooperatives to share losses and risk of losses to their transmission and distribution lines, transformers, substations, and related appurtenances from storm, sleet, hail, tornado, cyclone, hurricane, or windstorm. An agreement or contract or a cooperative formed to share losses under this paragraph is not subject to the laws of this state relating to insurance and insurance companies.
(c) An electric cooperative, an
affiliate of the cooperative formed to provide broadband, or another entity
pursuant to an agreement with the cooperative or the cooperative's affiliate
may use the cooperative, affiliate, or entity's existing or subsequently
acquired electric transmission or distribution easements for broadband
infrastructure and to provide broadband service, which may include an agreement
to lease fiber capacity. To exercise
rights granted under this paragraph, the cooperative must provide to the
property owner on which the easement is located written notice that the
cooperative intends to use the easement for broadband purposes. The use of the easement for broadband
services vests and runs with the land beginning six months after notice is
provided under paragraph (d) unless a court action challenging the use of the
easement for broadband purposes has been filed before that time by the property
owner as provided under paragraph (e). The
cooperative must also file evidence of the notice for recording with the county
recorder.
(d) The cooperative's notice under
paragraph (c) must be sent by first class mail to the last known address of the
owner of the property on which the easement is located or by printed insertion
in the property owner's utility bill. The
notice must include the following:
(1) the name and mailing address of the
cooperative;
(2) a narrative describing the nature
and purpose of the intended easement use; and
(3) a description of any trenching or
other underground work expected to result from the intended use, including the
anticipated time frame for the work.
(e) A property owner, within six months
after receiving notice under paragraph (d), may commence an action seeking to
recover damages for an electric cooperative's use of an electric transmission
or distribution easement for broadband service purposes. Notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, the procedures and substantive matters set forth in this subdivision
govern an action under this paragraph and are the exclusive means to bring a
claim for compensation with respect to a notice of intent to use a cooperative
transmission or distribution easement for broadband purposes. To commence an action under this paragraph,
the property owner must serve a complaint upon the electric cooperative as in a
civil action and file the complaint with the district court for the county in
which the easement is located. The
complaint must state whether the property owner (1) is challenging the electric
cooperative's right to use the easement for broadband services or
infrastructure as authorized under paragraph (c), (2) is seeking damages as
provided under paragraph (f), or (3) both.
(f) If the property owner is seeking
damages, the electric cooperative may, at any time after answering the
complaint (1) deposit with the court administrator an amount equal to the
cooperative's estimate of damages or one dollar if damages are estimated to be
not more than nominal, and (2) after making the deposit, use the electric
transmission or service line easements for broadband purposes, conditioned on
an obligation to pay the amount of damages determined by the court. If the property owner is challenging the
electric cooperative's right to use the easement for broadband services or
infrastructure as authorized under paragraph (c), after the electric cooperative
answers the complaint the district court must promptly hold a hearing on the
property owner's challenge. If the
district court denies the property owner's challenge, the electric cooperative
may proceed to make a deposit and make use of the easement for broadband
service purposes, as provided under clause (2).
(g) In an action involving a
property owner's claim for damages, the landowner has the burden to prove the
existence and amount of any net reduction in the fair market value of the
property, considering the existence, installation, construction, maintenance,
modification, operation, repair, replacement, or removal of broadband
infrastructure in the easement, as well as any benefit to the property from
access to broadband service. Consequential
or special damages must not be awarded. Evidence
of revenue, profits, fees, income, or similar benefits to the electric
cooperative, the cooperative's affiliate, or a third party is inadmissible. Any fees or costs incurred as a result of an
action under this subdivision must be paid by the party that incurred the fees
or costs.
(h) Nothing in this section limits in
any way an electric cooperative's existing easement rights, including but not
limited to rights an electric cooperative has or may acquire to transmit
communications for electric system operations or otherwise.
(i) Placement of broadband
infrastructure for use in providing broadband service under paragraphs (c) to
(h) in any portion of an electric transmission or distribution easement located
in the public right-of-way is subject to local government permitting and
right-of-way management authority under section 237.163, and the placement must
be coordinated with the relevant local government unit to minimize potential
future relocations. The cooperative must
notify a local government unit prior to placing infrastructure for broadband
service in an easement that is in or adjacent to the local government unit's
public right-of-way.
(j) For purposes of this subdivision:
(1) "broadband
infrastructure" has the meaning given in section 116J.394; and
(2) "broadband service" means
broadband infrastructure and any services provided over the infrastructure that
offer advanced telecommunications capability and Internet access.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 24. [332.61]
INFORMATIVE DISCLOSURE.
A lead generator must prominently make
the following disclosure on all print, electronic, and nonprint solicitations,
including advertising on websites, radio, or television: "This company does not actually provide
any of the credit services you are seeking.
We ONLY refer you to companies that want to provide some or all of those
services."
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 386.375, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Consumer education information. (a) A person other than the mortgagor or fee owner who transfers or offers to transfer an abstract of title shall present to the mortgagor or fee owner basic information in plain English about abstracts of title. This information must be sent in a form prepared and approved by the commissioner of commerce and must contain at least the following items:
(1) a definition and description of abstracts of title;
(2) an explanation that holders of abstracts of title must maintain it with reasonable care;
(3) an approximate cost or range of costs
to replace a lost or damaged abstract of title; and
(4) an explanation that abstracts of
title may be required to sell, finance, or refinance real estate; and
(5) (4) an explanation of
options for storage of abstracts.
(b) The commissioner shall prepare the form for use under this subdivision as soon as possible. This subdivision does not apply until 60 days after the form is approved by the commissioner.
(c) A person violating this subdivision is subject to a penalty of $200 for each violation.
Sec. 26. APPRAISER
INTERNET COURSE REQUIREMENTS.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 45.305, subdivision 1a, and 45.306, subdivision 1a, education providers
may submit to the commissioner of commerce for approval a classroom course
under Minnesota Statutes, section 45.25, subdivision 2a, clause (3), or a
distance learning course, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 45.25,
subdivision 5a, that has not been approved by the International Distance
Education Certification Center.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and expires after the peacetime
emergency declared by the governor in an executive order that relates to the
infectious disease known as COVID-19 is terminated or rescinded or December 31,
2021, whichever is later.
Sec. 27. MINNESOTA
COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC EDUCATION.
(a) The Minnesota Council on Economic
Education, with funds made available through grants from the commissioner of
education in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, must:
(1) provide professional development to
Minnesota's kindergarten through grade 12 teachers implementing state
graduation standards in learning areas related to economic education;
(2) support the direct-to-student
ancillary economic and personal finance programs that Minnesota teachers
supervise and coach; and
(3) provide support to geographically
diverse affiliated higher education-based centers for economic education,
including those based at Minnesota State University Mankato, Minnesota State
University Moorhead, St. Cloud State University, St. Catherine
University, and the University of St. Thomas, as the centers' work relates
to activities in clauses (1) and (2).
(b) By February 15 of each year
following the receipt of a grant, the Minnesota Council on Economic Education
must report to the commissioner of education on the number and type of
in-person and online teacher professional development opportunities provided by
the Minnesota Council on Economic Education or affiliated state centers. The report must include a description of the
content, length, and location of the programs; the number of preservice and
licensed teachers receiving professional development through each of these
opportunities; and a summary of evaluations of professional opportunities for
teachers.
(c) On August 15, 2021, the Department
of Education must pay the full amount of the grant for fiscal year 2022 to the
Minnesota Council on Economic Education.
On August 15, 2022, the Department of Education must pay the full amount
of the grant for fiscal year 2023 to the Minnesota Council on Economic
Education. The Minnesota Council on
Economic Education must submit its fiscal reporting in the form and manner specified
by the commissioner. The commissioner
may request additional information as necessary.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 28. CONSUMER
DEBT COLLECTION LANGUAGE BARRIER WORKING GROUP.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of commerce shall
convene a working group to review language barriers and the effect on
creditors, debt collectors, and limited English proficient communities.
Subd. 2. Membership. The working group consists of the
following members:
(1) the commissioner of commerce or a
designee;
(2) one member appointed by the
Attorney General's Office;
(3) two members of the public
representing creditors or debt collectors, appointed by the industry and
subject to approval by the commissioner of commerce;
(4) two members of the public
representing consumer rights, appointed by consumer rights advocate organizations
and subject to approval by the commissioner of commerce;
(5) one member appointed by the Council
for Minnesotans of African Heritage;
(6) one member appointed by the
Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs;
(7) one member appointed by the Council
on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans;
(8) two members appointed by the Indian
Affairs Council; and
(9) one member appointed by
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.
Subd. 3. Report. (a) By January 1, 2022, the
commissioner of commerce shall report to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction
over commerce with the working group's recommendations to address language
barriers between creditors, debt collectors, and consumers.
(b) The working group shall examine:
(1) current practices for communicating
with consumers in the consumer's preferred language when attempting to collect
a debt or enforce a lien;
(2) the availability of translation
services or a written glossary of financial terms for consumers whose primary
language is not English; and
(3) state and federal laws involving
issues under clauses (1) and (2).
Sec. 29. COLLECTION
AGENCY EMPLOYEES; WORK FROM HOME.
An employee of a collection agency
licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 332, may work from a location other
than the licensee's business location if the licensee and employee comply with
all the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 332.33, that would apply if
the employee were working at the business location. The fee for a collector registration or
renewal under Minnesota Statutes, section 332.33, subdivision 3, entitles the
individual collector to work at a licensee's business location or a location
otherwise acceptable under this section.
An additional branch license is not required for a location used under
this section. This section expires May
31, 2022.
Sec. 30. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
45.017; 45.306, subdivision 1; and 115C.13, are repealed."
Delete the title and insert:
"A bill for an act relating to commerce; establishing a biennial budget for certain Department of Commerce activities; modifying various provisions governing and administered by the Department of Commerce; establishing a prescription drug affordability board and related regulations; modifying various provisions regulating insurance; establishing a student loan borrower bill of rights; modifying and adding consumer protections; modifying provisions governing collection agencies and debt buyers; modifying requirements for real estate appraiser continuing education; modifying fees; establishing penalties; requiring reports; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 13.712, by adding a subdivision; 45.305, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 45.306, by adding a subdivision; 45.33, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 47.59, subdivision 2; 47.60, subdivision 2; 47.601, subdivisions 2, 6; 48.512, subdivisions 2, 3, 7; 53.04, subdivision 3a; 56.131, subdivision 1; 60A.092, subdivision 10a, by adding a subdivision; 60A.0921, subdivision 2; 60A.14, subdivision 1; 60A.71, subdivision 7; 61A.245, subdivision 4; 62J.23, subdivision 2; 65B.15, subdivision 1; 65B.43, subdivision 12; 65B.472, subdivision 1; 79.55, subdivision 10; 80G.06, subdivision 1; 82.57, subdivisions 1, 5; 82.62, subdivision 3; 82.81, subdivision 12; 82B.021, subdivision 18, by adding subdivisions; 82B.03, by adding a subdivision; 82B.11, subdivision 3; 82B.195, by adding a subdivision; 115C.094; 174.29, subdivision 1; 174.30, subdivisions 1, 10; 216B.62, subdivision 3b; 221.031, subdivision 3b; 256B.0625, subdivisions 10, 17; 308A.201, subdivision 12; 325E.21, by adding subdivisions; 325F.171, by adding a subdivision; 325F.172, by adding a subdivision; 332.31, subdivisions 3, 6, by adding subdivisions; 332.311; 332.32; 332.33, subdivisions 1, 2, 5, 5a, 7, 8, by adding a subdivision; 332.34; 332.345; 332.355; 332.37; 332.385; 332.40, subdivision 3; 332.42, subdivisions 1, 2; 386.375, subdivision 3; 514.972, subdivisions 4, 5; 514.973, subdivisions 3, 4; 514.974; 514.977; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 60A; 62J; 62Q; 80G; 82B; 325E; 325F; 332; proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 58B; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 45.017; 45.306, subdivision 1; 60A.98; 60A.981; 60A.982; 115C.13."
With the recommendation that when so amended the bill be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The
report was adopted.
Marquart from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:
H. F. No. 1065, A bill for an act relating to education finance; providing funding for prekindergarten through grade 12 education; modifying provisions for general education, education excellence, teachers, charter schools, special education, health and safety, facilities, nutrition and libraries, community education, and state agencies; making forecast adjustments; requiring reports; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 13.32, subdivision 3; 120A.22, subdivisions 7, 9, 10; 120A.35; 120A.40; 120B.02, subdivision 1; 120B.021, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4; 120B.024, subdivision 1; 120B.11, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 3; 120B.132; 120B.15; 120B.21; 120B.30, subdivision 1a, by adding subdivisions; 120B.35, subdivisions 3, 4; 121A.031, subdivisions 5, 6; 121A.41, subdivision 10, by adding subdivisions; 121A.425; 121A.45, subdivision 1; 121A.46, subdivision 4, by adding subdivisions; 121A.47, subdivisions 2, 14; 121A.53, subdivision 1; 121A.55; 121A.58; 121A.61; 122A.06, subdivisions 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, by adding a subdivision; 122A.07, subdivisions 1, 2, 4a; 122A.09, subdivisions 4, 6, 9, 10; 122A.091, subdivisions 1, 2; 122A.15, subdivision 1; 122A.16; 122A.18, subdivisions 7a, 8, 10; 122A.181, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, by adding a subdivision; 122A.182, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7; 122A.183, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, by adding a subdivision; 122A.184, subdivisions 1, 2; 122A.185, subdivisions 1, 4; 122A.187; 122A.19, subdivision 4; 122A.21; 122A.26, subdivision 2; 122A.40, subdivisions 5, 8, 10, by adding a subdivision; 122A.41, subdivisions 2, 5, 14a, by adding a subdivision; 122A.63, subdivisions 6, 9; 122A.635, subdivisions 3, 4; 122A.70; 122A.76; 123B.147, subdivision 3; 123B.595, subdivision 3; 124D.09, subdivisions 3, 7, 8, 13; 124D.095, subdivisions 2, 7; 124D.111; 124D.1158; 124D.128, subdivisions 1, 3; 124D.531, subdivision 1; 124D.55; 124D.59, subdivision 2; 124D.65, subdivision 5; 124D.74, subdivisions 1, 3; 124D.78, subdivisions 1, 3; 124D.79, subdivision 2; 124D.791, subdivision 4; 124D.81; 124D.861, subdivision 2; 124E.02; 124E.03, subdivision 2, by adding subdivisions; 124E.05, subdivisions 4, 6, 7; 124E.06, subdivisions 1, 4, 5; 124E.11; 124E.12, subdivision 1; 124E.13, subdivision 1; 124E.16, subdivision 1; 124E.21, subdivision 1; 124E.25, subdivision 1a; 125A.08;
125A.094; 125A.0942; 125A.21, subdivisions 1, 2; 125A.76, subdivision 2e; 126C.05, subdivisions 1, 3, 17; 126C.10, subdivisions 2, 2a, 2e, 4, 18a; 126C.15, subdivisions 1, 2, 5; 126C.17, by adding a subdivision; 126C.40, subdivision 1; 126C.44; 127A.47, subdivision 7; 127A.49, subdivision 3; 134.34, subdivision 1; 134.355, subdivisions 5, 6, 7; 144.4165; 179A.03, subdivision 19; 290.0679, subdivision 2; 469.176, subdivision 2; 609A.03, subdivision 7a; Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 11, article 1, section 25, subdivisions 3, as amended, 4, as amended, 6, as amended, 7, as amended, 9, as amended; article 2, section 33, subdivisions 2, as amended, 3, as amended, 5, as amended, 6, as amended, 16, as amended, 27; article 3, section 23, subdivision 3, as amended; article 4, section 11, subdivisions 2, as amended, 3, as amended, 4, as amended, 5, as amended; article 6, section 7, subdivisions 2, as amended, 3, as amended; article 7, section 1, subdivisions 2, as amended, 3, as amended, 4, as amended; article 8, section 13, subdivisions 5, as amended, 14, as amended; article 9, section 3, subdivision 2, as amended; article 10, section 5, subdivision 2, as amended; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 120B; 121A; 122A; 124D; 125A; 127A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 120B.35, subdivision 5; 122A.091, subdivisions 3, 6; 122A.092; 122A.18, subdivision 7c; 122A.184, subdivision 3; 122A.23, subdivision 3; 122A.2451.
Reported the same back with the recommendation that the bill be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The
report was adopted.
Hansen, R., from the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy to which was referred:
H. F. No. 1076, A bill for an act relating to state government; appropriating money for environment, natural resources, and tourism; modifying disposition of certain receipts, appropriations, funds, and accounts; modifying state park and fishing contest provisions; modifying and establishing fees; eliminating duplicate reporting; modifying certain grant programs; providing for environmental justice considerations; modifying requirements for labeling items as biodegradable or compostable; modifying enforcement authority; establishing Landfill Responsibility Act; modifying provisions for conveying state land interests; adding to and deleting from state parks and recreation areas; authorizing sales of certain state lands; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 16A.125, subdivision 5; 84.63; 84.943, subdivisions 3, 5, by adding a subdivision; 85.019, by adding a subdivision; 85.052, subdivisions 1, 6; 85.053, by adding a subdivision; 85.055, subdivision 1; 86B.415, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7; 92.502; 97A.075, subdivisions 1, 7; 97A.126, by adding a subdivision; 97A.475, subdivisions 2, 3, 3a, 4; 97A.485, subdivision 6; 97B.022, by adding a subdivision; 97B.715, subdivision 1; 97B.801; 97C.081, subdivisions 3, 3a; 115.03, subdivision 1; 115.071, subdivisions 1, 4, by adding subdivisions; 115A.03, by adding subdivisions; 115A.565, subdivision 1; 115B.421; 116.06, by adding subdivisions; 116.07, subdivisions 6, 9, by adding subdivisions; 116.11; 168.1295, subdivision 1; 325E.046; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 115A; 116; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.44, subdivision 9.
Reported the same back with the following amendments:
Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"ARTICLE 1
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS
|
Section 1. ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS.
|
The sums shown in the columns marked
"Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies and for the
purposes specified in this article. The
appropriations are from the general fund, or another named fund, and are available
for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. The figures "2022" and
"2023" used in this article mean that the
appropriations listed under
them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, or June 30, 2023,
respectively. "The first year"
is fiscal year 2022. "The second
year" is fiscal year 2023. "The
biennium" is fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Appropriations and cancellations for the fiscal year ending June 30,
2021, are effective the day following final enactment.
|
|
|
|
APPROPRIATIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Available for the Year |
|
|
|
|
|
Ending June 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
2022 |
2023 |
|
Sec. 2. POLLUTION
CONTROL AGENCY |
|
|
|
|
|
Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
|
$110,221,000 |
|
$110,456,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
7,194,000
|
7,468,000
|
|
State Government Special Revenue |
75,000
|
75,000
|
|
Environmental |
88,406,000
|
88,367,000
|
|
Remediation |
14,546,000
|
14,546,000
|
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
The commissioner must present the agency's
biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to the legislature in a
transparent way by agency division, including the proposed budget bill and
presentations of the budget to committees and divisions with jurisdiction over
the agency's budget.
|
Subd. 2. Environmental
Analysis and Outcomes |
|
15,514,000
|
|
15,156,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
214,000
|
224,000
|
|
Environmental |
15,099,000
|
14,731,000
|
|
Remediation |
201,000
|
201,000
|
(a) $99,000 the first year and $109,000
the second year are from the general fund for:
(1) a municipal liaison to assist
municipalities in implementing and participating in the rulemaking process for
water quality standards and navigating the NPDES/SDS permitting process;
(2) enhanced economic analysis in the rulemaking process for water quality standards, including more-specific analysis and identification of cost-effective permitting;
(3)
developing statewide economic analyses and templates to reduce the amount of
information and time required for municipalities to apply for variances from
water quality standards; and
(4) coordinating with the Public
Facilities Authority to identify and advocate for the resources needed for
municipalities to achieve permit requirements.
(b) $205,000 the first year and $205,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for a monitoring program under
Minnesota Statutes, section 116.454.
(c) $115,000 the first year and $115,000
the second year are for monitoring water quality and operating assistance
programs.
(d) $347,000 the first year and $347,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for monitoring ambient air for
hazardous pollutants.
(e) $90,000 the first year and $90,000 the
second year are from the environmental fund for duties related to harmful
chemicals in children's products under Minnesota Statutes, sections 116.9401 to
116.9407. Of this amount, $57,000 each
year is transferred to the commissioner of health.
(f) $109,000 the first year and $109,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for registering wastewater
laboratories.
(g) $926,000 the first year and $926,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to continue perfluorochemical
biomonitoring in eastern metropolitan communities, as recommended by the
Environmental Health Tracking and Biomonitoring Advisory Panel, and to address
other environmental health risks, including air quality. The communities must include Hmong and other
immigrant farming communities. Of this
amount, up to $689,000 the first year and $689,000 the second year are for
transfer to the Department of Health.
(h) $51,000 the first year and $51,000 the
second year are from the environmental fund for the listing procedures for
impaired waters required under this act.
(i) $350,000 the first year is from the
environmental fund for completing the St. Louis River mercury total
maximum daily load study. This is a
onetime appropriation.
(j)
$141,000 the second year is to implement and enforce Minnesota Statutes,
section 325F.071. Of this amount, up to
$65,000 may be transferred to the commissioner of health.
(k) $200,000 the first year and $200,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for sampling fish and water for
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances at multiple surface waters.
(l) $450,000 the first year and $250,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for inventorying the types of
facilities that are a potential source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
contamination.
(m) $300,000 the first year and $200,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to evaluate materials going to
wastewater and solid waste facilities that result in high levels of per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances at these locations.
This is a onetime appropriation.
(n) $104,000 the first year and $204,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for the purposes of the
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances food packaging provisions under
Minnesota Statutes, section 325F.075.
(o) $226,000 the first year and $266,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to adopt rules establishing
water quality standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic
acid (PFOS) as required under this act. This
is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2024.
(p) $250,000 the first year and $250,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for the air permit community
liaison required under this act.
|
Subd. 3. Industrial
|
|
17,233,000
|
|
17,617,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
682,000
|
682,000
|
|
Environmental |
15,550,000
|
15,934,000
|
|
Remediation |
1,001,000
|
1,001,000
|
(a) $1,001,000 the first year and
$1,001,000 the second year are from the remediation fund for the leaking
underground storage tank program to investigate, clean up, and prevent future
releases from underground petroleum storage tanks and for the petroleum
remediation program for vapor assessment and remediation. These same annual amounts are transferred
from the petroleum tank fund to the remediation fund.
(b) $393,000 the first year and
$393,000 the second year are from the environmental fund to further evaluate
the use and reduction of trichloroethylene around Minnesota and identify its
potential health effects on communities.
Of this amount, up to $121,000 each year may be transferred to the
commissioner of health.
(c) $184,000 the second year is from the
environmental fund to purchase air emissions monitoring equipment to support
compliance and enforcement activities. Of
this amount, $180,000 is a onetime appropriation.
(d) $48,000 the first year and $48,000 the
second year are from the environmental fund for the purposes of the public
informational meeting requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 115.071,
subdivision 3a.
(e) $182,000 the first year and $182,000
the second year are to adopt rules establishing procedures for issuing permits
to facilities that affect environmental justice areas, as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 116.064, and for other air permitting requirements
under this act. This is a onetime
appropriation.
(f) $250,000 the first year and $250,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for the purposes of the
nonexpiring state individual air quality permit requirements under Minnesota
Statutes, section 116.07, subdivision 4n.
(g) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are for implementation of the environmental justice and
cumulative impact analysis requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section
116.064. This is a onetime
appropriation.
|
Subd. 4. Municipal
|
|
9,089,000
|
|
9,182,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
177,000
|
190,000
|
|
State Government Special Revenue |
75,000
|
75,000
|
|
Environmental |
8,837,000
|
8,917,000
|
(a) $177,000 the first year and $190,000
the second year are for:
(1) a municipal liaison to assist
municipalities in implementing and participating in the rulemaking process for
water quality standards and navigating the NPDES/SDS permitting process;
(2) enhanced economic analysis in the
rulemaking process for water quality standards, including more-specific
analysis and identification of cost-effective permitting;
(3) developing statewide
economic analyses and templates to reduce the amount of information and time
required for municipalities to apply for variances from water quality
standards; and
(4) coordinating with the Public
Facilities Authority to identify and advocate for the resources needed for
municipalities to achieve permit requirements.
(b) $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the
second year are from the environmental fund for transfer to the Office of
Administrative Hearings to establish sanitary districts.
(c) $952,000 the first year and $952,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for subsurface sewage treatment
system (SSTS) program administration and community technical assistance and
education, including grants and technical assistance to communities for
water-quality protection. Of this
amount, $129,000 each year is for assistance to counties through grants for
SSTS program administration. A county
receiving a grant from this appropriation must submit the results achieved with
the grant to the commissioner as part of its annual SSTS report. Any unexpended balance in the first year does
not cancel but is available in the second year.
(d) $784,000 the first year and $784,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to address the need for continued
increased activity in new technology review, technical assistance for local
governments, and enforcement under Minnesota Statutes, sections 115.55 to
115.58, and to complete the requirements of Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 1,
section 165.
(e) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before June 30, 2023, as
grants or contracts for subsurface sewage treatment systems, surface water and
groundwater assessments, storm water, and water-quality protection in this
subdivision are available until June 30, 2026.
|
Subd. 5. Operations
|
|
10,523,000
|
|
10,404,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
2,531,000
|
2,532,000
|
|
Environmental |
5,911,000
|
5,791,000
|
|
Remediation |
2,081,000
|
2,081,000
|
(a) $1,003,000 the first year and
$1,003,000 the second year are from the remediation fund for the leaking
underground storage tank program to investigate, clean up, and prevent future
releases from underground petroleum storage tanks and for the petroleum
remediation program for vapor
assessment and remediation. These same
annual amounts are transferred from the petroleum tank fund to the remediation
fund.
(b) $2,531,000 the first year and
$2,532,000 the second year are to support agency information technology
services provided at the enterprise and agency level.
(c) $800,000 the first year and $800,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to develop and maintain systems
to support permitting and regulatory business processes and agency data.
(d) $133,000 the first year is from the
environmental fund for the seed disposal rulemaking required under this act. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2023.
(e) The base for the remediation fund in
fiscal year 2025 is $1,901,000.
|
Subd. 6. Remediation
|
|
11,537,000
|
|
11,537,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
Environmental |
508,000
|
508,000
|
|
Remediation |
11,029,000
|
11,029,000
|
(a) All money for environmental response,
compensation, and compliance in the remediation fund not otherwise appropriated
is appropriated to the commissioners of the Pollution Control Agency and
agriculture for purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 115B.20, subdivision 2,
clauses (1), (2), (3), (6), and (7). At
the beginning of each fiscal year, the two commissioners must jointly submit to
the commissioner of management and budget an annual spending plan that maximizes
resource use and appropriately allocates the money between the two departments. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2023.
(b) $363,000 the first year and $363,000
the second year are from the environmental fund to manage contaminated sediment
projects at multiple sites identified in the St. Louis River remedial
action plan to restore water quality in the St. Louis River Area of
Concern.
(c) $3,198,000 the first year and
$3,198,000 the second year are from the remediation fund for the leaking
underground storage tank program to investigate, clean up, and prevent future
releases from underground petroleum storage tanks and for the petroleum
remediation program for vapor assessment and remediation. These same annual amounts are transferred from
the petroleum tank fund to the remediation fund.
(d) $257,000 the first year and
$257,000 the second year are from the remediation fund for transfer to the
commissioner of health for private water-supply monitoring and health
assessment costs in areas contaminated by unpermitted mixed municipal solid
waste disposal facilities and drinking water advisories and public information activities
for areas contaminated by hazardous releases.
|
Subd. 7. Resource
Management and Assistance |
|
35,483,000
|
|
35,668,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
550,000
|
800,000
|
|
Environmental |
34,933,000
|
34,868,000
|
(a) Up to $150,000 the first year and
$150,000 the second year may be transferred from the environmental fund to the
small business environmental improvement loan account under Minnesota Statutes,
section 116.993.
(b) $1,000,000 the first year and
$1,000,000 the second year are for competitive recycling grants under Minnesota
Statutes, section 115A.565. Of this
amount, $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the second year are from the
general fund, and $700,000 the first year and $700,000 the second year are from
the environmental fund. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025.
(c) $694,000 the first year and $694,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for emission-reduction
activities and grants to small businesses and other nonpoint-emission-reduction
efforts. Of this amount, $100,000 the
first year and $100,000 the second year are to continue work with Clean Air
Minnesota, and the commissioner may enter into an agreement with Environmental
Initiative to support this effort.
(d) $17,750,000 the first year and
$17,750,000 the second year are from the environmental fund for SCORE block
grants to counties.
(e) $119,000 the first year and $119,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for environmental assistance
grants or loans under Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.0716.
(f) $400,000 the first year and $400,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for grants to develop and
expand recycling markets for Minnesota businesses.
(g) $750,000 the first year and $750,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for reducing and diverting food
waste, redirecting edible food for consumption, and removing barriers to
collecting
and recovering organic waste. Of this
amount, $500,000 each year is for grants to increase food rescue and waste
prevention. This appropriation is
available until June 30, 2025.
(h) $250,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for the establishment and
implementation of a climate adaptation and resiliency program including
technical assistance and grants to local governmental units and Tribal
governments. The base for this
appropriation is $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and beyond.
(i) $100,000 the first year is from the
environmental fund for the carpet stewardship report required under this act.
(j) All money deposited in the
environmental fund for the metropolitan solid waste landfill fee in accordance
with Minnesota Statutes, section 473.843, and not otherwise appropriated, is
appropriated for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 473.844.
(k) Any unencumbered grant and loan
balances in the first year do not cancel but are available for grants and loans
in the second year. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before
June 30, 2023, as contracts or grants for environmental assistance awarded
under Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.0716; technical and research assistance
under Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.152; technical assistance under
Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.52; and pollution prevention assistance under
Minnesota Statutes, section 115D.04, are available until June 30, 2025.
|
Subd. 8. Watershed
|
|
9,568,000
|
|
9,618,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
1,959,000
|
1,959,000
|
|
Environmental |
7,375,000
|
7,425,000
|
|
Remediation |
234,000
|
234,000
|
(a) $1,959,000 the first year and
$1,959,000 the second year are for grants to delegated counties to administer
the county feedlot program under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.0711,
subdivisions 2 and 3. Money remaining
after the first year is available for the second year.
(b) $208,000 the first year and $208,000
the second year are from the environmental fund for the costs of implementing
general operating permits for feedlots over 1,000 animal units.
(c)
$122,000 the first year and $122,000 the second year are from the remediation
fund for the leaking underground storage tank program to investigate, clean up,
and prevent future releases from underground petroleum storage tanks and for the
petroleum remediation program for vapor assessment and remediation. These same annual amounts are transferred
from the petroleum tank fund to the remediation fund.
|
Subd. 9. Environmental
Quality Board |
|
1,274,000
|
|
1,274,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
1,081,000
|
1,081,000
|
|
Environmental |
193,000
|
193,000
|
|
Subd. 10. Transfers
|
|
|
|
|
(a) The commissioner must transfer up to
$25,000,000 the first year and $22,000,000 the second year from the
environmental fund to the remediation fund for purposes of the remediation fund
under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.155, subdivision 2.
(b) Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the
commissioner of management and budget must transfer $1,125,000 each year from
the general fund to the metropolitan landfill contingency action trust account
in the remediation fund to restore the money transferred from the account as
intended under Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 1, section 10, paragraph (e),
and Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section 17.
|
Sec. 3. NATURAL
RESOURCES |
|
|
|
|
|
Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
|
$333,372,000 |
|
$326,677,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
101,880,000
|
96,576,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
115,448,000
|
114,308,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
114,912,000
|
114,661,000
|
|
Remediation |
114,000
|
114,000
|
|
Permanent School |
1,018,000
|
1,018,000
|
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
|
Subd. 2. Land
and Mineral Resources Management |
|
6,479,000
|
|
6,506,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
1,874,000
|
1,901,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
4,043,000
|
4,043,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
344,000
|
344,000
|
|
Permanent School |
218,000
|
218,000
|
(a) $319,000 the first year and $319,000
the second year are for environmental research relating to mine permitting, of
which $200,000 each year is from the minerals management account and $119,000
each year is from the general fund.
(b) $3,083,000 the first year and
$3,083,000 the second year are from the minerals management account in the
natural resources fund for use as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section
93.2236, paragraph (c), for mineral resource management, projects to enhance
future mineral income, and projects to promote new mineral-resource
opportunities.
(c) $218,000 the first year and $218,000
the second year are transferred from the forest suspense account to the permanent
school fund and are appropriated from the permanent school fund to secure
maximum long-term economic return from the school trust lands consistent with
fiduciary responsibilities and sound natural resources conservation and
management principles.
(d) $338,000 the first year and $338,000
the second year are from the water management account in the natural resources
fund for mining hydrology.
(e) $42,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriations under Laws
2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision
2, is canceled.
|
Subd. 3. Ecological
and Water Resources |
|
45,537,000
|
|
42,263,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
23,547,000
|
20,773,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
16,466,000
|
15,966,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
5,524,000
|
5,524,000
|
(a) $6,722,000 the first year and
$6,722,000 the second year are from the invasive species account in the natural
resources fund and $2,831,000 the first year and $2,831,000 the second year are
from
the general fund for
management, public awareness, assessment and monitoring research, and water
access inspection to prevent the spread of invasive species; management of
invasive plants in public waters; and management of terrestrial invasive
species on state-administered lands. Of
the amount from the invasive species account, at least $500,000 each year is
for grants to lake associations to manage aquatic invasive plant species.
(b) $5,556,000 the first year and
$5,556,000 the second year are from the water management account in the natural
resources fund for only the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes, section
103G.27, subdivision 2.
(c) $124,000 the first year and $124,000
the second year are for a grant to the Mississippi Headwaters Board for up to
50 percent of the cost of implementing the comprehensive plan for the upper
Mississippi within areas under the board's jurisdiction.
(d) $10,000 the first year and $10,000 the
second year are for payment to the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians to
implement the band's portion of the comprehensive plan for the upper
Mississippi River.
(e) $264,000 the first year and $264,000
the second year are for grants for up to 50 percent of the cost of implementing
the Red River mediation agreement.
(f) $2,298,000 the first year and
$2,298,000 the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the
game and fish fund for only the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (1).
(g) $1,485,000 the first year and $985,000
the second year are from the nongame wildlife management account in the natural
resources fund for nongame wildlife management.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 290.431, $100,000 the first
year and $100,000 the second year may be used for nongame wildlife information,
education, and promotion.
(h) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 84.943, $25,000 the first year and $25,000 the second year from the
critical habitat private sector matching account may be used to publicize the
critical habitat license plate match program.
(i) $6,000,000 the first year and
$6,000,000 the second year are for the following activities:
(1) financial reimbursement and technical
support to soil and water conservation districts or other local units of
government for groundwater-level monitoring;
(2)
surface water monitoring and analysis, including installing monitoring gauges;
(3) groundwater analysis to assist with
water-appropriation permitting decisions;
(4) permit application review
incorporating surface water and groundwater technical analysis;
(5) precipitation data and analysis to
improve irrigation use;
(6) information technology, including
electronic permitting and integrated data systems; and
(7) compliance and monitoring.
(j) $410,000 the first year and $410,000
the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the game and fish
fund for grants to the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center at
the University of Minnesota to prioritize, support, and develop research-based
solutions that can reduce the effects of aquatic invasive species in Minnesota
by preventing spread, controlling populations, and managing ecosystems and to
advance knowledge to inspire action by others.
(k) $1,000,000 the first year and
$1,000,000 the second year are from the invasive species research account in
the natural resources fund for grants for the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive
Species Research Center.
(l) $3,000,000 the first year is for a
grant to assist Red Lake Nation in addressing aquatic invasive species in and
around Upper and Lower Red Lake. This is
a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2023.
(m) $449,000 the first year and $449,000
the second year are for water-use permit public meetings required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.271, subdivision 2a.
(n) $1,308,000 the first year and
$1,308,000 the second year are for additional research, monitoring, and other
activities to determine whether water use is sustainable under Minnesota
Statutes, section 103G.287, subdivision 5.
(o) $427,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriations under Laws
2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision
3, is canceled.
(a) $7,521,000 the first year and
$7,521,000 the second year are for prevention, presuppression, and suppression
costs of emergency firefighting and other costs incurred under Minnesota
Statutes, section 88.12. The amount
necessary to pay for presuppression and suppression costs during the biennium
is appropriated from the general fund. By
January 15 of each year, the commissioner of natural resources must submit a
report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house and senate
committees and divisions having jurisdiction over environment and natural
resources finance that identifies all firefighting costs incurred and
reimbursements received in the prior fiscal year. These appropriations may not be transferred. Any reimbursement of firefighting
expenditures made to the commissioner from any source other than federal
mobilizations must be deposited into the general fund.
(b) $15,386,000 the first year and
$15,386,000 the second year are from the forest management investment account
in the natural resources fund for only the purposes specified in Minnesota
Statutes, section 89.039, subdivision 2.
(c) $1,417,000 the first year and
$1,417,000 the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the
game and fish fund to advance ecological classification systems (ECS)
scientific management tools for forest and invasive species management.
(d) $855,000 the first year and $863,000
the second year are for the Forest Resources Council to implement the
Sustainable Forest Resources Act.
(e) $1,143,000 the first year and
$1,143,000 the second year are for the Next Generation Core Forestry data
system. Of this appropriation, $868,000
is from the general fund and $275,000 from the forest management investment
account in the natural resources fund.
(f) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are from the forest management investment account in the
natural resources fund for forest road maintenance on state forest roads.
(g) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are for forest road maintenance on county forest roads.
(h) $500,000 the first year and
$500,000 the second year are from the forest management investment account in
the natural resources fund for collecting light detection and ranging data for
forest inventory. This is a onetime
appropriation and is available until June 30, 2024.
(i) $1,300,000 the first year and
$1,300,000 the second year are for increasing carbon sequestration by
increasing seed collection and conservation-grade tree seedling production at
the state forest nursery and providing cost-share incentives to increase tree
planting.
(j) $750,000 the first year and $1,000,000
the second year are for grants to local units of government to develop
community ash management plans; to identify and convert ash stands to more
diverse, climate-adapted species; and to replace removed ash trees. Grants awarded under this paragraph may cover
up to 75 percent of eligible costs and may not exceed $500,000. Matching grants provided through this
appropriation are available to cities, counties, regional authorities, joint
powers boards, towns, Tribal nations, and parks and recreation boards in cities
of the first class. The commissioner, in
consultation with the commissioner of agriculture, must establish appropriate
criteria to determine funding priorities between submitted requests and to
determine activities and expenses that qualify to meet local match requirements. Money appropriated for grants under this
paragraph may be used to pay reasonable costs incurred by the commissioner of
natural resources to administer the grants.
(k) $1,075,000 the first year is to refund
timber permit payments as provided under this act.
(l) $751,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriations under Laws
2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision
4, is canceled.
|
Subd. 5. Parks
and Trails Management |
|
93,341,000
|
|
93,294,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
27,563,000
|
27,876,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
63,478,000
|
63,118,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
2,300,000
|
2,300,000
|
(a) $7,935,000 the first year and
$6,435,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for state trail,
park, and recreation area operations. This
appropriation is from revenue deposited in the natural resources fund under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (2).
(b) $19,198,000 the first year
and $19,533,000 the second year are from the state parks account in the natural
resources fund to operate and maintain state parks and state recreation areas.
(c) $1,190,000 the first year and
$1,190,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for park and
trail grants to local units of government on land to be maintained for at least
20 years for parks or trails. This
appropriation is from revenue deposited in the natural resources fund under
Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (4). Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at
the end of the first year and is available for the second year. The base for this appropriation for fiscal
year 2024 and beyond is $890,000.
(d) $9,624,000 the first year and
$9,624,000 the second year are from the snowmobile trails and enforcement
account in the natural resources fund for the snowmobile grants-in-aid program. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at
the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(e) $2,435,000 the first year and
$2,435,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for the off-highway
vehicle grants‑in-aid program. Of
this amount, $1,960,000 each year is from the all-terrain vehicle account;
$150,000 each year is from the off-highway motorcycle account; and $325,000
each year is from the off-road vehicle account.
Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year
and is available for the second year.
(f) $1,250,000 the first year and
$2,250,000 the second year are from the state land and water conservation
account in the natural resources fund for priorities established by the
commissioner for eligible state projects and administrative and planning
activities consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 84.0264, and the federal
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. To
the extent allowable under federal law, the commissioner must prioritize
projects that are in environmental justice areas or otherwise increase
environmental justice. Any unencumbered
balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is available for the
second year. The base for this
appropriation for fiscal year 2024 and beyond is $2,500,000.
(g) $250,000 the first year and $250,000
the second year are for matching grants for local parks and outdoor recreation
areas under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019, subdivision 2.
(h) $250,000 the first year and $250,000
the second year are for matching grants for local trail connections under
Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019, subdivision 4c.
(i) $450,000 the first year and
$500,000 the second year are from the all-terrain vehicle account in the
natural resources fund for a grant to St. Louis County to match other
funding sources for design, right-of-way acquisition, permitting, and
construction of Phase I of the Voyageur Country ATV Trail connections in the
areas of Cook, Orr, Ash River, Kabetogama Township, and International Falls to
the Voyageur Country ATV Trail system. This
is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2025.
(j) $455,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are from the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural
resources fund for a grant to the city of Ely for new trail connections and a
new bridge across the Beaver River connecting the Prospector trail system to
the Taconite State Trail. This is a
onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2025.
(k) $250,000 the first year is from the
all-terrain vehicle account in the natural resources fund for a statewide
all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails master plan broken out by the Department of
Natural Resources' administrative regions and for an ATV trails and route
inventory from all cooperating agencies with available data broken out by the
Department of Natural Resources' administrative regions. The ATV master plan and inventory must be completed
by February 1, 2023.
(l) $2,390,000 the first year and
$2,350,000 the second year are from the water recreation account in the natural
resources fund for maintaining and enhancing public water-access facilities.
(m) $614,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriations under Laws
2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision
5, is canceled.
|
Subd. 6. Fish
and Wildlife Management |
|
79,456,000
|
|
78,459,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022
|
2023
|
|
General |
1,179,000
|
432,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
1,982,000
|
1,982,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
76,295,000
|
76,045,000
|
(a) $8,658,000 the first year and
$8,658,000 the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the
game and fish fund only for activities specified under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (1).
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, five percent of
this appropriation may be used for expanding hunter and angler recruitment and
retention.
(b) $1,029,000 the first year
and $279,000 the second year are from the general fund and $1,675,000 the first
year and $1,675,000 the second year are from the game and fish fund for
planning for and emergency response to disease outbreaks in wildlife. Of the general fund appropriation, $250,000
is for the chronic wasting disease adopt-a-dumpster program. The commissioner and the Board of Animal
Health must each submit quarterly reports on chronic wasting disease activities
funded in this biennium to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and
natural resources and agriculture.
(c) $250,000 the first year is from the
emergency deer feeding and wild Cervidae health management account in the game
and fish fund for the chronic wasting disease adopt-a-dumpster program. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2023.
(d) $8,546,000 the first year and
$8,546,000 the second year are from the deer management account for the
purposes identified in Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.075, subdivision 1.
(e) $150,000 the first year and $150,000
the second year are for grants for natural-resource-based education and
recreation programs serving youth under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.976. The base for this appropriation in fiscal
year 2024 and beyond is $250,000.
(f) $6,000 of the fiscal year 2021 general
fund appropriations under Laws 2019, First
Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision 6, is
canceled.
|
Subd. 7. Enforcement
|
|
49,302,000
|
|
49,173,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
7,998,000
|
7,870,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
12,158,000
|
12,158,000
|
|
Game and Fish |
29,032,000
|
29,031,000
|
|
Remediation |
114,000
|
114,000
|
(a) $1,718,000 the first year and
$1,718,000 the second year are from the general fund for enforcement efforts to
prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
(b) $1,580,000 the first year and
$1,580,000 the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the
game and fish fund for only the purposes specified under Minnesota Statutes,
section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (1).
(c) $1,082,000 the first year
and $1,082,000 the second year are from the water recreation account in the
natural resources fund for grants to counties for boat and water safety. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at
the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(d) $315,000 the first year and $315,000
the second year are from the snowmobile trails and enforcement account in the
natural resources fund for grants to local law enforcement agencies for
snowmobile enforcement activities. Any
unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is
available for the second year.
(e) $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the
second year are from the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural resources
fund for grants to qualifying organizations to assist in safety and
environmental education and monitoring trails on public lands under Minnesota
Statutes, section 84.9011. Grants issued
under this paragraph must be issued through a formal agreement with the
organization. By December 15 each year,
an organization receiving a grant under this paragraph must report to the
commissioner with details on expenditures and outcomes from the grant. Of this appropriation, $25,000 each year is
for administering these grants. Any
unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is
available for the second year.
(f) $510,000 the first year and $510,000
the second year are from the natural resources fund for grants to county law
enforcement agencies for off-highway vehicle enforcement and public education
activities based on off-highway vehicle use in the county. Of this amount, $498,000 each year is from
the all-terrain vehicle account, $11,000 each year is from the off-highway
motorcycle account, and $1,000 each year is from the off-road vehicle account. The county enforcement agencies may use money
received under this appropriation to make grants to other local enforcement
agencies within the county that have a high concentration of off-highway
vehicle use. Of this appropriation,
$25,000 each year is for administering these grants. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at
the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(g) $176,000 the first year and $176,000
the second year are from the game and fish fund for an ice safety program.
(h) $250,000 the first year is for
implementing the transition of the farmed Cervidae program from the Board of
Animal Health to the Department of Natural Resources as required under this act. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2023.
(i)
$1,453,000 the first year and $1,453,000 the second year are for Enforcement
Division salary increases. Of this
amount, $258,000 is from the general fund, $303,000 is from the natural
resources fund, $889,000 is from the game and fish fund, and $3,000 is from the
remediation fund.
(j) $168,000 of the fiscal year 2021
general fund appropriations under Laws
2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision
7, is canceled.
|
Subd. 8. Operations
Support |
|
2,750,000
|
|
1,000,000
|
(a) $2,000,000 the first year is for legal
costs. Of this amount, up to $1,000,000
the first year may be transferred to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2025.
(b) $750,000 the first year and $1,000,000
the second year are for information technology security and modernization.
|
Subd. 9. Pass
Through Funds |
|
1,647,000
|
|
1,367,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
187,000
|
187,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
660,000
|
380,000
|
|
Permanent School |
800,000
|
800,000
|
(a) $660,000 the first year and $380,000
the second year are from the natural resources fund for grants to be divided
equally between the city of St. Paul for the Como Park Zoo and
Conservatory and the city of Duluth for the Lake Superior Zoo. This appropriation is from revenue deposited
to the natural resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94,
paragraph (h), clause (5).
(b) $187,000 the first year and $187,000
the second year are for the Office of School Trust Lands.
(c) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are from the forest suspense account in the permanent school
fund for transaction and project management costs for sales and exchanges of
school trust lands within Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The base for this appropriation is $250,000
in fiscal year 2024 and $150,000 in fiscal year 2025.
(d) $300,000 the first year and $300,000
the second year are transferred from the forest suspense account to the
permanent school fund and are appropriated from the permanent school fund for
the Office of School Trust Lands.
|
Subd. 10. ATV
Trail Extensions |
|
|
|
|
(a) The availability of the portion of the
appropriation in Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section
3, subdivision 5, paragraph (l), that is for a grant to St. Louis County
to design, plan, permit, acquire right-of-way for, and construct Voyageur
Country ATV Trail from Buyck to Holm Logging Road and to Shuster Road toward
Cook, is extended to June 30, 2023.
(b) The availability of the appropriation
in Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3,
subdivision 5, paragraph (n), for grants to St. Louis County for the Quad
Cities ATV Club trail construction program, including planning, design,
environmental permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and construction, is
extended to June 30, 2023.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
|
Sec. 4. BOARD
OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES |
$16,470,000 |
|
$16,565,000 |
(a) $3,423,000 the first year and
$3,423,000 the second year are for natural resources block grants to local
governments to implement the Wetland Conservation Act and shoreland management
program under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103F, and local water management
responsibilities under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103B. The board may reduce the amount of the natural
resources block grant to a county by an amount equal to any reduction in the
county's general services allocation to a soil and water conservation district
from the county's previous year allocation when the board determines that the
reduction was disproportionate.
(b) $3,116,000 the first year and
$3,116,000 the second year are for grants and payments to soil and water
conservation districts for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, sections
103C.321 and 103C.331, and for general purposes, nonpoint engineering, and
implementation and stewardship of the reinvest in Minnesota reserve program. Expenditures may be made from these
appropriations for supplies and services benefiting soil and water conservation
districts. Any district receiving a
payment under this paragraph must maintain a web page that publishes, at a
minimum, its annual report, annual audit, annual budget, and meeting notices.
(c) $761,000 the first year and $761,000
the second year are to implement, enforce, and provide oversight for the
Wetland Conservation Act, including administering the wetland banking program
and in-lieu fee mechanism.
(d) $1,560,000 the first year and
$1,560,000 the second year are for the following programs:
(1) $260,000 each year is for the feedlot
water quality cost-sharing program for feedlots under 500 animal units and
nutrient and manure management projects in watersheds where there are impaired
waters;
(2)
$1,200,000 each year is for cost-sharing programs of soil and water
conservation districts for accomplishing projects and practices consistent with
Minnesota Statutes, section 103C.501, including perennially vegetated riparian
buffers, erosion control, water retention and treatment, and other
high-priority conservation practices; and
(3) $100,000 each year is for county
cooperative weed management programs and to restore native plants in selected
invasive species management sites.
(e) $166,000 the first year and $166,000
the second year are to provide technical assistance to local drainage
management officials and for the costs of the Drainage Work Group. The board must coordinate with the Drainage
Work Group according to Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.101, subdivision 13.
(f) $100,000 the first year and $100,000
the second year are for a grant to the Red River Basin Commission for water
quality and floodplain management, including administration of programs. This appropriation must be matched by
nonstate funds.
(g) $140,000 the first year and $140,000
the second year are for grants to Area II Minnesota River Basin Projects for
floodplain management.
(h) $125,000 the first year and $125,000
the second year are for conservation easement stewardship.
(i) $240,000 the first year and $240,000
the second year are for a grant to the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District
to defray the annual cost of operating and maintaining sites for dredge spoil
to sustain the state, national, and international commercial and recreational
navigation on the lower Minnesota River.
(j) The Lower Minnesota River Watershed
District may use up to $111,000 from money appropriated in either fiscal year
under Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 4,
paragraph (j), to cover costs associated with the Seminary Fen Stabilization
Project to reduce sedimentation to Seminary Fen and the Minnesota River.
(k) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are for the soil health program under Minnesota Statutes,
section 103F.06.
(l) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are for the water quality and storage program under Minnesota
Statutes, section 103F.05.
(m) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year are for the lawns to legumes program under Minnesota Statutes,
section 103B.104.
(n) Notwithstanding Minnesota
Statutes, section 103C.501, the board may shift money in this section and may
adjust the technical and administrative assistance portion of the funds to
leverage federal or other nonstate funds or to address accountability,
oversight, local government performance, or high-priority needs identified in
local water management plans or comprehensive watershed management plans.
(o) The appropriations for grants and
payments in this section are available until June 30, 2025, except returned
grants and payments are available for two years after they are returned or
regranted, whichever is later. Funds
must be regranted consistent with the purposes of this section. If an appropriation for grants in either year
is insufficient, the appropriation in the other year is available for it.
(p) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 16B.97, grants awarded from appropriations in this section are exempt
from the Department of Administration, Office of Grants Management Policy 08-08
Grant Payments and 08-10 Grant Monitoring.
|
Sec. 5. METROPOLITAN
COUNCIL |
|
$10,640,000 |
|
$10,640,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
2,540,000
|
2,540,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
8,100,000
|
8,100,000
|
(a) $2,540,000 the first year and
$2,540,000 the second year are for metropolitan-area regional parks operation
and maintenance according to Minnesota Statutes, section 473.351.
(b) $8,100,000 the first year and
$8,100,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for
metropolitan-area regional parks and trails maintenance and operations. This appropriation is from revenue deposited
in the natural resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94,
paragraph (h), clause (3). The base for
this appropriation is $6,600,000 in fiscal year 2024 and beyond.
|
Sec. 6. CONSERVATION
CORPS MINNESOTA |
|
$945,000 |
|
$945,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
455,000
|
455,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
490,000
|
490,000
|
Conservation Corps Minnesota may receive
money appropriated from the natural resources fund under this section only as
provided in an agreement with the commissioner of natural resources.
|
Sec. 7. ZOOLOGICAL
BOARD |
|
$16,079,000 |
|
$13,959,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023
|
|
General |
15,749,000
|
13,769,000
|
|
Natural Resources |
330,000
|
190,000
|
(a) $330,000 the first year and $190,000
the second year are from the natural resources fund from revenue deposited
under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (5).
(b) The general fund current law base is
$10,267,000 per year in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
|
Sec. 8. SCIENCE
MUSEUM |
|
$3,018,000 |
|
$1,079,000 |
|
Sec. 9. EXPLORE
MINNESOTA TOURISM |
|
$15,184,000 |
|
$14,523,000 |
(a) $500,000 the first year and $500,000
the second year must be matched from nonstate sources to develop maximum
private sector involvement in tourism. Each
$1 of state incentive must be matched with $6 of private sector money. "Matched" means revenue to the
state or documented cash expenditures directly expended to support Explore
Minnesota Tourism programs. Up to
one-half of the private sector contribution may be in-kind or soft match. The incentive in fiscal year 2022 is based on
fiscal year 2021 private sector contributions.
The incentive in fiscal year 2023 is based on fiscal year 2022 private
sector contributions. This incentive is
ongoing.
(b) Money for marketing grants is available
either year of the biennium. Unexpended
grant money from the first year is available in the second year.
(c) $100,000 each year is for a grant to
the Northern Lights International Music Festival.
(d) $750,000 the first year is for an
events assistance grant program. Of this
amount, $250,000 is for a grant to the Grand Portage Band to focus tourism to
Grand Portage.
Sec. 10. Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
|
Subd. 4. Forest
Management |
|
50,668,000 |
|
50,603,000 |
|
Appropriations by Fund |
||
|
|
2020
|
2021 |
|
General |
33,651,000 |
33,300,000 |
|
Natural Resources |
15,619,000 |
15,886,000 |
|
Game and Fish |
1,398,000 |
1,417,000 |
(a) $7,521,000 the first year and $7,521,000 the second year are for prevention, presuppression, and suppression costs of emergency firefighting and other costs incurred under Minnesota Statutes, section 88.12. The amount necessary to pay for presuppression and suppression costs during the biennium is appropriated from the general fund. By January 15 of each year, the commissioner of natural resources must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house and senate committees and divisions having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance that identifies all firefighting costs incurred and reimbursements received in the prior fiscal year. These appropriations may not be transferred. Any reimbursement of firefighting expenditures made to the commissioner from any source other than federal mobilizations must be deposited into the general fund.
(b) $13,869,000 the first year and $14,136,000 the second year are from the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund for only the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 89.039, subdivision 2.
(c) $1,398,000 the first year and $1,417,000 the second year are from the heritage enhancement account in the game and fish fund to advance ecological classification systems (ECS) scientific management tools for forest and invasive species management.
(d) $836,000 the first year and $847,000 the second year are for the Forest Resources Council to implement the Sustainable Forest Resources Act.
(e) $1,131,000 the first year and $1,131,000 the second year are for the Next Generation Core Forestry data system. For fiscal year 2022 and later, the distribution for this appropriation is $868,000 from the general fund and $275,000 from the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund.
(f) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year are from the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund for forest road maintenance on state forest roads.
(g) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year are for forest road maintenance on county forest roads.
(h) $700,000 the first or second year is for grants to local units of government to develop community ash management plans; to identify and convert ash stands to more diverse, climate-adapted species; and to replace removed ash trees. This is a onetime appropriation.
(i) Grants awarded under paragraph (h) may cover up to 75 percent of eligible costs and may not exceed $500,000. Matching grants provided through the appropriation are available to cities, counties,
regional authorities, joint powers boards, towns, and parks and recreation boards in cities of the first class. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of agriculture, must establish appropriate criteria for determining funding priorities between submitted requests and to determine activities and expenses that qualify to meet local match requirements. Money appropriated for grants under paragraph (h) may be used to pay reasonable costs incurred by the commissioner of natural resources to administer paragraph (h).
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 11. Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
|
Subd. 5. Parks
and Trails Management |
|
90,858,000 |
|
88,194,000 |
|
Appropriations by Fund |
||
|
|
2020
|
2021 |
|
General |
26,968,000 |
27,230,000 |
|
Natural Resources |
61,598,000 |
58,664,000 |
|
Game and Fish |
2,292,000 |
2,300,000 |
(a) $1,075,000 the first year and $1,075,000 the second year are from the water recreation account in the natural resources fund for maintaining and enhancing public water-access facilities.
(b) $6,344,000 the first year and $6,435,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for state trail, park, and recreation area operations. This appropriation is from revenue deposited in the natural resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (2).
(c) $18,552,000 the first year and $18,828,000 the second year are from the state parks account in the natural resources fund to operate and maintain state parks and state recreation areas.
(d) $890,000 the first year and $890,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for park and trail grants to local units of government on land to be maintained for at least 20 years for parks or trails. This appropriation is from revenue deposited in the natural resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), clause (4). Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(e) $9,624,000 the first year and $9,624,000 the second year are from the snowmobile trails and enforcement account in the natural resources fund for the snowmobile grants-in-aid program. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(f) $1,835,000 the first year and $2,135,000 the second year are from the natural resources fund for the off-highway vehicle grants‑in-aid program. Of this amount, $1,360,000 the first year and $1,660,000 the second year are from the all-terrain vehicle account; $150,000 each year is from the off-highway motorcycle account; and $325,000 each year is from the off-road vehicle account. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is available for the second year.
(g) $116,000 the first year and $117,000
the second year are from the cross-country-ski account in the natural resources
fund for grooming and maintaining cross-country-ski trails in state parks,
trails, and recreation areas.
(h) (g) $266,000 the first year
and $269,000 the second year are from the state land and water conservation
account in the natural resources fund for priorities established by the
commissioner for eligible state projects and administrative and planning
activities consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 84.0264, and the federal
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. Any
unencumbered balance does not cancel at the end of the first year and is
available for the second year.
(i) (h) $250,000 the first year
and $250,000 the second year are for matching grants for local parks and
outdoor recreation areas under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019, subdivision
2.
(j) (i) $250,000 the first year
and $250,000 the second year are for matching grants for local trail
connections under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019, subdivision 4c.
(k) (j) $600,000 the first year
is from the off-road vehicle account for off-road vehicle touring routes and
trails. Of this amount:
(1) $200,000 is for a contract with a project administrator to assist the commissioner in planning, designing, and providing a system of state touring routes and trails for off-road vehicles by identifying sustainable, legal routes suitable for licensed four‑wheel drive vehicles and a system of recreational trails for registered off-road vehicles. Any portion of this appropriation not used for the project administrator is available for signage or promotion and implementation of the system. This is a onetime appropriation.
(2) $200,000 is for a contract and related work to prepare a comprehensive, statewide, strategic master plan for off-road vehicle touring routes and trails. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2022. Any portion of this appropriation not used for the master plan is returned to the off‑road vehicle account. At a minimum, the plan must: identify opportunities to develop or enhance new, high-quality,
comprehensive touring routes and trails for off-road vehicles in a system that serves regional and tourist destinations; enhance connectivity with touring routes and trails for off-road vehicles; provide opportunities for promoting economic development in greater Minnesota; help people connect with the outdoors in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner; create new and support existing opportunities for social, economic, and cultural benefits and meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships for users of off-road vehicles and the communities that host trails for off-road vehicles; and promote cooperation with local, state, Tribal, and federal governments; organizations; and other interested partners.
(3) $200,000 is to share the cost by reimbursing federal, Tribal, state, county, and township entities for additional needs on roads under their jurisdiction when the needs are a result of increased use by off-road vehicles and are attributable to a border-to-border touring route established by the commissioner. This paragraph applies to roads that are operated by a public road authority as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 160.02, subdivision 25. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2023. To be eligible for reimbursement under this paragraph, the claimant must demonstrate that: the needs result from additional traffic generated by the border-to-border touring route; and increased use attributable to a border-to-border touring route has caused at least a 50 percent increase in maintenance costs for roads under the claimant's jurisdiction, based on a ten-year maintenance average. The commissioner may accept an alternative to the ten‑year maintenance average if a jurisdiction does not have sufficient maintenance records. The commissioner has discretion to accept an alternative based on a good-faith effort by the jurisdiction. Any alternative should include baseline maintenance costs for at least two years before the year the route begins operating. The ten-year maintenance average or any alternative must be calculated from the years immediately preceding the year the route begins operating. Before reimbursing a claim under this paragraph, the commissioner must consider whether the claim is consistent with claims made by other entities that administer roads on the touring route, in terms of the amount requested for reimbursement and the frequency of claims made.
(l) (k) $600,000 the first year
is from the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural resources fund for
grants to St. Louis County. Of this
amount, $100,000 is for a grant to St. Louis County for an environmental
assessment worksheet for the overall construction of the Voyageur Country ATV
Trail system and connections, and $500,000 is for a grant to St. Louis
County to design, plan, permit, acquire right-of-way for, and construct
Voyageur Country ATV Trail from Buyck to Holmes Logging Road and to Shuster
Road toward Cook. This is a onetime
appropriation.
(m) (l) $2,400,000 the first year is from the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural resources fund. Of this amount, $1,300,000 is for a grant to Lake County to match other funding sources to develop the Prospector Loop Trail system and $1,100,000 is for acquisition, design, environmental review, permitting, and construction for all-terrain vehicle use on the Taconite State Trail between Ely and Purvis Forest Management Road.
(n) (m) $950,000 the first year
and $950,000 the second year are from the all-terrain vehicle account in the
natural resources fund for grants to St. Louis County for the Quad Cities
ATV Club trail construction program for planning, design, environmental
permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and construction of up to 24 miles of
trail connecting the cities of Mountain Iron, Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert,
Hibbing, and Chisholm to the Laurentian Divide, County Road 303, the Taconite
State Trail, and Biwabik and from Pfeiffer Lake Forest Road to County Road 361. This is a onetime appropriation.
(o) (n) $75,000 the first year is from the
general fund for signage and interpretative resources necessary for naming
state park assets and a segment of the St. Croix River State Water Trail after Walter F. Mondale as provided in this act.
(p) (o) $150,000 the first year
is from the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural resources fund for a
grant to Crow Wing County to plan and design a multipurpose bridge on the
Mississippi River Northwoods Trail across Sand Creek located five miles
northeast of Brainerd along the Mississippi River.
(q) (p) $75,000 the first year
is from the off-highway motorcycle account in the natural resources fund to
complete a master plan for off-highway motorcycle trail planning and
development. This is a onetime
appropriation and is available until June 30, 2022.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from July 1, 2019.
Sec. 12. FISCAL
YEAR 2021 APPROPRIATIONS.
Subdivision 1. Minnesota
Zoological Board. $1,595,000
in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the Minnesota Zoological Board to supplement the appropriation
in Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 7. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2023.
Subd. 2. Department
of Natural Resources; civil unrest. $2,008,000
in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of natural resources for costs related to responding to civil unrest. This is a onetime appropriation.
Subd. 3. Department
of Natural Resources; conservation officer salary increases. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, the commissioner of natural resources must increase the salary paid
to conservation officers whose exclusive representative is the Minnesota Law
Enforcement Association by 8.4 percent. The
salary increases are effective retroactively from October 22, 2020.
(b) $958,000 in fiscal year
2021 is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources for Enforcement
Division salary increases. Of this
amount, $170,000 is from the general fund, $199,000 is from the natural
resources fund, $587,000 is from the game and fish fund, and $2,000 is from the
remediation fund. This is a onetime appropriation.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 13. FEDERAL
FUNDS REPLACEMENT; APPROPRIATION.
Notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, the commissioner of management and budget must determine whether the
expenditures authorized under this article are eligible uses of federal funding
received under the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund or any other federal
funds received by the state under the American Rescue Plan Act, Public Law
117-2. If the commissioner of management
and budget determines an expenditure is eligible for funding under Public Law
117-2, the amount of the eligible expenditure is appropriated from the account
where those amounts have been deposited and the corresponding general fund amounts
appropriated under this act are canceled to the general fund.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 14. PROCTOR-HERMANTOWN
MUNGER TRAIL SPUR; EXTENSION.
The portion of the appropriation in
Laws 2017, chapter 91, article 3, section 3, paragraph (b), from the parks and
trails fund granted to the city of Hermantown for the Proctor-Hermantown Munger
Trail Spur project is available until June 30, 2022.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 2
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND FISCAL YEAR 2021
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Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS. |
The sums shown in the columns marked
"Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies and for the
purposes specified in this article. The
appropriations are from the environment and natural resources trust fund, or
another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each
purpose. The figures "2020"
and "2021" used in this article mean that the appropriations listed
under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, or June 30,
2021, respectively. "The first
year" is fiscal year 2020. "The
second year" is fiscal year 2021. "The
biennium" is fiscal years 2020 and 2021.
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APPROPRIATIONS |
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Available for the Year |
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Ending June 30 |
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2020 |
2021 |
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Sec. 2. MINNESOTA
RESOURCES |
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Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
$-0- |
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$61,387,000 |
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions. Appropriations in the second year are
available for four years beginning July 1, 2020, unless otherwise
stated in the appropriation. Any unencumbered balance remaining in the
first year does not cancel and is available for the second year or until the
end of the appropriation.
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Subd. 2. Definition
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"Trust fund" means the Minnesota
environment and natural resources trust fund established under the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, section 14.
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Subd. 3. Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information |
-0-
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8,593,000
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(a) Geologic Atlases for Water Resource Management |
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$2,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Minnesota
Geological Survey, to continue producing county geologic atlases to inform
management of surface water and groundwater resources. This appropriation is to complete Part A,
which focuses on the properties and distribution of earth materials to define
aquifer boundaries and the connection of aquifers to the land surface and
surface water resources.
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(b) Expanding Minnesota Ecological Monitoring Network |
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$800,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to improve conservation and
management of Minnesota's native forests, wetlands, and grasslands by expanding
the partially established long-term Ecological Monitoring Network that will
provide critical knowledge of how ecosystem dynamics and conditions change
through time.
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(c) County Groundwater Atlas |
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$1,125,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to continue producing
county geologic atlases to inform management of surface water and groundwater
resources for drinking water and other purposes. This appropriation is for Part B, to
characterize the potential water yields of aquifers and the aquifers'
sensitivity to contamination.
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(d) Foundational Hydrology Data for Wetland Protection and Restoration |
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$400,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to improve wetland protection,
management, and restoration in Minnesota by completing the partially
established long-term Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Network that will provide
critical knowledge of wetland hydrology
dynamics. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(e) Voyageurs Wolf Project - Phase II |
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$575,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to study summertime
wolf predation on deer, moose, and other species in the Voyageurs region to
inform management of wildlife. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
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(f) Expanding Restoration and Promoting Awareness of Native Mussels |
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$489,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Minnesota Zoological Garden to promote mussel conservation by
rearing juvenile mussels for reintroduction, researching methods to improve
growth and survival in captivity, and encouraging public action to benefit
water quality. This appropriation is
available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and
final products delivered.
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(g) Improving Pollinator Conservation by Revealing Habitat Needs |
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$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to use citizen
scientists and novel analyses to determine the nesting and overwintering needs
of wild bees to allow more specific protection and enhancement of pollinator
habitat across the state.
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(h) Bee Minnesota - Protect Our Native Bumblebees |
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$650,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to protect native
bee health by investigating the potential to mitigate against pathogens that
may be transmissible between honey and wild bees and by promoting best
practices to beekeepers and the public. This
appropriation is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
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(i) Bobcat and Fisher Habitat Use and Interactions |
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$400,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute in Duluth to identify potential solutions to
reverse the fisher population decline through better understanding of habitat,
diet, and activity patterns of bobcats and fishers.
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(j) Healthy Prairies III: Restoring Minnesota Prairie Plant Diversity |
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$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to improve
Minnesota prairie resiliency by increasing locally sourced seed availability
and diversity, evaluating use of beneficial microbes in prairie restorations,
and assessing adaptation and adaptive capacity of prairie plant populations.
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(k) Freshwater Sponges and AIS: Engaging Citizen Scientists |
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$400,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Crookston, to use
citizen scientists to study the geographic distribution, taxonomic diversity,
and antifouling potential of freshwater sponges against aquatic invasive
species.
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(l) Do Beavers Buffer Against Droughts and Floods? |
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$168,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Voyageurs
National Park to analyze existing data sets to determine the role of beaver
populations and beaver ponds in buffering the region against droughts and
floods.
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(m) Enhancing Bat Recovery by Optimizing Artificial Roost Structures |
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$190,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to improve the survival of bats
by identifying characteristics of successful artificial bat roost structures
and optimizing the structures for bat use and reproduction. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(n) Tools for Supporting Healthy Ecosystems and Pollinators |
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$198,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to create a pollination companion
guide to the Department of Natural Resources' Field Guides to the Native Plant Communities of Minnesota for
conservation practitioners to better integrate plant-pollinator interactions
into natural resource planning and decision making.
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(o) Conserving Black Terns and Forster's Terns in Minnesota |
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$198,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute in Duluth to assess the distribution and breeding
status of black tern and
Forster's tern and to make conservation and restoration recommendations to
improve the suitability of habitat for these two bird species in Minnesota.
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Subd. 4. Water
Resources |
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-0-
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3,457,000
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(a) Managing Highly Saline Waste from Municipal Water Treatment |
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$250,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop a cost-
and energy-efficient method of managing the concentrated saline waste from a
municipal water treatment plant to increase the feasibility of using reverse
osmosis for centralized water softening and sulfate removal. This appropriation is subject to Minnesota
Statutes, section 116P.10.
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(b) Technology for Energy-Generating On-site Industrial Wastewater Treatment |
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$450,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to improve water
quality and generate cost savings by developing off the shelf technology that
treats industrial wastewater on-site and turns pollutants into hydrogen and
methane for energy. This appropriation
is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
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(c) Microplastics: Transporters of Contaminants in Minnesota Waters |
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$425,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to study how
several types of common microplastics transport contaminants of concern in
Minnesota waters.
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(d) Developing Strategies to Manage PFAS in Land-Applied Biosolids |
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$1,404,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to help
municipal wastewater plants, landfills, and compost facilities protect human
health and the environment by developing strategies to manage per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in land-applied biosolids.
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(e) Quantifying New Urban Precipitation and Water Reality |
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$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to better guide
storm water management by evaluating the groundwater and surface water
interactions contributing to high water tables and damage to home basements and
underground infrastructure in urban areas.
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(f) Innovative Solution for Protecting Minnesota from PFAS Contamination |
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$250,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Dem-Con
Companies to demonstrate a new technology for protecting the state's drinking
water and natural resources by eliminating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) from point source discharges. This
appropriation is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10, related to
royalties, copyrights, patents, and sale of products and assets.
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(g) Expanding Protection of Minnesota Water through Industrial Conservation |
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$178,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota
technical assistance program in partnership with the Minnesota Rural Water
Association to provide technical assistance to businesses to decrease
industrial and commercial water use in communities at risk for inadequate
groundwater supply or quality.
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Subd. 5. Technical Assistance, Outreach, and
Environmental Education |
-0-
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2,989,000
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(a) Statewide Environmental Education via Public Television Outdoor Series |
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$300,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Pioneer
Public Television to produce approximately 25 new episodes of a statewide
outdoor public television series designed to inspire Minnesotans to connect
with the outdoors and restore and protect the environment.
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(b) Minnesota Freshwater Quest: Environmental Education on State Waterways |
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$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Wilderness
Inquiry for approximately 10,000 underserved Minnesota youth to explore and
improve local waterways using the place-based and hands-on "Minnesota
Freshwater Quest" environmental education program.
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(c) Teach Science: Schools as
STEM Living Laboratories |
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$368,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Climate
Generation: A Will Steger Legacy to
prepare students for the challenges and careers of the future by connecting new
science
standards, renewable energy,
and STEM opportunities in teacher trainings, classroom demonstrations, and
program support across the state.
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(d) Mentoring Next Generation of Conservation Professionals |
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$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota
Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc., to provide paid internships and
apprenticeships for diverse young people to learn about careers in the
conservation field from United States Fish and Wildlife Service professionals
while working at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland
Management District.
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(e) Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Supplemental Teaching Staff |
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$225,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Austin to expand the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center environmental education
program beyond the city of Austin to students in southeastern Minnesota for
three years.
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(f) 375 Underserved Youth Learn Minnesota Ecosystems by Canoe |
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$375,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the YMCA of
the Greater Twin Cities to connect approximately 375 underserved and diverse
teens from urban areas and first-ring suburbs to environmental sciences in the
natural world through canoeing and learning expeditions with experienced
outdoor education counselors. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project
must be completed and final products delivered.
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(g) YES! Students Take on Water Quality Challenge -
Phase II |
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$199,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Prairie
Woods Environmental Learning Center to mobilize local watershed stewardship
efforts in approximately 20 communities through student-driven action projects.
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(h) Engaging Minnesotans with Phenology: Radio, Podcasts, Citizen Science |
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$198,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Northern
Community Radio, Inc., in partnership with the Board of Regents
of the University of Minnesota
to build the next generation of conservationists using phenology, radio
broadcasts, podcasts, and an online, interactive map interface to inspire
teachers, students, and the public to get outside and experience nature.
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(i) Driving Conservation Behavior for Native Mussels and Water Quality |
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$191,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Minnesota Zoological Garden to develop research-supported
strategies to engage the public in specific conservation behaviors to improve
water quality and native mussel health across the state.
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(j) Workshops and Outreach to Protect Raptors from Lead Poisoning |
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$133,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Raptor Center, in
cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources and other conservation
partners, to provide hunters with outreach and workshops on alternatives to
lead hunting ammunition, including copper ammunition as an alternative, and to
promote voluntary selection of nontoxic ammunition to protect raptors and other
wildlife in Minnesota from accidental lead poisoning caused by ingestion of
ammunition fragments.
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Subd. 6. Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species |
-0-
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10,425,000
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(a) Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) - Phase V |
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$5,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to support
the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center to fund
approximately 15 new, high-priority research projects that will lead to better
management of invasive plants, pathogens, and pests on Minnesota's natural and
agricultural lands. This appropriation
is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2026, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(b) Protect Community Forests by Managing Ash for Emerald Ash Borer |
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$3,500,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to reduce emerald ash borer
by providing surveys, assessments, trainings, assistance, and grants for
communities to manage emerald ash borer, plant a diversity of trees, and engage
citizens in community forestry activities.
This appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the
project must be completed and final products delivered.
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(c) Biological Control of White-Nose Syndrome in Bats - Phase III |
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$440,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to continue
assessing and developing a biocontrol agent for white-nose syndrome in bats.
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(d) Applying New Tools and Techniques Against Invasive Carp |
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$478,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to apply new monitoring,
outreach, and removal techniques and to continue work with commercial anglers
to protect Minnesota waters from invasive carp.
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(e) Emerald Ash Borer and Black Ash: Maintaining Forests and Benefits |
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$700,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to use ongoing
experiments to determine statewide long-term emerald ash borer impacts on
water, vegetation, and wildlife; to determine optimal replacement species and
practices for forest diversification; and to develop criteria for prioritizing
mitigation activities. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2026, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
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(f) Testing Effectiveness of Aquatic Invasive Species Removal Methods |
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$110,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute in Duluth to test how well boat-cleaning methods
work, to provide the Department of Natural Resources with a risk assessment,
and to provide recommendations for improving boat-launch cleaning stations to
prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
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(g) Invasive Didymosphenia Threatens North Shore Streams |
|
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$197,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Science Museum of Minnesota to evaluate the recent spread, origin,
cause, and economic and ecological threat of didymo formation in North Shore
streams and Lake Superior to inform management and outreach.
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Subd. 7. Air
Quality and Renewable Energy |
|
-0-
|
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573,000
|
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(a) Storing Renewable Energy in Flow Battery for Grid Use |
|
|
|
$250,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, on behalf of the
Morris campus, to analyze the potential of adding a flow battery and solar
energy generation to the University of Minnesota Morris's existing
renewable-energy-intensive microgrid.
|
(b) Eco-Friendly Plastics from Cloquet Pulp-Mill Lignin |
|
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$193,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to reduce
environmental pollution from plastics by creating eco-friendly replacements
using lignin from the pulp mill in Cloquet, Minnesota. This appropriation is subject to Minnesota
Statutes, section 116P.10.
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(c) Diverting Unsold Food from Landfills and Reducing Greenhouse Gases |
|
|
|
$130,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Second
Harvest Heartland to prevent food from going to landfills and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by helping businesses donate unsold prepared food to food
shelves.
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Subd. 8. Methods to Protect or Restore Land, Water, and Habitat |
-0-
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4,219,000
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(a) Pollinator Central: Habitat Improvement with Citizen Monitoring |
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|
$750,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Great River
Greening to restore and enhance approximately 400 acres of pollinator habitat
on traditional and nontraditional sites such as roadsides and turf grass from
Hastings to St. Cloud to benefit pollinators and build knowledge by
engaging approximately 100 citizens in monitoring the impact of habitat
improvements. This appropriation is
available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and
final products delivered.
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(b) Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Strategic Habitat Program |
|
|
|
$750,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for building a new initiative to
strategically restore and enhance approximately 1,000 acres of diverse native
habitat to benefit multiple insects through grants, cost-share, and outreach. Notwithstanding subdivision 14, paragraph
(e), restorations and enhancements may take place on
land enrolled in Conservation
Reserve Program and Reinvest in Minnesota easement programs. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(c) Lignin-Coated Fertilizers for Phosphate Control |
|
|
|
|
$250,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute in Duluth to test a new, natural, slow-release
fertilizer coating made from processed wood to decrease phosphorus runoff from
farmland while also storing carbon in soils.
This appropriation is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
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(d) Implementing Hemp Crop Rotation to Improve Water Quality |
|
|
|
$700,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System for Central Lakes
College to evaluate how hemp crops reduce nitrogen contamination of surface
water and groundwater in conventional crop rotations and demonstrate the
environmental and economic benefits of hemp production. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(e) Developing Cover-Crop Systems for Sugar Beet Production |
|
|
|
$300,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop
agronomic guidelines to support growers adopting cover-crop practices in sugar
beet production in west-central and northwest Minnesota.
|
(f) Native Eastern Larch Beetle Decimating Minnesota's Tamarack Forests |
|
|
|
$398,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to understand
conditions triggering eastern larch beetle outbreaks and develop management
techniques to protect tamarack forests from this native insect. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
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(g) Habitat Associations of Mississippi Bottomland Forest Marsh Birds |
|
|
|
$275,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
National Audubon Society, Minnesota office, to evaluate habitat
associations of bottomland
forest birds in response to restoration actions to better target restoration
efforts for wildlife. This appropriation
is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed
and final products delivered.
|
(h) Peatland Restoration in the Lost River State Forest |
|
|
|
|
$135,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Roseau
River Watershed District to collect physical attribute data from drained
peatlands, incorporate the data into a decision matrix, and generate a report
detailing peatland restoration potential throughout the Lost River State
Forest.
|
(i) Prescribed Burning for Brushland-Dependent Species - Phase II |
|
|
|
$147,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to compare the
effects of spring, summer, and fall burns on birds and vegetation and to
provide guidelines for maintaining healthy brushland habitat for a diversity of
wildlife and plant species.
|
(j) Pollinator Habitat Creation Along Urban Mississippi River |
|
|
|
$129,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Friends of
the Mississippi River to remove invasive plants and replace them with
high-value native species at three urban sites along the Mississippi River to
improve habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2026, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
|
(k) Increase Golden Shiner Production to Protect Aquatic Communities |
|
|
|
$188,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota
Sea Grant in Duluth to identify and demonstrate best methods for in‑state
production of golden shiners to address angler demand while reducing the risk
of introducing and spreading invasive species and to communicate findings
through reports, manuals, and workshops.
Production of shiners in this project must not take place in wetlands.
|
(l) Restoring Turf to Native Pollinator Gardens Across Metro |
|
|
|
$197,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Wilderness
in the City to transition turf to native gardens for
pollinator habitat, establish
long-term volunteer stewardship networks, and help connect diverse populations
with nature throughout the metropolitan regional park system. A letter of commitment from the respective
regional park implementing agency must be provided before money from this
appropriation is spent at a regional park within the agency's jurisdiction.
|
Subd. 9. Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation |
-0-
|
|
29,901,000 |
|
(a) DNR Scientific and Natural Areas |
|
|
|
|
$3,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for the scientific and
natural area (SNA) program to restore, improve, and enhance wildlife habitat on
SNAs; increase public involvement and outreach; and strategically acquire
high-quality lands that meet criteria for SNAs under Minnesota Statutes,
section 86A.05, from willing sellers.
|
(b) Private Native Prairie Conservation through Native Prairie Bank |
|
|
|
$2,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to provide technical
stewardship assistance to private landowners, restore and enhance native
prairie protected by easements in the native prairie bank, and acquire
easements for the native prairie bank in accordance with Minnesota Statutes,
section 84.96, including preparing initial baseline property assessments. Up to $60,000 of this appropriation may be
deposited in the natural resources conservation easement stewardship account,
created in Minnesota Statutes, section 84.69, proportional to the number of
easement acres acquired.
|
(c) Minnesota State Parks and State Trails Inholdings |
|
|
|
|
$3,500,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire high-priority
inholdings from willing sellers within the legislatively authorized boundaries
of state parks, recreation areas, and trails to protect Minnesota's natural
heritage, enhance outdoor recreation, and promote tourism.
|
(d) Grants for Local Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas |
|
|
|
|
$2,400,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to solicit, rank, and fund
competitive matching grants for local parks, trail connections, and natural and
scenic areas under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019. This appropriation is for local nature-based
recreation, connections to regional and state natural areas, and recreation
facilities and may not be used for athletic facilities such as sport fields,
courts, and playgrounds.
|
(e) Mississippi River Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Mussel Reintroduction |
|
|
|
$1,800,000 the second year is from the
trust fund. Of this amount, $1,549,000
is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and $251,000 is to the commissioner of
natural resources to restore lost habitat and reintroduce mussels in the
Mississippi River above St. Anthony Falls.
This work includes creating habitat and species restoration plans,
implementing the restoration plans, and monitoring effectiveness of the
restoration for multiple years after implementation. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2027, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
|
(f) Minnesota Hunter Walking Trails: Public Land Recreational Access |
|
|
|
$300,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Ruffed
Grouse Society to improve Minnesota's hunter walking trail system by restoring
or upgrading trailheads and trails, developing new walking trails, and
compiling enhanced maps for use by managers and the public.
|
(g) Turning Back to Rivers: Environmental and Recreational Protection |
|
|
|
$1,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with The
Trust for Public Land to help local communities acquire priority land along the
Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota Rivers and their tributaries to
protect natural resources, provide buffers for flooding, and improve access for
recreation.
|
(h) Metropolitan Regional Parks System Land Acquisition - Phase VI |
|
|
|
$1,000,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the Metropolitan Council for grants to acquire land within the
approved park boundaries of the metropolitan regional park system. This appropriation must be matched by at
least 40 percent of nonstate money.
|
(i) Minnesota State Trails Development |
|
|
|
|
$994,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to expand high-priority
recreational opportunities on Minnesota's state trails by rehabilitating,
improving, and enhancing existing state trails.
The high-priority trail bridges to be rehabilitated or replaced under
this appropriation include, but are not limited to, those on the Taconite,
Great River Ridge, and C.J. Ramstad/Northshore State Trails.
|
(j) Elm Creek Restoration - Phase IV |
|
|
|
|
$500,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Champlin to conduct habitat and stream restoration of approximately 0.7 miles
of Elm Creek shoreline above Mill Pond Lake and through the Elm Creek
Protection Area.
|
(k) Superior Hiking Trail as Environmental Showcase |
|
|
|
|
$450,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Superior Hiking Trail Association to rebuild damaged and dangerous segments and
create a new trail segment of the Superior Hiking Trail to minimize
environmental impacts, make the trail safer for users, and make the trail more
resilient for future use and conditions.
|
(l) Upper St. Anthony Falls Enhancements |
|
|
|
|
$2,800,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Friends of the Lock and Dam in partnership with the city of Minneapolis to
design and install green infrastructure, public access, and habitat
restorations on riverfront land at Upper St. Anthony Falls for water
protection, recreation, and environmental education purposes. Of this amount, up to $600,000 is for
planning, design, and engagement. No
funds from this appropriation may be spent until Congress directs the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers to convey an interest in the Upper St. Anthony Falls
property to the city of Minneapolis for use as a visitor center. After this congressional act is signed into
law, up to $100,000 of the planning, design, and engagement funds may be spent. The remaining planning, design, and
engagement funds may be spent after a binding agreement has been secured to
acquire the land or access and use rights to the land for at least 25 years. Any remaining balance of the appropriation
may be spent on installing enhancements after the Upper St. Anthony Falls
land has been acquired by the city of Minneapolis.
|
(m) Whiskey Creek and Mississippi River Water Quality, Habitat, and Recreation |
|
|
|
$500,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Mississippi Headwaters Board to acquire and transfer approximately 13 acres of land to the city of Baxter for future construction of water quality, habitat, and recreational improvements to protect the Mississippi River.
|
(n) Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail (West Segment) |
|
|
|
$2,600,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Otter
Tail County to construct the west segment of the 32-mile Perham to Pelican
Rapids Regional Trail that will connect the city of Pelican Rapids to Maplewood
State Park.
|
(o) Crow Wing County Community Natural Area Acquisition |
|
|
|
$400,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Crow Wing County to acquire approximately 65 acres of land adjacent to the historic fire tower property to allow for diverse recreational opportunities while protecting wildlife habitat and preventing forest fragmentation. Any revenue generated from selling products or assets developed or acquired with this appropriation must be repaid to the trust fund unless a plan is approved for reinvestment of income in the project as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
|
(p) Rocori Trail - Phase III |
|
|
|
|
$1,200,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Rocori Trail Construction Board to design and construct Phase III of the Rocori
Trail along the old Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail corridor between the
cities of Cold Spring and Rockville.
|
(q) Mesabi Trail: New Trail and
Additional Funding |
|
|
|
|
$1,000,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the St. Louis
and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority for constructing the Mesabi Trail
beginning at the intersection of County Road 20 and Minnesota State Highway 135
and terminating at 1st Avenue North and 1st Street North in the city of Biwabik
in St. Louis County. This
appropriation may not be spent until all Mesabi Trail projects funded with
trust fund appropriations before fiscal year 2020, with the exception of the
project funded under Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2, subdivision 9, paragraph
(g), are completed.
|
(r) Ranier Safe Harbor and Transient Dock on Rainy Lake |
|
|
|
$762,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Ranier to construct a dock that accommodates boats 26 feet or longer with the
goal of increasing public access for boat recreation on Rainy Lake. Any revenue generated from selling products
or assets developed or acquired with this appropriation must be repaid
to the trust fund unless a plan
is approved for reinvestment of income in the project as provided under
Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
|
(s) Crane Lake Voyageurs National Park Campground and Visitor Center |
|
|
|
$3,100,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
town of Crane Lake to design and construct a new campground and to plan and
preliminarily prepare a site for constructing a new Voyageurs National Park
visitor center on land acquired for these purposes in Crane Lake. Any revenue generated from selling products
or assets developed or acquired with this appropriation must be repaid to the
trust fund unless a plan is approved for reinvestment of income in the project
as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
|
(t) Chippewa County Acquisition, Recreation, and Education |
|
|
|
$160,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Chippewa
County to acquire wetland and floodplain forest and abandoned gravel pits along
the Minnesota River to provide water filtration, education, and recreational
opportunities.
|
(u) Sportsmen's Training and Developmental Learning Center |
|
|
|
$85,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Minnesota Forest Zone Trappers Association to complete a site evaluation and
master plan for the Sportsmen's Training and Developmental Learning Center near
Hibbing. Any revenue generated from
selling products or assets developed or acquired with this appropriation must
be repaid to the trust fund unless a plan is approved for reinvestment of
income in the project as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.
|
(v) Birch Lake Recreation Area |
|
|
|
|
$350,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for a grant to the city of
Babbitt to expand the Birch Lake Recreation Area by adding a new campground to
include new campsites, restrooms, and other facilities. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025.
|
Subd. 10. Emerging Issues Account; Wastewater Renewable Energy Demonstration Grants |
-0-
|
|
1,095,000
|
$1,095,000 the second year is from the
trust fund to an emerging issues account authorized in Minnesota Statutes,
section 116P.08, subdivision 4, paragraph (d).
Money appropriated under this
subdivision must be used for
grants in consultation with the Public Facilities Authority for renewable
energy demonstration projects at wastewater treatment facilities.
|
Subd. 11. Contract Agreement Reimbursement |
-0-
|
|
135,000
|
$135,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources, at the direction of the
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, for expenses incurred
for preparing and administering contracts for the agreements specified in this
section. The commissioner must provide
documentation to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources on
the expenditure of these funds.
|
Subd. 12. Availability
of Appropriations |
|
|
|
|
Money appropriated in this section may not
be spent on activities unless they are directly related to and necessary for a
specific appropriation and are specified in the work plan approved by the
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Money appropriated in this section must not
be spent on indirect costs or other institutional overhead charges that are not
directly related to and necessary for a specific appropriation. Costs that are directly related to and
necessary for an appropriation, including financial services, human resources,
information services, rent, and utilities, are eligible only if the costs can
be clearly justified and individually documented specific to the
appropriation's purpose and would not be generated by the recipient but for
receipt of the appropriation. No broad
allocations for costs in either dollars or percentages are allowed. Unless otherwise provided, the amounts in
this section are available until June 30, 2024, when projects must be completed
and final products delivered. For
acquisition of real property, the appropriations in this section are available
for an additional fiscal year if a binding contract for acquisition of the real
property is entered into before the expiration date of the appropriation. If a project receives a federal grant, the
time period of the appropriation is extended to equal the federal grant period.
|
Subd. 13. Data
Availability Requirements |
|
|
|
|
Data collected by the projects funded
under this section must conform to guidelines and standards adopted by MN.IT
Services. Spatial data must also conform
to additional guidelines and standards designed to support data coordination
and distribution that have been published by the Minnesota Geospatial
Information Office. Descriptions of
spatial data must be prepared as specified in the state's geographic metadata
guideline and must be submitted to the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office. All data must be accessible and free to the
public unless made private under the Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 13. To the extent
practicable, summary data and
results of projects funded under this section should be readily accessible on
the Internet and identified as having received funding from the environment and
natural resources trust fund.
|
Subd. 14. Project
Requirements |
|
|
|
|
(a) As a condition of accepting an appropriation under this section, an agency or entity receiving an appropriation or a party to an agreement from an appropriation must comply with paragraphs (b) to (l) and Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116P, and must submit a work plan and annual or semiannual progress reports in the form determined by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources for any project funded in whole or in part with funds from the appropriation. Modifications to the approved work plan and budget expenditures must be made through the amendment process established by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
(b) A recipient of money appropriated in
this section that conducts a restoration using funds appropriated in this
section must use native plant species according to the Board of Water and Soil
Resources' native vegetation establishment and enhancement guidelines and
include an appropriate diversity of native species selected to provide habitat
for pollinators throughout the growing season as required under Minnesota
Statutes, section 84.973.
(c) For all restorations conducted with
money appropriated under this section, a recipient must prepare an ecological
restoration and management plan that, to the degree practicable, is consistent
with the highest-quality conservation and ecological goals for the restoration
site. Consideration should be given to
soil, geology, topography, and other relevant factors that would provide the
best chance for long-term success and durability of the restoration project. The plan must include the proposed timetable
for implementing the restoration, including site preparation, establishment of
diverse plant species, maintenance, and additional enhancement to establish the
restoration; identify long-term maintenance and management needs of the
restoration and how the maintenance, management, and enhancement will be
financed; and take advantage of the best-available science and include
innovative techniques to achieve the best restoration.
(d) An entity receiving an appropriation in
this section for restoration activities must provide an initial restoration
evaluation at the completion of the appropriation and an evaluation three years
after the completion of the expenditure.
Restorations must be evaluated relative to the stated goals and
standards in the restoration plan, current science, and, when applicable, the
Board of Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation establishment and
enhancement guidelines. The evaluation
must determine whether the restorations are meeting planned goals, identify any
problems
with implementing the
restorations, and, if necessary, give recommendations on improving restorations. The evaluation must be focused on improving
future restorations.
(e) All restoration and enhancement
projects funded with money appropriated in this section must be on land
permanently protected by a conservation easement or public ownership.
(f) A recipient of money from an
appropriation under this section must give consideration to contracting with
Conservation Corps Minnesota for contract restoration and enhancement services.
(g) All conservation easements acquired
with money appropriated under this section must:
(1) be permanent;
(2) specify the parties to an easement in
the easement;
(3) specify all of the provisions of an
agreement that are permanent;
(4) be sent to the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources in an electronic format at least ten business
days before closing;
(5) include a long-term monitoring and
enforcement plan and funding for monitoring and enforcing the easement
agreement; and
(6) include requirements in the easement
document to protect the quantity and quality of groundwater and surface water
through specific activities such as keeping water on the landscape, reducing
nutrient and contaminant loading, and not permitting artificial hydrological
modifications.
(h) For any acquisition of lands or
interest in lands, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must
not agree to pay more than 100 percent of the appraised value for a parcel of
land using this money to complete the purchase, in part or in whole, except
that up to ten percent above the appraised value may be allowed to complete the
purchase, in part or in whole, using this money if permission is received in
advance of the purchase from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources.
(i) For any acquisition of land or interest
in land, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must give
priority to high‑quality natural resources or conservation lands that
provide natural buffers to water resources.
(j) For new lands acquired with money
appropriated under this section, a recipient must prepare an ecological
restoration and management plan in compliance with paragraph (c), including
sufficient funding for
implementation unless the work plan addresses why a portion of the money is not
necessary to achieve a high-quality restoration.
(k) To ensure public accountability for
using public funds, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must,
within 60 days of the transaction, provide to the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources documentation of the selection process used
to identify parcels acquired and provide documentation of all related
transaction costs, including but not limited to appraisals, legal fees,
recording fees, commissions, other similar costs, and donations. This information must be provided for all
parties involved in the transaction. The
recipient must also report to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources any difference between the acquisition amount paid to the seller and
the state-certified or state-reviewed appraisal, if a state-certified or
state-reviewed appraisal was conducted.
(l) A recipient of an appropriation from
the trust fund under this section must acknowledge financial support from the
environment and natural resources trust fund in project publications, signage,
and other public communications and outreach related to work completed using
the appropriation. Acknowledgment may
occur, as appropriate, through use of the trust fund logo or inclusion of
language attributing support from the trust fund. Each direct recipient of money appropriated
in this section, as well as each recipient of a grant awarded pursuant to this
section, must satisfy all reporting and other requirements incumbent upon constitutionally dedicated funding recipients as
provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 3.303, subdivision 10, and chapter 116P.
|
Subd. 15. Payment Conditions and Capital-Equipment Expenditures |
|
|
|
(a) All agreements, grants, or contracts
referred to in this section must be administered on a reimbursement basis
unless otherwise provided in this section.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.41, expenditures made on
or after July 1, 2020, or the date the work plan is approved, whichever is
later, are eligible for reimbursement unless otherwise provided in this section. Periodic payments must be made upon receiving
documentation that the deliverable items articulated in the approved work plan
have been achieved, including partial achievements as evidenced by approved
progress reports. Reasonable amounts may
be advanced to projects to accommodate cash-flow needs or match federal money. The advances must be approved as part of the
work plan. No expenditures for capital
equipment are allowed unless expressly authorized in the project work plan.
(b) Single-source contracts as specified
in the approved work plan are allowed.
|
Subd. 16. Purchasing Recycled and Recyclable Materials |
|
|
|
A political subdivision, public or private
corporation, or other entity that receives an appropriation under this section
must use the appropriation in compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section
16C.0725, regarding purchasing recycled, repairable, and durable materials and
Minnesota Statutes, section 16C.073, regarding purchasing and using paper stock
and printing.
|
Subd. 17. Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Guidelines |
|
|
|
A recipient to whom an appropriation is
made under this section for a capital improvement project must ensure that the
project complies with the applicable energy conservation and sustainable
building guidelines and standards contained in law, including Minnesota
Statutes, sections 16B.325, 216C.19, and 216C.20, and rules adopted under those
sections. The recipient may use the
energy planning, advocacy, and State Energy Office units of the Department of
Commerce to obtain information and technical assistance on energy conservation
and alternative-energy development relating to planning and constructing the
capital improvement project.
|
Subd. 18. Accessibility
|
|
|
|
|
Structural and nonstructural facilities
must meet the design standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
accessibility guidelines.
|
Subd. 19. Carryforward;
Extension |
|
|
|
|
(a) The availability of the appropriations
for the following projects is extended to June 30, 2022:
(1) Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2,
subdivision 8, paragraph (k), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
Outreach and Implementation; and
(2) Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4,
section 2, subdivision 6, paragraph (b), Palmer Amaranth Detection and
Eradication Continuation.
(b) The availability of the appropriations
for the following projects is extended to June 30, 2023:
(1) Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4,
section 2, subdivision 10, Emerging Issues Account; and
(2) Laws 2019, First Special Session
chapter 4, article 2, section 2, subdivision 8, paragraph (f), Lawns to
Legumes.
(c)
The availability of the appropriation under Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4,
section 2, subdivision 4, paragraph (l), Lake Agnes Treatment, is extended to
June 30, 2024.
|
Subd. 20. Transfers
|
|
|
|
|
The appropriation in Laws 2019, First Special
Session chapter 4, article 2, section 2, subdivision 8, paragraph (c), Sauk
River Dam Removal and Rock Rapids Replacement, in the amount of $2,768,000, no
longer needed for its original purpose is available until June 30, 2023, and
transferred as follows:
(1) $849,000 is transferred to the Science
Museum of Minnesota to determine how, when, and why lakes in pristine areas of
the state without obvious nutrient loading are experiencing algal blooms;
(2) $699,000 is transferred to the Board
of Regents of the University of Minnesota to evaluate the ability of the virus
that causes COVID-19 and other potentially infectious organisms to travel
through wastewater systems, including septic systems, to drinking water
sources;
(3) $320,000 is transferred to the
commissioner of natural resources to reduce emerald ash borer by providing
surveys, assessments, trainings, assistance, and grants for communities to
manage emerald ash borer, plant a diversity of trees, and engage citizens in
community forestry activities; and
(4) $900,000 is transferred to the Board
of Water and Soil Resources for demonstration projects that provide grants or
payments to plant residential lawns with native vegetation and
pollinator-friendly forbs and legumes to protect a diversity of pollinators. The board must establish criteria for grants
or payments awarded under this clause. Grants
or payments awarded under this clause may be made for up to 75 percent of the
costs of the project, except that in areas identified by the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service as areas where there is a high potential for rusty patched
bumble bees to be present, grants may be awarded for up to 90 percent of the
costs of the project.
Sec. 3. Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2, subdivision 9, as amended by Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 2, section 4, is amended to read:
|
Subd. 9. Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation |
999,000 |
|
13,533,000 |
|
-0- |
|
(a) Metropolitan Regional Parks System Land Acquisition |
|
|
|
|
$1,500,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the Metropolitan Council for grants to acquire approximately 70 acres of land within the approved park boundaries of the metropolitan regional park
system. This appropriation may not be used to purchase habitable residential structures. A list of proposed fee title acquisitions must be provided as part of the required work plan. This appropriation must be matched by at least 40 percent of nonstate money that must be committed by December 31, 2017. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(b) Scientific and Natural Areas Acquisition and Restoration, Citizen Science, and Engagement |
|
|
|
$2,500,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire land with high-quality native plant communities and rare features to be established as scientific and natural areas as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 5, restore and improve scientific and natural areas, and provide technical assistance and outreach, including site steward events. At least one-third of the appropriation must be spent on restoration activities. A list of proposed acquisitions and restorations must be provided as part of the required work plan. Land acquired with this appropriation must be sufficiently improved to meet at least minimum management standards, as determined by the commissioner of natural resources. When feasible, consideration must be given to accommodate trails on lands acquired. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(c) Minnesota State Parks and State Trails Land Acquisition |
|
|
|
$1,500,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire approximately 373 acres from willing sellers for authorized state trails and critical parcels within the statutory boundaries of state parks. State park land acquired with this appropriation must be sufficiently improved to meet at least minimum management standards, as determined by the commissioner of natural resources. A list of proposed acquisitions must be provided as part of the required work plan. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(d) Minnesota State Trails Acquisition, Development, and Enhancement |
|
|
|
$999,000 in fiscal year 2017 and $39,000 the first year are from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for state trail acquisition, development, and enhancement in southern Minnesota. A proposed list of trail projects on authorized state trails must be provided as part of the required work plan. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(e) Native Prairie Stewardship and Prairie Bank Easement Acquisition |
|
|
|
$2,675,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire native prairie bank easements in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96, on approximately 250 acres, prepare baseline property assessments, restore and enhance native prairie sites, and provide technical assistance to landowners. Of this amount, up to $132,000 may be deposited in a conservation easement stewardship account. Deposits into the conservation easement stewardship account must be made upon closing on conservation easements or at a time otherwise approved in the work plan. A list of proposed easement acquisitions must be provided as part of the required work plan. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(f) Leech Lake Acquisition |
|
|
|
|
$1,500,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to acquire approximately 45 acres, including 0.67 miles of shoreline of high-quality aquatic and wildlife habitat at the historic meeting place between Henry Schoolcraft and the Anishinabe people. The land must be open to public use including hunting and fishing. The band must provide a commitment that land will not be put in a federal trust through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
|
(g) Mesabi Trail Development |
|
|
|
|
$2,269,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority for engineering and constructing segments of the Mesabi Trail. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2020, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(h) Tower Trailhead Boat Landing and Habitat Improvement - Phase II |
|
|
|
$600,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Tower to construct a trailhead, trail connection to the Mesabi Trail, and
boat landing and to restore vegetative habitat on city-owned property. Plant and seed materials must follow the
Board of Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation establishment and
enhancement guidelines. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2020 2023, by which
time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(i) Land Acquisition for Voyageurs National Park Crane Lake Visitors Center |
|
|
|
$950,000 the first year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the town of Crane Lake, in partnership with Voyageurs National Park and the Department of Natural Resources, to acquire approximately 30 acres to be used for a visitor center and campground. Income generated by the campground may be used to support the facility.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from July 1, 2017.
Sec. 4. Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4, section 2, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
|
Subd. 6. Aquatic
and Terrestrial Invasive Species |
|
-0- |
|
5,760,000 |
|
(a) Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center - Phase 4 |
|
|
|
$3,500,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for high-priority research at the Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center to protect Minnesota's natural and agricultural resources from terrestrial invasive plants, pathogens, and pests as identified through the center's strategic prioritization process. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2023, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(b) Palmer Amaranth Detection and Eradication Continuation |
|
|
|
$431,000 the second year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of agriculture to continue to monitor, ground survey,
and control Palmer amaranth and other prohibited eradicate species of
noxious weeds primarily in conservation plantings natural areas
and to develop and implement aerial-survey methods to prevent infestation and
protect prairies, other natural areas, and agricultural crops.
|
(c) Evaluate Control Methods for Invasive Hybrid Cattails |
|
|
|
$131,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Voyageurs National Park to evaluate the effectiveness of mechanical harvesting and managing muskrat populations to remove exotic hybrid cattails and restore fish and wildlife habitat in Minnesota wetlands. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(d) Developing RNA Interference to Control Zebra Mussels |
|
|
|
$500,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the United States Geological Survey to develop a genetic control tool that exploits the natural process of RNA silencing to specifically target and effectively control zebra mussels without affecting other species or causing other nontarget effects. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(e) Install and Evaluate an Invasive Carp Deterrent for Mississippi River Locks and Dams |
|
|
|
$998,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to install, evaluate, and optimize a system in Mississippi River locks and dams to deter passage of invasive carp without negatively impacting native fish and to evaluate the ability of predator fish in the pools above the locks and dams to consume young carp. The project must conduct a cost comparison of equipment purchase versus lease options and choose the most effective option. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(f) Determining Risk of Toxic Alga in Minnesota Lakes |
|
|
|
|
$200,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the Science Museum of Minnesota for the St. Croix Watershed Research Station to determine the historical distribution, abundance, and toxicity of the invasive blue-green alga, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, in about 20 lakes across Minnesota and inform managers and the public about the alga's spread and health risks. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE
DATE.
Sections 1, 2, and 4 are effective the
day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 3
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND
FISCAL YEAR 2022
|
Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS. |
The sums shown in the columns marked
"Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies and for the
purposes specified in this article. The
appropriations are from the environment and natural resources trust fund and
are available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. The figures "2022" and
"2023" used in this article mean
that the appropriations listed
under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, or June 30,
2023, respectively. "The first
year" is fiscal year 2022. "The
second year" is fiscal year 2023. "The
biennium" is fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
|
|
|
|
APPROPRIATIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Available for the Year |
|
|
|
|
|
Ending June 30 |
|
|
|
|
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2022 |
2023 |
|
Sec. 2. MINNESOTA
RESOURCES |
|
|
|
|
|
Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
|
$70,881,000 |
|
$-0- |
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions. Appropriations in the first year are
available for three years beginning July 1, 2021, unless otherwise stated in
the appropriation. Any unencumbered
balance remaining in the first year does not cancel and is available for the
second year or until the end of the appropriation.
|
Subd. 2. Definition
|
|
|
|
|
"Trust fund" means the Minnesota
environment and natural resources trust fund established under the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, section 14.
|
Subd. 3. Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information |
10,459,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) What's Bugging Minnesota's Insect-Eating Birds? |
|
|
|
|
$199,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute to examine the relationship between insect
abundance, timing of insect availability, and breeding success for multiple
bird species across land-use intensities to develop comprehensive guidelines to
conserve bird and insect diversity.
|
(b) Protecting Minnesota's Beneficial Macroalgae: All Stoneworts Aren't Starry |
|
|
|
$811,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to conduct a statewide inventory
to provide baseline data and build in-state knowledge of Minnesota's native
stoneworts, a diverse group of aquatic plants that support clear lakes and
healthy fish habitat.
|
(c) County Groundwater Atlas |
|
|
|
|
$1,875,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to continue producing county groundwater
atlases to inform management of surface water and groundwater
resources for drinking and
other purposes. This appropriation is
for Part B, to characterize the potential water yields of aquifers and
aquifers' sensitivity to contamination.
|
(d) Improving Resiliency and Conservation Outcomes for Minnesota Turtles |
|
|
|
$391,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Minnesota Zoological Garden to improve the conservation of
Minnesota's imperiled turtles through animal husbandry, field conservation, and
educational programming. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
|
(e) Minnesota Biological Survey |
|
|
|
|
$1,500,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to complete the statewide
baseline biological survey by finalizing data, analyses, and publications and
by conducting targeted field surveys to fill missing gaps of information needed
to support conservation of Minnesota's biodiversity. Any revenues generated through the
publication of books or other resources created through this appropriation may
be reinvested as described in the work plan approved by the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources according to Minnesota Statutes, section
116P.10.
|
(f) Groundwater Contamination Mapping Project - Phase II |
|
|
|
$800,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to improve protection
of groundwater resources for drinking water by expanding the web‑based
interactive groundwater contamination mapping system to include all other state
hazardous and solid waste cleanup programs and by upgrading the system to
collect monitoring data.
|
(g) Geologic Atlases for Water Resource Management |
|
|
|
|
$3,092,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Minnesota
Geological Survey, to continue producing county geologic atlases to inform
management of surface water and groundwater resources. This appropriation is to complete Part A,
which focuses on the properties and distribution of earth materials to define
aquifer boundaries and the connection of aquifers to the land surface and
surface water resources.
|
(h) Redwood County Reinvest in Minnesota Easement Evaluation and Public Outreach |
|
|
|
$197,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Redwood
County for the Redwood Soil and Water Conservation District to inventory
vegetation, evaluate wetland
conditions, and create a countywide stewardship plan for lands protected with
permanent conservation easements. This
appropriation may also be spent to conduct outreach to volunteers and
landowners on effective prairie and wetland habitat management.
|
(i) Collaborative State and Tribal Wild Rice Monitoring Program |
|
|
|
$644,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to work with Tribal partners to
create a collaborative and comprehensive monitoring program to conserve
wild-rice waters, develop remote sensing tools for statewide estimates of wild
rice coverage, and collect consistent field data on wild rice health and
abundance.
|
(j) Morrison County Performance Drainage and Hydrology Management II |
|
|
|
$197,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District to complete the Morrison County
culvert inventory started in 2016 to help solve landowner conflicts, protect
wetlands, improve water quality, and design additional water storage throughout
the county.
|
(k) Exploring Minnesota's Wetlands: Our Resource for Future Medicine |
|
|
|
$210,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Crookston, to work
with White Earth Tribal and Community College to catalog bog microbe diversity
in Minnesota's ecoregions, test for potential antibiotic-producing
microorganisms, and establish methods to enhance any antibiotic cultures
discovered.
|
(l) A Biodiversity Checkup for Minnesota's Big Woods |
|
|
|
|
$109,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to inform
conservation strategies by comparing the historic and contemporary flora of
Minnesota's Big Woods to determine if all species have survived in the small
remaining remnants of that ecosystem.
|
(m) Microbiome in Raptors: A New Tool for Conservation |
|
|
|
$129,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Raptor
Center to improve wildlife care and environmental stewardship by evaluating the
impact of antibiotics administered during captivity on raptor gut microbiome,
rehabilitation success, and the potential spread of antimicrobial resistance in
the natural environment.
|
(n) Bioacoustics for Broad-Scale Species Monitoring and Conservation |
|
|
|
$305,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to improve wildlife
conservation efforts by using passive acoustic monitoring devices to determine
statewide distribution and reproduction of red-headed woodpeckers and
developing a protocol for future use of this technology to monitor population
trends and responses to habitat management.
This appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the
project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
Subd. 4. Water
Resources |
|
4,771,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Trout Stream Habitat Restoration Success |
|
|
|
|
$319,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Natural
Resources Research Institute to evaluate the effectiveness and durability of
previous trout stream habitat restoration projects to improve the success and
cost effectiveness of future projects. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
|
(b) Novel Nutrient Recovery Process from Wastewater Treatment Plants |
|
|
|
$200,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to conduct lab- and
pilot‑scale tests of a new process to promote nutrient removal and
recovery at rural municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants for
water protection and renewable energy production.
|
(c) Monitoring Emerging Viruses in Minnesota's Urban Water Cycles |
|
|
|
$416,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop rapid
testing, quantification, and human exposure risk assessment models for
enveloped viruses such as coronaviruses in urban wastewater and drinking water
treatment processes.
|
(d) Microgeographic Impact of Antibiotics Released from Identified Hotspots |
|
|
|
$508,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to inform
protection of environmental, animal, and human health from proliferation of
antibiotic resistance by quantifying and mapping the extent of antibiotic
spread in waters and soils from locations identified as release hot spots.
|
(e) Sustainable Irrigation Management: Expanding a Web Application |
|
|
|
$1,139,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to promote
responsible use of Minnesota's groundwater resources by expanding an existing
irrigation management assistance tool into a mobile-compatible web application
for the top agricultural-producing counties in the state. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
|
(f) Assessing Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Treatment Efficacy |
|
|
|
$419,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system for St. Cloud State University to conduct a comprehensive
assessment of membrane bioreactor treatment of wastewater to inform managers of
options for updating or replacing aging wastewater infrastructure.
|
(g) Evaluating Coronavirus and Other Microbiological Contamination of Drinking Water Sources from Wastewater |
|
|
|
$594,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to survey public
and private wells to identify sources of and evaluate solutions to
microbiological contamination of drinking water sources by wastewater,
including from the virus that causes COVID-19.
|
(h) St. James Pit Water-Level Control Study |
|
|
|
|
$259,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Aurora to install sampling wells and conduct a study to determine appropriate
mitigation of the abandoned St. James pit mine to protect surface and
drinking water and prevent harm to homes and residents.
|
(i) Long-Term Nitrate Mitigation by Maintaining Profitable Kernza Production |
|
|
|
$485,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Stearns
County Soil and Water Conservation District to evaluate the effectiveness of
aging Kernza stands on water quality and to continue to develop a sustainable
supply chain with a focus on post-harvest processing of Kernza for water
protection and local economies.
|
(j) Antibiotic Resistance and Wastewater Treatment: Problems and Solutions |
|
|
|
$432,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
University of St. Thomas to quantify the ability of full-scale wastewater
treatment plants to eliminate antibiotic resistance genes entering or created
in the water treatment process before these genes are released into the natural
environment.
|
Subd. 5. Environmental
Education |
|
2,687,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Increasing Outdoor Learning for Young Minnesotans |
|
|
|
|
$383,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Wolf Ridge
Environmental Learning Center to provide scholarships for equitable access to
hands-on learning experiences in the outdoors related to outdoor recreation,
air and energy, water, habitat, and fish and wildlife. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
|
(b) Pollinator Education in the Science Classroom |
|
|
|
|
$366,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to educate
approximately 5,000 students about pollinator conservation by providing
professional development for science teachers to integrate pollinator education
curriculum and materials into their classrooms and by evaluating the program to
improve its effectiveness.
|
(c) Minnesota Freshwater Quest: Environmental Education for Youth |
|
|
|
$699,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Wilderness
Inquiry to provide place-based STEM environmental education to approximately
15,000 diverse and underserved Minnesota youth through exploration of local
ecosystems and waterways in the Minnesota Freshwater Quest program.
|
(d) Minnesota Master Naturalist: Nature for New Minnesotans |
|
|
|
$293,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota in partnership with
English-language-learning organizations to adapt and incorporate materials
developed for Minnesota Master Naturalists into English‑language-learning
programs to introduce immigrants and English-language learners to Minnesota's
great outdoors.
|
(e) The Voyageurs
Classroom Initiative |
|
|
|
|
$348,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Voyageurs
Conservancy to launch a new initiative to connect Minnesota youth, young
adults, and their families to Voyageurs National Park by learning about the
park's waters, wildlife, and forests and by engaging in the park's
preservation.
|
(f) Restoring Land and Reviving Heritage: Conservation Through Indigenous Culture |
|
|
|
$420,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Belwin
Conservancy in partnership with Anishinabe Academy to conduct environmental
education programming that incorporates ecology and indigenous land traditions
and to restore an ecologically significant area of land using modern scientific
standards and traditional ecological knowledge.
|
(g) Expanding Access to Environmental Education for Underserved Communities |
|
|
|
$178,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Raptor
Center to build environmental literacy and engagement by delivering an
environmental education program featuring live raptors and standards-based
curriculum to approximately 300 classrooms in underserved communities
throughout Minnesota.
|
Subd. 6. Aquatic
and Terrestrial Invasive Species |
|
6,148,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Starch Allocation Patterns of Invasive Starry Stonewort Harvested from Lake Koronis |
|
|
|
$101,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
System for Minnesota State University, Mankato, to evaluate the starch
allocation patterns of the invasive starry stonewort to identify weaknesses in
the plant's growth that could be targeted for management.
|
(b) Long-Term Efficacy of Invasive Removal in Floodplain Forests |
|
|
|
$25,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Macalester
College to begin a long-term scientific study at the Ordway Field Station to
provide information to land managers on protecting Minnesota's floodplain
forests from combined threats of overabundant deer, invasive shrubs, and
earthworms. This appropriation is
available
until June 30, 2025, by which
time the project must be completed and final products delivered. A report on the results of the long‑term
study must be submitted at the end of the appropriation and an update must be
submitted five years after the appropriation ends or at the study's conclusion,
whichever is first.
|
(c) Oak Wilt Suppression at the Northern Edge - Phase II |
|
|
|
|
$423,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District to continue to eradicate the
northernmost occurrences of oak wilt in the state through mechanical means on
select private properties to prevent oak wilt's spread to healthy state
forests.
|
(d) Biocontrol of Invasive Species in Bee Lawns and Parklands |
|
|
|
$425,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to establish a
biocontrol program to manage the invasive Japanese beetle in a way that reduces
insecticide use in bee lawns and pollinator restorations and the associated
economic and environmental costs to wildlife and humans.
|
(e) Building Knowledge and Capacity for AIS Solutions |
|
|
|
|
$3,750,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota
Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center to conduct high-priority projects
aimed at solving Minnesota's aquatic invasive species problems using rigorous
science and a collaborative process. Additionally,
the appropriation may be spent to deliver research findings to end users
through strategic communication and outreach.
This appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the
project must be completed and final products delivered.
|
(f) Evaluating Minnesota's Last Best Chance to Stop Carp |
|
|
|
|
$424,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, in cooperation
with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural
Resources, to evaluate invasive carp passage and the costs, processes, and
potential for a state-of-the-art deterrent system installed at Mississippi
River Lock and Dam Number 5 to impede passage of invasive carp at this location
to protect the upper river.
|
(g) Stop Starry Invasion with Community Invasive Species Containment |
|
|
|
$1,000,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota
Lakes and Rivers Advocates to work with civic leaders to purchase, install,
and operate waterless cleaning
stations for watercraft; conduct aquatic invasive species education; and
implement education upgrades at public accesses to prevent invasive starry
stonewort spread beyond the 16 lakes already infested. This appropriation is available until June
30, 2025, by which time the project must be completed and final products
delivered.
|
Subd. 7. Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy |
6,205,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Enhanced Thermo-Active Foundations for Space Heating in Minnesota |
|
|
|
$312,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, to design
and optimize cost-competitive thermally enhanced heat exchanger systems for use
in building foundations to improve energy efficiency and conservation of
natural resources in Minnesota's cold climate.
|
(b) Storing Renewable Energy in Flow Battery for Grid Use |
|
|
|
$2,408,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, Morris, to
implement a rural, community-scale project that demonstrates how a large flow
battery connected to solar and wind generation improves grid stability and
enhances use of renewable energy.
|
(c) Agrivoltaics to Improve the Environment and Farm Resiliency |
|
|
|
$646,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, West Central
Research and Outreach Center, Morris, to model and evaluate alternative solar
energy system designs to maximize energy production while providing other
benefits to cattle and farmers.
|
(d) Behavioral Response of Bald Eagles to Acoustic Stimuli |
|
|
|
$261,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, St. Anthony
Falls Laboratory, to protect wildlife by designing and implementing an acoustic
deterrence protocol to discourage bald eagles from entering hazardous air space
near wind energy installations.
|
(e) Create Jobs Statewide by Diverting Materials from Landfills |
|
|
|
$2,244,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements with Better
Futures Minnesota and the Natural Resources Research Institute to partner with
cities, counties, and businesses to create and implement a collection,
restoration, reuse, and
repurpose program that diverts used household goods and building materials from
entering the waste stream and thereby reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Net income generated by Better Futures
Minnesota as part of this appropriation may be reinvested in the project if a
plan for reinvestment is approved in the work plan.
|
(f) Strengthening Minnesota's Reuse Economy to Conserve Natural Resources |
|
|
|
$334,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with ReUSE
Minnesota to provide outreach and technical assistance to communities and small
businesses to increase reuse, rental, and repair of consumer goods as an
alternative to using new materials; to reduce solid‑waste disposal
impacts; and to create more local reuse jobs.
A fiscal management and staffing plan must be approved in the work plan
before any trust fund dollars are spent.
|
Subd. 8. Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat |
6,429,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape Forest Restoration and Enhancements |
|
|
|
$731,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Crow
Wing Soil and Water Conservation District to partner with the Nature
Conservancy and Great River Greening to develop forest stewardship plans,
restore habitat, and conduct prescribed burns to advance forest restoration and
enhancement on public and private lands within an approximate ten-mile radius
around Camp Ripley. Notwithstanding
subdivision 13, paragraph (e), this appropriation may be spent on forest
management plans, fires, and restoration on lands with a long-term contract
commitment for forest conservation. The
restoration must follow the Board of Water and Soil Resources' native
vegetation establishment and enhancement guidelines.
|
(b) Restoring Mussels in Streams and Lakes - Continuation |
|
|
|
$619,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to restore native freshwater
mussel assemblages and the ecosystem services they provide in the Mississippi,
Cedar, and Cannon Rivers and to inform the public on mussels and mussel
conservation.
|
(c) Pollinator Central II: Habitat Improvement With Community Monitoring |
|
|
|
$631,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Great River
Greening to restore and enhance pollinator habitat in the metropolitan area to
benefit pollinators and people and to build knowledge of the impact through
community-based monitoring.
|
(d) Preserving Minnesota's Only Ball Cactus Population |
|
|
|
|
$103,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota
Landscape Arboretum to move the only known remaining ball cactus population in
the state from private to protected land and to propagate and bank ball cactus
seeds for education and preservation.
|
(e)
Prescribed-Fire Management for Roadside Prairies - Phase II |
|
|
|
$217,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of transportation to continue to protect biodiversity
and enhance pollinator habitat on roadsides by helping to create a
self-sufficient prescribed-fire program at the Department of Transportation.
|
(f) Restoring Upland Forests for Birds |
|
|
|
|
$193,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
American Bird Conservancy to restore deciduous forest in partnership with
Aitkin, Beltrami, and Cass Counties using science-based best management
practices to rejuvenate noncommercial stands for focal wildlife species.
|
(g) Minnesota Green Schoolyards |
|
|
|
|
$250,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with The Trust
for Public Land to assess, promote, and demonstrate how schoolyards can be
adapted to improve water, air, and habitat quality and to foster
next-generation environmental stewards while improving health, education, and
community outcomes.
|
(h) Plumbing the Muddy Depths of Superior Hiking Trail |
|
|
|
|
$187,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Superior Hiking Trail Association to install and implement water management
practices to prevent erosion and improve access to the Superior Hiking Trail.
|
(i) Reducing Plastic Pollution with Biodegradable Erosion Control Products |
|
|
|
$200,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute in partnership with the
Departments of Transportation, Agriculture, and Natural Resources to
demonstrate use of regionally grown industrial hemp to create biodegradable
alternatives to plastic-based erosion and sediment control products used in
transportation construction projects.
|
(j) Remote Sensing and Super-Resolution Imaging of Microplastics |
|
|
|
$309,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, St. Anthony
Falls Laboratory, to develop and test remote sensing techniques for cost‑effective
monitoring of microplastics in lakes, rivers, and streams as well as in
wastewater treatment plants. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
|
(k) Woodcrest Trail Expansion |
|
|
|
|
$16,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Foundation
for Health Care Continuum, doing business as Country Manor Campus, LLC, to
construct a trail for public recreational use on land owned by the senior
living facility in central Minnesota.
|
(l) Urban Pollinator and Native American Cultural Site Restoration |
|
|
|
$213,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Friends of
the Mississippi River to restore three urban natural areas, including an iconic
Native American cultural site, to native prairie and forest with a focus on
important pollinator and culturally significant native plants.
|
(m) Demonstrating Real-World Economic and Soil Benefits of Cover Crops and Alternative Tillage |
|
|
|
$288,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Redwood
County for the Redwood Soil and Water Conservation District to increase farmer
adoption of conservation practices by demonstrating soil improvements and cost
savings of cover crops and alternative tillage compared to conventional
practices on working farms. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2025, by which time the project must
be completed and final products delivered.
|
(n) Creating Cost-Effective Forage and Management Actions for Pollinators |
|
|
|
$198,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to evaluate
pollinator forage across time and in response to burning and mowing and to
design an open-access web-based tool to share these data for land managers
across Minnesota to inform restoration seed mix selection.
|
(o) Shoreline Stabilization, Fishing, and ADA Improvements at Silverwood Park |
|
|
|
$200,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Three
Rivers Park District to provide water quality improvements through shoreline
stabilization, shoreline fishing improvements, and shoreline ADA access on the
island in Silver Lake within Silverwood Park.
|
(p) Lawns to Legumes Program - Phase II |
|
|
|
|
$993,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Board of Water and Soil Resources to provide grants, cost-sharing,
and technical assistance to plant residential lawns, community parks, and
school landscapes with native vegetation and pollinator-friendly forbs and
legumes to protect a diversity of pollinators.
Notwithstanding subdivision 13, paragraph (e), this appropriation may be
spent on pollinator plantings on lands with a long-term commitment from the
landowner.
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(q) Reintroducing Bison to Spring Lake Park Reserve |
|
|
|
|
$560,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Dakota
County, in partnership with the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, to establish
the holding facilities and infrastructure needed to reintroduce American plains
bison (Bison bison) to improve the
resiliency and biodiversity of the prairie at Spring Lake Park Reserve.
|
(r) Elm Creek Habitat Restoration Final Phase |
|
|
|
|
$521,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Champlin to conduct habitat and stream restoration in Elm Creek upstream of Mill
Ponds.
|
Subd. 9. Land
Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation |
|
32,062,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail (McDonald Segment) |
|
|
|
$2,245,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Otter
Tail County to construct the McDonald Segment of the Perham to Pelican Rapids
Regional Trail to connect the cities of Perham and Pelican Rapids to Maplewood
State Park.
|
(b) Mesabi Trail CSAH 88 to Ely |
|
|
|
|
$1,650,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the St. Louis
and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority to acquire, engineer, and
construct a segment of the Mesabi Trail beginning at the intersection of County
State-Aid Highway 88 toward Ely.
|
(c) Southwest Minnesota Single-Track Trail |
|
|
|
|
$190,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Jackson
County to create a single-track mountain bike trail and expand an associated
parking lot in Belmont County Park to address a lack of opportunity for this
kind of outdoor recreation in southwest Minnesota.
|
(d) Local Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas Grant Programs |
|
|
|
$2,250,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to solicit and rank
applications for and fund competitive matching grants for local parks, trail
connections, and natural and scenic areas under Minnesota Statutes, section
85.019. Priority must be given to
funding projects in the metropolitan area or in other areas of southern
Minnesota. For purposes of this
paragraph, southern Minnesota is defined as the area of the state south of and
including St. Cloud. This
appropriation is for local nature-based recreation, connections to regional and
state natural areas, and recreation facilities and may not be used for athletic
facilities such as sport fields, courts, and playgrounds.
|
(e) Metropolitan Regional Parks System Land Acquisition - Phase VII |
|
|
|
$2,250,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the Metropolitan Council for grants to acquire land within the
approved park boundaries of the metropolitan regional park system. This appropriation must be matched by an
equal amount from a combination of Metropolitan Council and local agency funds.
|
(f) Sauk Rapids Lions
Park Riverfront Improvements |
|
|
|
|
$463,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Sauk Rapids to design and construct a second phase of upgrades to Lions and
Southside Parks including trails, lighting, riverbank restoration, and a canoe
and kayak launch to enhance access to the Mississippi River.
|
(g) City of Brainerd - Mississippi Landing Trailhead |
|
|
|
|
$2,850,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
city of Brainerd to design and construct Mississippi Landing Trailhead Park to
help connect residents and visitors to the Mississippi River through
recreation, education, and restoration.
|
(h) Native Prairie Stewardship and Prairie Bank Easement Acquisition |
|
|
|
$1,341,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources to provide technical
stewardship assistance to private landowners, restore and enhance native
prairie protected by easements in the native prairie bank, and acquire
easements for the native prairie bank in accordance with Minnesota Statutes,
section 84.96, including preparing initial baseline property assessments. Up to $60,000 of this appropriation may be
deposited in the natural resources conservation easement stewardship account
created in Minnesota Statutes, section 84.69, proportional to the number of
easement acres acquired.
|
(i) Moose Lake - Trunk Highway 73 Trail |
|
|
|
|
$330,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Moose Lake to design and construct a nonmotorized recreational trail in an off‑street
pedestrian corridor along Highway 73 to connect to several existing regional
trails in the Moose Lake area.
|
(j) SNA Acquisition, Restoration, Citizen-Science, and Outreach |
|
|
|
$3,336,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for the scientific and
natural areas (SNA) program to restore, improve, and enhance wildlife habitat
on SNAs; increase public involvement and outreach; and strategically acquire
lands that meet criteria for SNAs under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05,
from willing sellers.
|
(k) Precision Acquisition for Restoration, Groundwater Recharge, and Habitat |
|
|
|
$467,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Shell
Rock River Watershed District to acquire and restore to wetland a key parcel of
land to reduce downstream flooding while providing water storage, groundwater
recharge, nutrient reduction, and pollinator and wildlife habitat.
|
(l) Lake Brophy Single-Track Trail Expansion |
|
|
|
|
$100,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Douglas
County in partnership with the Big Ole Bike Club to design and build new expert
single-track segments and an asphalt pump track for the existing trail system
at Lake Brophy Park to improve outdoor recreation experiences in west-central
Minnesota.
|
(m) Veterans on the Lake |
|
|
|
|
$553,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Lake County
for Veterans on the Lake to conduct accessibility upgrades to Veterans on the
Lake's existing trails, roadway, and buildings to improve access to the
wilderness and outdoor recreation for disabled American veterans.
|
(n) Crane Lake Voyageurs National Park Visitor Center - Continuation |
|
|
|
$2,700,000 the first year is from the
trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
city of Crane Lake to design and construct an approximate 4,500 to 7,000
square-foot visitor center building to serve as an access point to Voyageurs
National Park. A fiscal agent or fiscal
management plan must be approved in the work plan before any trust fund money
is spent. A copy of a resolution or
other documentation of the city's commitment to fund operations of the visitor
center must be included in the work plan submitted to the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources.
|
(o) Brookston Campground, Boat Launch, and Outdoor Recreational Facility Planning |
|
|
|
$425,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Brookston to design a campground, boat launch, and outdoor recreation area on
the banks of the St. Louis River in northeastern Minnesota. A fiscal agent must be approved in the work
plan before any trust fund dollars are spent.
|
(p) Moose and Seven
Beaver Multiuse Trails Upgrade |
|
|
|
|
$900,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Hoyt Lakes, in partnership with the Ranger Snowmobile and ATV Club, to design
and construct upgrades and extensions to the Moose and Seven Beaver multiuse
trails to enhance access for recreation use and connect to regional trails.
|
(q) Above the Falls Regional Park Acquisition |
|
|
|
|
$950,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board to develop a restoration plan and
acquire approximately 3.25 acres of industrial land for public access and
habitat connectivity along the Mississippi River as part of Above the Falls
Regional Park.
|
(r) Silver Lake Trail Improvement Project |
|
|
|
|
$1,071,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
Virginia to reconstruct and renovate the walking trail around Silver Lake to
allow safe multimodal transportation between schools, parks, community
recreation facilities, and other community activity centers in downtown
Virginia.
|
(s) Minnesota State Trails Development |
|
|
|
|
$4,266,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to expand recreational
opportunities on Minnesota state trails by rehabilitating and enhancing
existing state trails and replacing or repairing existing state trail bridges. Priority must be given to funding projects in
the metropolitan area or in other areas of southern Minnesota. For purposes of this paragraph, southern
Minnesota is defined as the area of the state south of and including St. Cloud.
|
(t) Highbanks Ravine Bat Hibernaculum Project |
|
|
|
|
$825,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of
St. Cloud to reroute and upgrade an existing stormwater system in the
Highbanks Ravine area to improve an existing bat hibernaculum, reduce erosion,
and create additional green space for wildlife habitat.
|
(u) State Parks and State Trails Inholdings |
|
|
|
|
$2,560,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire high-priority
inholdings from willing sellers within the legislatively authorized boundaries
of
state parks, recreation areas,
and trails to protect Minnesota's natural heritage, enhance outdoor recreation,
and improve the efficiency of public land management.
|
(v) Accessible Fishing Piers and Shore Fishing Areas |
|
|
|
|
$340,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to provide accessible fishing
piers and develop shore fishing sites to serve new angling communities,
underserved populations, and anglers with disabilities.
|
Subd. 10. Administrative
and Emerging Issues |
|
2,120,000
|
|
-0-
|
|
(a) Contract Agreement Reimbursement |
|
|
|
|
$135,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the commissioner of natural resources, at the direction of the
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, for expenses incurred in
preparing and administering contracts for the agreements specified in this
section. The commissioner must provide
documentation to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources on
the expenditure of these funds.
|
(b) Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) Administration |
|
|
|
$1,750,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Legislative‑Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources for
administration in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 as provided in Minnesota Statutes,
section 116P.09, subdivision 5. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2023.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.11, paragraph (b),
Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.281, applies to this appropriation.
|
(c) Emerging Issues Account |
|
|
|
|
$233,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to an emerging issues account authorized in Minnesota Statutes, section
116P.08, subdivision 4, paragraph (d).
|
(d) Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) Administration |
|
|
|
$2,000 the first year is from the trust
fund to the Legislative Coordinating Commission for the website required in
Minnesota Statutes, section 3.303, subdivision 10.
|
Subd. 11. Availability
of Appropriations |
|
|
|
|
Money appropriated in this section may not
be spent on activities unless they are directly related to and necessary for a
specific appropriation and are specified in the work plan approved by the
Legislative-Citizen Commission
on Minnesota Resources. Money
appropriated in this section must not be spent on indirect costs or other
institutional overhead charges that are not directly related to and necessary
for a specific appropriation. Costs that
are directly related to and necessary for an appropriation, including financial
services, human resources, information services, rent, and utilities, are
eligible only if the costs can be clearly justified and individually documented
specific to the appropriation's purpose and would not be generated by the
recipient but for receipt of the appropriation.
No broad allocations for costs in either dollars or percentages are
allowed. Unless otherwise provided, the
amounts in this section are available until June 30, 2024, when projects must
be completed and final products delivered.
For acquisition of real property, the appropriations in this section are
available for an additional fiscal year if a binding contract for acquisition
of the real property is entered into before the expiration date of the
appropriation. If a project receives a
federal grant, the period of the appropriation is extended to equal the federal
grant period.
|
Subd. 12. Data
Availability Requirements |
|
|
|
|
Data collected by the projects funded
under this section must conform to guidelines and standards adopted by
Minnesota IT Services. Spatial data must
also conform to additional guidelines and standards designed to support data
coordination and distribution that have been published by the Minnesota
Geospatial Information Office. Descriptions
of spatial data must be prepared as specified in the state's geographic
metadata guideline and must be submitted to the Minnesota Geospatial
Information Office. All data must be
accessible and free to the public unless made private under the Data Practices
Act, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13. To
the extent practicable, summary data and results of projects funded under this
section should be readily accessible on the Internet and identified as having
received funding from the environment and natural resources trust fund.
|
Subd. 13. Project
Requirements |
|
|
|
|
(a) As a condition of accepting an
appropriation under this section, an agency or entity receiving an
appropriation or a party to an agreement from an appropriation must comply with
paragraphs (b) to (l) and Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116P, and must submit a
work plan and annual or semiannual progress reports in the form determined by
the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources for any project
funded in whole or in part with funds from the appropriation. Modifications to the approved work plan and
budget expenditures must be made through the amendment process established by
the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
(b) A recipient of money
appropriated in this section that conducts a restoration using funds
appropriated in this section must use native plant species according to the
Board of Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation establishment and
enhancement guidelines and include an appropriate diversity of native species
selected to provide habitat for pollinators throughout the growing season as
required under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.973.
(c) For all restorations conducted with
money appropriated under this section, a recipient must prepare an ecological
restoration and management plan that, to the degree practicable, is consistent
with the highest-quality conservation and ecological goals for the restoration
site. Consideration should be given to
soil, geology, topography, and other relevant factors that would provide the
best chance for long-term success and durability of the restoration project. The plan must include the proposed timetable
for implementing the restoration, including site preparation, establishment of
diverse plant species, maintenance, and additional enhancement to establish the
restoration; identify long-term maintenance and management needs of the
restoration and how the maintenance, management, and enhancement will be
financed; and take advantage of the best-available science and include
innovative techniques to achieve the best restoration.
(d) An entity receiving an appropriation
in this section for restoration activities must provide an initial restoration
evaluation at the completion of the appropriation and an evaluation three years
after the completion of the expenditure.
Restorations must be evaluated relative to the stated goals and
standards in the restoration plan, current science, and, when applicable, the
Board of Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation establishment and
enhancement guidelines. The evaluation
must determine whether the restorations are meeting planned goals, identify any
problems with implementing the restorations, and, if necessary, give
recommendations on improving restorations.
The evaluation must be focused on improving future restorations.
(e) All restoration and enhancement
projects funded with money appropriated in this section must be on land
permanently protected by a conservation easement or public ownership.
(f) A recipient of money from an
appropriation under this section must give consideration to contracting with
Conservation Corps Minnesota for contract restoration and enhancement services.
(g) All conservation easements acquired
with money appropriated under this section must:
(1) be permanent;
(2) specify the parties to an easement in
the easement;
(3) specify all provisions of
an agreement that are permanent;
(4) be sent to the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources in an electronic format at least ten business
days before closing;
(5) include a long-term monitoring and
enforcement plan and funding for monitoring and enforcing the easement
agreement; and
(6) include requirements in the easement
document to protect the quantity and quality of groundwater and surface water
through specific activities such as keeping water on the landscape, reducing
nutrient and contaminant loading, and not permitting artificial hydrological
modifications.
(h) For any acquisition of lands or
interest in lands, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must
not agree to pay more than 100 percent of the appraised value for a parcel of
land using this money to complete the purchase, in part or in whole, except
that up to ten percent above the appraised value may be allowed to complete the
purchase, in part or in whole, using this money if permission is received in
advance of the purchase from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources.
(i) For any acquisition of land or
interest in land, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must
give priority to high‑quality natural resources or conservation lands
that provide natural buffers to water resources.
(j) For new lands acquired with money
appropriated under this section, a recipient must prepare an ecological
restoration and management plan in compliance with paragraph (c), including
sufficient funding for implementation unless the work plan addresses why a
portion of the money is not necessary to achieve a high-quality restoration.
(k) To ensure public accountability for
using public funds, a recipient of money appropriated under this section must,
within 60 days of the transaction, provide to the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources documentation of the selection process used
to identify parcels acquired and provide documentation of all related
transaction costs, including but not limited to appraisals, legal fees,
recording fees, commissions, other similar costs, and donations. This information must be provided for all
parties involved in the transaction. The
recipient must also report to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources any difference between the acquisition amount paid to the seller and
the state-certified or state-reviewed appraisal, if a state-certified or
state-reviewed appraisal was conducted.
(l) A recipient of an
appropriation from the trust fund under this section must acknowledge financial
support from the environment and natural resources trust fund in project
publications, signage, and other public communications and outreach related to
work completed using the appropriation. Acknowledgment
may occur, as appropriate, through use of the trust fund logo or inclusion of
language attributing support from the trust fund. Each direct recipient of money appropriated
in this section, as well as each recipient of a grant awarded pursuant to this
section, must satisfy all reporting and other requirements incumbent upon constitutionally dedicated funding recipients as
provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 3.303, subdivision 10, and chapter
116P.
|
Subd. 14. Payment Conditions and Capital-Equipment Expenditures |
|
|
|
(a) All agreements, grants, or contracts
referred to in this section must be administered on a reimbursement basis
unless otherwise provided in this section.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.41, expenditures made on
or after July 1, 2021, or the date the work plan is approved, whichever is
later, are eligible for reimbursement unless otherwise provided in this section. Periodic payments must be made upon receiving
documentation that the deliverable items articulated in the approved work plan
have been achieved, including partial achievements as evidenced by approved
progress reports. Reasonable amounts may
be advanced to projects to accommodate cash-flow needs or match federal money. The advances must be approved as part of the
work plan. No expenditures for capital
equipment are allowed unless expressly authorized in the project work plan.
(b) Single-source contracts as specified
in the approved work plan are allowed.
|
Subd. 15. Purchasing Recycled and Recyclable Materials |
|
|
|
A political subdivision, public or private
corporation, or other entity that receives an appropriation under this section
must use the appropriation in compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section
16C.0725, regarding purchasing recycled, repairable, and durable materials and
Minnesota Statutes, section 16C.073, regarding purchasing and using paper stock
and printing.
|
Subd. 16. Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Guidelines |
|
|
|
A recipient to whom an appropriation is made
under this section for a capital improvement project must ensure that the
project complies with the applicable energy conservation and sustainable
building guidelines and standards contained in law, including Minnesota
Statutes, sections 16B.325, 216C.19, and 216C.20, and
rules adopted under those
sections. The recipient may use the
energy planning, advocacy, and State Energy Office units of the Department of
Commerce to obtain information and technical assistance on energy conservation
and alternative-energy development relating to planning and constructing the
capital improvement project.
|
Subd. 17. Accessibility
|
|
|
|
|
Structural and nonstructural facilities
must meet the design standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
accessibility guidelines.
|
Subd. 18. Carryforward;
Extension |
|
|
|
|
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 16A.28, or any other law to the contrary, the availability of any
appropriation or grant of money from the environment and natural resources
trust fund that would otherwise cancel, lapse, or expire on June 30, 2021, is
extended to June 30, 2022, if the recipient or grantee does both of the
following:
(1) by April 30, 2021, notifies the
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources in the manner specified
by the commission that the recipient or grantee intends to avail itself of the
extension available under this section; and
(2) modifies the applicable work plan
where required by Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.05, subdivision 2, in
accordance with the work plan amendment procedures adopted under that section.
(b) The commission must notify the
commissioner of management and budget and the commissioner of natural resources
of any extension granted under this section.
|
Subd. 19. Repurpose of Prior Appropriations; Natural Resources Research Institute |
|
|
|
(a) The following amounts, totaling
$840,000, are transferred to the Board of Regents of the University of
Minnesota for academic and applied research through the MnDRIVE program at the
Natural Resources Research Institute to develop and demonstrate technologies
that enhance the long-term health and management of Minnesota's forest
resources, extend the viability of incumbent forest-based industries, and
accelerate emerging industry opportunities.
Of this amount, $500,000 is for extending the demonstrated forest
management assessment tool to statewide application:
(1) the unencumbered amount,
estimated to be $250,000, in Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2, subdivision 7,
paragraph (e), Geotargeted Distributed Clean Energy Initiative;
(2) the unencumbered amount, estimated to
be $20,000, in Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2, subdivision 8, paragraph (g),
Minnesota Bee and Beneficial Species Habitat Restoration;
(3) the unencumbered amount, estimated to be
$350,000, in Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4, section 2, subdivision 9,
paragraph (e), Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail Segment within Interstate State
Park; and
(4) the unencumbered amount, estimated to
be $220,000, in Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 2, section
2, subdivision 5, paragraph (a), Expanding Camp Sunrise Environmental Program.
(b) The amounts transferred under this
subdivision are available until June 30, 2023.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. Subdivisions 18 and 19
are effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 4
POLLUTION CONTROL
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 16A.151, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Exceptions. (a) If a state official litigates or settles a matter on behalf of specific injured persons or entities, this section does not prohibit distribution of money to the specific injured persons or entities on whose behalf the litigation or settlement efforts were initiated. If money recovered on behalf of injured persons or entities cannot reasonably be distributed to those persons or entities because they cannot readily be located or identified or because the cost of distributing the money would outweigh the benefit to the persons or entities, the money must be paid into the general fund.
(b) Money recovered on behalf of a fund in the state treasury other than the general fund may be deposited in that fund.
(c) This section does not prohibit a state official from distributing money to a person or entity other than the state in litigation or potential litigation in which the state is a defendant or potential defendant.
(d) State agencies may accept funds as directed by a federal court for any restitution or monetary penalty under United States Code, title 18, section 3663(a)(3), or United States Code, title 18, section 3663A(a)(3). Funds received must be deposited in a special revenue account and are appropriated to the commissioner of the agency for the purpose as directed by the federal court.
(e) Tobacco settlement revenues as defined in section 16A.98, subdivision 1, paragraph (t), may be deposited as provided in section 16A.98, subdivision 12.
(f) Any money received by the state resulting from a settlement agreement or an assurance of discontinuance entered into by the attorney general of the state, or a court order in litigation brought by the attorney general of the state, on behalf of the state or a state agency, against one or more opioid manufacturers or opioid wholesale drug
distributors related to alleged violations of consumer fraud laws in the marketing, sale, or distribution of opioids in this state or other alleged illegal actions that contributed to the excessive use of opioids, must be deposited in a separate account in the state treasury and the commissioner shall notify the chairs and ranking minority members of the Finance Committee in the senate and the Ways and Means Committee in the house of representatives that an account has been created. This paragraph does not apply to attorney fees and costs awarded to the state or the Attorney General's Office, to contract attorneys hired by the state or Attorney General's Office, or to other state agency attorneys. If the licensing fees under section 151.065, subdivision 1, clause (16), and subdivision 3, clause (14), are reduced and the registration fee under section 151.066, subdivision 3, is repealed in accordance with section 256.043, subdivision 4, then the commissioner shall transfer from the separate account created in this paragraph to the opiate epidemic response fund under section 256.043 an amount that ensures that $20,940,000 each fiscal year is available for distribution in accordance with section 256.043, subdivisions 2 and 3.
(g) If the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency recovers $250,000 or more in litigation or in settlement of a matter
that could have resulted in litigation for a civil penalty from violations of a
permit issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, then 40 percent of the
money recovered must be distributed to the community health board, as defined
in section 145A.02, where the permitted facility is located. The commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency must notify the applicable community health board within 30 days
of a final court order in the litigation or the effective date of the
settlement agreement that the litigation has concluded or a settlement has been
reached. The commissioner of the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency must collect the money and transfer it to the
applicable community health board. The
community health board must meet directly with the residents potentially
affected by the pollution that was the subject of the litigation or settlement
to understand the residents' concerns and incorporate those concerns into a
project that addresses residents' health concerns resulting from their exposure
to pollution. The project must be
implemented by the community health board and funded as directed in this
paragraph. The Department of Health
shall assist the community health board with project development and
implementation, if requested by the community health board. The community health board may use up to
five percent of the funds transferred to it under this paragraph for the
reasonable direct costs it incurs to administer the provisions of this
paragraph and for assistance from the Department of Health under this paragraph. This paragraph directs the transfer and use
of money only and does not create a right of intervention in the litigation or
settlement of the enforcement action for any person or entity.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies to all litigation
actions or settlements from which the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
recovered $250,000 or more on or after that date.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Generally. The agency is hereby given and charged with the following powers and duties:
(a) to administer and enforce all laws relating to the pollution of any of the waters of the state;
(b) to investigate the extent, character, and effect of the pollution of the waters of this state and to gather data and information necessary or desirable in the administration or enforcement of pollution laws, and to make such classification of the waters of the state as it may deem advisable;
(c) to establish and alter such reasonable pollution standards for any waters of the state in relation to the public use to which they are or may be put as it shall deem necessary for the purposes of this chapter and, with respect to the pollution of waters of the state, chapter 116;
(d) to encourage waste treatment, including advanced waste treatment, instead of stream low-flow augmentation for dilution purposes to control and prevent pollution;
(e) to adopt, issue, reissue,
modify, deny, or revoke, reopen, enter into, or enforce
reasonable orders, permits, variances, standards, rules, schedules of
compliance, and stipulation agreements, under such conditions as it may
prescribe, in order to prevent, control or abate water pollution, or for the
installation or operation of disposal systems or parts thereof, or for other
equipment and facilities:
(1) requiring the discontinuance of the discharge of sewage, industrial waste or other wastes into any waters of the state resulting in pollution in excess of the applicable pollution standard established under this chapter;
(2) prohibiting or directing the abatement of any discharge of sewage, industrial waste, or other wastes, into any waters of the state or the deposit thereof or the discharge into any municipal disposal system where the same is likely to get into any waters of the state in violation of this chapter and, with respect to the pollution of waters of the state, chapter 116, or standards or rules promulgated or permits issued pursuant thereto, and specifying the schedule of compliance within which such prohibition or abatement must be accomplished;
(3) prohibiting the storage of any liquid or solid substance or other pollutant in a manner which does not reasonably assure proper retention against entry into any waters of the state that would be likely to pollute any waters of the state;
(4) requiring the construction, installation, maintenance, and operation by any person of any disposal system or any part thereof, or other equipment and facilities, or the reconstruction, alteration, or enlargement of its existing disposal system or any part thereof, or the adoption of other remedial measures to prevent, control or abate any discharge or deposit of sewage, industrial waste or other wastes by any person;
(5) establishing, and from time to time revising, standards of performance for new sources taking into consideration, among other things, classes, types, sizes, and categories of sources, processes, pollution control technology, cost of achieving such effluent reduction, and any nonwater quality environmental impact and energy requirements. Said standards of performance for new sources shall encompass those standards for the control of the discharge of pollutants which reflect the greatest degree of effluent reduction which the agency determines to be achievable through application of the best available demonstrated control technology, processes, operating methods, or other alternatives, including, where practicable, a standard permitting no discharge of pollutants. New sources shall encompass buildings, structures, facilities, or installations from which there is or may be the discharge of pollutants, the construction of which is commenced after the publication by the agency of proposed rules prescribing a standard of performance which will be applicable to such source. Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of this state, any point source the construction of which is commenced after May 20, 1973, and which is so constructed as to meet all applicable standards of performance for new sources shall, consistent with and subject to the provisions of section 306(d) of the Amendments of 1972 to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, not be subject to any more stringent standard of performance for new sources during a ten-year period beginning on the date of completion of such construction or during the period of depreciation or amortization of such facility for the purposes of section 167 or 169, or both, of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954, whichever period ends first. Construction shall encompass any placement, assembly, or installation of facilities or equipment, including contractual obligations to purchase such facilities or equipment, at the premises where such equipment will be used, including preparation work at such premises;
(6) establishing and revising pretreatment standards to prevent or abate the discharge of any pollutant into any publicly owned disposal system, which pollutant interferes with, passes through, or otherwise is incompatible with such disposal system;
(7) requiring the owner or operator of any disposal system or any point source to establish and maintain such records, make such reports, install, use, and maintain such monitoring equipment or methods, including where appropriate biological monitoring methods, sample such effluents in accordance with such methods, at such locations, at such intervals, and in such a manner as the agency shall prescribe, and providing such other information as the agency may reasonably require;
(8) notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and with respect to the pollution of waters of the state, chapter 116, requiring the achievement of more stringent limitations than otherwise imposed by effluent limitations in order to meet any applicable water quality standard by establishing new effluent limitations, based upon section 115.01, subdivision 13, clause (b), including alternative effluent control strategies for any point source or group of point sources to insure the integrity of water quality classifications, whenever the agency determines that discharges of pollutants from such point source or sources, with the application of effluent limitations required to comply with any standard of best available technology, would interfere with the attainment or maintenance of the water quality classification in a specific portion of the waters of the state. Prior to establishment of any such effluent limitation, the agency shall hold a public hearing to determine the relationship of the economic and social costs of achieving such limitation or limitations, including any economic or social dislocation in the affected community or communities, to the social and economic benefits to be obtained and to determine whether or not such effluent limitation can be implemented with available technology or other alternative control strategies. If a person affected by such limitation demonstrates at such hearing that, whether or not such technology or other alternative control strategies are available, there is no reasonable relationship between the economic and social costs and the benefits to be obtained, such limitation shall not become effective and shall be adjusted as it applies to such person;
(9) modifying, in its discretion, any
requirement or limitation based upon best available technology with respect to
any point source for which a permit application is filed after July 1, 1977,
upon a showing by the owner or operator of such point source satisfactory to
the agency that such modified requirements will represent the maximum use of
technology within the economic capability of the owner or operator and will
result in reasonable further progress toward the elimination of the discharge
of pollutants; and
(10) requiring that applicants for
wastewater discharge permits evaluate in their applications the potential reuses
of the discharged wastewater; and
(11) requiring parties who enter into a
negotiated agreement to settle an enforcement matter with the agency to
reimburse the agency according to this clause for oversight costs that are
incurred by the agency and associated with implementing the negotiated
agreement. The agency may recover
oversight costs exceeding $25,000. Oversight
costs include personnel and direct costs associated with inspections, sampling,
monitoring, modeling, risk assessment, permit writing, engineering review,
economic analysis and review, and other record or document review. Only oversight costs incurred after executing
the negotiated agreement are covered by this clause. The agency's legal and litigation costs are
not covered by this clause. The
commissioner has discretion as to whether to apply this clause in cases when
the agency is using schedules of compliance to bring a class of regulated
parties into compliance. Reimbursement
amounts are appropriated to the commissioner;
(f) to require to be submitted and to approve plans and specifications for disposal systems or point sources, or any part thereof and to inspect the construction thereof for compliance with the approved plans and specifications thereof;
(g) to prescribe and alter rules, not inconsistent with law, for the conduct of the agency and other matters within the scope of the powers granted to and imposed upon it by this chapter and, with respect to pollution of waters of the state, in chapter 116, provided that every rule affecting any other department or agency of the state or any person other than a member or employee of the agency shall be filed with the secretary of state;
(h) to conduct such investigations, issue such notices, public and otherwise, and hold such hearings as are necessary or which it may deem advisable for the discharge of its duties under this chapter and, with respect to the pollution of waters of the state, under chapter 116, including, but not limited to, the issuance of permits, and to authorize any member, employee, or agent appointed by it to conduct such investigations or, issue such notices and hold such hearings;
(i) for the purpose of water pollution control planning by the state and pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, to establish and revise planning areas, adopt plans and programs and continuing planning processes, including, but not limited to, basin plans and areawide waste treatment management plans, and to provide for the implementation of any such plans by means of, including, but not limited to, standards, plan elements, procedures for revision, intergovernmental cooperation, residual treatment process waste controls, and needs inventory and ranking for construction of disposal systems;
(j) to train water pollution control personnel, and charge such fees therefor as are necessary to cover the agency's costs. All such fees received shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Pollution Control Agency training account;
(k) to impose as additional conditions in permits to publicly owned disposal systems appropriate measures to insure compliance by industrial and other users with any pretreatment standard, including, but not limited to, those related to toxic pollutants, and any system of user charges ratably as is hereby required under state law or said Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, or any regulations or guidelines promulgated thereunder;
(l) to set a period not to exceed five years for the duration of any national pollutant discharge elimination system permit or not to exceed ten years for any permit issued as a state disposal system permit only;
(m) to require each governmental subdivision identified as a permittee for a wastewater treatment works to evaluate in every odd-numbered year the condition of its existing system and identify future capital improvements that will be needed to attain or maintain compliance with a national pollutant discharge elimination system or state disposal system permit; and
(n) to train subsurface sewage treatment system personnel, including persons who design, construct, install, inspect, service, and operate subsurface sewage treatment systems, and charge fees as necessary to pay the agency's costs. All fees received must be paid into the state treasury and credited to the agency's training account. Money in the account is appropriated to the agency to pay expenses related to training.
The information required in clause (m) must be submitted in every odd-numbered year to the commissioner on a form provided by the commissioner. The commissioner shall provide technical assistance if requested by the governmental subdivision.
The powers and duties given the agency in this subdivision also apply to permits issued under chapter 114C.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.061, is amended to read:
115.061
DUTY TO NOTIFY; AVOIDING WATER POLLUTION.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), it is the duty of every person to notify the agency immediately of the discharge, accidental or otherwise, of any substance or material under its control which, if not recovered, may cause pollution of waters of the state, and the responsible person shall recover as rapidly and as thoroughly as possible such substance or material and take immediately such other action as may be reasonably possible to minimize or abate pollution of waters of the state caused thereby.
(b) Notification is not required under paragraph (a) for a discharge of five gallons or less of petroleum, as defined in section 115C.02, subdivision 10. This paragraph does not affect the other requirements of paragraph (a).
(c) Promptly after notifying the agency
of a discharge event under paragraph (a), a publicly owned treatment works or a
publicly or privately owned domestic sewer system owner must provide notice to
the potentially impacted public and to any downstream drinking water facility
that may be impacted by the discharge event.
Notice
to the public and to any
drinking water facility must be made using the most efficient communications system
available to the facility owner, such as in person, phone call, radio, social
media, webpage or another expedited form.
In addition, signage must be posted at all impacted public use areas
within the same jurisdiction or notification must be provided to the entity
that has jurisdiction over any impacted public use areas. A notice under this paragraph must include
the date and time of the release, a description of the material released, a
warning of the potential public health risk, and the permittee's contact
information.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Remedies available. The provisions of sections 103F.701 to 103F.755, this chapter and chapters 114C, 115A, and 116, and sections 325E.10 to 325E.1251 and 325E.32 and all rules, standards, orders, stipulation agreements, schedules of compliance, and permits adopted or issued by the agency thereunder or under any other law now in force or hereafter enacted for the prevention, control, or abatement of pollution may be enforced by any one or any combination of the following: criminal prosecution; action to recover civil penalties; injunction; action to compel or cease performance; or other appropriate action, in accordance with the provisions of said chapters and this section.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.071, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3a. Public
informational meeting. (a)
The commissioner, before finalizing a stipulation agreement or consent decree
with a facility in which the agency is seeking a settlement amount greater than
$25,000, must hold a public informational meeting at a convenient time at a
location near the facility to:
(1) notwithstanding section 13.39,
subdivision 2, describe the amount, frequency, duration, and chemical nature of
the pollution released or emitted by the facility and the risks to public
health and the environment from that exposure; and
(2) allow members of the public,
including those persons potentially exposed to pollution released or emitted
from the facility, to make the agency aware of:
(i) interactions between the facility
and the public regarding the facility's operations;
(ii) operational problems or incidents
that have occurred at the facility; and
(iii) suggestions regarding
supplemental environmental projects that the public may prefer as part of a
stipulation agreement or consent decree between the facility and the agency.
(b) For the purposes of this section,
"supplemental environmental project" means a project that benefits
the environment or public health and that a regulated facility agrees to
undertake as part of a settlement with respect to an enforcement action taken
by the agency to resolve noncompliance.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.071, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Injunctions. Any violation of the provisions, rules,
standards, orders, stipulation agreements, variances, schedules of compliance,
or permits specified in this chapter and chapters 114C and 116 shall
constitute constitutes a public nuisance and may be enjoined as
provided by law in an action, in the name of the state, brought by the attorney
general. Injunctive relief under this
subdivision may include but is not limited to a requirement that
a facility or person
immediately cease operation or activities until such time as the commissioner
has reasonable assurance that renewed operation or activities will not violate
state pollution requirements, cause harm to human health, or result in a
serious violation of an applicable permit.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.071, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Stipulation
agreements. In exercising
enforcement powers over a term of a stipulation agreement when a party asserts
a good cause or force majeure claim for an extension of time to comply with a
stipulated term, the commissioner must not grant the extension if the assertion
is based solely on increased costs.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115.071, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9. Compliance
when required permit not obtained. The
commissioner may require a person or facility that fails to obtain a required
permit to comply with any terms of a permit that would have been issued had the
person or facility obtained a permit, including but not limited to reporting,
monitoring, controlling pollutant discharge, and creating and implementing
operations and maintenance plans. The
person or facility is subject to liability and penalties, including criminal
liability, for failing to operate in compliance with a permit not obtained
beginning at the time a permit should have been obtained.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 10b. Environmental
justice. "Environmental
justice" means that:
(1) communities of color, Indigenous
communities, and low-income communities have a healthy environment and are
treated fairly when environmental statutes, rules, and policies are developed,
adopted, implemented, and enforced; and
(2) in all decisions that have the
potential to affect the environment of an environmental justice area or the
public health of its residents, due consideration is given to the history of
those residents' cumulative exposure to pollutants and to any current
socioeconomic conditions that increase the physical sensitivity of those
residents to additional exposure to pollutants.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 10c. Environmental
justice area. "Environmental
justice area" means one or more census blocks in Minnesota:
(1) in which, based on the most recent
data published by the United States Census Bureau:
(i) 40 percent or more of the population
is nonwhite;
(ii) 35 percent or more of the
households have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level;
or
(iii) 40 percent or more of the
population over the age of five have limited English proficiency; or
(2) within Indian country, as defined in
United State Code, title 18, section 1151.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1310, subdivision 12b, is amended to read:
Subd. 12b. Phase
II recycling credits. "Phase II
recycling credits" means the number of pounds of covered electronic
devices recycled by a manufacturer during a program year beginning July 1,
2019, and thereafter, from households located outside the 11-county
metropolitan area, as defined in section 115A.1314, subdivision 2, less the
manufacturer's recycling
obligation calculated for the same program year in section 115A.1320,
subdivision 1, paragraph (g). an amount calculated in a program year
beginning July 1, 2019, and in each program year thereafter, according to the
formula (1.5 x A) - (B - C), where:
A = the number of pounds of covered
electronic devices a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and
recycled during a program year from households located outside the 11-county
metropolitan area, as defined in section 115A.1314, subdivision 2;
B = the manufacturer's recycling
obligation calculated for the same program year in section 115A.1320,
subdivision 1, paragraph (g); and
C = the number of pounds of covered
electronic devices a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and
recycled, up to but not exceeding B, during the same program year from
households in the 11-county metropolitan area.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1312, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Requirements for sale. (a) On or after September 1, 2007, a manufacturer must not sell or offer for sale or deliver to retailers for subsequent sale a new video display device unless:
(1) the video display device is labeled with the manufacturer's brand, which label is permanently affixed and readily visible; and
(2) the manufacturer has filed a registration with the agency, as specified in subdivision 2.
(b) On or after February 1, 2008, a
retailer who sells or offers for sale a new video display device to a household
must, before the initial offer for sale, review the agency website specified in
subdivision 2, paragraph (g), to determine that all new video display devices
that the retailer is offering for sale are labeled with the manufacturer's
brands that are registered with the agency.
(b) A retailer must not sell, offer for
sale, rent, or lease a video display device unless the video display device is
labeled according to this subdivision and listed as registered on the agency
website according to subdivision 2.
(c) A retailer is not responsible for an unlawful sale under this subdivision if the manufacturer's registration expired or was revoked and the retailer took possession of the video display device prior to the expiration or revocation of the manufacturer's registration and the unlawful sale occurred within six months after the expiration or revocation.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1314, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Registration fee. (a) Each manufacturer who registers under section 115A.1312 must, by August 15 each year, pay to the commissioner of revenue an annual registration fee, on a form and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The commissioner of revenue must deposit the fee in the state treasury and credit the fee to the environmental fund.
(b) The registration fee for manufacturers that sell 100 or more video display devices to households in the state during the previous calendar year is $2,500, plus a variable recycling fee. The registration fee for manufacturers that sell fewer than 100 video display devices in the state during the previous calendar year is a variable recycling fee. The variable recycling fee is calculated according to the formula:
[A - (B + C)] x D, where:
A = the manufacturer's recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320;
B = the number of pounds of
covered electronic devices recycled by that a manufacturer recycled
or arranged to have collected and recycled from households during the immediately
preceding program year, as reported under section 115A.1316, subdivision 1;
C = the number of phase I or phase II recycling credits a manufacturer elects to use to calculate the variable recycling fee; and
D = the estimated per-pound cost of recycling, initially set at $0.50 per pound for manufacturers who recycle less than 50 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; $0.40 per pound for manufacturers who recycle at least 50 percent but less than 90 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; $0.30 per pound for manufacturers who recycle at least 90 percent but less than 100 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; and $0.00 per pound for manufacturers who recycle 100 percent or more of the manufacturer's recycling obligation.
(c) A manufacturer may petition the agency to waive the per-pound cost of recycling fee, element D in the formula in paragraph (b), required under this section. The agency shall direct the commissioner of revenue to waive the per-pound cost of recycling fee if the manufacturer demonstrates to the agency's satisfaction a good faith effort to meet its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320. The petition must include:
(1) documentation that the manufacturer has met at least 75 percent of its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320;
(2) a list of political subdivisions and public and private collectors with whom the manufacturer had a formal contract or agreement in effect during the previous program year to recycle or collect covered electronic devices;
(3) the total amounts of covered electronic devices collected from both within and outside of the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined in subdivision 2;
(4) a description of the manufacturer's best efforts to meet its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320; and
(5) any other information requested by the agency.
(d) A manufacturer may retain phase I and
phase II recycling credits to be added, in whole or in part, to the actual
value of C, as reported under section 115A.1316, subdivision 2, during any
succeeding program year, provided that no more than 25 percent of a
manufacturer's recycling obligation (A x B) for any program year may be
met with phase I and phase II recycling credits, separately or in combination,
generated in a prior program year. A
manufacturer may sell any portion or all of its phase I and phase II recycling
credits to another manufacturer, at a price negotiated by the parties, who may
use the credits in the same manner.
(e) For the purpose of determining B in
calculating a manufacturer's variable recycling fee using the formula
under paragraph (b), starting with the program year beginning July 1, 2019, and
continuing each year thereafter, the weight of covered electronic devices collected
from that a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled from households located outside the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined
in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), is calculated at 1.5 times their actual
weight.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1316, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Manufacturer
reporting requirements. (a) By
August 1, 2016, each manufacturer must report to the agency using the form
prescribed:
(1) the total weight of each specific
model of its video display devices sold to households during the previous
program year; and
(2) either:
(i) the total weight of its video
display devices sold to households during the previous program year; or
(ii) an estimate of the total weight of
its video display devices sold to households during the previous program year,
calculated by multiplying the weight of its video display devices sold
nationally times the quotient of Minnesota's population divided by the national
population. All manufacturers with sales
of 99 or fewer video display devices to households in the state during the
previous calendar year must report using the method under this item for
calculating sales.
(b) (a) By March 1, 2017,
and each March 1 thereafter each year, each manufacturer must report
to the agency using the form prescribed:
(1) the total weight of each specific model of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year; and
(2) either:
(i) the total weight of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year; or
(ii) an estimate of the total weight of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year, calculated by multiplying the weight of its video display devices sold nationally times the quotient of Minnesota's population divided by the national population. All manufacturers with sales of 99 or fewer video display devices to households in the state during the previous calendar year must report using the method under this item for calculating sales.
A manufacturer must submit with the report required under this paragraph a description of how the information or estimate was calculated.
(c) (b) By August 15 each
year, each manufacturer must report to the department until June 30, 2017,
and to the agency thereafter,:
(1) the total weight of covered
electronic devices the manufacturer collected from households and recycled or
arranged to have collected and recycled during the preceding program year.;
(d) By August 15 each year, each
manufacturer must report separately to the department until June 30, 2017, and
to the agency thereafter:
(1) (2) the number of phase I
and phase II recycling credits the manufacturer has purchased and sold during
the preceding program year;
(2) (3) the number of phase I
and phase II recycling credits possessed by the manufacturer that the
manufacturer elects to use in the calculation of its variable recycling fee
under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1; and
(3) (4) the number of phase I
and phase II recycling credits the manufacturer retains at the beginning of the
current program year.
(e) (c) Upon request of the
commissioner of revenue, the agency shall provide a copy of each report to the
commissioner of revenue.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1318, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Recycler responsibilities. (a) As part of the report submitted under section 115A.1316, subdivision 2, a recycler must certify, except as provided in paragraph (b), that facilities that recycle covered electronic devices, including all downstream recycling operations:
(1) use only registered collectors;
(2) comply with all applicable health, environmental, safety, and financial responsibility regulations;
(3) are licensed by all applicable governmental authorities;
(4) use no prison labor to recycle video display devices;
(5) possess liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 for environmental releases, accidents, and other emergencies;
(6) provide a report annually to each registered collector regarding the video display devices received from that entity; and
(7) do not charge collectors for the
transportation and transporting, recycling of, or any
necessary supplies related to transporting or recycling covered electronic
devices that meet a manufacturer's recycling obligation as determined under
section 115A.1320, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon.
(b) A nonprofit corporation that contracts with a correctional institution to refurbish and reuse donated computers in schools is exempt from paragraph (a), clauses (4) and (5).
(c) Except to the extent otherwise required by law and unless agreed upon otherwise by the recycler or manufacturer, a recycler has no responsibility for any data that may be contained in a covered electronic device if an information storage device is included in the covered electronic device.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.1320, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Duties of agency. (a) The agency shall administer sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330.
(b) The agency shall establish procedures for:
(1) receipt and maintenance of the registration statements and certifications filed with the agency under section 115A.1312; and
(2) making the statements and certifications easily available to manufacturers, retailers, and members of the public.
(c) The agency shall annually review the following variables that are used to calculate a manufacturer's annual registration fee under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1:
(1) the obligation-setting mechanism for manufacturers as specified under paragraph (g);
(2) the estimated per-pound price of recycling covered electronic devices sold to households; and
(3) the base registration fee.
(d) If the agency determines that any of these values must be changed in order to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the activities regulated under sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330, or if the revenues exceed the amount that the agency determines is necessary, the agency shall submit recommended changes and the reasons for them to the chairs of the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over solid waste policy.
(e) By September 1, 2016, and by May 1,
2017, and each May 1 thereafter each year, the agency shall
publish a statewide recycling goal for all video display device waste that is
the weight of all video display devices collected for recycling during each of
the three most recently completed program years, excluding the most recently
concluded program year, divided by two. For
the program years beginning July 1, 2016, July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018, the
agency shall establish and publish separate statewide recycling goals for video
display devices as follows:
(1) the agency shall set the statewide
recycling goal for video display devices at 25,000,000 pounds, 23,000,000
pounds, and 21,000,000 pounds, respectively, during these successive program
years;
(2) the agency shall set the recycling
goal for televisions at 80 percent of the applicable amount in clause (1); and
(3)
the agency shall set the recycling goal for computer monitors at 20 percent of
the applicable amount in clause (1).
(f) By September 1, 2016, and by May 1,
2017, and each May 1 thereafter each year, the agency shall
determine each registered manufacturer's market share of video display devices
to be collected and recycled based on the manufacturer's percentage share of
the total weight of video display devices sold as reported to the agency under
section 115A.1316, subdivision 1.
(g) By September 1, 2016, and by May 1,
2017, and each May 1 thereafter each year, the agency shall
provide each manufacturer with a determination of the manufacturer's share of
video display devices to be collected and recycled. A manufacturer's market share of video
display devices as specified in paragraph (f) is applied proportionally to the
statewide recycling goal as specified in paragraph (e) to determine an
individual manufacturer's recycling obligation.
Upon request by the commissioner of revenue, the agency must provide the
information submitted to manufacturers under this paragraph to the commissioner
of revenue.
(h) The agency shall provide a report to the governor and the legislature on the implementation of sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. For each program year, the report must discuss the total weight of covered electronic devices recycled and a summary of information in the reports submitted by manufacturers and recyclers under section 115A.1316. The report must also discuss the various collection programs used by manufacturers to collect covered electronic devices; information regarding covered electronic devices that are being collected by persons other than registered manufacturers, collectors, and recyclers; and information about covered electronic devices, if any, being disposed of in landfills in this state. The report must examine which covered electronic devices, based on economic and environmental considerations, should be subject to the obligation-setting mechanism under paragraph (g). The report must include a description of enforcement actions under sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. The agency may include in its report other information received by the agency regarding the implementation of sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330. The report must be done in conjunction with the report required under section 115A.121.
(i) The agency shall promote public participation in the activities regulated under sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330 through public education and outreach efforts.
(j) The agency shall enforce sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 in the manner provided by sections 115.071, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and 116.072, except for those provisions enforced by the department, as provided in subdivision 2. The agency may revoke a registration of a collector or recycler found to have violated sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330.
(k) The agency shall facilitate communication between counties, collection and recycling centers, and manufacturers to ensure that manufacturers are aware of video display devices available for recycling.
(l) The agency shall post on its website the contact information provided by each manufacturer under section 115A.1318, subdivision 1, paragraph (e).
Sec. 17. [115A.40]
CITATION.
Sections 115A.40 to 115A.405 may be cited
as the "Landfill Responsibility Act."
Sec. 18. [115A.401]
LEGISLATIVE GOALS AND INTENT.
(a) It is the goal of the Landfill
Responsibility Act to reduce the environmental impacts from all aspects of
solid waste, from acquiring product material through disposing of product, and
to prioritize the expansion of waste reduction or source reduction activities
across the state. In accordance with the
goals and policies of this chapter and the waste management preferences in
section 115A.02, the Landfill Responsibility Act supports waste reduction and
reuse.
(b) The legislature intends for the
projects developed under the Landfill Responsibility Act to encourage a greater
awareness of the need for and benefits of waste reduction and reuse and to
develop a greater degree of cooperation and coordination among all elements of
government, industry, and the public in advancing more sustainable actions.
Sec. 19. [115A.402]
DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1. Applicability. For the purposes of sections 115A.40
to 115A.405, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given.
Subd. 2. Applicable
area. "Applicable
area" means an area described in a permit for a disposal facility that
accepted mixed municipal solid waste during the immediately preceding year.
Subd. 3. Covered
entity. "Covered
entity" means the owner or operator of a disposal facility at which an
applicable area is located.
Subd. 4. Rate
charged. "Rate
charged" means the total amount charged by a covered entity, per ton, to
accept solid waste at a disposal facility for treatment, storage, processing,
transfer, disposal, or any other purpose and includes tipping fees and service
charges.
Sec. 20. [115A.403]
LANDFILL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECTS.
Subdivision 1. Project
application and eligibility. (a)
Every three years, or more frequently at the commissioner's discretion, the
commissioner must provide public notice and solicit proposals for eligible
landfill responsibility projects.
(b) At any time after the notice is
provided under paragraph (a), a person may propose a landfill responsibility
project. Proposals must be submitted in
the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. At a minimum, a proposal must include:
(1) a description of the proposer's
qualifications with waste reduction or source reduction;
(2) a description of the scope of the
project, including how the project will result in waste reduction or source
reduction;
(3) the expected amount of waste
reduction or source reduction attributable to the project;
(4) a description of the
timeline of the project;
(5) a detailed annual budget for the
project;
(6) identification and a description of
environmental justice areas served by the project;
(7) a description of how the project
meets the following minimum requirements:
(i) is administered in the state;
(ii) does not supplant existing work;
(iii) provides a high return in
environmental benefits, including but not limited to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions;
(iv) demonstrates cost-effectiveness;
(v) has measurable outcomes for waste
reduction or source reduction; and
(vi) includes only waste reduction or
source reduction activities; and
(8) any other information required by
the commissioner to evaluate the project.
(c)
Only waste reduction and reuse as a waste management practice under section
115A.02, paragraph (b), clause (1), are
eligible for project funding under this section. Waste management practices under section
115A.02, paragraph (b), clauses (2) to (6), are not eligible.
(d) The commissioner must establish and
maintain a list of eligible landfill responsibility projects and make the list
available to covered entities. The
commissioner must evaluate proposals submitted under paragraph (b) and
determine whether to include each proposal on the list of eligible landfill
responsibility projects. The
commissioner may remove a project from the
list at any time if the project no longer meets the minimum criteria under
paragraph (b), clause (7), or if the commissioner determines the project
will not be completed as proposed.
(e) The waste reduction or source
reduction activities of an eligible project as described in a proposal under
paragraph (b) may not begin until:
(1) the project is included in a plan
approved by the commissioner under subdivision 4; or
(2) the proposal is rescinded or the
project is removed from the eligible projects list.
Subd. 2. Obligation. (a) Each year, a covered entity must
fund eligible landfill responsibility projects according to this subdivision in
an amount at least equal to the covered entity's obligation determined under
paragraph (b).
(b) A covered entity's obligation is
three percent of the covered entity's revenue and is calculated according to
the formula:
X=(A*B) * 0.03
Where:
X is the total obligation that the
covered entity must meet in the three-year approved plan
A is the annual average rate
charged at an applicable area during the three-year period immediately
preceding the date a plan must be submitted under subdivision 3
B is the total tons of solid waste
accepted in the applicable area during the three-year period immediately
preceding the date a plan must be submitted under subdivision 3
Subd. 3. Covered
entity plans. (a) By January
1, 2023, and every third year thereafter, or more frequently as determined by
the commissioner, a covered entity must submit a plan to the commissioner in
the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The plan must include:
(1) the covered entity's obligation for
the plan period as calculated in subdivision 2;
(2) a selection of projects from the
list of eligible projects under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), according to the
following:
(i)
selection must be made so that 40 percent of the obligation will directly serve
environmental justice areas; and
(ii) the total selection must include
projects with budgets that annually meet or exceed the covered entity's
obligation for the period of the plan;
(3)
estimated amounts of waste reduction or source reduction for each selected
project, categorized by material type;
(4) a description of how the covered
entity will annually meet its obligation for each of the three years in the
plan period; and
(5) any other criteria required by the
commissioner to determine the sufficiency of the plan.
(b) The commissioner may modify dates for
plan submission under paragraph (a) if the commissioner determines it is
necessary to implement the Landfill Responsibility Act.
Subd. 4. Commissioner
review. (a) Upon receiving a
plan under subdivision 3, the commissioner must:
(1) notify a covered entity if a plan
is incomplete, specifying the specific items that need to be submitted to make
the plan complete;
(2) giving first-come first-served
preference based on when a plan is submitted, require a covered entity to
revise and resubmit a plan if the commissioner determines it necessary to:
(i) ensure that no more than 25 percent
of the total obligation of all covered entities is allocated to a single
recipient;
(ii) prevent duplicative selection of
eligible projects;
(iii) prioritize fully funding
individual eligible projects before selecting additional projects for funding;
or
(iv) implement the Landfill
Responsibility Act and remain consistent with other state law; and
(3) provide covered entities with plan
approval, including any modifications required under this paragraph, within 45
days after the plan is submitted under subdivision 3.
(b) After receiving initial approval
of a plan, a covered entity must revise and resubmit a plan for approval or
disapproval if the eligible projects change during the plan period. If a project can no longer be completed as
described, a covered entity must choose another project to meet its obligation. The covered entity must resubmit its plan to
the commissioner if there is a substantial change in obligation or if an
eligible project is unable to be performed as described.
Subd. 5. Project
implementation. (a) After a
plan is approved under subdivision 4, a covered entity must implement the plan.
(b) After a person receives funding
from a covered entity, the covered entity and the person receiving funding must
implement the plan according to the proposal submitted under subdivision 1. If a person implementing the project is no
longer able to perform the project according to the proposal, the person must
immediately notify the covered entity and the commissioner.
Subd. 6. Reporting
requirements. (a) No later
than February 1 each year, a covered entity must submit a report to the
commissioner for the preceding calendar year.
The annual report must be submitted in a form and manner prescribed by
the commissioner and must include:
(1) a description of the covered
entity's progress made toward objectives detailed in the plan developed under
subdivision 3, including a summary of the projects completed for the reporting
year;
(2) evidence, such as receipts, of
meeting the covered entity's obligation for the previous year;
(3) the rate charged during the
preceding calendar year;
(4) proof of how at least 40 percent of
the covered entity's obligation is met through projects directly serving
environmental justice; and
(5) any other information requested by
the commissioner to determine compliance.
(b) No later than February 1 each year,
a person receiving funding for a landfill responsibility project must submit a
report to the commissioner for the preceding calendar year. The annual report must be submitted in a form
and manner prescribed by the commissioner and must include:
(1) proof of the amount of funding
received and the time frame for each eligible project;
(2) the time frame for the project;
(3) a description of the amount of
waste reduction or source reduction achieved by the project during the
reporting year by weight, categorized by material type;
(4) a description of how the project
served environmental justice areas, if applicable;
(5) a description of how the data was
measured and the activities used to achieve the specified waste reduction or
source reduction amounts; and
(6) any other information requested by
the commissioner to determine compliance.
Subd. 7. Operating
record. A covered entity must
record and maintain in an operating record all information used to determine
the rate charged, including gate receipts and financial records, for a minimum
of five years.
Subd. 8. Duty
to provide information. If
the commissioner requests information to determine compliance with this
section, a person must furnish to the commissioner any information that the
person may have or may reasonably obtain.
Sec. 21. [115A.404]
LANDFILL RESPONSIBILITY ASSESSMENT.
(a) By January 1 each year, a covered
entity must pay to the commissioner an assessment fee according to this section. The commissioner must deposit the fee in the
state treasury and credit the fee to the environmental fund.
(b) The annual assessment fee is
calculated for each covered entity according to the formula:
X = A * (B/C)
Where:
X is the assessment fee owed by each
covered entity
A is the anticipated total annual cost
to the agency to administer and implement the Landfill Responsibility Act for
the following year, as determined by the commissioner
B is the total amount of solid waste,
measured in tons, disposed of in a covered entity's applicable area or
applicable areas according to the covered entity's most recent annual report
C is the total amount of solid waste,
measured in tons, disposed of in the applicable areas at all covered entities
according to the covered entities' most recent annual reports
Sec. 22. [115A.405]
WASTE COMPOSITION STUDY.
Subdivision 1. Waste
composition study. By January
1 each year, the commissioner must conduct a waste composition study at covered
entities. When identifying facilities
for waste composition studies, the commissioner must rotate the covered
entities and each covered entity must allow the commissioner to perform a waste
composition study at least once every three years.
Subd. 2. Access. The commissioner or commissioner's
designee, upon presentation of credentials, may enter upon any public or
private property to take any action authorized by this section. The covered entity must provide access to
pertinent books and records and provide reasonable accommodations for a waste
composition study to be completed accurately and safely.
Subd. 3. Data
compilation. The commissioner
must annually compile and summarize the waste composition data. The commissioner must make the summary
information available to the public.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115A.565, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Grant
program established. The
commissioner shall must make competitive grants to political
subdivisions or federally recognized Tribes to establish curbside
recycling or composting, increase recycling or composting, reduce the amount of
recyclable materials entering disposal facilities, or reduce the costs
associated with hauling waste by locating collection sites as close as possible
to the site where the waste is generated.
To be eligible for grants under this section, a political subdivision or
federally recognized Tribe must be located outside the seven-county
metropolitan area and a city must have a population of less than 45,000.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.17, subdivision 13, is amended to read:
Subd. 13. Priorities; rules. (a) By November 1, 1983, the Pollution Control Agency shall establish a temporary list of priorities among releases or threatened releases for the purpose of taking remedial action and, to the extent practicable consistent with the urgency of the action, for taking removal action under this section. The temporary list, with any necessary modifications, shall remain in effect until the Pollution Control Agency adopts rules establishing state criteria for determining priorities among releases and threatened releases. The Pollution Control Agency shall adopt the rules by July 1, 1984. After rules are adopted, a permanent priority list shall be established, and may be modified from time to time, using the current guidance and tools for the Hazard Ranking System adopted by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and according to the criteria set forth in the rules. Before any list is established under this subdivision the Pollution Control Agency shall publish the list in the State Register and allow 30 days for comments on the list by the public.
(b) The temporary list and the rules required by this subdivision shall be based upon the relative risk or danger to public health or welfare or the environment, taking into account to the extent possible the population at risk, the hazardous potential of the hazardous substances at the facilities, the potential for contamination of drinking water supplies, the potential for direct human contact, the potential for destruction of sensitive ecosystems, the administrative and financial capabilities of the Pollution Control Agency, and other appropriate factors.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.406, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Legislative
findings. The legislature recognizes
the need to protect the public health and welfare and the environment at
priority qualified facilities. To
implement a timely and effective cleanup and prevent multiparty litigation, the
legislature finds it is in the public interest to direct the commissioner of
the Pollution Control Agency to:
(1) take environmental response
actions that the commissioner deems reasonable and necessary to protect the
public health or welfare or the environment at priority qualified facilities and
to;
(2) acquire real property interests
at priority qualified facilities to ensure the completion and long-term
effectiveness of environmental response actions.; and
(3) prevent both an unjust financial
windfall to and double liability of owners and operators of priority qualified
facilities.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies to actions commenced on
or after January 1, 2021.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.406, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Environmental
response costs; liens. (a)
All environmental response costs and reasonable and necessary expenses,
including administrative and legal expenses, incurred by the commissioner at a
priority qualified facility constitute a lien in favor of the state upon any
real property located in the state, other than homestead property, owned by the
owner or operator of the priority qualified facility who is subject to the
requirements of section 115B.40, subdivision 4 or 5. Notwithstanding section 514.672, a lien
under this paragraph continues until the lien is satisfied or is released
according to paragraph (c).
(b) If the commissioner conducts an
environmental response action at a priority qualified facility and the
environmental response action increases the fair market value of the facility
above the fair market value of the facility that existed before the response
action was initiated, then the state has a lien on the facility for the
increase in fair market value of the property attributable to the response
action, valued at the time that construction of the final environmental
response action was completed, not including operation and maintenance. Notwithstanding section 514.672, a lien under
this paragraph continues until the lien is satisfied or is released according
to paragraph (c).
(c)
A lien under this subdivision paragraph (a) or (b) attaches when
the environmental response costs are first incurred. Notwithstanding section 514.672, a lien
under this subdivision continues until the lien is satisfied or six years after
completion of construction of the final environmental response action, not
including operation and maintenance.
Notice, filing, and release, and enforcement of the lien
are governed by sections 514.671 to 514.676, except where those requirements specifically
are related to only cleanup action expenses as defined in section 514.671. The commissioner may release a lien under
this subdivision if the commissioner determines that attachment or enforcement
of the lien is not in the public interest.
A lien under this subdivision is not subject to the foreclosure
limitation described in section 514.674, subdivision 2. Relative priority of a lien under this
subdivision is governed by section 514.672, except that a lien attached to
property that was included in any permit for the priority qualified facility
takes precedence over all other liens regardless of when the other liens were
or are perfected. Amounts received to
satisfy all or a part of a lien must be deposited in the remediation fund. An environmental lien notice for a lien
under paragraph (a) or (b) must state that it is a lien in accordance with this
section and identify whether the property described in the notice was included
in any permit for the priority qualified facility.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies to actions commenced on
or after January 1, 2021.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.407, is amended to read:
115B.407
ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION ACQUIRING AND DISPOSING OF REAL
PROPERTY AT PRIORITY QUALIFIED FACILITIES.
Subdivision 1. Acquiring and disposing of real property. (a) The commissioner may acquire interests in real property by donation or eminent domain at all or a portion of a priority qualified facility. Condemnation under this section includes acquisition of fee title or an easement. After acquiring an interest in real property under this section, the commissioner must take environmental response actions at the priority qualified facility according to sections 115B.39 to 115B.414 after the legislature makes an appropriation for that purpose.
(b) The commissioner may dispose of real property acquired under this section according to section 115B.17, subdivision 16.
(c) Except as modified by this section,
chapter 117 governs condemnation proceedings by the commissioner under this
section. The exceptions under section
117.189 apply to the use of eminent domain authority under this section. Section 117.226 does not apply to
properties acquired by the use of eminent domain authority under this section.
(d) The state is not liable under this chapter solely as a result of acquiring an interest in real property under this section.
Subd. 2. Eminent
domain damages. (a) For
purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "after-market value" means
the property value of that portion of the subject property remaining after a
partial taking;
(2) "as remediated" means the
condition of the property assuming the environmental response actions selected
by the commissioner have been completed, including environmental covenants and
easements and other institutional controls that may apply;
(3) "before-market value"
means the property value of the entire subject property before the taking, less
the remediation costs;
(4) "property value"
means the fair market value of the real property, as remediated, less any reduction
in value attributable to the stigma of pollution; and
(5) "remediation costs" means
the reasonably foreseeable costs and expenses, including administrative and
legal expenses, that the commissioner will incur to implement the environmental
response actions that the commissioner selected for the property according to
section 115B.406, subdivision 3, less the amount, if any, that the property
owner demonstrates was released under section 115B.443, subdivision 8, which
must not be greater than the extent of insurance coverage under policies for
the property included in a settlement consistent with section 115B.443,
subdivision 8.
(b) The damages awarded for
condemnation of real property under this section is the greater of $500 or:
(1) for a total taking of the subject
property, the before-market value; or
(2) for a partial taking of the subject
property, the before-market value less the after-market value.
(c) When awarding damages in a
condemnation proceeding under this section, in addition to any other
requirement of chapter 117, the finder of fact must report:
(1) the amount determined for the
property value of the entire subject property before the taking; and
(2) the itemized amount determined for
remediation costs.
(d) The commissioner may seek recovery
of environmental response costs only to the extent the costs exceed the lower
of the remediation costs or the property value of the entire subject property
before the taking as reported under paragraph (c).
(e) If the actual expenses incurred by
the commissioner to take environmental response actions at the priority
qualified facility as determined at the time construction of the final
environmental response action was completed would have yielded a higher award
of damages under this section, then the commissioner must reimburse the owner
an amount equal to the amount of damages as if the actual expenses were used
instead of the remediation costs, less any damages already awarded.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies to actions commenced on
or after January 1, 2021.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.421, is amended to read:
115B.421
CLOSED LANDFILL INVESTMENT FUND.
(a) The closed landfill investment fund is established in the state treasury. The fund consists of money credited to the fund, and interest and other earnings on money in the fund. Beginning July 1, 2003, funds must be deposited as described in section 115B.445. The fund shall be managed to maximize long-term gain through the State Board of Investment.
Money in (b) Interest earned by
the fund is appropriated to the commissioner and may be spent by the
commissioner after fiscal year 2020 in accordance with sections 115B.39 to
115B.444. By January 15 each year, the
commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of
the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with
jurisdiction over environment policy and finance on the expenditure of money
appropriated under this section. This
paragraph expires June 30, 2025.
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 115B.49, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Registration;
fees. (a) The owner or operator of a
dry cleaning facility shall must register on or before October 1
of each year with the commissioner of revenue in a manner prescribed by the
commissioner of revenue and pay a registration fee for the facility. The amount of the fee is:
(1) $500, for facilities with a
full-time equivalence of fewer than five; equal to ... percent of the
facility's gross revenues for the preceding year.
(2) $1,000, for facilities with a
full-time equivalence of five to ten; and
(3) $1,500, for facilities with a
full-time equivalence of more than ten.
The registration fee must be paid on or before October 18 or the owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility may elect to pay the fee in equal installments. Installment payments must be paid on or before October 18, on or before January 18, on or before April 18, and on or before June 18. All payments made after October 18 bear interest at the rate specified in section 270C.40.
(b) A person who sells dry cleaning solvents for use by dry cleaning facilities in the state shall collect and remit to the commissioner of revenue in the same manner prescribed by the commissioner of revenue, for the taxes imposed under chapter 297A, a fee of:
(1) $3.50 for each gallon of perchloroethylene sold for use by dry cleaning facilities in the state;
(2) 70 cents for each gallon of hydrocarbon-based dry cleaning solvent sold for use by dry cleaning facilities in the state; and
(3) 35 cents for each gallon of other nonaqueous solvents sold for use by dry cleaning facilities in the state.
(c) The audit, assessment, appeal, collection, enforcement, and administrative provisions of chapters 270C and 289A apply to the fee imposed by this subdivision. To enforce this subdivision, the commissioner of revenue may grant extensions to file returns and pay fees, impose penalties and interest on the annual registration fee under paragraph (a) and the monthly fee under paragraph (b), and abate penalties and interest in the manner provided in chapters 270C and 289A. The penalties and interest imposed on taxes under chapter 297A apply to the fees imposed under this subdivision. Disclosure of data collected by the commissioner of revenue under this subdivision is governed by chapter 270B.
Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 6a. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the
commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Sec. 31. [116.064]
PERMITTING; ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section,
the terms in this subdivision have the meanings given.
(b) "Census block" means the
smallest geographical unit for which the United States Census Bureau tabulates
decennial census data.
(c) "Cumulative impacts
analysis" means the potential public health and environmental impacts
affecting a specific geographical area from past, present, and foreseeable
future exposure to pollutants from all media and incorporates the concept of a
community's vulnerability to withstand incremental environmental impacts.
(d) "Environmental
justice" means that:
(1) communities of color, Indigenous
communities, and low-income communities have a healthy environment and are
treated fairly when environmental statutes, rules, and policies are developed,
adopted, implemented, and enforced; and
(2) in all decisions that have the
potential to affect the environment of an environmental justice area or the
public health of its residents, due consideration is given to the history of
those residents' cumulative exposure to pollutants and to any current
socioeconomic conditions that increase the physical sensitivity of those
residents to additional exposure to pollutants.
(e) "Environmental justice
area" means one or more census blocks in Minnesota:
(1) in which, based on the most recent
data published by the United States Census Bureau:
(i) 40 percent or more of the
population is nonwhite;
(ii) 35 percent or more of the
households have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level;
or
(iii) 40 percent or more of the
population over the age of five have limited English proficiency; or
(2) within Indian country, as defined
in United State Code, title 18, section 1151.
Subd. 2. Rulemaking. No later than November 1, 2021, the
commissioner must begin the process to adopt rules under chapter 14 that
implement the provisions of this section to establish a process and
decision-making criteria the agency must utilize to address the permitting of
facilities that have the potential to impact the environment of environmental
justice areas and the health of persons residing within them.
Subd. 3. Application. The provisions of this section apply
to an application for a new permit, permit renewal, or major permit amendment
filed with the agency whose emissions or releases of pollutants may affect an
environmental justice area.
Subd. 4. Environmental
justice area; determination. The
agency has the responsibility to determine the geographical boundaries of an
environmental justice area. The agency's
determination of the boundaries of an environmental justice area may be appealed
by the filing of a petition signed by at least 50 residents filed with the
commissioner that contains evidence that one or more census blocks meet the
definition of environmental justice area in subdivision 1, paragraph (e). The commissioner may, after reviewing the
petition, amend the boundaries of an environmental justice area.
Subd. 5. Process;
cumulative impact analysis. (a)
The agency must ensure that residents of an environmental justice area are
notified about all steps in the permitting process and the progress of the
analysis required to be conducted under this section. Notification must include but not be limited
to postings on the agency's website and direct delivery of written materials to
environmental justice area residents in applicable languages in areas where
English proficiency is limited.
(b) When a new facility or a proposed
expansion of an existing facility is located in an environmental justice area,
the owner or operator of the facility must:
(1) conduct an analysis of the
cumulative impacts that the facility or expansion would cause or contribute to
in the environmental justice area; and
(2) if seeking a state permit
under chapter 115 or 116, hold at least one public meeting in the environmental
justice area before the commissioner issues or denies a permit.
(c) The commissioner may require a
permitted facility located in an environmental justice area to hold in-person
meetings with nearby residents to share information and discuss community
concerns. The commissioner may establish
the number and frequency of required meetings as permit conditions.
(d) A cumulative impact analysis must
also describe demographic and socioeconomic conditions that may make residents
of an environmental justice area more vulnerable to the effects of incremental
exposure to environmental pollutants. The
analysis, based on publicly available or otherwise obtainable data, must
include but is not limited to the following factors:
(1) demographic factors, including the
age distribution and racial and ethnic characteristics of the population;
(2) hospital admission rates for
respiratory and pulmonary disease, cancer, diabetes, and other conditions that
may be exacerbated by exposure to pollutants;
(3) the proportion of the population
without medical insurance;
(4) economic variables, including
income and poverty levels, the rate of unemployment, the proportion of substandard
housing, and the incidence of poor nutrition; and
(5) any available biomonitoring data
indicating body burdens of pollutants.
(e) If requested, the agency shall
provide any relevant information it has to a permit applicant conducting a
cumulative impacts analysis under this section.
(f) The agency's reasonable costs of
complying with this subdivision are to be reimbursed by the permit applicant.
(g) The agency shall maintain on its
website a list of all environmental justice areas that undergo the analysis
required under this subdivision.
Subd. 6. Permits;
environmental justice area. (a)
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the agency must, after
reviewing the permit application, the agency's analysis of cumulative pollution
impacts conducted under subdivision 5, and any additional relevant information,
including testimony and written comments received at a public meeting,
determine whether the incremental environmental impacts that would result in an
environmental justice area from approval of the permit will, in conjunction
with the cumulative pollution impacts and the heightened sensitivity to
additional pollution of residents of the environmental justice area, cause or
contribute to increased levels of environmental or health impacts compared with
denying the permit.
(b) If the agency determines that
issuing the permit would cause or contribute to increased levels of
environmental or health impacts compared with not issuing the permit, the
commissioner must:
(1) deny the permit; or
(2) place conditions on the permit that
eliminate any contribution to increased levels of environmental or health
impacts from the permitted facility in an environmental justice area.
Subd. 7. Enforcement. The commissioner may enforce rules and
regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4l. Real
property interests. (a) The
commissioner may acquire interests in real property at a solid waste disposal
facility, limited to environmental covenants under chapter 114E and easements
for the environmental covenants, when the commissioner determines the property
interests are related to:
(1) closure;
(2) postclosure care; and
(3) any other actions needed after the
postclosure care period expires.
(b) The state is not liable under this
chapter or any other law solely as a result of acquiring an interest in real
property under this section.
(c) An environmental covenant under
this subdivision must be in accordance with chapter 114E and must be signed and
acknowledged by every owner of the fee simple title to the real property
subject to the covenant.
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4m. Permit
review denial. If the
commissioner determines that a person's request for the agency to review an existing
permit is not warranted, the commissioner must state the reasons for the
determination in writing within 15 days of the determination.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4n. Nonexpiring
state individual permits; public informational meeting. (a) For each facility issued a
nonexpiring state individual air quality permit by the agency, the agency must
hold a separate public informational meeting at regular intervals to allow the
public to make comments or inquiries regarding any aspect of the permit,
including but not limited to permit conditions, testing results, the facility's
operations, and permit compliance. The
public informational meeting must be held at a location near the permitted
facility and convenient to the public. Persons
employed at the facility who are responsible for the facility meeting the
conditions of the permit and agency officials must be present at the public
informational meeting. For nonexpiring
state individual air quality permits issued after December 31, 2016, a public
informational meeting must be held under this subdivision no later than five
years after the permit is issued and every five years thereafter. For nonexpiring state individual air quality
permits issued on or before December 31, 2015, a public informational meeting
must be held under this subdivision no later than December 31, 2022, and every
five years thereafter.
(b) For the purposes of this section,
"state individual air quality permit" means an air quality permit
that is issued to an individual facility required to obtain a permit under
Minnesota Rules, part 7007.0250, subparts 2 to 6, and is not a general permit
issued under Minnesota Rules, part 7007.1100.
(c) As required under subdivision 4d,
the agency's direct and indirect reasonable costs of conducting the activities
under this subdivision must be recovered through air quality permit fees.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Pollution
Control Agency; exercise of powers. (a)
In exercising all its powers, the commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency shall give due consideration to must:
(1) consider the establishment,
maintenance, operation and expansion of business, commerce, trade, industry,
traffic, and other economic factors and other material matters affecting the
feasibility and practicability of any proposed action, including, but not
limited to, the burden on a municipality of any tax which may result therefrom,
and shall must take or
provide for such action as may be reasonable, feasible, and practical under the
circumstances.; and
(2) to the extent reasonable, feasible,
and practical under the circumstances:
(i) ensure that actions or programs that
have a direct, indirect, or cumulative impact on environmental justice areas
incorporate community-focused practices and procedures in agency processes,
including communication, outreach, engagement, and education to enhance meaningful,
timely, and transparent community access;
(ii) collaborate with other state
agencies to identify, develop, and implement means to eliminate and reverse
environmental and health inequities and disparities;
(iii) promote the utility and
availability of environmental data and analysis for environmental justice
areas, other agencies, federally recognized Tribal governments, and the public;
(iv) encourage coordination and
collaboration with residents of environmental justice areas to address
environmental and health inequities and disparities; and
(v) ensure environmental justice values
are represented to the agency from a commissioner-appointed environmental
justice advisory committee that is composed of diverse members and that is
developed and operated in a manner open to the public and in accordance with
the duties described in the bylaws and charter adopted and maintained by the
commissioner.
(b) For the purposes of this section,
"environmental justice" and "environmental justice area"
have the meanings given under section 115A.03, subdivisions 10b and 10c.
Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Orders;
investigations. The agency shall
have commissioner has the following powers and duties for the
enforcement of enforcing any provision of this chapter and chapter
114C, relating to air contamination or waste:
(1) to adopt, issue, reissue, modify, deny, revoke, reopen, enter into or enforce reasonable orders, schedules of compliance and stipulation agreements;
(2) to require the owner or operator of any emission facility, air contaminant treatment facility, potential air contaminant storage facility, or any system or facility related to the storage, collection, transportation, processing, or disposal of waste to establish and maintain records; to make reports; to install, use, and maintain monitoring equipment or methods; and to make tests, including testing for odor where a nuisance may exist, in accordance with methods, at locations, at intervals, and in a manner as the agency shall prescribe; and to provide other information as the agency may reasonably require;
(3) to conduct investigations, issue
notices, public and otherwise, and order hearings as it may deem necessary or
advisable for the discharge of its duties under this chapter and chapter 114C,
including but not limited to the issuance of permits; and to authorize any
member, employee, or agent appointed by it to conduct the investigations and
issue the notices.; and
(4) to require parties who
enter into a negotiated agreement to settle an enforcement matter with the
agency to reimburse the agency according to this clause for oversight costs
that are incurred by the agency and associated with implementing the negotiated
agreement. The agency may recover
oversight costs exceeding $25,000. Oversight
costs include personnel and direct costs associated with inspections, sampling,
monitoring, modeling, risk assessment, permit writing, engineering review,
economic analysis and review, and other record or document review. Only oversight costs incurred after executing
the negotiated agreement are covered by this clause. The agency's legal and litigation costs are
not covered by this clause. The
commissioner has discretion as to whether to apply this clause in cases where
the agency is using schedules of compliance to bring a class of regulated
parties into compliance. Reimbursement
amounts are appropriated to the commissioner.
Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9a. Stipulation
agreements. In exercising
enforcement powers over a term of a stipulation agreement when a party asserts
a good cause or force majeure claim for an extension of time to comply with a
stipulated term, the commissioner must not grant the extension if the assertion
is based solely on increased costs.
Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9b. Compliance
when required permit not obtained. The
commissioner may require a person or facility that fails to obtain a required
permit to comply with any terms of a permit that would have been issued had the
person or facility obtained a permit, including but not limited to reporting,
monitoring, controlling pollutant discharge, and creating and implementing
operations and maintenance plans. The
person or facility is subject to liability and penalties, including criminal
liability, for failing to operate in compliance with a permit not obtained
beginning at the time a permit should have been obtained.
Sec. 39. [116.0735]
AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE INFORMATION ON CONTAMINANTS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section,
the terms in this subdivision have the meanings given them.
(b) "Activities" means
actions by a person that produce, emit, discharge, release, threaten to
release, or otherwise cause a contaminant to enter the environment or the human
body and that occurred at a point in time or continue to occur. Activities includes but is not limited to
manufacturing, distributing, using, or selling products.
(c) "Agency" means the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
(d) "Agency action" means
investigating, monitoring, surveying, testing, or other similar action
necessary or appropriate to identify the existence and extent of a release of a
contaminant or threat of a release, the source and nature of the contaminant,
and the extent of danger to the public health or welfare or the environment.
(e) "Biomonitoring" means the
process by which chemicals and their metabolites are identified and measured in
a biospecimen.
(f) "Biospecimen" means a
sample of human fluid, serum, or tissue that is reasonably available as a
medium to measure the presence and concentration of chemicals or their
metabolites in a human body.
(g) "Commissioner" means the
commissioner of the agency.
(h) "Contaminant" means a
substance with a distinct molecular composition or a group of structurally
related substances, including the breakdown products of the substance or
substances that form through decomposition, degradation, or metabolism, that
may:
(1) harm normal development of
a fetus or child or cause other developmental toxicity;
(2) cause cancer, genetic damage, or
reproductive harm;
(3) disrupt the endocrine or hormone
system;
(4) damage the nervous system, immune
system, or organs or cause other systemic toxicity;
(5) be persistent, bioaccumulative, or
toxic; or
(6) be very persistent or very
bioaccumulative.
(i) "Monitoring" means
sampling environmental media and analyzing general and specific data relating
to the presence of contaminants.
(j) "Person" means an
individual, partnership, association, public or private corporation, or other
entity, including the United States government; any association, commission, or
interstate body; the state and any agency, department, or political subdivision
of the state; and any officer or governing or managing body of a municipality,
governmental subdivision, public or private corporation, or other entity.
(k) "Supplier" means a person
who provides goods or services that lead to or are incorporated into a finished
product used in commerce or by consumers.
Subd. 2. Agency
action. The commissioner may
take agency action whenever:
(1) the commissioner detects a contaminant:
(i) during the agency's monitoring of
Minnesota's environment;
(ii) through receipt of environmental
monitoring data from a local, state, or federal agency or nongovernmental
organization in the United States; or
(iii) through receipt of biomonitoring
data of residents of the United States; or
(2) the commissioner has reason to
believe that:
(i) a release of a contaminant has
occurred, is about to occur, or is connected to a person's activities; or
(ii) illness, disease, environmental
harm, or complaints thereof may be attributable to exposure to a contaminant
connected to a person's activities.
Subd. 3. Duty
to provide information. (a)
When requested by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, a person the
commissioner has reason to believe is engaged in activities where agency action
is proposed to be taken must furnish to the commissioner any information that
the person may have or may reasonably obtain that is relevant to the
contaminant under investigation.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
the commissioner may:
(1) request in writing that a person
produce electronic or physical documents, papers, books, or other tangible
items in the possession, custody, or control of the person;
(2) request in writing that a
person provide information submitted to the person from a supplier or within
the supply chain for production of a commercial or consumer good;
(3) examine and copy books, papers,
records, memoranda, and other electronic or physical data of a person who has a
duty to provide information under this subdivision; and
(4) enter upon public or private
property to take an action authorized under this section, including to obtain
information from a person who has a duty to provide the information under this
subdivision and to conduct agency action.
(c) A person must submit requested
information to the commissioner within the time specified in the commissioner's
written request. If a person fails or
refuses to comply with the commissioner's request for information, the
commissioner may petition the district court for an order to compel compliance
with the request or take other enforcement action authorized by law.
Subd. 4. Classifying
data. Except as otherwise
provided in this subdivision, data obtained from a person under this section
are public data as defined in section 13.02.
Upon certification by the subject of the data that the data relate to
sales figures, processes or methods of production unique to that person, or
information that would tend to adversely affect the competitive position of
that person, the commissioner must classify the data as private or nonpublic
data as defined in section 13.02. Notwithstanding
any other law to the contrary, data classified as private or nonpublic under
this subdivision may be disclosed when relevant:
(1) in any proceeding under this
section;
(2)
in further agency actions, including permitting, setting local water quality
standards, or other similar actions; and
(3) to other public agencies involved in
protecting human health, welfare, or the environment.
Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116.11, is amended to read:
116.11
EMERGENCY POWERS.
Subdivision 1. Imminent
and substantial danger. If there
is imminent and substantial danger to the health and welfare of the people of
the state, or of any of them, as a result of the pollution of air, land, or
water, the agency commissioner may by emergency order direct the
immediate discontinuance or abatement of the pollution without notice and
without a hearing or at the request of the agency commissioner,
the attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state in the
appropriate district court for a temporary restraining order to immediately
abate or prevent the pollution. The agency
commissioner's order or temporary restraining order shall remain is
effective until notice, hearing, and determination pursuant to other provisions
of law, or, in the interim, as otherwise ordered. A final order of the agency commissioner
in these cases shall be is appealable in accordance with chapter
14.
Subd. 2. Other
acts of concern. (a) The
commissioner may exercise the authority under paragraph (b) when the
commissioner has evidence of a pattern of behavior that includes any of the
following:
(1) falsification of records;
(2) a history of noncompliance with
schedules of compliance or terms of a stipulation agreement;
(3) chronic or substantial permit
violations; or
(4) operating with or without a permit
where there is evidence of danger to the health or welfare of the people of the
state or evidence of environmental harm.
(b) When the commissioner has
evidence of a pattern of behavior specified in paragraph (a), then regardless
of the presence of imminent and substantial danger, the commissioner may
investigate and may:
(1) exercise emergency powers according
to subdivision 1;
(2) suspend or revoke a permit;
(3) issue an order to cease operation
or activities;
(4) require financial assurances;
(5) reopen and modify a permit to
require additional terms;
(6) require additional agency
oversight; or
(7) pursue other actions deemed
necessary to abate pollution and protect human health.
Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 325E.046, is amended to read:
325E.046
STANDARDS FOR LABELING PLASTIC BAGS, FOOD OR BEVERAGE PRODUCTS, AND
PACKAGING.
Subdivision 1. "Biodegradable"
label. A manufacturer, distributor,
or wholesaler may not sell or offer for sale and any other person may
not knowingly sell or offer for sale in this state a plastic bag covered
product labeled "biodegradable," "degradable," "decomposable,"
or any form of those terms, or in any way imply that the bag covered
product will chemically decompose into innocuous elements in a
reasonably short period of time in a landfill, composting, or other terrestrial
environment unless a scientifically based standard for biodegradability is
developed and the bags are certified as meeting the standard. break
down, fragment, degrade, biodegrade, or decompose in a landfill or other
environment, unless an ASTM standard specification is adopted for the term
claimed and the specification is approved by the legislature.
Subd. 2. "Compostable"
label. (a) A manufacturer,
distributor, or wholesaler may not sell or offer for sale and any other
person may not knowingly sell or offer for sale in this state a plastic
bag covered product labeled "compostable" unless, at the
time of sale or offer for sale, the bag covered product:
(1) meets the ASTM Standard
Specification for Compostable Labeling of Plastics Designed to
be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities (D6400). Each bag must be labeled to reflect that it
meets the standard. For purposes of this
subdivision, "ASTM" has the meaning given in section 296A.01,
subdivision 6., or its successor, or the ASTM Standard Specification for
Labeling of End Items that Incorporate Plastics and Polymers as Coatings or
Additives with Paper and Other Substrates Designed to be Aerobically Composted
in Municipal or Industrial Facilities (D6868), or its successor, and the covered
product is labeled to reflect that it meets the specification;
(2) is comprised of only wood without
any coatings or additives; or
(3) is comprised of only paper without
any coatings or additives.
(b) A covered product labeled
"compostable" and meeting the criteria under paragraph (a) must be
clearly and prominently labeled on the product, or on the product's smallest
unit of sale, to reflect that it is intended for an industrial or commercial compost facility. The label required under this paragraph must
be in a legible text size and font.
Subd. 2a. Certification
of compostable products. Beginning
January 1, 2024, a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler may not sell or
offer for sale and any other person may not knowingly sell or offer for sale in
this state a covered product labeled as "compostable" unless the
covered product is certified as meeting the requirements of subdivision 2 by an
entity that:
(1) is a nonprofit corporation;
(2) as its primary focus of operation,
promotes the production, use, and appropriate end of life for materials and
products that are designed to fully biodegrade in specific biologically active
environments such as industrial composting; and
(3) is technically capable of and
willing to perform analysis necessary to determine a product's compliance with
subdivision 2.
Subd. 3. Enforcement;
civil penalty; injunctive relief. (a)
A manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler person who violates subdivision
1 or 2 this section is subject to a civil or administrative
penalty of $100 for each prepackaged saleable unit sold or offered for
sale up to a maximum of $5,000 and may be enjoined from those violations.
(b) The attorney general may bring an
action in the name of the state in a court of competent jurisdiction for
recovery of civil penalties or for injunctive relief as provided in this
subdivision. The attorney general may
accept an assurance of discontinuance of acts in violation of subdivision 1
or 2 this section in the manner provided in section 8.31,
subdivision 2b.
(c) The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency may enforce this section under sections 115.071 and 116.072.
(d) When requested by the attorney
general or the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, a person selling
or offering for sale a covered product labeled as "compostable" must
furnish to the attorney general or the commissioner any information that the
person may have or may reasonably obtain that is relevant to show compliance
with this section.
Subd. 4. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given:
(1) "ASTM" has the meaning
given in section 296A.01, subdivision 6;
(2) "covered product" means a
bag, food or beverage product, or packaging;
(3) "food or beverage product"
means a product that is used to wrap, package, contain, serve, store, prepare,
or consume a food or beverage, such as plates, bowls, cups, lids, trays,
straws, utensils, and hinged or lidded containers; and
(4) "packaging" has the
meaning given in section 115A.03, subdivision 22b.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2023.
Sec. 42. [325F.075]
FOOD PACKAGING; PFAS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Food package" means a
container applied to or providing a means to market, protect, handle, deliver,
serve, contain, or store a food or beverage.
Food package includes:
(1) a unit package, an
intermediate package, and a shipping container;
(2) unsealed receptacles, such as
carrying cases, crates, cups, plates, bowls, pails, rigid foil and other trays,
wrappers and wrapping films, bags, and tubs; and
(3) an individual assembled part of a
food package, such as any interior or exterior blocking, bracing, cushioning,
weatherproofing, exterior strapping, coatings, closures, inks, and labels.
(c) "Perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substances" or "PFAS" means a class of
fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon
atom.
Subd. 2. Prohibition. No person shall manufacture, knowingly
sell, offer for sale, distribute for sale, distribute, or offer for use in
Minnesota a food package that contains PFAS.
Subd. 3. Enforcement. (a) The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency may enforce this section under sections 115.071 and 116.072. The commissioner may coordinate with the
commissioners of commerce and health in enforcing this section.
(b) When requested by the commissioner
of the Pollution Control Agency, a person must furnish to the commissioner any
information that the person may have or may reasonably obtain that is relevant
to show compliance with this section.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2023.
Sec. 43. POSITION
ESTABLISHED; POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY.
The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency shall establish a new full-time equivalent position of community
liaison, funded through air quality permit fees, as specified in Minnesota
Statutes, section 116.07, subdivision 4d, to conduct the administrative tasks
necessary to successfully implement Minnesota Statutes, section 116.07,
subdivision 4a, and other regulatory activities requiring interaction between
the agency and residents in communities exposed to air pollutants emitted by
facilities permitted by the agency.
Sec. 44. PFAS
WATER QUALITY STANDARDS.
The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency must adopt rules establishing water quality standards for
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The commissioner must adopt the rules
establishing the PFOA and PFOS water quality standards by July 1, 2024, and
Minnesota Statutes, section 14.125, does not apply.
Sec. 45. HEALTH
RISK LIMIT; PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATE.
By July 1, 2023, the commissioner of
health must amend the health risk limit for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in
Minnesota Rules, part 4717.7860, subpart 15, so that the health risk limit does
not exceed 0.015 parts per billion. In
amending the health risk limit for PFOS, the commissioner must comply with
Minnesota Statutes, section 144.0751, requiring a reasonable margin of safety
to adequately protect the health of infants, children, and adults.
Sec. 46. CARPET
STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM; REPORT.
Subdivision 1. Carpet
stewardship program plan. The
commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must develop a plan for
establishing a carpet stewardship program designed to reduce carpet-related
waste generation by promoting the collection and recycling of discarded carpet. The plan must include:
(1) an organizational structure
for the program, including roles for the state, carpet producers, retailers,
collection site operators, and recyclers;
(2) a timeline for implementing the
program;
(3) a fee structure that ensures the
costs of the program are recovered, including recommendations for determining
the amount, methods of collecting the fee, and how fee revenues will be
managed;
(4) a plan for how discarded carpet
will be collected and transported to recyclers in this state;
(5) strategies for improving education
and training of retailers, carpet installers, and collection site operators to
improve the recycling rates of carpet; and
(6) draft legislation necessary for
implementing the plan.
Subd. 2. Task
force; public engagement. (a)
The commissioner must convene a task force to assist with developing the plan
required under subdivision 1. The task
force must include:
(1) one representative of a statewide
association representing retailers;
(2) two representatives of producers;
(3) two representatives of recyclers;
(4) one representative of statewide
associations representing waste disposal companies;
(5) one representative of an environmental
organization;
(6) one representative of county or
municipal waste management programs;
(7) two representatives of companies
that use discarded carpet to manufacture products other than new carpet;
(8) one representative of carpet
installers; and
(9) two members of the general public.
(b) Members of the task force must not
be registered lobbyists.
(c) The commissioner must provide
opportunities for the public to provide input on the program.
Subd. 3. Report. The commissioner must submit a report
with the plan required under this section to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over the
environment by January 15, 2022.
Sec. 47. SEED
DISPOSAL RULEMAKING REQUIRED.
The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency, in consultation with the commissioner of agriculture and the
University of Minnesota, must adopt rules under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14,
providing for the safe and lawful disposal of unwanted or unused seed that is treated
or coated with pesticide. The rules must
clearly identify the regulatory jurisdiction of state agencies and local
governments with regard to such seed.
Sec. 48. REPEALER.
(a) Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
115.44, subdivision 9; 115B.48, subdivision 8; and 115C.13, are repealed.
(b) Minnesota Rules, part 7044.0350, is
repealed.
ARTICLE 5
NATURAL RESOURCES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 16B.335, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Other
projects. All other capital projects
for which a specific appropriation is made must not proceed until the recipient
undertaking the project has notified the chairs and ranking minority members of
the senate Capital Investment and Finance Committees and the house of
representatives Capital Investment and Ways and Means Committees that the work
is ready to begin. Notice is not
required for:
(1) capital projects needed to comply
with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for;
(2) asset preservation projects to
which section 16B.307 applies, or for;
(3) projects funded by an agency's operating budget; or
(4) projects funded by a capital
asset preservation and replacement account under section 16A.632, or a
higher education asset preservation and replacement account under section
135A.046, or a natural resources asset preservation and replacement account
under section 84.946.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Certifiable diseases. "Certifiable diseases" includes any of the following expressed as clinical symptoms or based on the presence of the pathogen: channel catfish virus, Renibacterium salmoninarum (bacterial kidney disease), Aeromonas salmonicida (bacterial furunculosis), Yersinia ruckeri (enteric redmouth disease), Edwardsiella ictaluri (enteric septicemia of catfish), infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease), Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (proliferative kidney disease), viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, epizootic epitheliotropic virus, Ceratomyxa shasta (ceratomyxosis), and any emergency fish disease.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Containment
facility. "Containment
facility" means a licensed facility for salmonids, catfish, or species on
the viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) susceptible list published by the
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Services, VHS-susceptible-species list that complies with clauses
(1), (3), and (4), or clauses (2), (3), and (4):
(1) disinfects its effluent to the standards in section 17.4991 before the effluent is discharged to public waters;
(2) does not discharge to public waters or to waters of the state directly connected to public waters;
(3) raises aquatic life that is prohibited from being released into the wild and must be kept in a facility approved by the commissioner unless processed for food consumption;
(4) contains aquatic life requiring a fish health inspection prior to transportation.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9. Emergency fish disease. "Emergency fish disease" means designated fish diseases or pathogens not already present in this state that could impact populations of aquatic life if inadvertently released by infected aquatic life, including channel catfish virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, whirling disease, ceratomyxosis, proliferative kidney disease, and epizootic epitheliotropic virus disease.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Fish health inspection. (a) "Fish health inspection" means an on-site, statistically based sampling, collection, and testing of fish in accordance with processes in the Fish Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases, published by the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) to test for causative pathogens. The samples for inspection must be collected by a fish health inspector or a fish collector in cooperation with the producer. Testing of samples must be done by an approved laboratory.
(b) The inspection for viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN), and infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) in salmonids and for VHS in nonsalmonids must include at a minimum viral testing of ovarian fluids at the 95 percent confidence level of detecting two percent incidence of disease.
(c) The inspection for certifiable diseases and pathogens for wild fish must follow the guidelines of the Fish Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 21a. VHS-susceptible
species. "VHS-susceptible
species" are aquatic species that are natural hosts for viral hemorrhagic
septicemia according to the Fish Health Blue Book or the book's successor.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4982, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 21b. VHS-susceptible-species
list. "VHS-susceptible-species
list" is the VHS-susceptible species listed in the Fish Health Blue Book
that are found in or that can survive in the Great Lakes region.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4985, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Bill of lading. (a) A state-issued bill of lading is required for:
(1) intrastate transportation of aquatic
life other than salmonids, catfish, or species on the official list of viral
hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species published by the United States
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list between licensed private fish hatcheries, aquatic farms, or aquarium
facilities licensed for the species being transported if the aquatic life is
being transported into a watershed where it is not currently present, if
walleyes whose original source is south of marked State Highway 210 are being
transported to a facility north of marked State Highway 210, or if the original
source of the aquatic life is outside Minnesota and contiguous states; and
(2) stocking of waters other than
public waters with aquatic life other than salmonids, catfish, or species on
the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species
published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Services VHS-susceptible-species list.
(b) When aquatic life is transported under paragraph (a), a copy of the bill of lading must be submitted to the regional fisheries manager at least 72 hours before the transportation.
(c) For transportation and stocking of waters that are not public waters:
(1) a bill of lading must be submitted to the regional fisheries manager 72 hours before transporting fish for stocking;
(2) a bill of lading must be submitted to the regional fisheries manager within five days after stocking if the waters to be stocked are confirmed by telecopy or telephone prior to stocking by the regional fisheries office not to be public waters; or
(3) a completed bill of lading may be submitted to the regional fisheries office by telecopy prior to transporting fish for stocking. Confirmation that the waters to be stocked are not public waters may be made by returning the bill of lading by telecopy or in writing, in which cases additional copies need not be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources.
(d) Bill of lading forms may only be issued by the Department of Natural Resources in St. Paul, and new bill of lading forms may not be issued until all previously issued forms have been returned.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4985, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Exemptions
for transportation permits and bills of lading.
(a) A state-issued bill of lading or transportation permit is not
required by an aquatic farm licensee for importation of importing
animals not on the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible
species published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Services; transportation of VHS-susceptible-species
list, transporting animals not on the official list of viral hemorrhagic
septicemia susceptible species published by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services; or export for VHS‑susceptible-species
list, or exporting the following:
(1) minnows taken under an aquatic farm license in this state and transported intrastate;
(2) aquarium or ornamental fish including goldfish and tropical, subtropical, and saltwater species that cannot survive in the waters of the state, which may be imported or transported if accompanied by shipping documents;
(3) fish or fish eggs that have been processed for use as food, bait, or other purposes unrelated to fish propagation;
(4) live fish from a licensed aquatic farm, which may be transported directly to an outlet for processing or for other food purposes if accompanied by shipping documents;
(5) fish being exported if accompanied by shipping documents;
(6) sucker eggs, sucker fry, or fathead
minnows transported intrastate for bait propagation or feeding of cultural
aquatic life, except that if either species becomes listed on the official
list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species published by the
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Services VHS-susceptible-species list, then a transportation permit
is required;
(7) species of fish that are found within the state used in connection with public shows, exhibits, demonstrations, or fishing pools for periods not exceeding 14 days;
(8) fish being transported through the state if accompanied by shipping documents; or
(9)
intrastate transportation of aquatic life between or within licensed private
fish hatcheries, aquatic farms, or aquarium facilities licensed for the species
being transported, except where required in subdivision 2 and except that
salmonids, catfish, or species on the official list of viral hemorrhagic
septicemia susceptible species published by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list may only be transferred or transported intrastate without a
transportation permit if they had no record of bacterial kidney disease or
viral hemorrhagic septicemia at the time they were imported into the state and
if they have had a fish health inspection within the preceding year that has
shown no certifiable diseases to be present.
Aquatic life being transferred between
licensed private fish hatcheries, aquatic farms, or aquarium facilities must be
accompanied by shipping documents and salmonids, catfish, or species on the official
list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species published by the
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Services, VHS-susceptible-species list being transferred or
transported intrastate without a transportation permit must be accompanied by a
copy of their most recent fish health inspection.
(b) Shipping documents required under paragraph (a) must show the place of origin, owner or consignee, destination, number, and species.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4985, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Permit
application. An application for a
transportation permit must be made on forms provided by the commissioner. An incomplete application must be rejected. An application for a transportation permit
for salmonids, catfish, or species on the official list of viral hemorrhagic
septicemia susceptible species published by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list; their eggs,; or their sperm must be accompanied
by certification that the source of the eggs or sperm are free of certifiable
diseases, except that eggs with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or
furunculosis may be imported, transported, or stocked following treatment
approved by the commissioner, and fish with bacterial kidney disease or viral
hemorrhagic septicemia may be imported, transported, or stocked into areas
where the disease has been identified as being present. A copy of the transportation permit showing
the date of certification inspection must accompany the shipment of fish while
in transit and must be available for inspection by the commissioner. By 14 days after a completed application
is received, the commissioner must approve or deny the importation permits as
provided in this section.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4986, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Licensed facilities. (a) The commissioner shall issue transportation permits to import:
(1) indigenous and naturalized species
except trout, salmon, catfish, or species on the official list of viral
hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species published by the United States
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list and sperm from any source to a standard facility;
(2) trout, salmon, catfish, or species on
the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species
published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Services, VHS‑susceptible-species list from a
nonemergency enzootic disease area to a containment facility if the fish are
certified within the previous year to be free of certifiable diseases, except
that eggs with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis may be
imported following treatment approved by the commissioner, and fish with
bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia may be imported into
areas where the disease has been identified as being present; and
(3) trout, salmon, catfish, or species on
the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species
published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Services, VHS‑susceptible-species list from
a facility in a nonemergency enzootic disease area with a disease-free history
of
three years or more to a standard facility, except that eggs with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis may be imported following treatment approved by the commissioner, and fish with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia may be imported into areas where the disease has been identified as being present.
(b) If a source facility in a nonemergency enzootic disease area cannot demonstrate a history free from disease, aquatic life may only be imported into a quarantine facility.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4986, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Disease-free
history. Disease-free histories
required under this section must include the results of a fish health
inspection. When disease-free histories
of more than one year are required for importing salmonids, catfish, or species
on the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species
published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Services VHS-susceptible-species list, the disease
history must be of consecutive years that include the year previous to, or the
year of, the transportation request.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4991, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Fish
health inspection. (a) An aquatic
farm propagating salmonids, catfish, or species on the viral hemorrhagic
septicemia (VHS) susceptible list published by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list and having an effluent discharge from the aquatic farm into public
waters must have a fish health inspection conducted at least once every 12
months by a certified fish health inspector.
Testing must be conducted according to laboratory methods of the Fish
Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases,
published by the International Office of Epizootics (OIE).
(b) An aquatic farm propagating any species on the VHS susceptible list and having an effluent discharge from the aquatic farm into public waters must test for VHS virus using the guidelines of the Fish Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases. The commissioner may, by written order published in the State Register, prescribe alternative testing time periods and methods from those prescribed in the Fish Health Blue Book or the OIE Diagnostic Manual if the commissioner determines that biosecurity measures will not be compromised. These alternatives are not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply. The commissioner must provide reasonable notice to affected parties of any changes in testing requirements.
(c) Results of fish health inspections must be provided to the commissioner for all fish that remain in the state. All data used to prepare and issue a fish health certificate must be maintained for three years by the issuing fish health inspector, approved laboratory, or accredited veterinarian.
(d) A health inspection fee must be charged based on each lot of fish sampled. The fee by check or money order payable to the Department of Natural Resources must be prepaid or paid at the time a bill or notice is received from the commissioner that the inspection and processing of samples is completed.
(e) Upon receipt of payment and completion of inspection, the commissioner shall notify the operator and issue a fish health certificate. The certification must be made according to the Fish Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases by a person certified as a fish health inspector.
(f) All aquatic life in transit or held at transfer stations within the state may be inspected by the commissioner. This inspection may include the collection of stock for purposes of pathological analysis. Sample size necessary for analysis will follow guidelines listed in the Fish Health Blue Book or the Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases.
(g) Salmonids, catfish, or species on the VHS susceptible list must have a fish health inspection before being transported from a containment facility, unless the fish are being transported directly to an outlet for processing or other food purposes or unless the commissioner determines that an inspection is not needed. A fish health inspection conducted for this purpose need only be done on the lot or lots of fish that will be transported. The commissioner must conduct a fish health inspection requested for this purpose within five working days of receiving written notice. Salmonids and catfish may be immediately transported from a containment facility to another containment facility once a sample has been obtained for a health inspection or once the five-day notice period has expired.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4992, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Restriction
on the sale of fish. (a) Except as
provided in paragraph (b), species on the official list of viral hemorrhagic
septicemia susceptible species published by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, VHS-susceptible-species
list must be free of viral hemorrhagic septicemia and species of the family
salmonidae or ictaluridae, except bullheads, must be free of certifiable
diseases if sold for stocking or transfer to another aquatic farm.
(b) The following exceptions apply to paragraph (a):
(1) eggs with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis may be transferred between licensed facilities or stocked following treatment approved by the commissioner;
(2) fish with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia may be transferred between licensed facilities or stocked in areas where the disease has been identified as being present; and
(3) the commissioner may allow transfer between licensed facilities or stocking of fish with enteric redmouth or furunculosis when the commissioner determines that doing so would pose no threat to the state's aquatic resources.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 17.4993, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Taking
from public waters. (a) Under an
aquatic farm license, a licensee may only take minnow sperm, minnow
eggs, and live minnows for aquatic farm purposes from public waters that
have a water body if:
(1) the water body has been tested
for viral hemorrhagic septicemia when and the testing indicates
the disease is not present; or
(2) the water body is located within a viral hemorrhagic septicemia-free zone posted on the Department of Natural Resources website.
(b) A licensee may take sucker eggs and sperm only in approved waters with a sucker egg license endorsement as provided by section 17.4994.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 18B.09, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Authority. (a) Statutory and home rule
charter cities may enact an ordinance, which may include penalty and
enforcement provisions, containing one or both of the following:
(1) the pesticide application
warning information contained in subdivision 3, including their own
licensing, penalty, and enforcement provisions.; and
(2) the pesticide prohibition contained
in subdivision 4.
(b) Statutory and home rule
charter cities may not enact an ordinance that contains more restrictive
pesticide application warning information than is contained that
which is provided in subdivision subdivisions 3 and 4.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 18B.09, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Application
of certain pesticides prohibited. (a)
A person may not apply or use a pollinator-lethal pesticide within the
geographic boundaries of a city that has enacted an ordinance under subdivision
2 prohibiting such use.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision,
"pollinator-lethal pesticide" means a pesticide that has a pollinator
protection box on the label or labeling or a pollinator, bee, or honey bee
precautionary statement in the environmental hazards section of the label or
labeling.
(c) This subdivision does not apply to:
(1) pet care products used to mitigate
fleas, mites, ticks, heartworms, or other animals that are harmful to the health
of a domesticated animal;
(2) personal care products used to
mitigate lice and bedbugs;
(3) indoor pest control products used
to mitigate insects indoors, including ant bait;
(4) a pesticide as used or applied by
the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District for public health protection if the
pesticide has a vector disease control label; and
(5) a pesticide-treated wood product.
(d) The commissioner must maintain a
list of pollinator-lethal pesticides on the department's website.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.027, subdivision 13a, is amended to read:
Subd. 13a. Game
and fish Natural resources expedited permanent rules. (a) In addition to the authority granted
in subdivision 13, the commissioner of natural resources may adopt rules under
section 14.389 that are authorized under:
(1) chapters 97A, 97B, and 97C to describe
zone or permit area boundaries, to designate fish spawning beds or fish
preserves, to select hunters or anglers for areas, to provide for registration
of game or fish, to prevent or control wildlife disease, or to correct errors
or omissions in rules that do not have a substantive effect on the intent or
application of the original rule; or
(2) section 84D.12 to designate prohibited
invasive species, regulated invasive species, and unregulated nonnative species.;
or
(3) section 116G.15 to change the
placement and boundaries of land use districts established in the Mississippi
River Corridor Critical Area.
(b) The commissioner of natural resources may adopt rules under section 14.389 that are authorized under chapters 97A, 97B, and 97C, for purposes in addition to those listed in paragraph (a), clause (1), subject to the notice and public hearing provisions of section 14.389, subdivision 5.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.027, subdivision 18, is amended to read:
Subd. 18. Permanent
school fund authority; reporting. (a)
The commissioner of natural resources has the authority and responsibility to
administer school trust lands under sections 92.122 and 127A.31. The commissioner shall biannually biennially
report to the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission and the legislature
on the management of the school trust lands that shows how the commissioner has
and will continue to achieve the following goals:
(1) manage the school trust lands efficiently and in a manner that reflects the undivided loyalty to the beneficiaries consistent with the commissioner's fiduciary duties;
(2) reduce the management expenditures of school trust lands and maximize the revenues deposited in the permanent school trust fund;
(3) manage the sale, exchange, and commercial leasing of school trust lands, requiring returns of not less than fair market value, to maximize the revenues deposited in the permanent school trust fund and retain the value from the long-term appreciation of the school trust lands;
(4) manage the school trust lands to maximize the long-term economic return for the permanent school trust fund while maintaining sound natural resource conservation and management principles;
(5) optimize school trust land revenues and maximize the value of the trust consistent with balancing short-term and long-term interests, so that long-term benefits are not lost in an effort to maximize short-term gains; and
(6) maintain the integrity of the trust and prevent the misapplication of its lands and its revenues.
(b) When the commissioner finds an irresolvable conflict between maximizing the long-term economic return and protecting natural resources and recreational values on school trust lands, the commissioner shall give precedence to the long-term economic return in managing school trust lands. By July 1, 2018, the permanent school fund must be compensated for all school trust lands included under a designation or policy provision that prohibits long-term economic return. The commissioner shall submit recommendations to the appropriate legislative committees and divisions on methods of funding for the compensation required under this paragraph, including recommendations for appropriations from the general fund, nongeneral funds, and the state bond fund. Any uncompensated designation or policy provision restrictions on the long-term economic return on school trust lands remaining after July 1, 2018, must be compiled and submitted to the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission for review.
(c) By December 31, 2013, the report required under paragraph (a) must provide an inventory and identification of all school trust lands that are included under a designation or policy provision that prohibits long-term economic return. The report must include a plan to compensate the permanent school fund through the purchase or exchange of the lands or a plan to manage the school trust land to generate long-term economic return to the permanent school fund. Subsequent reports under paragraph (a) must include a status report of the commissioner's progress in maximizing the long-term economic return on lands identified in the 2013 report.
(d) When management practices, policies, or designations by the commissioner diminish or prohibit the long‑term economic return on school trust land, the conflict must be resolved as provided in section 92.122.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.66, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Purpose. The Minnesota forests for the future program identifies and protects private, working forest lands for their timber, scenic, recreational, fish and wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species, natural carbon sequestration, and other cultural and environmental values.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.66, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Establishment. The commissioner of natural resources shall establish and administer a Minnesota forests for the future program. Land selected for inclusion in the program shall be evaluated on the land's potential for:
(1) producing timber and other forest products;
(2) maintaining forest landscapes;
(3) providing public recreation; and
(4) providing ecological, fish and wildlife habitat, natural carbon sequestration, and other cultural and environmental values and values consistent with working forest lands.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.82, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. General
requirements. A person may not
operate or transport a snowmobile unless the snowmobile has been
registered under this section. A person
may not sell a snowmobile without furnishing the buyer a bill of sale on a form
prescribed by the commissioner.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.82, subdivision 7a, is amended to read:
Subd. 7a. Collector
snowmobiles; limited use. The
commissioner may issue a special permit to a person or organization to operate or
transport a collector snowmobile without registration in parades or
organized group outings, such as races, rallies, and other promotional events
and for up to ten days each year for personal transportation. The commissioner may impose a reasonable
restriction on a permittee and may revoke, amend, suspend, or modify a permit
for cause.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.92, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. All-terrain
vehicle or vehicle. "All-terrain
vehicle" or "vehicle" means a motorized vehicle with: (1) not less than three, but not more than
six low pressure or non-pneumatic tires; (2) a total dry weight of 2,000
pounds or less; and (3) a total width from outside of tire rim to outside of
tire rim that is 65 inches or less. All-terrain
vehicle includes a class 1 all-terrain vehicle and class 2 all-terrain vehicle. All-terrain vehicle does not include a golf
cart, mini-truck, dune buggy, or go-cart or a vehicle designed and used
specifically for lawn maintenance, agriculture, logging, or mining purposes.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.943, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Appropriations
matched by private funds. (a)
Appropriations transferred to the critical habitat private sector matching
account and money credited to the account under section 168.1296, subdivision
5, may be expended only to the extent that they are matched equally with
contributions from private sources or by funds contributed to the nongame
wildlife management account. The private
contributions may be made in cash, property, land, or interests in land. Appropriations transferred to the account
that are not matched within three years from the date of the appropriation
shall cancel to the source of the appropriation. For the purposes of this section, the private
contributions of property, land, or interests in land that are retained by the
commissioner shall be valued in accordance with their appraised value.
(b) Except as provided under paragraph
(c), for every dollar used as a match under paragraph (a), the commissioner may
expend up to $2 from the account for the purposes described in subdivision 6.
(c) The commissioner may spend
up to $2.50 from the account for every dollar used as a match under paragraph
(a)
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.943, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Pledges and contributions. (a) The commissioner of natural resources may accept contributions and pledges to the critical habitat private sector matching account. A pledge that is made contingent on an appropriation is acceptable and shall be reported with other pledges as required in this section. The commissioner may agree to match a contribution contingent on a future appropriation. In the budget request for each biennium, the commissioner shall report the balance of contributions in the account and the amount that has been pledged for payment in the succeeding two calendar years.
(b) Money in the account is appropriated
to the commissioner of natural resources only for the direct acquisition or
improvement of land or interests in land as provided in section 84.944. To the extent of available appropriations
other than bond proceeds, the money matched to the nongame wildlife management
account may be used for the management of nongame wildlife projects as
specified in section 290.431. Acquisition
includes:
(1) purchase of land or an interest in
land by the commissioner; or
(2) acceptance by the commissioner of
gifts of land or interests in land as program projects.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.943, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 6. Expenditures. Money in the account is appropriated
to the commissioner and may be expended only as follows:
(1) revenue from license plates
depicting big game, turkey, or pheasant or license plates not otherwise
specified under this subdivision must be used to:
(i) purchase land or an interest in
land;
(ii) inventory and monitor lands
acquired under this section; or
(iii) accept gifts of land or interests
in land as program projects;
(2) revenue from license plates
depicting a loon, chickadee, or lady slipper must be used in addition to
appropriations from the nongame wildlife management account for the purposes
specified in section 290.431;
(3) revenue from license plates
depicting anglers or fish must be used for aquatic management area purposes
under section 86A.05, subdivision 14, including acquisition, development, and
restoration;
(4) revenue from license plates
depicting bees or other pollinators must be transferred to the Board of Water
and Soil Resources for grants or payments under section 103B.104; and
(5) private contributions and other
revenue must be used for the purposes under clause (1), unless specified for
another purpose under this subdivision by the donor.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.943, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7. Report. By January 15, 2024, and every two
years thereafter, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees
and divisions with jurisdiction over the environment and natural resources on
the expenditure of money from the critical habitat private sector matching
account and the nongame wildlife management account during the previous
biennium.
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.946, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Priorities;
report. The commissioner of natural
resources must establish priorities for natural resource asset preservation and
replacement projects. By January 15
March 1 each year, the commissioner must submit to the commissioner of
management and budget a list of the projects that have been paid for with money
from a natural resource asset preservation and replacement appropriation during
the preceding calendar year.
Sec. 30. [84.9735]
INSECTICIDES ON STATE LANDS.
A person may not use a product
containing an insecticide in a wildlife management area, state park, state
forest, aquatic management area, or scientific and natural area if the
insecticide is from the neonicotinoid class of insecticides or contains
chlorpyrifos.
Sec. 31. [84.9765]
OUTDOOR ENGAGEMENT GRANT ACCOUNT.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. The outdoor engagement grant account
is established as an account in the natural resources fund. The purpose of the account is to provide
funding from private sources to support the no child left inside grant program
under section 84.976.
Subd. 2. Funding
sources. Appropriations, gifts,
grants, and other contributions to the outdoor engagement grant account must be
credited to the account. All interest
and other earnings on money in the account must be credited to the account.
Subd. 3. Appropriation;
expenditures. Money in the account
is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources and may be used only
for grants under section 84.976.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84D.02, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Management
plan. By December 31, 2021, and
every five years thereafter, the commissioner shall must
prepare and maintain a long-term plan, which may include specific plans
for individual species and actions, for the statewide management of invasive
species of aquatic plants and wild animals.
The plan must address:
(1) coordinated detection and prevention of accidental introductions;
(2) coordinated dissemination of information about invasive species of aquatic plants and wild animals among resource management agencies and organizations;
(3) a coordinated public education and awareness campaign;
(4) coordinated control of selected invasive species of aquatic plants and wild animals on lands and public waters;
(5) participation by lake associations, local citizen groups, and local units of government in the development and implementation of local management efforts;
(6) a reasonable and workable inspection requirement for watercraft and equipment including those participating in organized events on the waters of the state;
(7) the closing of points of access to infested waters, if the commissioner determines it is necessary, for a total of not more than seven days during the open water season for control or eradication purposes;
(8) maintaining public accesses on infested
waters to be reasonably free of aquatic macrophytes; and
(9) notice to travelers of the
penalties for violation of laws relating to invasive species of aquatic plants
and wild animals; and
(10) the impacts of climate change on invasive species management.
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84D.11, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. Permit
for invasive carp. The commissioner
may issue a permit to departmental divisions for tagging bighead, black, grass,
or silver carp for research or control. Under
the permit, the carp may be released into the water body from which the carp
was captured. This subdivision
expires December 31, 2021.
Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84D.15, is amended to read:
84D.15
INVASIVE SPECIES ACCOUNT ACCOUNTS.
Subdivision 1. Creation. The invasive species account is and
the invasive species research account are created in the state treasury in
the natural resources fund.
Subd. 2.
Receipts. (a) Money received from surcharges
on watercraft licenses under section 86B.415, subdivision 7, civil
penalties under section 84D.13, and service provider permits under
section 84D.108, must be deposited in the invasive species account. Each year, the commissioner of management and
budget must transfer from the game and fish fund to the invasive species
account, the annual surcharge collected on nonresident fishing licenses under
section 97A.475, subdivision 7, paragraph (b).
Each fiscal year, the commissioner of management and budget shall
transfer $375,000 from the water recreation account under section 86B.706 to
the invasive species account.
(b) Money received from surcharges on
watercraft licenses under section 86B.415, subdivision 7, paragraph (a), must
be deposited as follows:
(1) $21 from each surcharge must be
deposited in the invasive species account; and
(2) $4 from each surcharge must be
deposited in the invasive species research account.
(c) Money received from surcharges on
watercraft licenses under section 86B.415, subdivision 7, paragraph (b), must
be deposited in the invasive species research account.
Subd. 3.
Use of money in invasive
species account. Money credited
to the invasive species account in subdivision 2 shall must be
used for management of invasive species and implementation of this chapter as
it pertains to invasive species, including control, public awareness, law
enforcement, assessment and monitoring, management planning, habitat
improvements, and research. Of the
money credited to the account, at least $2 from each surcharge on watercraft
licenses under section 86B.415, subdivision 7, paragraph (a), must be used for
grants to lake associations to manage aquatic invasive plant species.
Subd. 4. Use
of money in invasive species research account. Money credited to the invasive species
research account under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), must be used for grants to
the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota Aquatic
Invasive Species Research Center to research aquatic invasive species.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.015, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Luce
Line Trail, Hennepin, McLeod, and Meeker Counties. (a) The trail shall originate at Gleason
Lake in Plymouth Village, Hennepin County, and shall follow the route of
the Chicago Northwestern Railroad, and include a connection to Greenleaf
Lake State Recreation Area.
(b) The trail shall be developed for multiuse wherever feasible. The department shall cooperate in maintaining its integrity for modes of use consistent with local ordinances.
(c) In establishing, developing, maintaining, and operating the trail, the commissioner shall cooperate with local units of government and private individuals and groups. Before acquiring any parcel of land for the trail, the commissioner of natural resources shall develop a management program for the parcel and conduct a public hearing on the proposed management program in the vicinity of the parcel to be acquired. The management program of the commissioner shall include but not be limited to the following: (a) fencing of portions of the trail where necessary to protect adjoining landowners; and (b) the maintenance of the trail in a litter free condition to the extent practicable.
(d) The commissioner shall not acquire any of the right-of-way of the Chicago Northwestern Railway Company until the abandonment of the line described in this subdivision has been approved by the Surface Transportation Board or the former Interstate Commerce Commission. Compensation, in addition to the value of the land, shall include improvements made by the railroad, including but not limited to, bridges, trestles, public road crossings, or any portion thereof, it being the desire of the railroad that such improvements be included in the conveyance. The fair market value of the land and improvements shall be recommended by two independent appraisers mutually agreed upon by the parties. The fair market value thus recommended shall be reviewed by a review appraiser agreed to by the parties, and the fair market value thus determined, and supported by appraisals, may be the purchase price. The commissioner may exchange lands with landowners abutting the right-of-way described in this section to eliminate diagonally shaped separate fields.
Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.019, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 6. Administering
grants. Up to 2.5 percent of
appropriations for grants under this section from revenue deposited in the
natural resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph
(h), clause (4), may be used by the commissioner for the actual costs of
administering the grants.
Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.052, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Authority to establish. (a) The commissioner may establish, by written order, provisions for the use of state parks for the following:
(1) special parking space for automobiles or other motor-driven vehicles in a state park or state recreation area;
(2) special parking spurs, campgrounds for automobiles, sites for tent camping, other types of lodging, camping, or day use facilities, and special auto trailer coach parking spaces, for the use of the individual charged for the space or facility;
(3) improvement and maintenance of golf
courses already established in state parks, and charging reasonable use fees;
and
(4) (3) providing water, sewer, and electric
service to trailer or tent campsites and charging a reasonable use fee.;
and
(4) administrative penalties related to
courtesy warnings and letters issued for failure to display a state park permit
as required under section 85.053, subdivision 2.
(b) Provisions established under paragraph (a) are exempt from section 16A.1283 and the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14. Section 14.386 does not apply.
(c) For the purposes of this subdivision, "lodging" means an enclosed shelter, room, or building with furnishings for overnight use.
Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.052, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. State
park pageants special events.
(a) The commissioner may stage state park pageants special
events in a state park, municipal park, or on other land near or adjoining
a state park and charge an entrance or use fee for the pageant special
event. All receipts from the pageants
special events must be used in the same manner as though the pageants
special events were conducted in a state park.
(b) The commissioner may establish, by
written order, state park pageant special event areas to hold
historical or other pageants special events conducted by the
commissioner of a state agency or other public agency. Establishment of the areas is exempt from the
rulemaking provisions of chapter 14, and section 14.386 does not apply.
Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.052, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. State park reservation system. (a) The commissioner may, by written order, develop reasonable reservation policies for campsites and other lodging. These policies are exempt from rulemaking provisions under chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply.
(b) The revenue collected from the state park reservation fee established under subdivision 5, including interest earned, shall be deposited in the state park account in the natural resources fund and is annually appropriated to the commissioner for the cost of operating the state park reservation and point-of-sale system.
Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.052, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7. Special-use
permits. The commissioner
may, by written order, develop reasonable policies for special-use permits to
use state parks, state recreation areas, and state waysides. These policies are exempt from rulemaking
provisions under chapter 14, and section 14.386 does not apply.
Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.053, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Requirement. Except as provided in section 85.054, a
motor vehicle may not enter a state park, state recreation area, or state
wayside over 50 acres in area, without a state park permit issued under this
section or a state parks and trails plate
issued under section 168.1295. Except
for vehicles permitted under subdivisions 7, paragraph (a), clause (2),
and 8, the state park permit must be affixed to the lower right corner
windshield of the motor vehicle and must be completely affixed by its own
adhesive to the windshield, or the commissioner may, by written order, provide
an alternative means to display and validate state park permits. A motor vehicle owner or lessee is
responsible for ensuring the owner's or lessee's vehicle has a state park
permit, and the commissioner may issue warnings and citations under section
84.0835 to the owner or lessee of a vehicle not in compliance.
Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.053, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 5a. Free
permit; members of federally recognized Tribes. (a) The commissioner must issue an
annual state park permit for no charge to any member of the 11 federally
recognized Tribes in Minnesota. To
qualify for a free state park permit under this subdivision, an individual must
present a qualifying Tribal identification, as determined by each of the Tribal
governments, to the park attendant on duty or other designee of the
commissioner.
(b) For vehicles permitted under
paragraph (a), the permit issued under this subdivision is valid only when
displayed on a vehicle owned and occupied by the person to whom the permit is
issued.
(c) The commissioner may issue a daily
state park permit free of charge to an individual who qualifies under paragraph
(a) and does not own or operate a motor vehicle.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective January 1, 2022.
Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.054, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. State
Park Open House Days. (a) A state
park permit is not required for a motor vehicle to enter a state park, state
monument, state recreation area, or state wayside, on four days each calendar
year at each park, which the commissioner shall designate as State Park Open
House Days. The commissioner may
designate two consecutive days as State Park Open House Days, if the open house
is held in conjunction with a special pageant event described in
section 85.052, subdivision 2.
(b) The commissioner shall announce the date of each State Park Open House Day at least 30 days in advance of the date it occurs.
(c) The purpose of State Park Open House Days is to acquaint the public with state parks, recreation areas, and waysides.
(d) On State Park Open House Days,
registered overnight guests in state parks and state recreation areas are
exempt from the requirements for a state park permit under section 85.053 until
after the camping or lodging check‑out time of the following day in the
park where the overnight stay occurred.
Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.055, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Fees. (a) The fee for state park permits for:
(1) an annual use of state parks is $35
$45;
(2) a second or subsequent vehicle state
park permit is $26 $35;
(3) a state park permit valid for one day
is $7 $10;
(4) a daily vehicle state park permit for
groups is $5 $8;
(5) an annual permit for motorcycles is $30
$40;
(6) an employee's state park permit is without charge; and
(7) a state park permit for persons with
disabilities under section 85.053, subdivision 7, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to
(3), is $12 $20.
(b) The fees specified in this subdivision include any sales tax required by state law.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2022.
Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.43, is amended to read:
85.43
DISPOSITION OF RECEIPTS; PURPOSE.
(a) Fees from cross-country-ski
passes shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to a cross-country-ski
account in the natural resources fund and, except for the electronic licensing
system commission established by the commissioner under section 84.027,
subdivision 15, are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources for the
following purposes:
(1) grants-in-aid for cross-country-ski trails to:
(i) counties and municipalities for construction and maintenance of cross-country-ski trails; and
(ii) special park districts as provided in
section 85.44 for construction and maintenance of cross-country-ski trails; and
(2) administration of administering
the cross-country-ski trail grant-in-aid program.; and
(3) developing and maintaining state
cross-country-ski trails.
(b) Development and maintenance of
state cross-country-ski trails are eligible for funding from the cross‑country-ski
account if the money is appropriated by law.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective retroactively from July 1, 2019.
Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 85.47, is amended to read:
85.47
SPECIAL USE SPECIAL-USE PERMITS; FEES.
Subdivision 1. Special-use
permits. The commissioner
may, by written order, develop reasonable policies for special-use permits to
use state trails and state water access sites.
The policies are exempt from rulemaking provisions under chapter 14, and
section 14.386 does not apply.
Subd. 2. Disposition
of fees. Fees collected for special
use special-use permits to use state trails and state water
access sites not on state forest, state park, or state recreation area
lands and for use of state water access sites must be deposited in the
natural resources fund and are appropriated to the commissioner of natural
resources for operating and maintaining state trails and water access sites.
Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Watercraft
19 feet or less. (a) Except as
provided in paragraph (b) and subdivision subdivisions 1a and
4, the fee for a watercraft license for watercraft 19 feet or less in
length is $27 $39.
(b) The watercraft license fee fees
for the specified watercraft are as follows:
(1) for watercraft, other than personal
watercraft, 19 feet in length or less that is offered for rent or lease, the
fee is $9 $13;
(2) for a sailboat, 19 feet in length or
less, the fee is $10.50 $15.25;
(3) for a watercraft 19 feet in length or
less used by a nonprofit corporation for teaching boat and water safety, the fee
is fees are as provided in subdivision 4;
(4) for a watercraft owned by a dealer under a dealer's license, the fee is as provided in subdivision 5;
(5) for a personal watercraft, the fee is $37.50
$54.50, except for a personal watercraft that is offered for rent or lease
according to section 86B.313, subdivision 4, the fee is $47; and
(6)
for a watercraft less than 17 feet in length, other than a watercraft listed in
clauses (1) to (5), the fee is $18 $26.
Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. Canoes,
kayaks, sailboards, paddleboards, paddleboats, or rowing shells. Except as provided under subdivision
4, the fee for a watercraft license for a canoe, kayak, sailboard,
paddleboard, paddleboat, or rowing shell over ten feet in length is $10.50
$15.25.
Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Watercraft over 19 feet. Except as provided in subdivisions 1a, 3, 4, and 5, the watercraft license fee:
(1) for a watercraft more than 19 feet but
less than 26 feet in length is $45 $65.25;
(2) for a watercraft 26 feet but less than
40 feet in length is $67.50 $98; and
(3) for a watercraft 40 feet in length or
longer is $90 $130.50.
Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Watercraft
over 19 feet for hire. Except as
provided under subdivision 4, the license fee for a watercraft more than 19
feet in length for hire with an operator is $75 $108.75 each.
Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Watercraft
used by nonprofit corporation for teaching organization or homestead
resort. (a) The
watercraft license fee for a watercraft used by a nonprofit organization for
teaching boat and water safety is $4.50 each.
(b) The following fees apply to
watercraft owned and used by a homestead resort, as defined under section
273.13, subdivision 22, paragraph (c), that contains ten rental units or less,
when the watercraft remains on a single water body:
(1) for a watercraft 40 feet in length
or longer, $90;
(2) for a watercraft 26 feet but less
than 40 feet in length, $67.50;
(3) for a watercraft more than 19 feet
but less than 26 feet in length, $45;
(4) for a watercraft more than 19 feet
in length for hire with an operator, $75;
(5) for a watercraft 17 to 19 feet in
length, $27, except as provided in clauses (6) to (10);
(6) for a watercraft, other than
personal watercraft, 19 feet in length or less that is offered for rent or
lease, $9;
(7) for a sailboat 19 feet in length or
less, $10.50;
(8) for a personal watercraft, $37.50;
(9) for a canoe, kayak, sailboard,
paddleboard, paddleboat, or rowing shell over ten feet in length, $10.50; and
(10) for a watercraft less than 17 feet
in length, other than a watercraft listed in clauses (6) to (9), $18.
Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Dealer's
license. There is no separate fee
for watercraft owned by a dealer under a dealer's license. The fee for a dealer's license is $67.50
$98.
Sec. 53. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.415, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Watercraft
surcharge. (a) A $10.60
$25 surcharge is placed on each watercraft licensed under subdivisions 1
to 3, and 5 for control, public awareness, law enforcement, monitoring,
and research of aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussel, purple
loosestrife, and Eurasian watermilfoil in public waters and public wetlands.
(b) A $5 surcharge is placed on each
watercraft licensed under subdivision 4 for deposit in the invasive species
research account under section 84D.15.
Sec. 54. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 88.79, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Employing competent foresters; service to private owners. The commissioner of natural resources may employ competent foresters to furnish owners of forest lands within the state of Minnesota who own not more than 1,000 acres of forest land, forest management services consisting of:
(1) advice in management and protection of timber, including written stewardship and forest management plans;
(2) selection and marking of timber to be cut;
(3) measurement of products;
(4) aid in marketing harvested products;
(5) provision of tree-planting equipment;
(6) advice in community forest management; and
(7) advice in tree selection and care for
natural carbon sequestration and climate resiliency; and
(7) (8) such other services as
the commissioner of natural resources deems necessary or advisable to promote
maximum sustained yield of timber and other benefits upon such forest lands.
Sec. 55. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89.001, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Forest resources. "Forest resources" means those natural assets of forest lands, including timber and other forest crops; carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation; biological diversity; recreation; fish and wildlife habitat; wilderness; rare and distinctive flora and fauna; air; water; soil; climate; and educational, aesthetic, and historic values.
Sec. 56. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89.35, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Purpose
of planting. The purposes for which
trees may be produced, procured, distributed, and planted under sections 89.35
to 89.39 shall include auxiliary forests, woodlots, windbreaks,
shelterbelts, erosion control, soil conservation, water conservation, provision
of permanent food and cover for wild life, environmental education, natural
carbon sequestration, species adaptation to climate change, and
afforestation and reforestation on
public
or private lands of any kind, but shall do not include the
raising of fruit for human consumption or planting for purely ornamental
purposes. It is hereby declared that all
such authorized purposes are in furtherance of the public health, safety, and
welfare.
Sec. 57. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89.37, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Private
lands. The commissioner may supply
only bare root seedlings, woody cuttings, and transplant material for use on
private land, provided that such material must be sold in lots of not less than
500 250 for a sum determined by the commissioner to be equivalent
to the cost of the materials and the expenses of their distribution. The commissioner may not directly or
indirectly supply any other planting stock for use on private lands.
Sec. 58. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89A.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Purpose. The council must develop recommendations to the governor and to federal, state, county, and local governments with respect to forest resource policies and practices that result in the sustainable management, use, and protection of the state's forest resources. The policies and practices must:
(1) acknowledge the interactions of complex sustainable forest resources, multiple ownership patterns, and local to international economic forces;
(2) give equal consideration to the long-term economic, ecological, and social needs and limits of the state's forest resources;
(3) foster the productivity of the state's forests to provide a diversity of sustainable benefits at site levels and landscape levels;
(4) enhance the ability of the state's forest resources to provide future benefits and services;
(5) foster no net loss of forest land in Minnesota;
(6) encourage appropriate mixes of forest cover types and age classes within landscapes to promote biological diversity and viable forest-dependent fish and wildlife habitats;
(7) acknowledge the importance of the
state's forest resources in providing natural carbon storage and the role
climate change will have on tree species selection and adaptation;
(7) (8) encourage
collaboration and coordination with multiple constituencies in planning and
managing the state's forest resources; and
(8) (9) address the
environmental impacts and implement mitigations as recommended in the generic
environmental impact statement on timber harvesting.
Sec. 59. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89A.11, is amended to read:
89A.11
SUNSET.
Sections 89A.01; 89A.02; 89A.03; 89A.04;
89A.05; 89A.06; 89A.07; 89A.08; 89A.09; 89A.10; 89A.105; and 89A.11 are
repealed expire June 30, 2021 2028.
Sec. 60. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.015, subdivision 25, is amended to read:
Subd. 25. Game fish. "Game fish" means fish from the following families and species: Acipenseridae (lake sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon), Anguillidae (American eel), Centrarchidae (black crappie; largemouth bass; rock bass; smallmouth bass; white crappie; and sunfishes, including bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, and warmouth), Esocidae (muskellunge and northern pike), Gadidae (burbot), Ictaluridae (blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish), Lepisosteidae (gar), Moronidae (white bass and yellow bass), Percidae (sauger, walleye, and yellow perch), Polyodontidae (paddlefish), and Salmonidae (Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown trout, chinook salmon, cisco (tullibee), coho salmon, kokanee salmon, lake trout, lake whitefish, pink salmon, and rainbow trout). Game fish includes hybrids of game fish.
Sec. 61. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.015, subdivision 43, is amended to read:
Subd. 43. Rough
fish. "Rough fish" means
carp, buffalo, sucker, sheepshead, bowfin, gar, goldeye, and bullhead,
except for any fish species listed as endangered, threatened, or of special
concern in Minnesota Rules, chapter 6134.
Sec. 62. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.401, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Commissioner's
authority. The commissioner may
issue special permits for the activities in this section. A special permit may be issued in the form of
a general permit to a governmental subdivision or to the general public to
conduct one or more activities under subdivisions 2 to 7 8.
Sec. 63. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.401, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Snakes,
lizards, and salamanders. The
commissioner must prescribe conditions and may issue permits to breed,
propagate, and sell native snakes, lizards, and salamanders. A native snake, lizard, or salamander that is
obtained from a permitted breeder or that was possessed before August 1, 2021,
may be possessed as a pet unless otherwise prohibited under section 84.0895.
Sec. 64. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.421, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General. (a) The annual license of a person convicted of a violation of the game and fish laws relating to the license or wild animals covered by the license is void when:
(1) a second conviction occurs within three years under a license to trap fur-bearing animals, take small game, or to take fish by angling or spearing;
(2) a third second
conviction occurs within one year three years under a minnow
dealer's license;
(3) a second conviction occurs within three years for violations of section 97A.425 that do not involve falsifications or intentional omissions of information required to be recorded, or attempts to conceal unlawful acts within the records;
(4) two or more misdemeanor convictions occur within a three-year period under a private fish hatchery license;
(5) the conviction occurs under a license not described in clause (1), (2), or (4) or is for a violation of section 97A.425 not described in clause (3); or
(6) the conviction is related to assisting a person in the illegal taking, transportation, or possession of wild animals, when acting as a hunting or angling guide.
(b) Except for big-game licenses and as otherwise provided in this section, for one year after the conviction the person may not obtain the kind of license or take wild animals under a lifetime license, issued under section 97A.473 or 97A.474, relating to the game and fish law violation.
Sec. 65. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.475, subdivision 41, is amended to read:
Subd. 41. Turtle
licenses license. (a)
The fee for a turtle seller's license to sell turtles and to take, transport,
buy, and possess turtles for sale is $250.
(b) The fee for a recreational
turtle license to take, transport, and possess turtles for personal use is $25.
(c) The fee for a turtle seller's
apprentice license is $100.
Sec. 66. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.505, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:
Subd. 3b. Wild
animals taken on Red Lake Reservation lands within Northwest Angle. Wild animals taken and tagged on the
Red Lake Reservation lands in accordance with the Red Lake Band's
Conservation Code on the Red Lake Reservation lands in Minnesota north of
the 49th parallel shall be and all applicable federal law are considered
lawfully taken and possessed under state law.
Possessing wild animals harvested under this subdivision is in
addition to any state limits.
Sec. 67. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.505, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. Importing
hunter-harvested Cervidae carcasses. (a) Importing hunter-harvested
Cervidae carcasses procured by any means into Minnesota is prohibited
except for cut and wrapped meat, quarters or other portions of meat with no
part of the spinal column or head attached, antlers, hides, teeth, finished
taxidermy mounts, and antlers attached to skull caps that are cleaned of all
brain tissue. Hunter-harvested
(b) Cervidae carcasses taken
originating from outside of Minnesota may be transported on a direct
route through the state by nonresidents.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 68. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97B.071, is amended to read:
97B.071
CLOTHING AND GROUND BLIND REQUIREMENTS; BLAZE ORANGE OR BLAZE PINK.
(a) Except as provided in rules adopted
under paragraph (c) (d), a person may not hunt or trap during the
open season where deer may be taken by firearms under applicable laws and
ordinances, unless the visible portion of the person's cap and outer clothing
above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange or blaze pink. Blaze orange or blaze pink includes a
camouflage pattern of at least 50 percent blaze orange or blaze pink within
each foot square. This section does not
apply to migratory-waterfowl hunters on waters of this state or in a stationary
shooting location or to trappers on waters of this state.
(b) Except as provided in rules adopted
under paragraph (d) and in addition to the requirements under paragraph (a),
during the open season where deer may be taken by firearms under applicable
laws and ordinances, a person in a fabric or synthetic ground blind on public
land must have:
(1) a blaze orange safety covering on
the top of the blind visible for 360 degrees around the blind; or
(2) at least 144 square inches of blaze
orange material on each side of the blind.
(b) (c) Except as
provided in rules adopted under paragraph (c) (d), and in
addition to the requirement requirements in paragraph paragraphs
(a) and (b), a person may not take small game other than turkey,
migratory birds, raccoons, and predators, except while trapping, unless a
visible portion of at least one article of the person's clothing above the
waist is blaze orange or blaze pink. This
paragraph does not apply to a person when in a stationary location while
hunting deer by archery or when hunting small game by falconry.
(c) (d) The commissioner may,
by rule, prescribe an alternative color in cases where paragraph paragraphs
(a) or (b) to (c) would violate the Religious Freedom Restoration
Act of 1993, Public Law 103-141.
(d) (e) A violation of
paragraph (b) shall (c) does not result in a penalty, but is
punishable only by a safety warning.
Sec. 69. [97B.673]
NONTOXIC SHOT REQUIRED FOR TAKING SMALL GAME IN CERTAIN AREAS.
Subdivision 1. Nontoxic
shot on wildlife management areas in farmland zone. After July 1, 2022, a person may not
take small game, rails, or common snipe on any wildlife management area within
the farmland zone with shot other than:
(1) steel shot;
(2) copper-plated, nickel-plated, or
zinc-plated steel shot; or
(3) shot made of other nontoxic material
approved by the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Subd. 2. Farmland
zone. For the purposes of
this section, the farmland zone is the portion of the state that falls south
and west of Minnesota Highway 70 westward from the Wisconsin border to Minnesota
Highway 65 to Minnesota Highway 23 to U.S. Highway 169 at Milaca to Minnesota
Highway 18 at Garrison to Minnesota Highway 210 at Brainerd to U.S. Highway 10
at Motley to U.S. Highway 59 at Detroit Lakes northward to the Canadian border.
Sec. 70. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97B.811, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
Subd. 4a. Restrictions
on certain motorized decoys. From
the opening day of the duck season through the Saturday nearest October 8, a
person may not use a motorized decoy, or other motorized device designed to
attract migratory waterfowl. During
the remainder of the duck season, the commissioner may, by rule,
designate all or any portion of a wetland or lake closed to the use of
motorized decoys or motorized devices designed to attract migratory waterfowl. On water bodies and lands fully contained
within wildlife management area boundaries, a person may not use motorized
decoys or motorized devices designed to attract migratory waterfowl at any time
during the duck season.
Sec. 71. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.005, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Seasons, limits, and other rules. The commissioner may, in accordance with the procedures in subdivision 2, paragraphs (c) and (e), or by rule under chapter 14, establish open seasons, limits, methods, and other requirements for taking fish on special management waters. The commissioner may, by written order published in the State Register, amend daily, possession, or size limits to make midseason adjustments based on available harvest, angling pressure, and population data to manage the fisheries in the 1837 Ceded Territory in compliance with the court orders in Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa v. Minnesota, 119 S. Ct.1187 (1999) and in the state waters of Upper Red Lake. The midseason adjustments in daily, possession, or size limits are not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply. Before the written order is effective, the commissioner shall attempt to notify persons or groups of persons affected by the written order by public announcement, posting, and other appropriate means as determined by the commissioner.
Sec. 72. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.081, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Contests requiring permit. (a) Unless subdivision 3a applies, a person must have a permit from the commissioner to conduct a fishing contest if:
(1) there are more than 25 boats for open-water contests, more than 150 participants for ice-fishing contests, or more than 100 participants for shore-fishing contests;
(2) entry fees are more than $25 per person; or
(3) the contest is limited to trout species.
(b) The commissioner shall charge a fee for the permit that recovers the costs of issuing the permit and of monitoring the activities allowed by the permit. Notwithstanding section 16A.1283, the commissioner may, by written order published in the State Register, establish contest permit fees. The fees are not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14, and section 14.386 does not apply.
(c) The commissioner may require the applicant to furnish evidence of financial responsibility in the form of a surety bond or bank letter of credit in the amount of $25,000 if entry fees are over $25 per person, or total prizes are valued at more than $25,000, and if the applicant has either:
(1) not previously conducted a fishing contest requiring a permit under this subdivision; or
(2) ever failed to make required prize awards in a fishing contest conducted by the applicant.
(d) The permit fee for any individual contest may not exceed the following amounts:
(1) $70 for an open-water contest not exceeding 50 boats and without off-site weigh-in;
(2) $225 for an open-water contest with more than 50 boats and without off-site weigh-in;
(3) $280 for an open-water contest not exceeding 50 boats with off-site weigh-in;
(4) $560 for an open-water contest with more
than 50 boats with off-site weigh-in; or
(5) $135 for an ice-fishing contest with
more than 150 participants.; or
(6) $50 for a contest where all
participants are age 18 years or under.
Sec. 73. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.081, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. No permit required. A person may conduct a fishing contest without a permit from the commissioner if:
(1) the contest is not limited to specifically named waters;
(2) all the contest participants are
age 18 years or under;
(3) (2) the contest is
limited to rough fish and participants are required to fish with a hook and
line; or
(4) (3) the total prize
value is $500 or less.
Sec. 74. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.342, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Bait
restrictions. (a) Frozen or
dead fish on the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible
species published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Services VHS-susceptible-species list under
section 17.4982, subdivision 21b; cisco (all Coregonus, including lake herring and tullibee); and smelt (all Osmerus, Spirincus, Hypomesus, and
Allosmerus) being used as bait in
waters of the state must originate from water bodies certified disease-free. A water body is certified as disease-free
if:
(1) the water body has been tested for
viral hemorrhagic septicemia and the testing indicates the disease is not
present; or
(2) the water body is located within a
viral hemorrhagic septicemia-free zone posted on the Department of Natural
Resources website.
(b) Certification for these individually
tested water bodies is valid for one year from the date of test results. Certification of water bodies within a
viral hemorrhagic septicemia-free zone posted on the Department of Natural
Resources website is valid for the dates included in the posting. A viral hemorrhagic septicemia-free
certification is also referred to as fish health certification.
Sec. 75. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.515, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Permit for transportation. (a) A person may transport live minnows through the state with a permit from the commissioner. The permit must state the name and address of the person, the number and species of minnows, the point of entry into the state, the destination, and the route through the state. The permit is not valid for more than 12 hours after it is issued.
(b) Minnows transported under this subdivision must be in a tagged container. The tag number must correspond with tag numbers listed on the minnow transportation permit.
(c) The commissioner may require the
person transporting minnow species found on the official list of viral
hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species published by the United States
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services VHS-susceptible-species
list under section 17.4982, subdivision 21b, to provide health
certification for viral hemorrhagic septicemia.
The certification must disclose any incidentally isolated replicating
viruses, and must be dated within the 12 months preceding transport.
Sec. 76. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.605, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Resident
angling license required Taking turtles; requirements. In addition to any other license
required in this section, (a) A person may not take, possess, or
transport turtles without a resident angling license, except as provided in
subdivision 2c and a recreational turtle license.
(b) Turtles taken from the wild are for
personal use only and may not be resold.
Sec. 77. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.605, subdivision 2c, is amended to read:
Subd. 2c. License
exemptions. (a) A person does
not need a turtle seller's license or an angling license the licenses
specified under subdivision 1:
(1) when buying turtles for resale at a
retail outlet;
(2) (1) when buying a turtle
at a retail outlet; or
(3) if the person is a
nonresident buying a turtle from a licensed turtle seller for export out of
state. Shipping documents provided by
the turtle seller must accompany each shipment exported out of state by a
nonresident. Shipping documents must
include: name, address, city, state, and
zip code of the buyer; number of each species of turtle; and name and license
number of the turtle seller; or
(4) (2) to take, possess,
and rent or sell up to 25 turtles greater than four inches in length for
the purpose of providing the turtles to participants at a nonprofit turtle
race, if the person is a resident under age 18.
The person is responsible for the well-being of the turtles.
(b) A person with an aquatic farm
license with a turtle endorsement or a private fish hatchery license with a
turtle endorsement may sell, obtain, possess, transport, and propagate turtles
and turtle eggs according to Minnesota Rules, part 6256.0900, without the
licenses specified under subdivision 1.
Sec. 78. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.605, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Taking;
methods prohibited. (a) A
person may not take turtles in any manner, except by the use
of using:
(1) explosives, drugs, poisons, lime, and other harmful substances;
(2) traps, except as provided in
paragraph (b) and rules adopted under this section;
(3) nets other than anglers' fish landing
nets; or
(4) commercial equipment, except as
provided in rules adopted under this section.; or
(5) spears, harpoons, or any other
implements that impale turtles.
(b) Until new rules are adopted under
this section, a person with a turtle seller's license may take turtles with a
floating turtle trap that:
(1) has one or more openings above the
water surface that measure at least ten inches by four inches; and
(2) has a mesh size of not less than
one-half inch, bar measure.
Sec. 79. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.611, is amended to read:
97C.611
SNAPPING TURTLES TURTLE SPECIES; LIMITS.
Subdivision 1. Snapping
turtles. A person may not
possess more than three snapping turtles of the species Chelydra serpentina without a turtle seller's license. Until new rules are adopted under section
97C.605, a person may not take snapping turtles of a size less than ten inches
wide including curvature, measured from side to side across the shell at
midpoint. After new rules are adopted
under section 97C.605, a person may only take snapping turtles of a size
specified in the adopted rules.
Subd. 2. Western
painted turtles. (a) A person
may not possess more than three Western painted turtles of the species Chrysemys picta. Western painted turtles must be between 4 and
5-1/2 inches in shell length.
(b) This subdivision does not apply to
persons acting under section 97C.605, subdivision 2c, paragraph (a), clause
(2).
Subd. 3. Spiny
softshell. A person may not
possess spiny softshell turtles of the species Apalone spinifera after December 1, 2021, without an aquatic farm
or private fish hatchery license with a turtle endorsement.
Subd. 4. Other
species. A person may not
possess any other species of turtle except with an aquatic farm or private fish
hatchery license with a turtle endorsement or as specified under section
97C.605, subdivision 2c.
Sec. 80. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.805, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Restrictions. (a) The Netting of lake
whitefish and ciscoes is subject to the restrictions in this subdivision.
(b) A person may not use:
(1) more than two nets one net;
(2) a net more than 100 feet long; or
(3) a net more than three feet wide.
(c) The mesh size of the nets net
may not be less than:
(1) 1-3/4 inches, stretch measure, for nets used to take ciscoes; and
(2) 3-1/2 inches, stretch measure, for all other nets.
(d) A net may not be set in water, including ice thickness, deeper than six feet.
(e) The commissioner may designate waters
where nets may be set so that portions of the net extend into water deeper than
six feet under conditions prescribed by the commissioner to protect game fish. A pole or stake must project at least two
feet above the surface of the water or ice at one end of each the
net.
(f) A net may not be set within 50 feet of another net.
(g) A person may not have angling equipment in possession while netting lake whitefish or ciscoes.
Sec. 81. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97C.836, is amended to read:
97C.836
LAKE SUPERIOR LAKE TROUT; EXPANDED ASSESSMENT HARVEST.
The commissioner shall provide for taking of
lake trout by licensed commercial operators in Lake Superior management zones
MN-3 and MN-2 for expanded assessment and sale.
The commissioner shall authorize expanded assessment taking and sale of
lake trout in Lake Superior management zone MN-3 beginning annually in 2007 and
zone MN-2 beginning annually in 2010. Total
assessment taking and sale may not exceed 3,000 lake trout in zone MN-3 and
2,000 lake trout in zone MN-2 and may be reduced when necessary to protect the
lake trout population or to manage the effects of invasive species or fish disease. Taking lake trout for expanded assessment and
sale shall be allowed from June 1 to September 30, but may end earlier in the
respective zones if the quotas are reached.
The quotas must be reassessed at the expiration of the current ten-year
Fisheries Management Plan for the Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior dated
September 2006.
Sec. 82. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103G.255, is amended to read:
103G.255
ALLOCATING AND CONTROLLING WATERS OF THE STATE.
Both surface water and groundwater are public assets managed by the state for the benefit of the public. Based on this paramount consideration, the commissioner shall administer:
(1) the use, allocation, and control of waters of the state;
(2) the establishment, maintenance, and control of lake levels and water storage reservoirs; and
(3) the determination of the ordinary high-water level of waters of the state.
Sec. 83. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103G.271, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 2a. Public
meeting. Before issuing a
water-use permit or a plan for consumptive use of more than 216,000 gallons per
day average in a 30-day period, the commissioner must hold a public meeting in
the county affected most by the potential impact to the public groundwater
resource. At least 21 days before the
public meeting, the commissioner must publish notice of the meeting in a
newspaper of general circulation in the county and must mail the notice to
persons who have registered their names with the commissioner for this purpose.
Sec. 84. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103G.271, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
Subd. 4a. Mt. Simon-Hinckley
aquifer. (a) The commissioner
may not issue new water-use permits that will appropriate water from the Mt. Simon-Hinckley
aquifer in a metropolitan county, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision
4, unless the appropriation is for potable water use, there are no feasible
or practical alternatives to this source, and a water conservation plan is
incorporated with the permit.
(b) The commissioner shall terminate
all permits authorizing appropriation and use of water from the Mt. Simon‑Hinckley
aquifer for once-through systems in a metropolitan county, as defined in
section 473.121, subdivision 4, by December 31, 1992.
Sec. 85. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103G.271, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4b. Bulk
transport or sale. (a) To maintain
the supply of drinking water for future generations and except as provided
under paragraph (b), the commissioner may not issue a new water-use permit to
appropriate water in excess of one million gallons per year for bulk transport
or sale of water for consumptive use to a location more than 50 miles from the
point of the proposed appropriation.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a
water-use permit for a public water supply, as defined under section 144.382,
subdivision 4, issued to a local unit of government, rural water district
established under chapter 116A, or Tribal unit of government if:
(1) the use is solely for the public
water supply;
(2) the local unit of government, rural
water district established under chapter 116A, or Tribal unit of government has
a property interest at the point of the appropriation;
(3) the communities that will use the
water are located within 100 miles of the point of appropriation; and
(4) the requirements in sections
103G.265, 103G.285, and 103G.287 are met.
Sec. 86. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103G.287, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Sustainability standard. (a) The commissioner may issue water-use permits for appropriation from groundwater only if the commissioner determines that the groundwater use is sustainable to supply the needs of future generations and the proposed use will not harm ecosystems, degrade water, or reduce water levels beyond the reach of public water supply and private domestic wells constructed according to Minnesota Rules, chapter 4725.
(b) When determining whether a
consumptive use of groundwater is sustainable, the commissioner must make a
determination that the level of recharge to the aquifer impacted is sufficient
to replenish the groundwater supply to meet the needs of future generations.
Sec. 87. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116G.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Exemption;
Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area.
Plans and regulations of local units of government within the
Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area are exempt from subdivisions 1 to 3
and are subject to section 116G.15, subdivision 8.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 88. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116G.15, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Reviewing
and approving local plans and regulations.
(a) In the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area, the
commissioner of natural resources is responsible for carrying out the duties of
the board and the Metropolitan Council is responsible for carrying out the
duties of the regional development commission under sections 116G.07 to 116G.10. Notwithstanding sections 116G.07,
subdivisions 2 and 3, and 116G.10, subdivision 3, the responsibilities and
procedures for reviewing and approving local plans and regulations in the
Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area, and amendments thereto, are subject
to this subdivision.
(b) Within 60 days of receiving a draft
plan from a local unit of government, the commissioner, in coordination with
the Metropolitan Council, must review the plan to determine the plan's
consistency with:
(1) this section;
(2) Minnesota Rules, chapter 6106; and
(3) the local unit of government's
comprehensive plan.
(c) Within 60 days of receiving draft
regulations from a local unit of government, the commissioner must review the
regulations to determine the regulations' consistency with:
(1) Minnesota Rules, chapter 6106; and
(2) the commissioner-approved plan
adopted by the local unit of government under paragraph (b).
(d) Upon review of a draft plan and
regulations under paragraphs (b) and (c), the commissioner must:
(1) conditionally approve the draft
plan and regulations by written decision; or
(2) return the draft plan and
regulations to the local unit of government for modification, along with a
written explanation of the need for modification.
(i) When the commissioner
returns a draft plan and regulations to the local unit of government for
modification, the local unit of government must revise the draft plan and
regulations within 60 days after receiving the commissioner's written
explanation and must resubmit the revised draft plan and regulations to the
commissioner.
(ii) The Metropolitan Council and the
commissioner must review the revised draft plan and regulations upon receipt
from the local unit of government as provided under paragraphs (b) and (c).
(iii) If the local unit of government
or the Metropolitan Council requests a meeting, a final revision need not be made
until a meeting is held with the commissioner on the draft plan and regulations. The request extends the 60‑day time
limit specified in item (i) until after the meeting is held.
(e) Only plans and regulations
receiving final approval from the commissioner have the force and effect of law. The commissioner must grant final approval
under this section only if:
(1) the plan is an element of a
comprehensive plan that is authorized by the Metropolitan Council according to
sections 473.175 and 473.858; and
(2) the local unit of government adopts
a plan and regulations that are consistent with the draft plan and regulations
conditionally approved under paragraph (d).
(f) The local unit of government must
implement and enforce the commissioner-approved plan and regulations after the
plan and regulations take effect.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 89. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 168.1295, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General requirements and procedures. (a) The commissioner shall issue state parks and trails plates to an applicant who:
(1) is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, recreational vehicle, one-ton pickup truck, or motorcycle;
(2) pays a fee in the amount specified for special plates under section 168.12, subdivision 5;
(3) pays the registration tax required under section 168.013;
(4) pays the fees required under this chapter;
(5) contributes a minimum of $60 $70
annually to the state parks and trails donation account established in section
85.056; and
(6) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and licensing of drivers.
(b) The state parks and trails plate application must indicate that the contribution specified under paragraph (a), clause (5), is a minimum contribution to receive the plate and that the applicant may make an additional contribution to the account.
(c) State parks and trails plates may be personalized according to section 168.12, subdivision 2a.
Sec. 90. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290C.01, is amended to read:
290C.01
PURPOSE.
It is the policy of this state to promote sustainable forest resource management on the state's public and private lands. The state's private forests comprise approximately one-half of the state forest land resources. These forests play a critical role in protecting water quality and soil resources, and provide extensive wildlife habitat, natural carbon sequestration, diverse recreational experiences, and significant forest products that support the state's economy. Ad valorem property taxes represent a significant annual cost that can discourage long-term forest management investments. In order to foster silviculture investments and retain these forests for their economic and ecological benefits, this chapter, hereafter referred to as the "Sustainable Forest Incentive Act," is enacted to encourage the state's private forest landowners to make a long-term commitment to sustainable forest management.
Sec. 91. TIMBER
PERMITS; CANCELLATION AND EXTENSION.
Subdivision 1. Eligibility. (a) For the purposes of this section,
an "eligible permit" is a timber permit issued before July 1, 2020.
(b) In order to be eligible under this
section, a permit holder must not be delinquent or have an active willful
trespass with the state.
(c) In order to be eligible under
subdivisions 2, 4, and 5, a permit holder must submit the written request to
the commissioner of natural resources before the expiration of the permit or by
July 1, 2021, whichever is earlier.
Subd. 2. Extensions. Upon written request to the
commissioner of natural resources by the holder of an eligible permit with more
than 30 percent of the total permit volume in any combination of spruce or
balsam fir, the commissioner may grant an extension of the permit for two years
without penalty or interest.
Subd. 3. Unused
balsam fir. The commissioner
of natural resources may cancel any provision in a timber sale that requires
the security payment for or removal of all or part of the balsam fir when the
permit contains more than 50 cords of balsam fir. The commissioner may require the permit holder
to fell or pile the balsam fir to meet management objectives.
Subd. 4. Refunds. (a) Upon written request to the
commissioner of natural resources by the holder of an eligible permit that is
inactive and intact with more than 30 percent of the total permit volume in any
combination of spruce or balsam fir, the commissioner may cancel the permit and
refund the sale security, advance payments, or bid guarantee as applicable for
the permit to the permit holder.
(b) Upon written request to the
commissioner of natural resources by the holder of an eligible active permit
with more than 30 percent of the total permit volume in any combination of
spruce or balsam fir and a previously existing cutting block agreement, the
commissioner may cancel any intact cutting block designated in the permit that
was not bonded or bonded before July 1, 2020, and refund security, as
applicable, for the cutting block to the permit holder. Any partially harvested cutting block is
ineligible to be canceled under this paragraph.
The remaining provisions of the permit remain in effect.
Subd. 5. Good
Neighbor Authority. The
commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the United States
Forest Service, may negotiate and provide holders of eligible permits with more
than 30 percent of the total permit volume in any combination of spruce or
balsam fir a method to voluntarily return intact cutting blocks designated in
Good Neighbor Authority permits. Upon
written request by the eligible permit holder, the commissioner may cancel any
intact cutting block designated in the permit that was not bonded or bonded
before July 1, 2020, and refund applicable security for the cutting block to
the permit holder. Any partially
harvested cutting block is ineligible to be canceled under this subdivision. The remaining provisions of the permit remain
in effect.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 92. TURTLE
SELLER'S LICENSES; TRANSFER AND RENEWAL.
The commissioner of natural resources
must not renew or transfer a turtle seller's license after the effective date
of this section.
Sec. 93. CARBON
SEQUESTRATION IN FORESTS OF THE STATE; GOALS.
The commissioner of natural resources
must establish goals for increasing carbon sequestration in public and private
forests in the state. To achieve the
goals, the commissioner must identify sustainable forestry strategies that
increase the ability of forests to sequester atmospheric carbon while enhancing
other ecosystem services, such as improved soil and water quality. By January 15, 2023, the commissioner must
submit a report with the goals and recommended forestry strategies to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions
with jurisdiction over natural resources policy.
Sec. 94. STATE
PARK PERMIT FEES; FISCAL YEAR 2022.
(a)
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 85.055, subdivision 1, the fees for
state park permits from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, are as follows:
(1) $40 for an annual state park
permit;
(2) $31 for a second or subsequent
vehicle state park permit;
(3) $8.50 for a state park permit valid
for one day;
(4) $6.50 for a daily vehicle state
park permit for groups;
(5) $35 for an annual permit for
motorcycles; and
(6)
$16 for a state park permit for persons with disabilities under Minnesota
Statutes, section 85.053, subdivision 7, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to
(3).
(b)
Employee state park permits remain free as provided under Minnesota Statutes,
section 85.055, subdivision 1, clause (6).
Sec. 95. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
85.0505, subdivision 3; 85.0507; 85.054, subdivision 19; and 97C.605,
subdivisions 2, 2a, 2b, and 5, and Minnesota Rules, part 6256.0500, subparts 2,
2a, 2b, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, are repealed.
ARTICLE 6
WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103B.103, is amended to read:
103B.103
EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP ACCOUNTS.
Subdivision 1. Accounts established; sources. (a) The water and soil conservation easement stewardship account and the mitigation easement stewardship account are created in the special revenue fund. The accounts consist of money credited to the accounts and interest and other earnings on money in the accounts. The State Board of Investment must manage the accounts to maximize long-term gain.
(b) Revenue from contributions
and money appropriated for any purposes of the account as described in
subdivision 2 must be deposited in the water and soil conservation easement
stewardship account. Revenue from contributions,
wetland banking mitigation fees designated for stewardship
purposes by the board, easement stewardship payments authorized under
subdivision 3, and money appropriated for any purposes of the account as
described in subdivision 2 must be deposited in the mitigation easement
stewardship account.
Subd. 2. Appropriation;
purposes of accounts. (a)
Five percent of the balance on July 1 each year in the water and soil
conservation easement stewardship account and five percent of the balance on
July 1 each year in the mitigation easement stewardship account are annually
appropriated to the board and may be spent only to cover the costs of managing
easements held by the board, including costs associated with:
(1) repairing or replacing structures;
(2) maintaining vegetation and
hydrology;
(3) monitoring,;
(4) landowner contacts,;
(5) records storage and management,;
(6) processing landowner notices,;
(7) requests for approval or
amendments,;
(8) enforcement,; and
(9) legal services associated with easement management activities.
(b) When the amount appropriated under
paragraph (a) is not sufficient to cover the costs of easements held by the
board, the board may use money from the mitigation easement stewardship account
and the water and soil conservation easement stewardship account to cover costs
associated with:
(1) legal compliance costs;
(2) repairing or replacing structures;
and
(3) maintaining vegetation and
hydrology.
(c) In addition to the amounts
appropriated under paragraph (a), up to 25 percent of the balance on July 1
each year in the water and soil conservation easement stewardship account and
25 percent of the balance on July 1 each year in the mitigation easement
stewardship account are annually appropriated to the board for the purposes of
paragraph (b). In consultation with the
commissioner of management and budget, the board must establish a process,
including criteria, for the use of money appropriated under this paragraph. The board must include a summary of how money
appropriated under this paragraph in the prior two fiscal years was used in the
report required under section 103B.101, subdivision 9, paragraph (a), clause
(7).
Subd. 3. Financial
contributions. The board shall seek
a financial contribution to the water and soil conservation easement
stewardship account for each conservation easement acquired by the board. The board shall seek a financial contribution
or assess an easement stewardship payment to the mitigation easement
stewardship account for each wetland banking mitigation easement
acquired by the board. Unless otherwise
provided by law,
the board shall determine the amount of the contribution or payment, which must be an amount calculated to earn sufficient money to meet the costs of managing the easement at a level that neither significantly overrecovers nor underrecovers the costs. In determining the amount of the financial contribution, the board shall consider:
(1) the estimated annual staff hours needed to manage the conservation easement, taking into consideration factors such as easement type, size, location, and complexity;
(2) the average hourly wages for the class or classes of state and local employees expected to manage the easement;
(3) the estimated annual travel expenses to manage the easement;
(4) the estimated annual miscellaneous costs to manage the easement, including supplies and equipment, information technology support, and aerial flyovers;
(5) the estimated annualized costs of legal
services, including the cost to enforce the easement in the event of a
violation; and
(6) the estimated annualized costs for
repairing or replacing structures and maintaining vegetation and hydrology; and
(6) (7) the expected rate of
return on investments in the account.
Sec. 2. [103B.104]
LAWNS TO LEGUMES PROGRAM.
The Board of Water and Soil Resources
must establish a program to provide grants or payments to plant residential
lawns with native vegetation and pollinator-friendly forbs and legumes to
protect a diversity of pollinators. The
board must establish criteria for grants or payments awarded under this section. Grants or payments awarded under this section
may be made for up to 75 percent of the costs of the project, except that, in
areas identified by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as areas where
there is a high potential for rusty patched bumble bees to be present, grants
may be awarded for up to 90 percent of the costs of the project.
Sec. 3. [103C.237]
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT FEE.
Subdivision 1. Fee. (a) A county that contains at least
one soil and water conservation district must impose an additional fee of $25
per transaction on the recording or registration of a mortgage subject to the
tax under section 287.035 and an additional fee of $25 on the recording or
registration of a deed subject to the tax under section 287.21.
(b) A county that does not contain at
least one soil and water conservation district, but carries out the duties of a
soil and water conservation district, must impose the fee described in
paragraph (a).
Subd. 2. Fee
deposited; account. The fee
described in subdivision 1 must be deposited in a special soil and water
conservation district account in the county general revenue fund.
Subd. 3. Distribution
to soil and water conservation districts.
(a) The county treasurer must transfer money from the special
soil and water conservation district account to existing soil and water
conservation districts within the county in May, October, and December each
year. If a county contains more than one
soil and water conservation district, money must be allocated equally among
each district.
(b) A county imposing a fee under
subdivision 1, paragraph (b), must use money in the special soil and water
conservation account on soil and water conservations duties within the county.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 103C.315, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Compensation. A supervisor shall receive compensation
for services up to $75 $125 per day, and may be reimbursed for
expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge
of duties. A supervisor may be
reimbursed for the use of the supervisor's own automobile in the performance of
official duties at a rate up to the maximum tax-deductible mileage rate
permitted under the federal Internal Revenue Code.
Sec. 5. [103C.701]
SOIL-HEALTHY FARMING GOALS.
(a) It is the goal of the state to
encourage soil health, as defined in section 103C.101, subdivision 10a, farming
practices. This may be done by achieving
the following objectives:
(1) preventing or minimizing soil
erosion;
(2) retaining water quantity to provide
for infiltration;
(3) improving surface water and
groundwater quality;
(4) sustaining soil organic matter; and
(5) supporting soil life and
pollinators.
(b) To achieve the objectives under
paragraph (a), the state sets a goal of 30 percent of Minnesota privately owned
farmland using soil health practices including but not limited to cover crops,
perennial crops, no-till or reduced tillage, strip cropping, or managed
rotational grazing by 2030.
Sec. 6. [103F.05]
WATER QUALITY AND STORAGE PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
terms in this subdivision have the meanings given them.
(b) "Board" means the Board
of Water and Soil Resources.
(c) "Local units of
government" has the meaning given under section 103B.305, subdivision 5.
(d) "Water quality and storage
practices" are those practices that sustain or improve water quality via
surface water rate and volume and ecological management, including but not
limited to:
(1) retention structures and basins;
(2) acquisition of flowage rights;
(3) soil and substrate infiltration;
(4) wetland restoration, creation, or
enhancement;
(5) channel restoration or enhancement;
and
(6) floodplain restoration or
enhancement.
Subd. 2. Establishment. (a) The board must establish a program
to provide financial assistance to local units of government to control water
volume and rates to protect infrastructure, improve water quality and related
public benefits, and mitigate climate change impacts.
(b) In establishing a water quality and
storage program, the board must give priority to the Minnesota River basin and
the Lower Mississippi River basin in Minnesota.
Subd. 3. Financial
assistance. (a) The board may
provide financial assistance to local units of government to cover the costs of
water storage projects and other water quality practices consistent with a plan
approved according to chapter 103B, 103C, or 103D. Eligible costs include costs for property and
equipment acquisition, design, engineering, construction, and management. The board may acquire conservation easements
under sections 103F.501 to 103F.531 as necessary to implement a project or
practice under this section.
(b) The board must enter into
agreements with local units of government receiving financial assistance under
this section. The agreements must
specify the terms of state and local cooperation, including the financing
arrangement for constructing any structures and assuring maintenance of the
structures after completion.
Subd. 4. Matching
contribution. The board must
require a matching contribution when providing financial assistance under this
section and may adjust matching requirements if federal funds are available for
the project.
Subd. 5. Technical
assistance. (a) The board may
employ or contract with an engineer or hydrologist to work on the technical
implementation of the program established under this section.
(b) When implementing the program, the
board must:
(1) assist local units of government in
achieving the goals of the program;
(2) review and analyze projects and
project sites; and
(3) evaluate the effectiveness of
completed projects constructed under the program.
(c) The board must cooperate with the
commissioner of natural resources, the United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other agencies as needed to analyze
hydrological, climate, and engineering information on proposed sites.
Subd. 6. Requirements. (a) A local unit of government applying
for financial assistance under this section must provide a copy of a resolution
or other documentation of the local unit of government's support for the
project. The documentation must include
provisions for local funding and management, the proposed method of obtaining
necessary land rights for the proposed project, and an assignment of
responsibility for maintaining any structures or practices upon completion.
(b) A local unit of government, with
the assistance of the board, must evaluate the public benefits that are
reasonably expected upon completing the proposed project. The evaluation must be submitted to the board
before the final design.
Subd. 7. Interstate
cooperation. The board may
enter into or approve working agreements with neighboring states or their
political subdivisions to accomplish projects consistent with the program
established under this section.
Subd. 8. Federal
aid availability. The board
must regularly analyze the availability of federal funds and programs to
supplement or complement state and local efforts consistent with the purposes
of this section.
Sec. 7. [103F.06]
SOIL HEALTH COST-SHARE PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the
terms in this subdivision have the meanings given them.
(b) "Board" means the Board
of Water and Soil Resources.
(c) "Local units of
government" has the meaning given under section 103B.305, subdivision 5.
(d) "Soil health" has the
meaning given under section 103C.101, subdivision 10a.
(e) "Soil health practices"
are those practices that sustain or improve soil health, including but not
limited to:
(1) no-till or strip-till;
(2) mulching;
(3) cover cropping;
(4) perennial cropping;
(5) stand diversification;
(6) contour, field edge, pollinator,
wildlife, or buffer strips planted with perennials;
(7) agroforestry;
(8) managed rotational grazing; and
(9) management practices that minimize
soil compaction or increase aeration.
Subd. 2. Establishment. The board must establish a cost-share
program consistent with the provisions of section 103C.501 for the purpose of
establishing soil health practices to mitigate climate change impacts and
improve water quality and related public benefits.
Subd. 3. Financial
assistance. (a) The board may
provide financial assistance to local units of government for the costs of soil
health and related water quality practices consistent with a plan approved
according to chapter 103B, 103C, or 103D.
The board must establish costs eligible for financial assistance under
this section, including costs for conservation planning, cover crop seeding,
equipment acquisition or use, and other practices to improve soil health.
(b) The board must enter into
agreements with local units of government receiving financial assistance under
this section.
Subd. 4. Technical
assistance. (a) The board may
employ or contract with agronomists, biologists, or hydrologists in
implementing the cost-share program.
(b) When implementing the program, the
board must:
(1) assist local units of government in
achieving the goals of the program;
(2) review and assess practice
standards; and
(3) evaluate the effectiveness of
completed practices constructed with assistance from the cost-share program.
(c) The board must cooperate with the
Minnesota Office for Soil Health at the University of Minnesota, the United
States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and
other agencies and private sector organizations as needed to enhance program
effectiveness.
Subd. 5. Federal
aid availability. The board
must regularly complete an analysis of the availability of federal funds and
programs to supplement or complement state and local efforts consistent with
the purposes of this section.
Sec. 8. SOIL
HEALTH COST-SHARE PROGRAM; REPORT.
By January 15, 2024, the Board of Water
and Soil Resources must evaluate the effectiveness of the soil health
cost-share program under Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.06, and submit a
report with the results and recommendations to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions
with jurisdiction over the environment and natural resources. The report must include an assessment of the
applicability and viability of tools to assist farm operators and landowners in
evaluating nutrient, soil organic matter, and soil loss management practices on
individual fields.
ARTICLE 7
FARMED CERVIDAE
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Running at large prohibited. (a) An owner may not allow farmed Cervidae to run at large. The owner must make all reasonable efforts to return escaped farmed Cervidae to their enclosures as soon as possible. The owner must immediately notify the commissioner of natural resources of the escape of farmed Cervidae if the farmed Cervidae are not returned or captured by the owner within 24 hours of their escape.
(b) An owner is liable for expenses of another person in capturing, caring for, and returning farmed Cervidae that have left their enclosures if the person capturing the farmed Cervidae contacts the owner as soon as possible.
(c) If an owner is unwilling or unable to capture escaped farmed Cervidae, the commissioner of natural resources may destroy the escaped farmed Cervidae. The commissioner of natural resources must allow the owner to attempt to capture the escaped farmed Cervidae prior to destroying the farmed Cervidae. Farmed Cervidae that are not captured by 24 hours after escape may be destroyed.
(d) A hunter licensed by the
commissioner of natural resources under chapter 97A may kill and possess
escaped farmed Cervidae in a lawful manner and is not liable to the owner for
the loss of the animal.
(e) Escaped farmed Cervidae killed by a
hunter or destroyed by the commissioner of natural resources must be tested for
chronic wasting disease at the owner's expense.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2021.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Fencing. Farmed Cervidae must be confined in a
manner designed to prevent escape. Except
as provided in subdivision 4a, all perimeter fences for farmed Cervidae
must be at least 96 inches in height and be constructed and maintained in a way
that prevents the escape of farmed Cervidae or, entry into the
premises by
free‑roaming Cervidae,
or physical contact between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae. After July 1, 2019, All new fencing
installed and all fencing used to repair deficiencies must be high tensile. By December 1, 2019, All entry areas
for farmed Cervidae enclosure areas must have two redundant gates, which must
be maintained to prevent the escape of animals through an open gate. If a fence deficiency allows entry or exit by
farmed or wild Cervidae, the owner must repair the deficiency within a
reasonable time, as determined by the Board of Animal Health, not to exceed 45
days. If a fence deficiency is detected
during an inspection, the facility must be reinspected at least once in the
subsequent three months. The farmed
Cervidae owner must pay a reinspection fee equal to one‑half the applicable
annual inspection fee under subdivision 7a for each reinspection related to a
fence violation. If the facility
experiences more than one escape incident in any six-month period or fails to
correct a deficiency found during an inspection, the board may revoke the
facility's registration and order the owner to remove or destroy the animals as
directed by the board. If the board
revokes a facility's registration, the commissioner of natural resources may
seize and destroy animals at the facility.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2022.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4a. Fencing;
commercial herds. In addition
to the requirements in subdivision 4, commercially farmed white-tailed deer
must be confined by two or more perimeter fences, with each perimeter fence at
least 120 inches in height.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2022.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Identification. (a) Farmed Cervidae must be identified by means approved by the Board of Animal Health. The identification must include a distinct number that has not been used during the previous three years and must be visible to the naked eye during daylight under normal conditions at a distance of 50 yards. The identification for white-tailed deer must also include contact information with a phone number or address that enables the reader to readily identify the owner of escaped deer. This contact information does not need to be visible from a distance of 50 yards. White-tailed deer must be identified before October 31 of the year in which the animal is born, at the time of weaning, or before movement from the premises, whichever occurs first. Elk and other cervids must be identified by December 31 of the year in which the animal is born or before movement from the premises, whichever occurs first. As coordinated by the board, the commissioner of natural resources may destroy any animal that is not identified as required under this subdivision.
(b) The Board of Animal Health shall register farmed Cervidae. The owner must submit the registration request on forms provided by the board. The forms must include sales receipts or other documentation of the origin of the Cervidae. The board must provide copies of the registration information to the commissioner of natural resources upon request. The owner must keep written records of the acquisition and disposition of registered farmed Cervidae.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2022.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10. Mandatory registration. (a) A person may not possess live Cervidae in Minnesota unless the person is registered with the Board of Animal Health and meets all the requirements for farmed Cervidae under this section. Cervidae possessed in violation of this subdivision may be seized and destroyed by the commissioner of natural resources.
(b) A person whose registration is revoked by the board is ineligible for future registration under this section unless the board determines that the person has undertaken measures that make future escapes extremely unlikely.
(c) The board must not allow
new registrations under this section for possessing white-tailed deer.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
the day following final enactment.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
Subd. 11. Mandatory surveillance for chronic wasting disease; depopulation. (a) An inventory for each farmed Cervidae herd must be verified by an accredited veterinarian and filed with the Board of Animal Health every 12 months.
(b) Movement of farmed Cervidae from any
premises to another location must be reported to the Board of Animal Health
within 14 days of the movement on forms approved by the Board of Animal Health. A person must not move farmed white-tailed
deer from any premises to another location.
(c) All animals from farmed Cervidae herds that are over 12 months of age that die or are slaughtered must be tested for chronic wasting disease.
(d) The owner of a premises where chronic wasting disease is detected must:
(1) depopulate the premises of Cervidae after the appraisal process for federal indemnification has been completed or, if an indemnification application is not submitted, within a reasonable time determined by the board in consultation with the commissioner of natural resources;
(2) maintain the fencing required under subdivision
subdivisions 4 and 4a on the premises for five ten
years after the date of detection; and
(3) post the fencing on the premises with
biohazard signs as directed by the board.; and
(4) not raise farmed Cervidae on the
premises for at least ten years.
Sec. 7. TRANSFER
OF DUTIES; FARMED CERVIDAE.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph
(b), the responsibilities for administering and enforcing the statutes and
rules listed in clauses (1) and (2) are transferred pursuant to Minnesota
Statutes, section 15.039, from the Board of Animal Health to the commissioner
of natural resources:
(1) Minnesota Statutes, sections 35.153
and 35.155; and
(2) Minnesota Rules, parts 1721.0370 to
1721.0420.
(b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 15.039, subdivision 7, the transfer of personnel will not take place. The commissioner of natural resources must
contract with the Board of Animal Health for any veterinary services required
to administer this program.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2023.
Sec. 8. REVISOR
INSTRUCTION.
The revisor of statutes must recodify
the relevant sections in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 35, and Minnesota Rules,
chapter 1721, as necessary to conform with section 7. The revisor must also change the responsible
agency and make necessary cross-reference changes consistent with section 7 and
the renumbering.
ARTICLE 8
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE UNIFORMITY
Section 1.
[84.765] OPERATING OFF-ROAD
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES WHILE IMPAIRED.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. As used in this section,
"controlled substance," "intoxicating substance," and
"off‑road recreational vehicle" have the meanings given in
section 169A.03.
Subd. 2. Acts
prohibited. (a) An owner or
other person having charge or control of an off-road recreational vehicle must
not authorize or allow an individual the person knows or has reason to believe
is under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or an intoxicating
substance to operate the off-road recreational vehicle anywhere in the state or
on the ice of a boundary water of the state.
(b) A person who operates or is in
physical control of an off-road recreational vehicle anywhere in the state or
on the ice of a boundary water of the state is subject to chapter 169A.
(c) The provisions of chapters 169A,
171, and 609 relating to revoking, suspending, or canceling a driver's license,
an instruction permit, or a nonresident operating privilege for alcohol,
controlled substance, or intoxicating substance violations apply to operators
of off-road recreational vehicles and operating privileges for off-road
recreational vehicles.
(d) The commissioner of public safety
must notify a person of the period during which the person is prohibited from
operating an off-road recreational vehicle under section 169A.52, 169A.54, or
171.177.
(e) The court must promptly forward to
the commissioner of public safety copies of all convictions and criminal and
civil sanctions imposed under chapter 169A and section 171.177.
(f) If the person operating or in
physical control of an off-road recreational vehicle is a program participant
in the ignition interlock device program described in section 171.306, the
off-road recreational vehicle may be operated only if it is equipped with an
approved ignition interlock device and all requirements of section 171.306 are
satisfied. For purposes of this
paragraph, "program participant" and "ignition interlock
device" have the meanings given in section 171.306, subdivision 1.
Subd. 3. Penalties. (a) A person who violates subdivision
2, paragraph (a), or an ordinance conforming to subdivision 2, paragraph (a),
is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) A person who operates an off-road
recreational vehicle during the period the person is prohibited from operating
an off-road recreational vehicle under subdivision 2, paragraph (d), is subject
to the penalty provided in section 171.24.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.795, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Operating
under influence of alcohol or controlled substance. A person may not operate or be in control
of an off-highway motorcycle anywhere in this state or on the ice of any
boundary water of this state while under the influence of alcohol or a
controlled substance, as provided in section 169A.20, and is subject to
sections 169A.50 to 169A.53 or 171.177. A
conservation officer of the Department of Natural Resources is a peace officer
for the purposes of sections 169A.20 and 169A.50 to 169A.53 or 171.177 as
applied to the operation of an off‑highway motorcycle in a manner not
subject to registration under chapter 168.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.83, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Fines
and forfeited bail. The
disposition of Fines and forfeited bail collected from prosecutions of
violations of sections 84.81 to 84.91 84.90 or rules adopted
thereunder, and violations of section 169A.20 that involve off-road
recreational vehicles, as defined in section 169A.03, subdivision 16, are
governed by section 97A.065. must
be deposited in the state treasury. Half
the receipts must be credited to the general fund, and half the receipts must
be credited to the snowmobile trails and enforcement account in the natural
resources fund.
Sec. 4. [86B.33]
OPERATING WHILE IMPAIRED.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section,
"controlled substance," "intoxicating substance," and
"motorboat in operation" have the meanings given under section
169A.03.
Subd. 2. Acts
prohibited. (a) An owner or
other person having charge or control of a motorboat must not authorize or
allow an individual the person knows or has reason to believe is under the
influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or an intoxicating substance to
operate the motorboat in operation on waters of the state.
(b)
A person who operates or is in physical control of a motorboat on waters of the
state is subject to chapter 169A.
(c) The provisions of chapters 169A,
171, and 609 relating to revoking, suspending, or canceling a driver's license,
an instruction permit, or a nonresident operating privilege for alcohol,
controlled substance, or intoxicating substance violations apply to motorboat
operators and to operating privileges for motorboats.
(d) The commissioner of public safety
must notify a person of the period during which the person is prohibited from
operating a motorboat under section 169A.52, 169A.54, or 171.177.
(e) The court must promptly forward to
the commissioner of public safety copies of all convictions and criminal and
civil sanctions imposed under chapter 169A and section 171.177.
(f) If the person operating or in
physical control of a motorboat is a program participant in the ignition
interlock device program described in section 171.306, the motorboat may be
operated only if it is equipped with an approved ignition interlock device and
all requirements of section 171.306 are satisfied. For purposes of this paragraph, "program
participant" and "ignition interlock device" have the meanings
given in section 171.306, subdivision 1.
Subd. 3. Penalties. (a) A person who violates subdivision
2, paragraph (a), or an ordinance conforming with subdivision 2, paragraph (a),
is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) A person who operates a motorboat
during the period the person is prohibited from operating a motorboat under
subdivision 2, paragraph (d), is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 86B.705, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Fines
and bail money. (a) All fines,
installment payments, and forfeited bail money collected from persons convicted
of violations of violating this chapter or rules adopted
thereunder, or of a violation of section 169A.20 involving a motorboat,
shall must be deposited in the state treasury.
(b) One-half of Half the
receipts shall must be credited to the general revenue
fund. The other one-half of,
and half the receipts shall must be transmitted to the
commissioner of natural resources and credited to the water recreation
account for the purpose of boat and water safety.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 97A.065, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Fines
and forfeited bail. (a) Fines
and forfeited bail collected from prosecutions of violations of: the game and fish laws or rules adopted thereunder;
sections 84.091 to 84.15 or rules adopted thereunder; sections 84.81 to
84.91 or rules adopted thereunder; section 169A.20, when the violation involved
an off-road recreational vehicle as defined in section 169A.03, subdivision 16;
chapter 348; and any other law relating to wild animals or aquatic vegetation,
must be paid to the treasurer of the county where the violation is
prosecuted. The county treasurer shall
submit one-half of deposited in the state treasury. Half the receipts to the commissioner
and credit the balance to the county general revenue fund except as provided in
paragraphs (b) and (c). In a county in a
judicial district under section 480.181, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), the
share that would otherwise go to the county under this paragraph must be
submitted to the commissioner of management and budget for deposit in the state
treasury and credited to the general fund must be credited to the
general fund, and half the receipts must be credited to the game and fish fund
under section 97A.055.
(b) The county treasurer shall submit
one-half of the receipts collected under paragraph (a) from prosecutions of
violations of sections 84.81 to 84.91 or rules adopted thereunder, and 169A.20,
except receipts that are surcharges imposed under section 357.021, subdivision
6, to the commissioner and credit the balance to the county general fund. The commissioner shall credit these receipts
to the snowmobile trails and enforcement account in the natural resources fund.
(c) The county treasurer shall indicate
the amount of the receipts that are surcharges imposed under section 357.021,
subdivision 6, and shall submit all of those receipts to the commissioner of
management and budget.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169A.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Driving
while impaired crime; motor vehicle. It
is a crime for any person to drive, operate, or be in physical control of any
motor vehicle, as defined in section 169A.03, subdivision 15, except for
motorboats in operation and off-road recreational vehicles, within this
state or on any boundary water of this state when:
(1) the person is under the influence of alcohol;
(2) the person is under the influence of a controlled substance;
(3) the person is under the influence of an intoxicating substance and the person knows or has reason to know that the substance has the capacity to cause impairment;
(4) the
person is under the influence of a combination of any two or more of the
elements named in clauses (1) to (3);
(5) the person's alcohol concentration at the time, or as measured within two hours of the time, of driving, operating, or being in physical control of the motor vehicle is 0.08 or more;
(6) the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle and the person's alcohol concentration at the time, or as measured within two hours of the time, of driving, operating, or being in physical control of the commercial motor vehicle is 0.04 or more; or
(7) the person's body contains any amount of a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II, or its metabolite, other than marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinols.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169A.52, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 9. Off-road
recreational vehicles and motorboats.
(a) The provisions of this section for revoking a driver's
license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege also apply to the operating
privilege for an off-road recreational vehicle and a motorboat.
(b) Upon certification by a
peace officer under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), or subdivision 4, paragraph
(a) or (c), the commissioner must notify a person that the person is prohibited
from operating off-road recreational vehicles and motorboats for the period
provided in subdivision 3, paragraph (a), or subdivision 4, paragraph (a).
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169A.54, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 12. Off-road
recreational vehicles and motorboats.
(a) The provisions of this section for revoking a driver's
license or nonresident operating privilege also apply to the operating
privilege for an off-road recreational vehicle and a motorboat.
(b) Upon conviction, the commissioner
must notify a person that the person is prohibited from operating off-road
recreational vehicles and motorboats for the same period that the person's
driver's license or operating privilege is revoked or canceled under this
section.
Sec. 10. [171.188]
DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED REVOCATION AND PROHIBITION; OFF-ROAD RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES AND MOTORBOATS.
(a) The provisions of this chapter for
revoking or canceling a driver's license or nonresident driving privilege for
alcohol, controlled substance, or intoxicating substance violations also apply
to the operating privileges for off-road recreational vehicles and motorboats.
(b) Upon conviction, the commissioner
must notify a person that the person is prohibited from operating off-road
recreational vehicles and motorboats for the same period that the person's
driver's license or driving privilege is revoked or canceled for the alcohol,
controlled substance, or intoxicating substance conviction.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 171.306, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3a. Off-road
recreational vehicles and motorboats.
A program participant in the ignition interlock device program
may operate an off-road recreational vehicle or a motorboat only if it is
equipped with an approved ignition
interlock device as provided under this section and sections 84.765,
subdivision 2, and 86B.33, subdivision 2.
Sec. 12. REVISOR
INSTRUCTION.
The revisor of statutes shall make
necessary changes to statutory cross-references to reflect the changes made in
sections 1 to 11. If necessary, the
revisor shall prepare a bill for introduction in the 2022 legislative session
to make other necessary conforming changes that are beyond the scope of the
revisor's authority to make editorial changes under this section or other law.
Sec. 13. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 84.91,
subdivision 1; 86B.331, subdivision 1; and 169A.20, subdivisions 1a, 1b, and
1c, are repealed.
ARTICLE 9
ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.787, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Off-highway motorcycle. (a) "Off-highway motorcycle" means a motorized, off-highway vehicle traveling on two wheels and having a seat or saddle designed to be straddled by the operator and handlebars for steering control, including a vehicle that is registered under chapter 168 for highway use if it is also used for off‑highway operation on trails or unimproved terrain.
(b) Off-highway motorcycle does
not include an electric-assisted bicycle as defined in section 169.011,
subdivision 27.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.797, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Off-road vehicle. (a) "Off-road vehicle" or "vehicle" means a motor-driven recreational vehicle capable of cross-country travel on natural terrain without benefit of a road or trail.
(b) Off-road vehicle does not include a snowmobile; an all-terrain vehicle; a motorcycle; an electric-assisted bicycle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 27; a watercraft; a farm vehicle being used for farming; a vehicle used for military, fire, emergency, or law enforcement purposes; a construction or logging vehicle used in the performance of its common function; a motor vehicle owned by or operated under contract with a utility, whether publicly or privately owned, when used for work on utilities; a commercial vehicle being used for its intended purpose; snow-grooming equipment when used for its intended purpose; or an aircraft.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.92, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8. All-terrain vehicle or vehicle. (a) "All-terrain vehicle" or "vehicle" means a motorized vehicle with: (1) not less than three, but not more than six low pressure or non-pneumatic tires; (2) a total dry weight of 2,000 pounds or less; and (3) a total width from outside of tire rim to outside of tire rim that is 65 inches or less. All‑terrain vehicle includes a class 1 all-terrain vehicle and class 2 all-terrain vehicle.
(b) All-terrain vehicle does not include a an
electric-assisted bicycle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 27,
golf cart, mini-truck, dune buggy, or go-cart or a vehicle designed and used
specifically for lawn maintenance, agriculture, logging, or mining purposes.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 168.002, subdivision 18, is amended to read:
Subd. 18. Motor
vehicle. (a) "Motor vehicle"
means any self-propelled vehicle designed and originally manufactured to
operate primarily on highways, and not operated exclusively upon railroad
tracks. It includes any vehicle
propelled or drawn by a self-propelled vehicle and includes vehicles known as
trackless trolleys that are propelled by electric power obtained from overhead
trolley wires but not operated upon rails.
It does not include snowmobiles, manufactured homes, or park
trailers.
(b) "Motor vehicle" includes an all-terrain vehicle only if the all-terrain vehicle (1) has at least four wheels, (2) is owned and operated by a physically disabled person, and (3) displays both disability plates and a physically disabled certificate issued under section 169.345.
(c) "Motor vehicle" does not include an all-terrain vehicle except (1) an all-terrain vehicle described in paragraph (b), or (2) an all-terrain vehicle licensed as a motor vehicle before August 1, 1985. The owner may continue to license an all-terrain vehicle described in clause (2) as a motor vehicle until it is conveyed or otherwise transferred to another owner, is destroyed, or fails to comply with the registration and licensing requirements of this chapter.
(d) "Motor vehicle" does not
include a snowmobile; a manufactured home; a park trailer; an electric
personal assistive mobility device as defined in section 169.011, subdivision
26.;
(e) "Motor vehicle" does not
include a motorized foot scooter as defined in section 169.011, subdivision
46; or an electric-assisted bicycle as defined in section 169.011,
subdivision 27.
(f) (e) "Motor
vehicle" includes an off-highway motorcycle modified to meet the
requirements of chapter 169 according to section 84.788, subdivision 12.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.011, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15a. Class
1 electric-assisted bicycle. "Class
1 electric-assisted bicycle" means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped
with an electric motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling
and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles
per hour.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.011, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15b. Class
2 electric-assisted bicycle. "Class
2 electric-assisted bicycle" means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped
with an electric motor that is capable of propelling the bicycle without the
rider pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the
speed of 20 miles per hour.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.011, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15c. Class
3 electric-assisted bicycle. "Class
3 electric-assisted bicycle" means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped
with an electric motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling
and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles
per hour.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.011, subdivision 27, is amended to read:
Subd. 27. Electric-assisted bicycle. "Electric-assisted bicycle" means a bicycle with two or three wheels that:
(1) has a saddle and fully operable pedals for human propulsion;
(2) meets the requirements:
(i) of federal motor vehicle safety
standards for a motor-driven cycle in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49,
sections 571.1 et seq.; or
(ii) for bicycles under Code of
Federal Regulations, title 16, part 1512, or successor requirements; and
(3) has is equipped with an
electric motor that (i) has a power output of not more than 1,000
750 watts, (ii) is incapable of propelling the vehicle at a speed of
more than 20 miles per hour, (iii) is incapable of further increasing the speed
of the device when human power alone is used to propel the vehicle at a speed
of more than 20 miles per hour, and (iv) disengages or ceases to function when
the vehicle's brakes are applied; and
(4) meets the requirements of a class 1, class 2, or class 3 electric-assisted bicycle.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.011, subdivision 42, is amended to read:
Subd. 42. Motor vehicle. (a) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires.
(b) Motor vehicle does not include an electric-assisted bicycle; an electric personal assistive mobility device; or a vehicle moved solely by human power.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.222, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Riding rules. (a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
(1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
(2) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;
(3) when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including fixed or moving objects, vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow width lanes, that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge; or
(4) when operating on the shoulder of a roadway or in a bicycle lane.
(b) If a bicycle is traveling on a shoulder of a roadway, the bicycle shall travel in the same direction as adjacent vehicular traffic.
(c) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway or shoulder shall not ride more than two abreast and shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.
(d) A person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk, or across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal when necessary before overtaking and passing any pedestrian. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district unless permitted by local authorities. Local authorities may prohibit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk or crosswalk under their jurisdiction.
(e) An individual operating a bicycle or other vehicle on a bikeway shall leave a safe distance when overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on the bikeway, and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual.
(f) A person lawfully operating a bicycle on a sidewalk, or across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.
(g) A person may operate an
electric-assisted bicycle on the shoulder of a roadway, on a bikeway, or on a
bicycle trail if not otherwise prohibited under section 85.015, subdivision 1d;
85.018, subdivision 2, paragraph (d); or 160.263, subdivision 2, paragraph (b),
as applicable.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.222, subdivision 6a, is amended to read:
Subd. 6a. Operator
age Electric-assisted bicycle; riding rules. (a) A person may operate an
electric-assisted bicycle in the same manner as provided for operation of other
bicycles, including but not limited to operation on the shoulder of a roadway,
a bicycle lane, and a bicycle route, and operation without the motor engaged on
a bikeway or bicycle trail.
(b) A person may operate a class 1 or
class 2 electric-assisted bicycle with the motor engaged on a bicycle path,
bicycle trail, or shared use path unless prohibited under section 85.015,
subdivision 1d; 85.018, subdivision 2, paragraph (d); or 160.263, subdivision
2, paragraph (b), as applicable.
(c) A person may operate a class 3
electric-assisted bicycle with the motor engaged on a bicycle path, bicycle
trail, or shared use path unless the local authority or state agency having
jurisdiction over the bicycle path or trail prohibits the operation.
(d) The local authority or state agency
having jurisdiction over a trail that is designated as nonmotorized, and that
has a natural surface tread made by clearing and grading the native soil with
no added surfacing materials, may regulate the operation of an
electric-assisted bicycle.
(e) No person under the age of 15 shall operate an electric-assisted bicycle.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.222, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 6b. Electric-assisted
bicycle; equipment. (a) The
manufacturer or distributor of an electric-assisted bicycle must apply a label
to the bicycle that is permanently affixed in a prominent location. The label must contain the classification
number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage of the electric-assisted bicycle,
and must be printed in a legible font with at least 9-point type.
(b) A person must not modify an
electric-assisted bicycle to change the motor-powered speed capability or motor
engagement unless the person replaces the label required in paragraph (a) with
revised information.
(c) An electric-assisted bicycle must
operate in a manner so that the electric motor is disengaged or ceases to
function when the rider stops pedaling or when the brakes are applied.
(d) A class 3 electric-assisted bicycle
must be equipped with a speedometer that displays the speed at which the
bicycle is traveling in miles per hour.
EFFECTIVE DATE. Paragraph (a) is effective January 1, 2022. Paragraphs (b) to (d) are effective August 1,
2021.
ARTICLE 10
STATE LANDS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.415, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Reimbursing
costs. In addition to fees
specified in this section or in rules adopted by the commissioner, the
applicant must reimburse the state for costs incurred for cultural resources
review, monitoring, or other services provided by the Minnesota Historical
Society under contract with the commissioner of natural resources or the State
Historic Preservation Office of the Department of Administration in connection
with the license application, preparing the license terms, or constructing the
utility line.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.63, is amended to read:
84.63
CONVEYANCE OF INTERESTS IN LANDS TO STATE AND, FEDERAL, AND
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.
(a) Notwithstanding any existing law to the contrary, the commissioner of natural resources is hereby authorized on behalf of the state to convey to the United States, to a federally recognized Indian Tribe, or to the state of Minnesota or any of its subdivisions, upon state-owned lands under the administration of the commissioner of natural resources, permanent or temporary easements for specified periods or otherwise for trails, highways, roads including limitation of right of access from the lands to adjacent highways and roads, flowage for development of fish and game resources, stream protection, flood control, and necessary appurtenances thereto, such conveyances to be made upon such terms and conditions including provision for reversion in the event of non-user as the commissioner of natural resources may determine.
(b) In addition to the fee for the market value of the easement, the commissioner of natural resources shall assess the applicant the following fees:
(1) an application fee of $2,000 to cover reasonable costs for reviewing the application and preparing the easement; and
(2) a monitoring fee to cover the projected reasonable costs for monitoring the construction of the improvement for which the easement was conveyed and preparing special terms and conditions for the easement. The commissioner must give the applicant an estimate of the monitoring fee before the applicant submits the fee.
(c) The applicant shall pay these fees to the commissioner of natural resources. The commissioner shall not issue the easement until the applicant has paid in full the application fee, the monitoring fee, and the market value payment for the easement.
(d) Upon completion of construction of the improvement for which the easement was conveyed, the commissioner shall refund the unobligated balance from the monitoring fee revenue. The commissioner shall not return the application fee, even if the application is withdrawn or denied.
(e) Money received under paragraph (b) must be deposited in the land management account in the natural resources fund and is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to cover the reasonable costs incurred for issuing and monitoring easements.
(f) A county or joint county regional railroad authority is exempt from all fees specified under this section for trail easements on state-owned land.
(g) In addition to fees specified in
this section, the applicant must reimburse the state for costs incurred for
cultural resources review, monitoring, or other services provided by the
Minnesota Historical Society under contract with the commissioner of natural
resources or the State Historic Preservation Office of the Department of
Administration in connection with the easement application, preparing the
easement terms, or constructing the trail, highway, road, or other
improvements.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment, except that paragraph (g) is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 84.631, is amended to read:
84.631
ROAD EASEMENTS ACROSS STATE LANDS.
(a) Except as provided in section 85.015, subdivision 1b, the commissioner of natural resources, on behalf of the state, may convey a road easement across state land under the commissioner's jurisdiction to a private person requesting an easement for access to property owned by the person only if the following requirements are met: (1) there are no reasonable alternatives to obtain access to the property; and (2) the exercise of the easement will not cause significant adverse environmental or natural resource management impacts.
(b) The commissioner shall:
(1) require the applicant to pay the market value of the easement;
(2) limit the easement term to 50 years if the road easement is across school trust land;
(3) provide that the easement reverts to the state in the event of nonuse; and
(4) impose other terms and conditions of use as necessary and appropriate under the circumstances.
(c) An applicant shall submit an application fee of $2,000 with each application for a road easement across state land. The application fee is nonrefundable, even if the application is withdrawn or denied.
(d) In addition to the payment for the market value of the easement and the application fee, the commissioner of natural resources shall assess the applicant a monitoring fee to cover the projected reasonable costs for monitoring the construction of the road and preparing special terms and conditions for the easement. The commissioner must give the applicant an estimate of the monitoring fee before the applicant submits the fee. The applicant shall pay the
application and monitoring fees to the commissioner of natural resources. The commissioner shall not issue the easement until the applicant has paid in full the application fee, the monitoring fee, and the market value payment for the easement.
(e) Upon completion of construction of the road, the commissioner shall refund the unobligated balance from the monitoring fee revenue.
(f) Fees collected under paragraphs (c) and (d) must be credited to the land management account in the natural resources fund and are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to cover the reasonable costs incurred under this section.
(g) In addition to fees specified in
this section, the applicant must reimburse the state for costs incurred for
cultural resources review, monitoring, or other services provided by the
Minnesota Historical Society under contract with the commissioner of natural
resources or the State Historic Preservation Office of the Department of
Administration in connection with the easement application, preparing the
easement terms, or constructing the road.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 42a. Riverlands
State Forest.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 89.17, is amended to read:
89.17
LEASES AND PERMITS.
(a) Notwithstanding the permit procedures of chapter 90, the commissioner may grant and execute, in the name of the state, leases and permits for the use of any forest lands under the authority of the commissioner for any purpose that in the commissioner's opinion is not inconsistent with the maintenance and management of the forest lands, on forestry principles for timber production. Every such lease or permit is revocable at the discretion of the commissioner at any time subject to such conditions as may be agreed on in the lease. The approval of the commissioner of administration is not required upon any such lease or permit. No such lease or permit for a period exceeding 21 years shall be granted except with the approval of the Executive Council.
(b) Public access to the leased land for outdoor recreation is the same as access would be under state management.
(c) Notwithstanding section 16A.125, subdivision 5, after deducting the reasonable costs incurred for preparing and issuing the lease, all remaining proceeds from leasing school trust land and university land for roads on forest lands must be deposited into the respective permanent fund for the lands.
(d) The commissioner may require a performance bond, security deposit, or other form of security for removing any improvements or personal property left on the leased premises by the lessee upon termination or cancellation of the lease.
(e) In addition to other payments
required by this section, the applicant must reimburse the state for costs
incurred for cultural resources review, monitoring, or other services provided
by the Minnesota Historical Society under contract with the commissioner of
natural resources or the State Historic Preservation Office of the Department
of Administration in connection with reviewing the lease request, preparing the
lease terms, or monitoring construction of improvements on the leased premises.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 92.50, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Reimbursing
costs. In addition to other
payments required by this section, the applicant must reimburse the state for
costs incurred for cultural resources review, monitoring, or other services
provided by the Minnesota Historical Society under contract with the
commissioner of natural resources or the State Historic Preservation Office of
the Department of Administration in connection with reviewing the lease
request, preparing the lease terms, or constructing improvements on the leased
premises.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 92.502, is amended to read:
92.502
LEASE OF TAX-FORFEITED AND STATE LANDS.
(a) Notwithstanding section 282.04 or other law to the contrary, St. Louis County may enter a 30-year lease of tax-forfeited land for a wind energy project.
(b) The commissioner of natural resources may enter a 30-year lease of land administered by the commissioner for a wind energy project.
(c) The commissioner of natural resources
may enter a 30-year lease of land administered by the commissioner for
recreational trails and facilities. The
commissioner may assess the lease applicant a monitoring fee to cover the
projected reasonable costs of monitoring construction of the recreational trail
or facility and preparing special terms and conditions of the license to ensure
proper construction. The commissioner
must give the applicant an estimate of the monitoring fee before the applicant
is required to submit the fee. Upon
completion of construction of the trail or facility, the commissioner must
refund the unobligated balance from the monitoring fee revenue.
(d) Notwithstanding section 282.04 or other law to the contrary, Lake and St. Louis Counties may enter into 30‑year leases of tax-forfeited land for recreational trails and facilities.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 94.3495, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Valuation of land. (a) In an exchange of class 1 land for class 2 or 3 land, the value of all the land shall be determined by the commissioner of natural resources, but the county board must approve the value determined for the class 2 land, and the governmental subdivision of the state must approve the value determined for the class 3 land. In an exchange of class 2 land for class 3 land, the value of all the land shall be determined by the county board of the county in which the land lies, but the governmental subdivision of the state must approve the value determined for the class 3 land.
(b) To determine the value of the land, the
parties to the exchange may either (1) cause the land to be appraised, or (2)
determine the value for each 40-acre tract or lot, or a portion thereof, using
the most current township or county assessment schedules within the
preceding two years for similar land types from the county assessor of the
county in which the lands are located. Merchantable
timber value should be considered in finalizing valuation of the lands.
(c) Except for school trust lands and university lands, the lands exchanged under this section shall be exchanged only for lands of at least substantially equal value. For the purposes of this subdivision, "substantially equal value" has the meaning given under section 94.343, subdivision 3, paragraph (b). No payment is due either party if the lands, other than school trust lands or university lands, are of substantially equal value but are not of the same value.
(d) School trust lands and university lands exchanged under this section must be exchanged only for lands of equal or greater value.
Sec. 9. Laws 2016, chapter 154, section 16, is amended to read:
Sec. 16. EXCHANGE
OF STATE LAND; AITKIN, BELTRAMI, AND KOOCHICHING COUNTIES.
(a) Notwithstanding the riparian restrictions in Minnesota Statutes, section 94.342, subdivision 3, and subject to the valuation restrictions described in paragraph (c), the commissioner of natural resources may, with the approval of the Land Exchange Board as required under the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 10, and according to the remaining provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 94.342 to 94.347, exchange the state-owned land leased for farming wild rice described in paragraph (b).
(b) The state land that may be exchanged is held under the following state leases for farming of wild rice:
(1) Lease LAGR001305, covering 175.1 acres in Aitkin County;
(2) Lease LMIS010040, covering 107.1 acres in Beltrami County;
(3) Lease LMIS010096, covering 137.4 acres in Beltrami County; and
(4) Lease LAGR001295, covering 264.40 acres in Koochiching County.
(c) For the appraisal of the land, no improvements paid for by the lessee shall be included in the estimate of market value.
(d) Additional adjoining state lands may be added to the exchanges if mutually agreed upon by the commissioner and the exchange partner to avoid leaving unmanageable parcels of land in state ownership after an exchange or to meet county zoning standards or other regulatory needs for the wild rice farming operations.
(e) The state land administered by the commissioner of natural resources in Koochiching County borders the Lost River. The lands to be exchanged are not required to provide at least equal opportunity for access to waters by the public, but the lands must be at least equal in value and have the potential to generate revenue for the school trust lands.
(f) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 94.343, subdivision 8a, lessees must pay to the commissioner all costs,
as determined by the commissioner, that are associated with each exchange
transaction, including valuation expenses; legal fees; survey expenses; costs
of title work, advertising, and public hearings; transactional staff costs; and
closing costs.
Sec. 10. Laws 2016, chapter 154, section 48, is amended to read:
Sec. 48. EXCHANGE
OF STATE LAND; ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
Subdivision 1. Exchange of land. (a) Notwithstanding the riparian restrictions in Minnesota Statutes, section 94.342, subdivision 3, the commissioner of natural resources may, with the approval of the Land Exchange Board as required under the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 10, and according to the remaining provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 94.342 to 94.347, exchange the riparian land described in paragraph (b).
(b) The state land that may be exchanged is located in St. Louis County and is described as: Government Lot 5, Section 35, Township 64 North, Range 12 West.
(c) The state land administered by the commissioner of natural resources borders Low Lake. The land to be exchanged is forest land that includes areas bordering the Whiteface River. While the land does not provide at least equal opportunity for access to waters by the public, the land to be acquired by the commissioner in the exchange will improve access to adjacent state forest lands.
Subd. 2. Gifts
of land. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 94.342 or 94.343, or any other law to the contrary,
the Land Exchange Board may consider a gift of land from the exchange partner
pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 84.085, subdivision 1, paragraph (d),
in addition to land proposed for exchange with the state land referenced in
subdivision 1, paragraph (b), in determining whether the proposal is in the
best interests of the school trust.
Sec. 11. ADDITIONS
TO STATE PARKS.
Subdivision 1. [85.012]
[Subd. 18.] Fort
Snelling State Park, Dakota County. The
following areas are added to Fort Snelling State Park, Dakota County:
(1) that part of Section 28, Township 28
North, Range 23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota, bounded by the Dakota County
line along the Minnesota River and the following described lines:
Beginning at the intersection of the south
line of Lot 18 of Auditor's Subdivision Number 29 of Mendota, according to the
plat on file in the Office of the Dakota County Recorder, with the westerly
right-of-way line of the existing Sibley Memorial Highway; thence northerly
along said westerly right-of-way line to the north line of said Lot 18; thence
westerly along the north line of said Lot 18 to the easterly right-of-way line
of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad; thence northerly and northeasterly
along said easterly right-of-way to the east line of said Section 28;
(2) that part of Section 33, Township 28
North, Range 23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota, lying westerly of the easterly
right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad;
(3) that part of Government Lot 6 of
Section 33, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota, lying
East of the easterly right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and
West of the westerly right-of-way of Sibley Memorial Highway and North of the
South 752 feet of said Government Lot 6;
(4) the North 152 feet of the South 752
feet of that part of Government Lot 6 of Section 33, Township 28 North, Range
23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota, lying East of the easterly right-of-way of
the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and West of the westerly right-of-way of
Sibley Memorial Highway;
(5) the North 270 feet of the South 600
feet of that part of Government Lot 6 lying between the westerly right‑of-way
of Sibley Memorial Highway and the easterly right-of-way of the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad in Section 33, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Dakota
County, Minnesota;
(6) that part of the South 20 rods of
Government Lot 6 of Section 33, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Dakota
County, Minnesota, lying East of the easterly right-of-way of the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad and West of the westerly right-of-way of Sibley Memorial
Highway, excepting therefrom that part described as follows:
Commencing at the southeast corner of said
Government Lot 6; thence North 89 degrees 56 minutes 54 seconds West assumed
bearing along the south line of said Government Lot 6 a distance of 260.31 feet
to the point of beginning of the property to be described; thence continue
North 89 degrees 56 minutes 54 seconds West a distance of 71.17 feet; thence
northwesterly a distance of 37.25 feet along a nontangential curve concave to
the East having a radius of 4,098.00 feet and a central angle of 00 degrees 31
minutes 15 seconds the chord of said curve bears North 23 degrees 31 minutes 27
seconds West; thence northerly a distance of 127.39 feet along a compound curve
concave to the East having a radius of 2,005.98 feet and a central angle of 03
degrees 38 minutes 19 seconds; thence North 70 degrees 22 minutes 29
seconds East not tangent to said curve a distance of 65.00 feet; thence
southerly a distance of 123.26 feet along a nontangential curve concave to the
East having a radius of 1,940.98 feet and a central angle of 03 degrees 38
minutes 19 seconds the chord of said curve bears South 21 degrees 26 minutes 40
seconds East; thence southerly a distance of 65.42 feet to the point of
beginning along a compound curve concave to the East having a radius of
4,033.00 feet and a central angle of 00 degrees 55 minutes 46 seconds;
(7) that part of Government Lot
5 of Section 33, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota,
lying East of the easterly right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad and West of the westerly right-of-way of Sibley Memorial Highway,
excepting therefrom that part described as follows:
Commencing at the southeast corner of said
Government Lot 5; thence North 89 degrees 56 minutes 18 seconds West assumed
bearing along the south line of said Government Lot 5 a distance of 70.48 feet
to the point of beginning of the property to be described; thence continue
North 89 degrees 56 minutes 18 seconds West along said south line of Government
Lot 5 a distance of 40.01 feet; thence North 01 degree 30 minutes 25 seconds
East a distance of 6.08 feet; thence northerly a distance of 185.58 feet along
a tangential curve concave to the West having a radius of 4,427.00 feet and a
central angle of 02 degrees 24 minutes 07 seconds; thence South 89 degrees
06 minutes 18 seconds West not tangent to said curve a distance of 25.00 feet;
thence North 00 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds West a distance of 539.13
feet; thence northerly a distance of 103.77 feet along a tangential curve
concave to the West having a radius of 1,524.65 feet and a central angle of 03
degrees 53 minutes 59 seconds; thence northerly a distance of 159.33 feet along
a compound curve concave to the West having a radius of 522.45 feet and a
central angle of 17 degrees 28 minutes 23 seconds; thence northwesterly a
distance of 86.78 feet along a tangential curve concave to the West having a
radius of 1,240.87 feet and a central angle of 04 degrees 00 minutes 25
seconds; thence North 26 degrees 16 minutes 30 seconds West tangent to said
curve a distance of 92.39 feet; thence northwesterly a distance of 178.12 feet
along a tangential curve concave to the East having a radius of 4,098.00 feet
and a central angle of 02 degrees 29 minutes 25 seconds to a point on the north
line of said Government Lot 5 which is 331.48 feet from the northeast corner
thereof as measured along said north line; thence South 89 degrees 56 minutes
54 seconds East along said north line of Government Lot 5 a distance of 71.17
feet; thence southeasterly a distance of 146.53 feet along a nontangential
curve concave to the East having a radius of 4,033.00 feet and a central angle
of 02 degrees 04 minutes 54 seconds the chord of said curve bears South 25
degrees 14 minutes 03 seconds East; thence South 26 degrees 16 minutes 30
seconds East tangent to said curve a distance of 92.39 feet; thence southerly a
distance of 91.33 feet along a tangential curve concave to the West having a
radius of 1,305.87 feet and a central angle of 04 degrees 00 minutes 25 seconds;
thence southerly a distance of 179.15 feet along a tangential curve concave to
the West having a radius of 587.45 feet and a central angle of 17 degrees 28
minutes 23 seconds; thence southerly a distance of 108.20 feet along a compound
curve concave to the West having a radius of 1,589.65 feet and a central angle
of 03 degrees 53 minutes 59 seconds; thence South 00 degrees 53 minutes 42
seconds East tangent to said curve a distance of 539.13 feet; thence southerly
a distance of 187.26 feet along a tangential curve concave to the West having a
radius of 4,467.00 feet and a central angle of 02 degrees 24 minutes 07
seconds; thence South 01 degree 30 minutes 25 seconds West tangent to said
curve a distance of 5.07 feet to the point of beginning; and
(8) that part of Government Lot 4 of
Section 33, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Dakota County, Minnesota, lying
East of the easterly right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and
northerly of the following described line:
Commencing at the southeast corner of said
Government Lot 4; thence North 89 degrees 55 minutes 42 seconds West assumed
bearing along the south line of said Government Lot 4 a distance of 312.44 feet
to corner B205, MNDOT Right-of-Way Plat No. 19-93, according to the
recorded map thereof; thence continue North 89 degrees 55 minutes 42 seconds
West along said south line of Government Lot 4 a distance of 318.00 feet to the
easterly right-of-way of Chicago and Northwestern Railroad; thence northerly
along said railroad right-of-way a distance of 387.97 feet along a
nontangential curve concave to the West having a radius of 2,963.54 feet and a
central angle of 07 degrees 30 minutes 03 seconds, the chord of said curve
bears North 00 degrees 42 minutes 41 seconds East; thence North 03 degrees
02 minutes 21 seconds West tangent to said curve along said railroad
right-of-way a distance of 619.45 feet to the point of beginning of the line to
be described; thence North 89 degrees 35 minutes 27 seconds East a
distance of 417.92 feet; thence North 18 degrees 18 minutes 58 seconds East a
distance of 317.52 feet to a point on the north line of said Government Lot 4
which is 135.00 feet from the northeast corner thereof as measured along said
north line and there terminating.
Subd. 2. [85.012]
[Subd. 38A.] Lake
Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, St. Louis County. The following areas are added to Lake
Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, St. Louis County, and are
designated as the Granelda Unit:
(1) Lot 3 of Section 28 and Lot 5 of
Section 29 in Township 63 North of Range 17, all West of the 4th Principal
Meridian, according to the United States Government Survey thereof;
(2) the Northeast Quarter of the
Southwest Quarter, the Northwest Quarter, the Southeast Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, and Lots
numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Section 29 in Township 63 North of Range 17, all
West of the 4th Principal Meridian, according to the United States Government
survey thereof;
(3) Lots 1 and 2 of Section 32 in
Township 63 North of Range 17, all West of the 4th Principal Meridian, according
to the United States Government Survey thereof; and
(4) Lot 4 of Section 23 in Township 63
North of Range 18, all West of the 4th Principal Meridian, according to the
United States Government Survey thereof.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
the day following final enactment.
Sec. 12. ADDITION
TO STATE RECREATION AREA.
[85.013]
[Subd. 12a.] Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, St. Louis
County. The following area is
added to Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, St. Louis County: that part of the South Half of the Northwest
Quarter of Section 15, Township 58 North, Range 17 West, St. Louis County,
Minnesota, lying northerly of the following described line:
Commencing at the West quarter corner of
said Section 15; thence North 01 degree 24 minutes 27 seconds West, bearing
assumed, along the west line of said South Half of the Northwest Quarter a
distance of 1,034.09 feet to a 3/4-inch rebar with plastic cap stamped "MN
DNR LS 44974" (DM) and the point of beginning; thence South 62 degrees
44 minutes 07 seconds East 405.24 feet to a DM; thence South 82 degrees 05
minutes 24 seconds East 314.95 feet to a DM; thence South 86 degrees 18 minutes
01 second East 269.23 feet to a DM; thence North 81 degrees 41 minutes 24 seconds
East 243.61 feet to a DM; thence North 71 degrees 48 minutes 05 seconds East
478.17 feet to a DM; thence North 60 degrees 53 minutes 38 seconds East 257.32
feet to a DM; thence South 09 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds East 179.09 feet to
a DM; thence South 49 degrees 16 minutes 00 seconds East 127.27 feet to a
DM; thence South 50 degrees 16 minutes 11 seconds East 187.13 feet to a DM;
thence South 67 degrees 11 minutes 35 seconds East 189.33 feet to a DM; thence
South 67 degrees 13 minutes 16 seconds East 209.43 feet to a DM; thence South
80 degrees 39 minutes 19 seconds East 167.59 feet to a DM on the east line of
said South Half of the Northwest Quarter, and there terminating.
Sec. 13. DELETIONS
FROM STATE PARKS.
Subdivision 1. [85.012]
[Subd. 18.] Fort
Snelling State Park, Dakota County. The
following areas are deleted from Fort Snelling State Park, Dakota County:
(1) all of Section 33, Township 28
North, Range 23 West of the 4th Principal Meridian lying westerly of the
westerly right-of-way line of the existing Minnesota Trunk Highway No. 13,
excepting the right-of-way owned by the Chicago and Northwestern railway
company; and
(2) all of Section 28, Township 28
North, Range 23 West of the 4th Principal Meridian bounded by the Dakota County
line along the Minnesota River and the following described lines: Beginning at the south line of said Section
28 at its intersection with the westerly right-of-way line of the existing
Minnesota Trunk Highway No. 13;
thence northerly along the said
westerly right-of-way line of existing Minnesota Trunk Highway No. 13 to
the southerly right-of-way line of existing Minnesota Trunk Highway Nos. 55
and 100; thence along the existing southerly right-of-way line of Minnesota
Trunk Highway Nos. 55 and 100 to the westerly right-of-way line owned by
the Chicago and Northwestern railway company; thence northeasterly along the
said westerly right-of-way line of the Chicago and Northwestern railway to the
east line of said Section 28, excepting therefrom the right-of-way owned by the
Chicago and Northwestern railway company.
Subd. 2. [85.012]
[Subd. 43.] Minneopa
State Park, Blue Earth County. The
following area is deleted from Minneopa State Park, Blue Earth County: a tract of land located in the Northwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 21, Township 108 North, Range 27
West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, more
particularly described as follows:
Commencing at the northwest corner of said
Section 21; thence on an assumed bearing of South 01 degree 31 minutes 27
seconds East, along the west line of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter of said Section 21, a distance of 545.00 feet, to the south line of the
North 545.00 feet of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of said
Section 21, also being the south line of Minneopa Cemetery and the point of
beginning of the tract to be herein described; thence North 88 degrees 22
minutes 26 seconds East, along said south line of Minneopa Cemetery, a distance
of 228.95 feet; thence southwesterly 58.5 feet, more or less, to the
intersection of the west line of Block 188 and the northerly line of the railroad
right-of-way, said point of intersection being 31.90 feet distant, measured at
right angles from the south line of said Minneopa Cemetery; thence continue
southwesterly along said railroad right-of-way 187 feet, more or less, to a
point on the west line of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of
said Section 21; thence North 01 degree 31 minutes 27 seconds West, along
said west line to the point of beginning.
Subd. 3. [85.012]
[Subd. 60.] William
O'Brien State Park, Washington County.
The following areas are deleted from William O'Brien State Park,
Washington County:
(1) those parts of Section 25, Township
32 North, Range 20 West, Washington County, Minnesota, described as follows:
The West two rods of the Southwest Quarter
of the Northeast Quarter, the West two rods of the North two rods of the
Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, and the East two rods of the
Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter; and
(2) the East two rods over and across
the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, excepting therefrom the North
200 feet of said Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter. Also, the West 2 rods of the Northwest
Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, excepting therefrom the North 266 feet of
said Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter. Also, the South 66 feet of the North 266 feet
of that part of said Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter lying
southwesterly of the existing public road known as 199th Street North.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 14. RIVERLANDS
STATE FOREST; BOUNDARIES.
[89.021]
[Subd. 42a.] Riverlands State Forest. The following areas are designated as
the Riverlands State Forest:
(1) those parts of Carlton County in
Township 49 North, Range 16 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 4, 5, and 6, the
westerly 50 feet of Government Lot 3, the easterly 50 feet of Government Lot 8, and Government Lot 7 except that part
conveyed to the State of Minnesota for highway right-of-way, Section 30;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 and all of Government Lot 14 except the North
890 feet of the West 765 feet and except the railroad right-of-way,
Section 31; and
(iii) the South Half of the Northwest
Quarter and the Southwest Quarter of Section 32;
(2) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 50 North, Range 17 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 6 and
the Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 7;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, and 3, that
part of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter lying south of Township
Road 5703, the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, the Northeast
Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast
Quarter, the Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, the Northwest Quarter
of the Southeast Quarter, and the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter,
Section 15;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Section 16;
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Section 17;
(v) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section 18;
(vi) Government Lots 3, 7, 8, and 9,
Section 22;
(vii) that part of the Southwest Quarter
of the Southwest Quarter lying within 50 feet of the St. Louis River in
Section 23;
(viii) Government Lots 11 and 12 and
that part of Government Lot 6 lying South of the North 700 feet except the
railroad right-of-way, Section 26; and
(ix) Government Lot 3 in Section 27;
(3) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 50 North, Range 18 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and
10, the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, the Southeast Quarter of
the Northwest Quarter, the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, the
Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, reserving a 66-foot-wide access
easement across Government Lot 2 for access to Grantor's property in Section
31, Township 51 North, Range 17 West, and that part of Government Lot 6,
Section 1, and Government Lot 6, Section 2, described as follows:
Commencing at an iron pin at the centerline
curve point of Trunk Highway No. 2, being the Minnesota Department of
Transportation Station No. 2637 + 00, said point bears North 76 degrees 18
minutes 00 seconds West, assumed bearing 762.00 feet from the point of
intersection of the tangent of said Trunk Highway No. 2, being an
aluminum-capped monument on the cap of which are stamped the figures "2644
62.0" and the letters "PI," "Minn Highway Dept. Monument,"
thence South 13 degrees 42 minutes 00 seconds West 100.00 feet along the
prolongation of the radial line from said curve point, to the southerly
right-of-way line of said Trunk Highway No. 2, the point of beginning of
the tract to be herein described; thence easterly 622.50 feet along said
southerly right-of-way line, along a nontangential curve, concave to the North,
having a radius of 5,830.00 feet, a central angle of 6 degrees 07 minutes 04
seconds, and the chord of said curve bears South 79 degrees 21 minutes 32
seconds East; thence South 26 degrees 25 minutes 57 seconds West 284.19 feet;
thence South 88 degrees 07 minutes 14 seconds West 769 feet, more or less,
to the shore of the St. Louis River; thence northerly along said shore to
its intersection with a line that bears North 76 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds
West from the point of beginning; thence South 76 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds
East 274 feet, more or less, to the point of beginning, Section 1; and
(ii) Government Lot 1, Section
12;
(4) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 51 North, Range 17 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8,
Section 3;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, and 9 and the Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, and East Half of the Southeast Quarter,
Section 9;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, 5, and 8 and
the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 16;
(iv) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, and 9 and the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 20;
(v) Government Lot 1 and the Southwest
Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 29;
(vi)
Government Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 and the Northeast Quarter of
Southwest Quarter, Section 30; and
(vii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and
6, Section 31;
(5) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 51 North, Range 18 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section 27;
(ii) Government Lot 1, Section 28,
except railroad right-of-way;
(iii) Government Lots 2, 3, and 4,
Section 28;
(iv) Government Lots 3 and 4, Section
29;
(v) Government Lots 2, 3, and 4, Section
30;
(vi) Government Lots 3 and 4, Section
35; and
(vii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, and 8 and the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Northeast Quarter
of the Southeast Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, and
Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 36, reserving a
66-foot-wide access easement across Government Lots 5 and 6 and the Southwest
Quarter of the Southeast Quarter for access to Grantor's property in Section
31, Township 51 North, Range 17 West;
(6) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 51 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i)
that part of Government Lots 1, 2, and 3, Section 26, lying North of the
St. Louis River and Government Lot 7, Section 28;
(ii) Government Lot 8, Section 28, lying
northerly of G. N. right-of-way and
Government Lot 5, Section 30;
(iii) Government Lots 7 and 10, Section
30, except right-of-way;
(iv) Government Lot 9, Section 30; and
(v) Government Lot 1, Section 31, lying
northerly of the northerly railroad right-of-way line;
(7) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 51 North, Range 20 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lot 2, Section 16;
(ii) Government Lot 8, Section 22;
(iii) Government Lot 3, Section 26;
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Section 36; and
(v) Government Lots 6, 7, and 8, Section
36, except railroad right-of-way;
(8) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 52 North, Range 15 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 3, 4, 5, and 6,
Section 16;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7,
and 8, Section 17, and Government Lot 6, Section 17, except the West 330 feet;
and
(iii) Government Lots 3, 4, 5, 6, and
7, Section 19;
(9) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 52 North, Range 16 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
and the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of the
Southwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 21;
(ii) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, and 10 and the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter and Northwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 22;
(iii) Government Lot 3, Section 23;
(iv) Government Lot 2, Section 24;
(v) Government Lots 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, and 10, Section 25;
(vi) Government Lot 1, Section 26;
(vii) Government Lots 2 and 7, Section
26;
(viii) Government Lots 3 and 4, Section
27, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns a 66‑foot-wide
access road easement across said Government Lot 3 for the purpose of access to
Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned
land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 1, Section
27, said access road being measured 33 feet from each side of the centerline of
that road that is presently existing at various widths and running in a
generally southwesterly-northeasterly direction;
(ix) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section
28;
(x) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 5 and
the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter and Southwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, Section 29;
(xi) Government Lots 1, 2, 3,
and 4, Section 31, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns
a 66-foot-wide access road easement across said Government Lots 1, 2, and 3 for
the purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and
Grantor's presently owned lands that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in
Government Lot 4, Section 29, said access road being measured 33 feet from each
side of the centerline of that road that is presently existing at various
widths and running in a generally East-West direction and any future extensions
thereof as may be reasonably necessary to provide the access contemplated
herein;
(xii) Government Lots 5, 7, 8, and 9,
Section 31;
(xiii) Government Lots 1 and 2, an
undivided two-thirds interest in the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter, an undivided two-thirds interest in the Southeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, and an undivided two‑thirds interest in the Southwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 32, reserving unto Grantor and
Grantor's successors and assigns an access road easement across the West 66
feet of the North 66 feet of said Government Lot 1 for the purpose of access to
Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned
land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 4, Section
29; and
(xiv) Northeast Quarter of Northeast
Quarter, Section 35;
(10) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 52 North, Range 17 West, described as follows:
(i) the Southwest Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter and Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 24,
reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns a 66-foot-wide
access road easement across said Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter for
the purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and
Grantor's presently owned land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in
Government Lot 4, Section 29, Township 52 North, Range 16 West, said access
road being measured 33 feet from each side of the centerline of that road that
is presently existing at various widths and running in a generally North-South
direction;
(ii) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7
and the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Section 25, reserving unto
Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns a 66-foot-wide access road
easement across said Government Lots 2 and 5 for the purpose of access to
Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned
land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 6, Section
25, said access road being measured 33 feet from each side of the centerline of
that road that is presently existing at various widths and running in a
generally northwesterly-southeasterly direction and any future extensions
thereof as may be reasonably necessary to provide the access contemplated
herein;
(iii) Government Lots 2, 4, 5, and 6 and
all that part of Government Lot 3 lying East of U.S. Highway 53, Section 26,
reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns a 66-foot-wide
access road easement across said Government Lots 2 and 3 for the purpose of
access to Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and Grantor's
presently owned land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in Government
Lot 1, Section 26, said access road being measured 33 feet from each side of
the centerline of that road that is presently existing at various widths and
running in a generally southwesterly-northeasterly direction and reserving unto
Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns a 66-foot-wide access road
easement across said Government Lots 4, 5, and 6 for the purpose of access to Grantor's
or Grantor's successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned land that
may be sold, assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 6, Section 25, said
access road being measured 33 feet from each side of the centerline of that
road that is presently existing at various widths and running in a generally
southwesterly‑northeasterly direction and any future extensions thereof
as may be reasonably necessary to provide the access contemplated herein; and
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, and 3,
Section 36, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns an
access road easement across the West 66 feet of said Government Lot 2 for the
purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's successors or assigns land and
Grantor's presently owned land that may be sold, assigned, or transferred in
the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Section 36;
(11) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 52 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lot 1, Section 16;
(ii) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section
17; and
(iii) Government Lot 1, Section 19;
(12) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 52 North, Range 20 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 2, 3, and 4, Section
13;
(ii) Government Lot 6, Section 24;
(iii) that part of Government Lot 8,
Section 24, described as follows:
Commencing at the West Quarter corner of
said Section 24, which is also the northwest corner of Government Lot 8; thence
South 01 degree 36 minutes 01 second East (bearing assigned) 1,230.11 feet
along the west line of Government Lot 8 to the centerline of St. Louis
County Highway 29 and the point of beginning; thence North 46 degrees 59
minutes 59 seconds East along said centerline 445.91 feet; thence South 43
degrees 00 minutes 01 second East 82.57 feet to an iron pipe monument on
the westerly bank of the St. Louis River; thence continuing South 43
degrees 00 minutes 01 second East 30 feet, more or less, to the water's edge of
the St. Louis River; thence southwesterly along said water's edge to the
west line of said Government Lot 8; thence North 01 degree 36 minutes 01 second
West along the west line of said Government Lot 8 to the point of beginning;
(iv) Government Lots 3, 4, and 5 and the
Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 26; and
(v) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Section 34;
(13) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 53 North, Range 13 West, described as follows:
(i) all that part of the Northwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter lying North and West of the Little Cloquet
River, Section 4;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northeast
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter,
Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, Section 5;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, and 4 and
the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter, Section 6;
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
and 7 and the Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of
the Northwest Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter,
Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, and Northeast Quarter of the
Southwest Quarter, Section 7;
(v) Government Lots 1 and 2 and the
Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northeast
Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Northwest
Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter, Section 8;
(vi) the Northeast Quarter of
the Northwest Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter, Section 17;
(vii) Government Lots 1 and 4, Section
29;
(viii) Government Lots 1 and 2 and the
Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northeast
Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter, Section 30; and
(ix) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Section 31;
(14) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, and 10, Section 36, Township 53 North, Range 14 West, St. Louis
County;
(15) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 53 North, Range 18 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 3, 6, 7, and 8,
Section 6; and
(ii) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section 7;
(16) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 53 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i) all that part of Government Lot 5
lying within 50 feet of the St. Louis River, Section 5, and Government
Lots 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Section 12;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and
9, Section 13;
(iii) all that portion of Government Lot
1, Section 23, that lies within 50 feet of the East bank of the Whiteface River
at mean stage of water;
(iv) all that portion of Government Lots
2, 4, and 5, Section 23, that lies within 50 feet of the West bank of the
Whiteface River at mean stage of water;
(v) all that part of Government Lot 7,
Section 23, lying West of the former DM&IR railroad right-of-way;
(vi) Government Lots 8 and 10, Section
23;
(vii) all that part of the Northwest
Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 23, lying West of the former
DM&IR railroad right-of-way;
(viii) Government Lots 5, 7, and 8,
Section 31; and
(ix) Government Lot 5, Section 33;
(17) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 54 North, Range 13 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7,
Section 20;
(ii) Government Lots 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8
and the Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 21;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and
7, Section 29;
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3,
4, 9, and 10, Section 30; and
(v) Government Lots 5, 6, and 7 and the
Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northeast
Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, and Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 31;
(18) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 54 North, Range 16 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 2, 3, and 4 and the
Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, and Southwest Quarter of
the Northeast Quarter, Section 1;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,
and 8 and the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of
the Southeast Quarter, Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Southeast
Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter,
and Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Section 2;
(iii) all that part of Government Lot 9
lying South of the Whiteface River and West of County Road 547, also known as
Comstock Lake Road, Section 3; and
(iv) Government Lots 3 and 4 and the
Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter and Southwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, Section 10;
(19) those parts of St. Louis County
in Township 54 North, Range 18 West, described as follows:
(i) the South Half of the Southwest
Quarter, except the railroad right-of-way, Section 15;
(ii) Government Lot 2, except the North
660 feet of the East 990 feet, Section 16;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8, Section 16;
(iv) Government Lot 3, Section 20;
(v) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
Section 21;
(vi) Government Lots 1, 4, 5, and 7,
Section 22;
(vii) those parts of Government Lots 2
and 9, except railroad right-of-way, Section 22;
(viii) all that part of Government Lot
6, Section 22, lying West of the Duluth Mesaba and Northern Railway Company's
right-of-way;
(ix) Government Lot 9, Section 22,
except the following parcels:
(A) beginning at a point where the south
line of company road, called Kelsey Road, intersects with the west line of the
right-of-way of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway on the Northeast
Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 22, Township 54, Range 18; thence
West along the south line of said company road 627 feet; thence South 348 1/3
feet; thence East 627 feet to the west line of the right-of-way of the Duluth,
Missabe and Northern Railway; thence North on the west line of said
right-of-way 348 1/3 feet to commencement;
(B) beginning at the quarter corner
between Sections 22 and 23, Township 54, Range 18; thence running North along
the section line 114 feet, 6 inches, to the south line of Kelsey Road; thence
northwesterly along the south line of Kelsey Road 348 feet, 8 inches, to the boundary
of the right-of-way of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern
Railway, thence South along the
easterly boundary of the right-of-way of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern
Railway 274 feet to the quarter line on Section 22; thence easterly along said
quarter line 304 feet, 6 inches, to the point of beginning; and
(C) commencing at the southwest corner
of Riverside Cemetery as recorded in "P" of Plats, Page 15; thence
easterly along the south line of said cemetery to a point where said cemetery
line intersects the westerly line of Highway No. 7, also known as Mesaba
Trunk Highway; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Highway No. 7
to a point where said westerly line of said Highway No. 7 intersects the
south line of Lot 9, Section 22, Township 54, Range 18; thence westerly along
the southerly line of said Lot 9 to a point where the southerly line intersects
the easterly line of the DM & N Railway Company's right-of-way; thence
northerly along the easterly side of said DM & N Railway Company's
right-of-way to beginning;
(x) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8, Section 29;
(xi) Government Lots 5 and 6, Section
30; and
(xii) Government Lots 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,
11, and 12, Section 31;
(20) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 54 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9,
Section 5;
(ii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, and 8, Section 8;
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, and 8, Section 20;
(iv) Government Lots 2 and 3, Section
29;
(v) Government Lot 1, Section 32;
(vi) Government Lot 5, except the South
1,320 feet, Section 32; and
(vii) Government Lot 2, Section 33;
(21) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 55 North, Range 15 West, described as follows:
(i) Governments Lot 1 and 2, Section 11;
(ii) Government Lot 9, except Highway 4
right-of-way, Section 11;
(iii) Government Lot 10, except Highway
4 right-of-way, Section 11;
(iv) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and
7, Section 15;
(v) Government Lots 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8
and the Northeast Quarter of Southwest Quarter, Section 21;
(vi) the Southwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns
a 66-foot-wide access easement across said Southwest Quarter of the Northeast
Quarter for the purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's successors or
assigns land and Grantor's presently owned land that may be sold, assigned, or
transferred in Government Lot 4, Section 21, Township 55 North, Range 15 West,
said access road being measured 33 feet on each side of the centerline of that
road that is presently existing and known as the Whiteface Truck Trail, Section
21;
(vii) Government Lots 1, 2, and
3, Section 22;
(viii) Government Lots 1 and 2 and the
Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 28;
(ix) Government Lots 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9
and the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, and Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 29;
(x) Government Lots 3 and 4 and the
Northeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Northeast Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter, and Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 30;
(xi) Government Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8,
9, 10, and 11 and the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 31;
and
(xii) Government Lot 1, Section 32;
(22) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 55 North, Range 16 West, described as follows:
(i) the Southwest Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns
a 66-foot-wide access road easement across said Southwest Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter for the purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's
successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned land that may be sold,
assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 5, Section 1, Township 54 North,
Range 16 West, Section 35; and
(ii) the Southeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, reserving unto Grantor and Grantor's successors and assigns
a 66-foot-wide access road easement across said Southeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter for the purpose of access to Grantor's or Grantor's
successors or assigns land and Grantor's presently owned land that may be sold,
assigned, or transferred in Government Lot 5, Section 1, Township 54 North,
Range 16 West, Section 35;
(23) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 55 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i) an undivided two-thirds interest in
Government Lot 1, Section 2;
(ii) Government Lots 2, 9, 10, and 12,
Section 2;
(iii) Government Lot 11, Section 2, except
railroad right-of-way;
(iv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6,
Section 10;
(v) Government Lot 4, Section 11;
(vi) Government Lots 1, 2, 6, 7, and
13, Section 15;
(vii) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section
16;
(viii) Government Lots 1 and 3 and the
Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter and Southwest Quarter of the
Northeast Quarter, Section 22;
(ix) Government Lots 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and
8 and the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 29;
(x) Government Lot 6, Section 30; and
(xi) Government Lots 4, 7, 8, 9, and
10, Section 31;
(24) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 56 North, Range 17 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 2 and 8 and the
Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter and Northeast Quarter of the
Southwest Quarter, Section 3;
(ii) Government Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9,
Section 3; and
(iii) Government Lots 6 and 9, that
part of Government Lot 8 lying North of Highway No. 53, and that part of
Government Lot 7 lying West of Highway No. 53, Section 4;
(25) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 56 North, Range 18 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lots 5 and 6, Section 2;
(ii) Government Lots 5, 7, and 9 and
the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 3;
(iii) all that part of Government Lot
11, except the following described parcel of land:
Beginning at a point that is located 958
feet North of the southeast corner of said Government Lot 11, which corner is
also the southeast corner of said Section 3, and 33 feet West of the east line
of said Lot 11; thence running North parallel with the east line of said Lot 11
a distance of 700.5 feet to a point; thence southwesterly to a point that is
331.5 feet West and 1226 feet North of the southeast corner of said Lot 11;
thence southerly parallel with the east line of said lot, a distance of 268
feet to a point; thence easterly a distance of 298.5 feet to the place of
beginning, Section 3;
(iv) Government Lot 12, Section 3,
except the following described parcels of land:
(A) commencing at a point along the
East and West One-Quarter line of said Section 3, which point is 33 feet West
of the East One-Quarter corner of said Section 3, said point being on the west
right-of-way line of County Highway No. 7; thence westerly along said
quarter line for a distance of 300 feet to a point; thence southerly at right
angles and parallel to the highway right-of-way in question for a distance of
300 feet to a point; thence easterly for a distance of 300 feet to a point in
the west right-of-way line of County Highway No. 7; thence northerly along
the west right-of-way line of County Highway No. 7 for a distance of 300
feet to the point of beginning;
(B) commencing at the East Quarter
corner of said Section 3; thence westerly along the East/West Quarter line of
said Section 3 a distance of 33.00 feet to the westerly right-of-way line of
County Highway No. 7; thence continuing westerly along said East/West
Quarter line a distance of 300.00 feet to the point of beginning; thence
southerly, parallel with the westerly right-of-way line of County Highway No. 7
a distance of 400.00 feet; thence westerly, parallel with said East/West
Quarter line to the easterly right-of-way line of the DM&IR Railroad;
thence northerly along said easterly right-of-way line to said East/West
Quarter line; thence easterly along said East/West Quarter line to the point of
beginning; and
(C) the East 33 feet of the North 300
feet of said Government Lot 12;
(v) the Southeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, Section 4;
(vi) the Southeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, Section 7;
(vii) Government Lots 6 and 7, Section
8;
(viii) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section
9;
(ix) Government Lots 2 and 3,
Section 17;
(x)
Government Lots 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 and the Southeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, Section 18;
(xi) Government Lots 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and
12 and the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section 19;
(xii) Government Lots 1, 5, 8, and 9,
Section 20;
(xiii) Government Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8
and Government Lot 3, except for 1.0 acre for cemetery, Section 29;
(xiv) Government Lot 9, Section 30;
(xv) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9,
10, and 11, Section 31; and
(xvi) Government Lots 1 and 2, Section
32;
(26) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 56 North, Range 19 West, described as follows:
(i) Government Lot 1, Section 35;
(ii) Government Lot 2, Section 35; and
(iii) Government Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, and 9 and the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter and Southwest
Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Section 36;
(27) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 57 North, Range 16 West, described as follows:
(i) the Southeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, Southwest
Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, and Northeast Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter, Section 12; and
(ii) the Southeast Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter, Section 15; and
(28) those parts of St. Louis
County in Township 57 North, Range 17 West, described as follows:
(i)
the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter and Southwest Quarter of the
Southwest Quarter, Section 25; and
(ii)
the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter and the Northeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter, Section 26.
Sec. 15. PRIVATE
SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; AITKIN COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding the public sale
provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or other law to the contrary,
Aitkin County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited land described in
paragraph (c).
(b) The conveyance must be in a form
approved by the attorney general. The
attorney general may make changes to the land description to correct errors and
ensure accuracy.
(c) The land to be sold is located in
Aitkin County and is described as:
The North Half of the Northeast Quarter of
the Northeast Quarter lying East of 275th Avenue in Section 11, Township 47
North, Range 25 West, Aitkin County, Minnesota (part of parcel 15-0-017700).
(d) The county has determined that the
county's land management interests would best be served if the land was
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 16. PRIVATE
SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; BELTRAMI COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding the public sale
provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or other law to the contrary,
Beltrami County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands described in
paragraph (c).
(b) The conveyances must be in a form
approved by the attorney general. The
attorney general may make changes to the land descriptions to correct errors
and ensure accuracy.
(c) The lands to be sold are located in
Beltrami County and are described as:
(1) the East 285 feet of the North 55 feet
of the South Half of the Southeast Quarter, Section 13, Township 149 North,
Range 32 West of the Fifth Principle Meridian (parcel identification number
16.00170.00);
(2) Lot 6, Block 12, Plat of Redby,
Section 19, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00027.00);
(3) Lot 7, Block 16, Plat of Redby,
Section 20, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00052.00);
(4) Lot 8, Block 16, Plat of Redby,
Section 20, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00053.00);
(5) Lot 9, Block 16, Plat of Redby,
Section 20, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00054.00);
(6) Lots 10, 11, and 12, Block 16, Plat
of Redby, Section 20, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification
number 36.00055.00);
(7) the southerly 200 feet of vacated
Block 28, Plat of Redby, less the northerly 75 feet of the westerly 150 feet
thereof and less the easterly 170 feet thereof, Section 20, Township 151 North,
Range 33 West (parcel identification number 36.00077.00);
(8) Lot 4, Block 29, Plat of Redby,
Section 20, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00081.00); and
(9) Lot 1, Block 62, Plat of Redby,
Section 19, Township 151 North, Range 33 West (parcel identification number
36.00148.00).
(d) The county has determined that the
county's land management interests would best be served if the lands were
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 17. PRIVATE
SALE OF SURPLUS STATE LAND; CASS COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 94.09 to 94.16, the commissioner of natural resources may sell by
private sale the surplus land that is described in paragraph (c).
(b) The commissioner may make necessary
changes to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land to be conveyed is located
in Cass County and is described as: the
westerly 20.00 feet of the West Half of the Northeast Quarter, Section 16,
Township 139 North, Range 30 West, Cass County, Minnesota. The Grantor, its employees and agents only,
reserves a perpetual easement for ingress and egress over and across the above
described land.
(d) The Department of Natural
Resources has determined that the land is not needed for natural resource
purposes and that the state's land management interests would best be served if
the land was returned to private ownership.
Sec. 18. GOODHUE
COUNTY; LAND TRANSFERS.
Subdivision 1. Land
transfers. (a)
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 373.01, subdivision 1, paragraph
(a), clause (3), Goodhue County may sell, lease, or otherwise convey
county-owned land that abuts Lake Byllesby to adjoining property owners who
after the transfer will have direct access to Lake Byllesby. Any sale, lease, or other conveyance must be
for the market value of the property as appraised by the county. A sale, lease, or other conveyance under this
section must reserve to the county mineral rights according to Minnesota
Statutes, section 373.01, and flowage easements relating to water levels of
Lake Byllesby.
(b) This section does not apply to any
county-owned land that has been developed by the county as public parkland.
Subd. 2. Effective
date; local approval. This
section is effective the day after the governing body of Goodhue County and its
chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
subdivisions 2 and 3.
Sec. 19. PRIVATE
SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LANDS; ITASCA COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding the public sale
provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or other law to the contrary,
Itasca County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands described in
paragraph (c).
(b) The conveyances must be in a form approved
by the attorney general. The attorney
general may make changes to the land descriptions to correct errors and ensure
accuracy.
(c) The lands to be sold are located in
Itasca County and are described as:
(1) all that part of Government Lot 2,
Section 27, Township 145 North, Range 26 West, lying northeasterly of the
northeasterly right-of-way line of CSAH 39 and northwesterly of the following
described line: Commencing at the
northwest corner of said Government Lot 2; thence South 89 degrees 21 minutes
East, along the north line of said Government Lot 2 a distance of 286 feet,
more or less, to a point on the northeasterly right-of-way line of the CSAH 39
right-of-way; thence South 51 degrees 01 minute East, 260.41 feet to the point
of beginning of the line to be described; thence North 42 degrees 11 minutes
East to intersect the water's edge of Ball Club Lake and there said line
terminates; and
(2) the South two rods of the East 16
rods of Government Lot 14, Section 4, Township 60 North, Range 26 West of the
Fourth Principle Meridian, containing approximately 0.20 acres.
(d) The county has determined that the
county's land management interests would best be served if the lands were
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 20. PRIVATE
SALE OF SURPLUS STATE LAND; LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 94.09 to 94.16, the commissioner of natural resources may sell by
private sale the surplus land that is described in paragraph (c).
(b) The commissioner may make necessary
changes to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land to be conveyed is
located in Lake of the Woods County and is described as: a strip of land lying in Government Lot 3,
Section 5, Township 163 North, Range 34 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian,
Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota; said strip of land being 33.00 feet in
width lying 16.50 feet on each side of the following described centerline:
Commencing at the southeast corner of said
Government Lot 3; thence North 00 degrees 09 minutes 28 seconds West, assumed
bearing, along the east line of said Government Lot 3, a distance of 690 feet,
more or less, to the south line of that particular tract of land deeded to the
State of Minnesota according to Document No. 75286, on file and of record
in the Office of the Recorder, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota; thence
South 89 degrees 50 minutes 32 seconds West, along said south line of that
particular tract of land, a distance of 200.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 09
minutes 28 seconds East, parallel with the east line of said Government Lot 3,
a distance of 40.00 feet; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes 32 seconds West, a
distance of 16.50 feet to the point of beginning of the centerline to be herein
described; thence South 00 degrees 09 minutes 28 seconds East, parallel with
the east line of said Government Lot 3, a distance of 650.5 feet, more or less,
to the south line of said Government Lot 3 and said centerline there
terminating.
(d) The Department of Natural Resources
has determined that the land is not needed for natural resource purposes and
that the state's land management interests would best be served if the land was
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 21. PRIVATE
SALE OF SURPLUS LAND BORDERING PUBLIC WATERS; ROSEAU COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 92.45, 94.09, and 94.10, the commissioner of natural resources may
sell by private sale the surplus island located in public water that is
described in paragraph (d) to a local unit of government for less than market
value.
(b) The commissioner may make necessary
changes to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land described in paragraph (d)
may be sold by quitclaim deed and the conveyance must provide that the land
described in paragraph (d) be used for the public and reverts to the state if
the local unit of government fails to provide for public use or abandons the
public use of the land. The conveyance
is subject to a flowage easement held by the United States of America.
(d) The land that may be conveyed is
located in Roseau County and is described as:
an unsurveyed island located in the approximate center of the South Half
of the Southeast Quarter of Section 29, Township 163 North, Range 36 West,
Roseau County, Minnesota; said island contains 6.7 acres, more or less (parcel
identification number 563199100).
(e) The island is located in Warroad
River and was created after statehood when dredge spoils were deposited on a
sandbar in the Warroad River. The
Department of Natural Resources has determined that the land is not needed for
natural resource purposes, the conveyance would further the public interest,
and the state's land management interests would best be served if the land was
conveyed to a local unit of government for a public park and other public use.
Sec. 22. PRIVATE
SALE OF SURPLUS STATE LAND; ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 94.09 to 94.16, the commissioner of natural resources may convey the
surplus land that is described in paragraph (c) to a local unit of government
for no consideration.
(b) The commissioner may make necessary changes
to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land to be conveyed is
located in St. Louis County and is described as: that part of the Southwest Quarter of the
Northwest Quarter of Section 27, Township 52 North, Range 17 West, St. Louis
County, Minnesota, described as follows:
Commencing at the quarter corner between
Sections 27 and 28 of said Township 52 North, Range 17 West; thence running
East 624 feet; thence North 629 feet to the point of beginning; thence North
418 feet; thence East 208 feet; thence South 418 feet; thence West 208 feet to
the point of beginning.
(d) The Department of Natural Resources
has determined that the land is not needed for natural resource purposes and
that the state's land management interests would best be served if the land
were conveyed to a local unit of government.
Sec. 23. PRIVATE
SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LANDS; ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding the public sale
provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or other law to the contrary, St. Louis
County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands described in paragraph
(c).
(b) The conveyances must be in a form
approved by the attorney general. The
attorney general may make changes to the land descriptions to correct errors
and ensure accuracy.
(c) The lands to be sold are located in
St. Louis County and are described as:
(1) Lot 5, Block 9, including part of
vacated Seafield Street adjacent, Bristol Beach 1st Division, Duluth (parcel
010-0300-01030); and
(2) that part of the Southeast Quarter
of the Northwest Quarter, Township 58, Range 15, Section 5, lying northerly of
the northerly right-of-way line of the town of White road running in an
east-west direction connecting County Road No. 138 with State Highway No. 135
and lying westerly of the following described line: commencing at the northeast corner of
Government Lot 3; thence South 89 degrees 46 minutes 22 seconds West along the
north line of Government Lot 3 558.28 feet; thence South 27 degrees 50 minutes
01 second West 102.75 feet; thence South 41 degrees 51 minutes 46 seconds West
452.29 feet; thence South 28 degrees 19 minutes 22 seconds West 422.74 feet;
thence South 30 degrees 55 minutes 42 seconds West 133.79 feet; thence
southwesterly 210.75 feet along a tangential curve concave to the southeast
having a radius of 300 feet and a central angle of 40 degrees 15 minutes
00 seconds; thence South 09 degrees 19 minutes 19 seconds East tangent to said
curve 100.30 feet, more or less, to the north line of said Southeast Quarter of
the Northwest Quarter; thence North 89 degrees 09 minutes 31 seconds East
along said north line 40.44 feet to the point of beginning of the line; thence
South 09 degrees 19 minutes 19 seconds East 148 feet, more or less, to
said right-of-way line and said line there terminating. Surface only (parcel 570-0021-00112).
(d) The county has determined that the
county's land management interests would best be served if the lands were
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 24. PRIVATE
SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LANDS; ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding the public sale
provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or other law to the contrary, St. Louis
County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands described in paragraph
(c).
(b) The conveyances must be in a form
approved by the attorney general. The
attorney general may make changes to the land descriptions to correct errors
and ensure accuracy.
(c) The lands to be sold are located in
St. Louis County and are described as:
(1) the South Half of the North
Half of the South Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter,
except the East 470 feet and except the part taken for a road, Township 50
North, Range 15 West, Section 29 (parcel identification number 395-0010-08713);
(2) the East 271 feet of the West 371
feet of the North 669.94 feet of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter
of Section 34, Township 61 North, Range 15 West of the Fourth Principal
Meridian. Together with the West 100
feet of the North 669.94 feet of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter
of Section 34, Township 61 North, Range 15 West of the Fourth Principal
Meridian, which lies South of the North 300 feet thereof (part of parcel
identification number 410-0024-00550);
(3) the West 371 feet of the Northwest
Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 34, Township 61 North, Range 15
West of the Fourth Principal Meridian, which lies South of the North 669.94
feet thereof (part of parcel identification number 410-0024-00550); and
(4) the Northeast Quarter, except the
Southwest Quarter, and the North Half of the Northwest Quarter, Township 52
North, Range 19 West, Section 24 (part of parcel identification number
470-0010-03830).
(d) The county has determined that the
county's land management interests would best be served if the lands were
returned to private ownership.
Sec. 25. ST. LOUIS
COUNTY; LAND LEASE.
Subdivision 1. St. Louis
County; lease. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.695 and 282.04, St. Louis County may
lease property legally described as part of Government Lot 5 except the lake
portion of Embarrass Mine, Township 58, Range 15 West, Section 5, for use as a
water intake and water treatment project under Laws 2018, chapter 214, article
1, section 22, subdivision 6, for consideration of more than $12,000 per year
and for a period exceeding ten years.
Subd. 2. Department
of Natural Resources; lease. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 92.50, or other law to the contrary, the
commissioner may lease property in Township 58, Range 15, Section 5, for use as
a water intake and water treatment project under Laws 2018, chapter 214,
article 1, section 22, subdivision 6, for a period exceeding 21 years,
including a lease term of 40 years.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 26. PRIVATE
SALE OF SURPLUS LAND BORDERING PUBLIC WATER; SHERBURNE COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
sections 92.45, 94.09, and 94.10, the commissioner of natural resources may
sell by private sale the surplus land bordering public water that is described
in paragraph (c) to a local unit of government for less than market value.
(b) The commissioner may make necessary
changes to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land that may be sold is
located in Sherburne County and is described as: that part of Government Lot 3, Section 24,
Township 33 North, Range 28 West, described as follows:
The East 400 feet of Government Lot 3,
Section 24, Township 33 North, Range 28 West, according to the United States
Government survey thereof.
(d) The land borders Big Lake. The Department of Natural Resources has
determined that the land is not needed for natural resource purposes and that
the state's land management interests would best be served if the land were
conveyed to a local unit of government.
Sec. 27. PUBLIC
SALE OF SURPLUS STATE LAND BORDERING PUBLIC WATER; WADENA COUNTY.
(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 92.45, the commissioner of natural resources may sell by public sale
the surplus land bordering public water that is described in paragraph (c).
(b) The commissioner may make necessary
changes to the legal description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
(c) The land that may be sold is located
in Wadena County and is described as: the
Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 26, Township 136 North,
Range 34 West, Wadena County, Minnesota, except that part described as follows:
Beginning at the northeast corner of said
Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter; thence West 10 rods; thence South 8
rods; thence East 10 rods; thence North 8 rods to the point of beginning and
there terminating.
(d) The land borders the Redeye River. The Department of Natural Resources has determined that the land is not needed for natural resource purposes and that the state's land management interests would best be served if the land were returned to private ownership."
Delete the title and insert:
"A bill for an act relating to state government; appropriating money for environment, natural resources, and tourism; appropriating money from environment and natural resources trust fund; modifying provisions for forestry, wildlife, game and fish, invasive species, aquaculture, farmed Cervidae, pesticides, outdoor recreation, fees, waters of the state, land exchanges, waste management, pollution control and enforcement, and electric-assisted bicycles; modifying and creating accounts; providing for disposition of certain revenue; modifying commissioner authority and duties; establishing grant programs; providing for uniformity in DUI enforcement for recreational vehicles; requiring reimbursement of certain costs; adding and deleting land from certain state parks; establishing new state forest; authorizing private sale of certain tax-forfeited and surplus state land; authorizing certain land leases and transfers; requiring studies and reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 16A.151, subdivision 2; 16B.335, subdivision 2; 17.4982, subdivisions 6, 8, 9, 12, by adding subdivisions; 17.4985, subdivisions 2, 3, 5; 17.4986, subdivisions 2, 4; 17.4991, subdivision 3; 17.4992, subdivision 2; 17.4993, subdivision 1; 18B.09, subdivision 2, by adding a subdivision; 35.155, subdivisions 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, by adding a subdivision; 84.027, subdivisions 13a, 18; 84.415, by adding a subdivision; 84.63; 84.631; 84.66, subdivisions 1, 3; 84.787, subdivision 7; 84.795, subdivision 5; 84.797, subdivision 7; 84.82, subdivisions 1a, 7a; 84.83, subdivision 5; 84.92, subdivision 8; 84.943, subdivisions 3, 5, by adding subdivisions; 84.946, subdivision 4; 84D.02, subdivision 3; 84D.11, subdivision 1a; 84D.15; 85.015, subdivision 10; 85.019, by adding a subdivision; 85.052, subdivisions 1, 2, 6, by adding a subdivision; 85.053, subdivision 2, by adding a subdivision; 85.054, subdivision 1; 85.055, subdivision 1; 85.43; 85.47; 86B.415, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7; 86B.705, subdivision 2; 88.79, subdivision 1; 89.001, subdivision 8; 89.021, by adding a subdivision; 89.17; 89.35, subdivision 2; 89.37, subdivision 3; 89A.03, subdivision 2; 89A.11; 92.50, by adding a subdivision; 92.502; 94.3495, subdivision 3; 97A.015, subdivisions 25, 43; 97A.065, subdivision 2; 97A.401, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 97A.421, subdivision 1; 97A.475, subdivision 41; 97A.505, subdivisions 3b, 8; 97B.071; 97B.811, subdivision 4a; 97C.005, subdivision 3; 97C.081, subdivisions 3, 3a; 97C.342, subdivision 2; 97C.515, subdivision 2; 97C.605, subdivisions 1, 2c, 3; 97C.611; 97C.805, subdivision 2; 97C.836; 103B.103; 103C.315, subdivision 4; 103G.255; 103G.271, subdivision 4a, by adding subdivisions; 103G.287, subdivision 5; 115.03, subdivision 1; 115.061; 115.071, subdivisions 1, 4, by adding subdivisions; 115A.03, by adding subdivisions; 115A.1310, subdivision 12b; 115A.1312, subdivision 1; 115A.1314, subdivision 1; 115A.1316, subdivision 1; 115A.1318, subdivision 2; 115A.1320, subdivision 1; 115A.565, subdivision 1; 115B.17, subdivision 13; 115B.406, subdivisions 1, 9; 115B.407; 115B.421; 115B.49, subdivision 4;
116.06, by adding a subdivision; 116.07, subdivisions 6, 9, by adding subdivisions; 116.11; 116G.07, by adding a subdivision; 116G.15, by adding a subdivision; 168.002, subdivision 18; 168.1295, subdivision 1; 169.011, subdivisions 27, 42, by adding subdivisions; 169.222, subdivisions 4, 6a, by adding a subdivision; 169A.20, subdivision 1; 169A.52, by adding a subdivision; 169A.54, by adding a subdivision; 171.306, by adding a subdivision; 290C.01; 325E.046; Laws 2016, chapter 154, sections 16; 48; Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 2, subdivision 9, as amended; Laws 2018, chapter 214, article 4, section 2, subdivision 6; Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 4, article 1, section 3, subdivisions 4, 5; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 84; 86B; 97B; 103B; 103C; 103F; 115A; 116; 171; 325F; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 84.91, subdivision 1; 85.0505, subdivision 3; 85.0507; 85.054, subdivision 19; 86B.331, subdivision 1; 97C.605, subdivisions 2, 2a, 2b, 5; 115.44, subdivision 9; 115B.48, subdivision 8; 115C.13; 169A.20, subdivisions 1a, 1b, 1c; Minnesota Rules, parts 6256.0500, subparts 2, 2a, 2b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; 7044.0350."
With the recommendation that when so amended the bill be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The
report was adopted.
Mariani from the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy to which was referred:
H. F. No. 1078, A bill for an act relating to public safety; providing for policy and appropriating money for Sentencing Guidelines Commission, public safety, Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, Private Detective Board, corrections, and ombudsperson for corrections; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 241.021, subdivision 1, by adding subdivisions; 243.52; 244.05, subdivision 5; 244.065; 299A.52, subdivision 2; 299A.55; 340A.504, subdivision 7; 403.11, subdivision 1; Laws 2020, Seventh Special Session chapter 2, article 2, section 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 244; 299A.
Reported the same back with the following amendments:
Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"ARTICLE 1
APPROPRIATIONS
|
Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS. |
The sums shown in the columns marked
"Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies and for the
purposes specified in this article. The
appropriations are from the general fund, or another named fund, and are
available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. The figures "2022" and "2023"
used in this article mean that the appropriations listed under them are
available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, or June 30, 2023,
respectively. "The first year"
is fiscal year 2022. "The second
year" is fiscal year 2023. "The
biennium" is fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
|
|
|
APPROPRIATIONS Available for the Year Ending June 30 |
||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Sec. 2. SENTENCING
GUIDELINES |
|
$826,000 |
|
$851,000 |
Information
on Probation
$86,000 each year is to collect, prepare,
analyze, and disseminate information about probation practices.
|
Sec. 3. PUBLIC
SAFETY |
|
|
|
|
|
Subdivision
1. Total
Appropriation |
$1,380,000 |
|
$228,135,000 |
|
$224,551,000 |
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
|||
|
|
2021 |
2022
|
2023
|
|
General |
1,365,000
|
141,161,000
|
138,704,000
|
|
Special Revenue |
|
14,901,000
|
14,502,000
|
|
State Government Special Revenue |
|
103,000
|
103,000
|
|
Environmental |
|
73,000
|
73,000
|
|
Trunk Highway |
|
3,981,000
|
3,262,000
|
|
911 Fund |
|
67,897,000
|
67,888,000
|
|
Opioid Fund |
15,000
|
19,000
|
19,000
|
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
|
Subd. 2. Emergency
Management |
|
6,200,000
|
|
6,156,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
General |
6,127,000
|
6,083,000
|
|
Environmental |
73,000
|
73,000
|
(a) Emergency Management Grants; Report
$3,000,000 each year is for the director
of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEM) to award
grants in equal amounts to emergency management departments in the 87 counties,
11 federally recognized Tribes, and four cities of the first class for planning
and preparedness activities, including capital purchases. This amount is a onetime appropriation. Local emergency management departments must
make a request to HSEM for these grants.
Current local funding for emergency management and preparedness
activities may not be supplanted by these additional state funds.
By March 15, 2023, the commissioner of
public safety must submit a report on the grant awards to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
emergency management and preparedness activities. At a minimum, the report must summarize grantee
activities and identify grant recipients.
(b) Criminal Alert Network; Alzheimer's and Dementia
$200,000 the first year is for the criminal
alert network to increase membership, reduce the registration fee, and create
additional alert categories, including at a minimum a dementia and Alzheimer's
disease specific category.
(c) Supplemental Nonprofit Security Grants
$225,000 each year is for supplemental
nonprofit security grants under this paragraph.
Nonprofit organizations whose applications
for funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's nonprofit
security grant program have been approved by the Division of Homeland Security
and Emergency Management are eligible for grants under this paragraph. No additional application shall be required
for grants under this paragraph, and an application for a grant from the
federal program is also an application for funding from the state supplemental
program.
Eligible organizations may receive grants
of up to $75,000, except that the total received by any individual from both
the federal nonprofit security grant program and the state supplemental
nonprofit security grant program shall not exceed $75,000. Grants shall be awarded in an order
consistent with the ranking given to applicants for the federal nonprofit
security grant program. No grants under
the state supplemental nonprofit security grant program shall be awarded until
the announcement of the recipients and the amount of the grants awarded under
the federal nonprofit security grant program.
The commissioner may use up to one percent
of the appropriation received under this paragraph to pay costs incurred by the
department in administering the supplemental nonprofit security grant program. These appropriations are onetime.
|
Subd. 3. Criminal Apprehension |
1,261,000
|
|
79,918,000
|
|
76,968,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
|||
|
General |
1,246,000
|
75,911,000
|
73,680,000
|
|
State Government Special Revenue |
|
7,000
|
7,000
|
|
Trunk Highway |
|
3,981,000
|
3,262,000
|
|
Opioid Fund |
15,000
|
19,000
|
19,000
|
(a) DWI Lab Analysis; Trunk Highway Fund
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section
161.20, subdivision 3, $3,981,000 the first year and $3,262,000 the second year
are from the trunk highway fund for staff and operating costs for laboratory
analysis related to driving-while-impaired cases.
(b) Cybersecurity
$2,955,000 the first year and $2,605,000
the second year are for identity and access management, critical infrastructure
upgrades, and Federal Bureau of Investigation audit compliance. The base for this is $1,050,000 in fiscal
years 2024 and 2025.
(c) Rapid DNA Program
$285,000 each year is from the general
fund for the Rapid DNA Program.
(d) Responding to Civil Unrest
$539,000 in fiscal year 2021 and $539,000
in fiscal year 2022 is from the general fund for costs related to responding to
civil unrest. This is a onetime
appropriation.
(e) National Guard Sexual Assault Investigations
$160,000 each year is for investigation of
criminal sexual conduct allegations filed against members of the Minnesota
National Guard by another member of the Minnesota National Guard. This appropriation is added to the agency's
base.
(f) Predatory Offender Statutory Framework Working Group
$131,000 the first year is to convene,
administer, and implement the predatory offender statutory framework working
group.
(g) Automatic Expungement
$1,248,000 the first year is for costs
associated with providing automatic expungements.
(h) Salary Increases; Special Agents
$524,000 in fiscal year 2021 is
appropriated for Bureau of Criminal Apprehension special agent salary increases. In each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023,
$717,000 is appropriated for this purpose.
This amount is in addition to the base appropriation for this purpose.
(i) Salary Increases; Special Agents
$15,000 in fiscal year 2021 is
appropriated from the opiate epidemic response fund for Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension special agent salary increases.
In each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, $19,000 is appropriated from the
opiate epidemic response fund for this purpose.
This amount is in addition to the base appropriation for this purpose.
(j) Emergency COVID-19 Sick Leave
$183,000 in fiscal year 2021 is for
emergency COVID-19 sick leave. This
funding is onetime.
(k) Body Cameras
$397,000 the first year and $205,000 the
second year are to purchase body cameras for peace officers employed by the
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and to maintain the necessary hardware,
software, and data.
|
Subd. 4. Fire
Marshal |
|
8,752,000
|
|
8,818,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
General |
178,000
|
178,000
|
|
Special Revenue |
8,574,000
|
8,640,000
|
The special revenue fund appropriation is
from the fire safety account in the special revenue fund and is for activities
under Minnesota Statutes, section 299F.012.
The base appropriation from this account is $8,740,000 in fiscal year
2024 and $8,640,000 in fiscal year 2025.
(a) Inspections
$350,000 each year is for inspection of
nursing homes and boarding care facilities.
(b) Hazmat and Chemical Assessment Teams
$950,000 the first year and $850,000 the
second year are from the fire safety account in the special revenue fund. These amounts must be used to fund the
hazardous materials and chemical assessment teams. Of this amount, $100,000 the first year is
for cases for which there is no identified responsible party. The base appropriation is $950,000 in fiscal
year 2024 and $850,000 in fiscal year 2025.
(c) Bomb Squad Reimbursements
$50,000 each year is from the general fund
for reimbursements to local governments for bomb squad services.
(d) Emergency Response Teams
$675,000 each year is from the fire safety
account in the special revenue fund to maintain four emergency response teams: one under the jurisdiction of the St. Cloud
Fire Department or a similarly located fire department if necessary; one under
the
jurisdiction of the Duluth Fire
Department; one under the jurisdiction of the St. Paul Fire Department;
and one under the jurisdiction of the Moorhead Fire Department.
|
Subd. 5. Firefighter
Training and Education Board |
|
5,792,000
|
|
5,792,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
Special Revenue |
5,792,000
|
5,792,000
|
The special revenue fund appropriation is
from the fire safety account in the special revenue fund and is for activities
under Minnesota Statutes, section 299F.012.
|
(a) Firefighter Training and Education |
|
|
|
|
$4,500,000 each year is for firefighter
training and education.
(b) Task Force 1
$975,000 each year is for the Minnesota
Task Force 1.
(c) Air Rescue
$317,000 each year is for the Minnesota
Air Rescue Team.
|
(d) Unappropriated Revenue |
|
|
|
|
Any additional unappropriated money
collected in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated to the commissioner of public
safety for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 299F.012. The commissioner may transfer appropriations
and base amounts between activities in this subdivision.
|
Subd. 6. Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement |
119,000
|
|
2,648,000
|
|
2,598,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
|||
|
General |
119,000
|
2,578,000
|
2,528,000
|
|
Special Revenue |
|
70,000
|
70,000
|
$70,000 each year is from the lawful
gambling regulation account in the special revenue fund.
(a) Legal Costs
$93,000 the first year is for legal costs
associated with Alexis Bailly Vineyard, Inc. v. Harrington. This is a onetime appropriation.
(b) Responding to Civil Unrest
$86,000 in fiscal year 2021 and $71,000 in
fiscal year 2022 are from the general fund for costs related to responding to
civil unrest. This is a onetime
appropriation.
(c) Salary Increases; Special Agents
$33,000 in fiscal year 2021 is
appropriated for Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division special agent salary
increases. In each of fiscal years 2022
and 2023, $44,000 is appropriated for this purpose. This amount is in addition to the base
appropriation for this purpose.
(d) Body Cameras
$16,000 each year is to purchase body
cameras for peace officers employed by the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement
Division and to maintain the necessary hardware, software, and data.
|
Subd. 7. Office
of Justice Programs |
|
56,463,000
|
|
56,331,000
|
|
Appropriations
by Fund |
||
|
General |
56,367,000
|
56,235,000
|
|
State Government Special Revenue |
96,000
|
96,000
|
(a) Combatting Sex Trafficking Grants
$1,000,000 each year is for an
antitrafficking investigation coordinator and to implement new or expand
existing strategies to combat sex trafficking.
(b) Survivor Support and Prevention Grants
$6,000,000 each year is for grants to
victim survivors and to fund emerging or unmet needs impacting victims of
crime, particularly in underserved populations.
The ongoing base for this program shall be $1,500,000 beginning in
fiscal year 2024.
(c) Minnesota Heals Program
$1,500,000 each year is to establish and
maintain the Minnesota Heals program. Of
this amount, $500,000 each year is for a statewide critical incident stress
management service for first responders; $500,000 each year is for grants for
establishing and maintaining a community healing network; and $500,000 each
year is for reimbursement for burial costs, cultural ceremonies, and mental
health and trauma healing services for families following an officer-involved
death.
(d) Innovation in Community Safety Grants
$5,000,000 each year is for innovation in
community safety grants administered by the Innovation in Community Safety
Coordinator.
(e) Youth Intervention Program Grants
$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the
second year are for youth intervention program grants. The base appropriation is $500,000 in fiscal
year 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025.
(f) Racially Diverse Youth in Shelters
$150,000 each year is for grants to
organizations to address racial disparity of youth using shelter services in
the Rochester and St. Cloud regional areas. A grant recipient shall establish and operate
a pilot program to engage in community intervention, family reunification,
aftercare, and follow up when family members are released from shelter services. A pilot program shall specifically address
the high number of racially diverse youth that enter shelters in the region.
(g) Task Force on Missing and Murdered African American Women
$202,000 the first year and $50,000 the
second year are to implement the task force on missing and murdered African
American women.
(h) Body Camera Grant Program
$1,000,000 each year is to provide grants
to local law enforcement agencies for portable recording systems. The executive director shall award grants to
local law enforcement agencies for the purchase and maintenance of portable
recording systems and portable recording system data. An applicant must provide a 50 percent
match to be eligible to receive a grant.
The executive director must give priority to applicants that do not have
a portable recording system program. The
executive director must award at least one grant to a law enforcement agency
located outside of the seven-county metropolitan area.
As a condition of receiving a grant, a law
enforcement agency's portable recording system policy required under Minnesota
Statutes, section 626.8473, subdivision 3, must include the following
provisions:
(1) prohibit altering, erasing, or
destroying any recording made with a peace officer's portable recording system
or data and metadata related to the recording prior to the expiration of the
applicable retention period under Minnesota Statutes, section
13.825, subdivision 3, except
that the full, unedited, and unredacted recording of a peace officer using
deadly force must be maintained indefinitely;
(2) mandate that a deceased individual's
next of kin, legal representative of the next of kin, or other parent of the
deceased individual's children be entitled to view any and all recordings from
a peace officer's portable recording system, redacted no more than what is
required by law, of an officer's use of deadly force no later than 48 hours
after an incident where deadly force used by a peace officer results in death
of an individual, except that a chief law enforcement officer may deny a
request if investigators can articulate a compelling reason as to why allowing
the deceased individual's next of kin, legal representative of the next of kin,
or other parent of the deceased individual's children to review the recordings
would interfere with the agency conducting a thorough investigation. If the chief law enforcement officer denies a
request under this provision, the agency's policy must require the chief law
enforcement officer to issue a prompt, written denial and provide notice to the
deceased individual's next of kin, legal representative of the next of kin, or
other parent of the deceased individual's children that they may seek relief
from the district court;
(3) mandate release of all recordings of an
incident where a peace officer used deadly force and an individual dies to the
deceased individual's next of kin, legal representative of the next of kin, and
other parent of the deceased individual's children no later than 90 days
after the incident; and
(4) mandate, whenever practicable, that an
officer operating a portable recording system while entering a residence notify
occupants of the residence that they are being recorded.
(i) Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives
$500,000 each year is to establish and maintain
an office dedicated to reviewing, preventing, and ending the targeting of
Indigenous people, disappearance of Indigenous people, and deaths of Indigenous
people that occur under suspicious circumstances through coordination with
Tribal nations, executive branch agencies and commissions, community
organizations, and impacted communities.
(j) Opiate Epidemic Response Grants
$500,000 each year is for grants to
organizations selected by the Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council that
provide services to address the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic in
Minnesota consistent with the priorities in Minnesota Statutes, section
256.042, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (4). Grant recipients must be located outside the
seven-county metropolitan area and in areas with disproportionately high
incidents of fentanyl overdoses.
(k) Prosecutor and Law Enforcement Training
$25,000 each year is appropriated to award
an annual grant to the Minnesota County Attorneys Association for prosecutor
and law enforcement training on increasing diversion alternatives and using
evidence-based practices to increase public safety and decrease racial
disparities. This is a onetime
appropriation.
(l) Study on Liability Insurance for Peace Officers
$100,000 in the first year is for a grant
to an organization with experience in studying issues related to community
safety and criminal justice for a study on the effects of requiring peace
officers to carry liability insurance.
(m) Administration Costs
Up to 2.5 percent of the grant funds
appropriated in this subdivision may be used by the commissioner to administer
the grant program.
|
Subd. 8. Emergency
Communication Networks |
|
67,897,000
|
|
67,888,000
|
This appropriation is from the state
government special revenue fund for 911 emergency telecommunications services.
This appropriation includes funds for
information technology project services and support subject to the provisions
of Minnesota Statutes, section 16E.0466.
Any ongoing information technology costs shall be incorporated into the
service level agreement and shall be paid to the Office of MN.IT Services by
the Department of Public Safety under the rates and mechanism specified in that
agreement.
|
(a) Public Safety Answering Points |
|
|
|
|
$27,328,000 the first year and $28,011,000
the second year shall be distributed as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section
403.113, subdivision 2. The base
appropriation is $28,011,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $28,011,000 in fiscal year
2025.
|
(b) Medical Resource Communication Centers |
|
|
|
|
$683,000 the first year is for grants to
the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board for the Metro East
and Metro West Medical Resource Communication Centers that were in operation
before January 1, 2000. This is a
onetime appropriation.
(c) ARMER State Backbone Operating Costs
$9,675,000 each year is transferred to the
commissioner of transportation for costs of maintaining and operating the
statewide radio system backbone.
(d) ARMER Improvements
$1,000,000 each year is to the Statewide
Emergency Communications Board for improvements to those elements of the
statewide public safety radio and communication system that support mutual aid
communications and emergency medical services or provide interim enhancement of
public safety communication interoperability in those areas of the state where
the statewide public safety radio and communication system is not yet
implemented, and grants to local units of government to further the strategic
goals set forth by the Statewide Emergency Communications Board strategic plan.
(e) 911 Telecommunicator Working Group
$9,000 the first year is to convene,
administer, and implement the telecommunicator working group.
|
Subd. 9. Driver
and Vehicle Services |
|
465,000
|
|
-0-
|
$465,000 the first year is from the driver
services operating account in the special revenue fund for the ignition
interlock program under Minnesota Statutes, section 171.306.
|
Sec. 4. PEACE
OFFICER STANDARDS AND TRAINING (POST) BOARD |
|
|
|
|
Subdivision 1. Total
Appropriation |
|
$13,046,000 |
|
$13,046,000 |
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
|
Subd. 2. Peace
Officer Training Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
$2,949,000 each year is for reimbursements
to local governments for peace officer training costs.
|
Subd. 3. Peace
Officer Training Assistance |
|
|
|
|
(a) Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund
$6,000,000 each year is to support and
strengthen law enforcement training and implement best practices. This funding shall be named the
"Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund." The base for this program shall be $6,000,000
in fiscal year 2024 and $0 in fiscal year 2025.
Each sponsor of a training course is
required to include the following in the sponsor's application for approval
submitted to the board: course goals and
objectives; a course outline including at a minimum a timeline and teaching
hours for all courses; instructor
qualifications, including
skills and concepts such as crisis intervention, de-escalation, and cultural
competency that are relevant to the course provided; and a plan for learning
assessments of the course and documenting the assessments to the board during
review. Upon completion of each course,
instructors must submit student evaluations of the instructor's teaching to the
sponsor.
The board shall keep records of the
applications of all approved and denied courses. All continuing education courses shall be
reviewed after the first year. The board
must set a timetable for recurring review after the first year. For each review, the sponsor must submit its
learning assessments to the board to show that the course is teaching the
learning outcomes that were approved by the board.
A list of licensees who successfully
complete the course shall be maintained by the sponsor and transmitted to the
board following the presentation of the course and the completed student
evaluations of the instructors. Evaluations
are available to chief law enforcement officers. The board shall establish a data retention
schedule for the information collected in this section.
(b) Grant Program for Public Safety Policy and Training Consultant Costs
$1,000,000 each year is for grants to law
enforcement agencies to provide reimbursement for the expense of retaining a
board‑approved public safety policy and training consultant.
|
Sec. 5. PRIVATE
DETECTIVE BOARD |
|
$282,000 |
|
$288,000 |
|
Sec. 6. CORRECTIONS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subdivision
1. Total
Appropriation |
$2,384,000 |
|
$634,883,000 |
|
$639,916,000 |
The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.
|
Subd. 2. Correctional Institutions |
2,321,000
|
|
463,703,000
|
|
469,377,000
|
(a) Healthy Start Act
$200,000 each year is to implement the
healthy start act that shall create a release program for pregnant women and
new mothers who are committed to the commissioner of corrections by providing
alternatives to incarceration and improving parenting skills.
(b) Prescription Medications
$17,000 the first year and $20,000 the
second year are to provide a one-month supply of any prescribed, nonnarcotic
medications and a prescription for a 30-day supply of these medications that
may be refilled twice to inmates at the time of their release.
(c) Emergency COVID-19 Sick Leave
$2,321,000 in fiscal year 2021 and
$2,320,000 in fiscal year 2022 are for emergency COVID-19 sick leave.
(d) Juvenile Review Board
$50,000 in the second year is for
implementation of the Juvenile Review Board.
|
Subd. 3. Community
Services |
|
63,000
|
|
140,515,000
|
|
139,449,000
|
(a) Oversight
$992,000 the first year and $492,000 the
second year are to expand and improve oversight of jails and other state and
local correctional facilities, including the addition of four full-time
corrections detention facilities inspectors and funds for county sheriffs who
inspect municipal lockups.
(b) Juvenile Justice
$1,660,000 the first year and $660,000 the
second year are to develop and implement a juvenile justice data repository and
modernize the current juvenile management system including but not limited to
technology and staffing costs. $285,000
is added to the base in each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
(c) Community Corrections Act
$1,220,000 each year is added to the
Community Corrections Act subsidy, as described in Minnesota Statutes, section
401.14. This is a onetime increase for
the biennium and requires the submission of a report to the legislature no
later than December 15, 2021, with recommendations from a working group
established to study supervision services and funding across the state and
develop recommendations. The base for
this appropriation increase is $0 in fiscal year 2024 and $0 in fiscal year
2025.
The commissioner of corrections shall
convene a working group to study and report to the legislature on the
attributes and requirements of an effective supervision system. The report shall describe how the state and
counties can achieve an effective supervision system together, balancing local
control with state
support and collaboration. The report shall include: a proposal for sustainable funding of the
state's community supervision delivery systems; a plan for the potential of
future Tribal government supervision of probationers and supervised releasees;
a definition of core or base-level supervision standards in accordance with the
state's obligation to fund or provide supervision services which are
geographically equitable and reflect the principles of modern correctional
practice; a recommended funding model and the associated costs as compared to
the state's current investment in those services; alternative funding and
delivery models and the alternative models' associated costs when compared with
the state's current investment in those services; and mechanisms to ensure
balanced application of increases in the cost of community supervision
services.
The working group shall at a minimum include the following members: the commissioner of corrections or the commissioner's designee and four other representatives from the Department of Corrections, five directors of the Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties, five directors of the Minnesota Association of County Probation Offices, three county commissioner representatives from the Association of Minnesota Counties with one from each delivery system, three representatives of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council Tribal government members, and two district court judge representatives designated by the State Court Administrator. The working group may include other members and the use of a third-party organization to provide process facilitation, statewide stakeholder engagement, data analysis, programming and supervision assessments, and technical assistance through implementation of the adopted report recommendations.
The report shall be submitted to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the house of representatives Public Safety
Committee and the senate Judiciary and Finance Committees no later than
December 15, 2021.
(d) County Probation Officer Reimbursement
$101,000 each year is for county probation
officers reimbursement, as described in Minnesota Statutes, section 244.19,
subdivision 6. This is a onetime
increase for the biennium and requires the submission of a report to the
legislature no later than December 15, 2021, with recommendations from a
working group established to study supervision services and funding across the
state and develop recommendations. The
base for this appropriations increase is $0 in fiscal year 2024 and $0 in
fiscal year 2025.
(e) Probation Supervision Services
$1,170,000 each year is for probation
supervision services provided by the Department of Corrections in Meeker, Mille
Lacs, and Renville Counties as described in Minnesota Statutes, section
244.19, subdivision 1. The commissioner of corrections shall bill
Meeker, Mille Lacs, and Renville Counties for the total cost of and expenses
incurred for probation services on behalf of each county, as described in
Minnesota Statutes, section 244.19, subdivision 5, and all reimbursements shall
be deposited in the general fund.
(f) Task Force on Aiding and Abetting Felony Murder
$25,000 the first year is to implement the
task force on aiding and abetting felony murder.
(g) Alternatives to Incarceration
$320,000 each year is for funding to Anoka
County, Crow Wing County, and Wright County to facilitate access to community
treatment options under the alternatives to incarceration program.
(h) Task Force on Presentence Investigation Reports
$15,000 the first year is to implement the
task force on the contents and use of presentence investigation reports and
imposition of conditions of probation.
(i) Juvenile Justice Report
$55,000 the first year and $9,000 the
second year are for reporting on extended jurisdiction juveniles.
(j) Postrelease Employment for Inmates Grant; Request for Proposals
$300,000 the first year is for a grant to
a nongovernmental organization to provide curriculum and corporate mentors to
inmates and assist inmates in finding meaningful employment upon release from a
correctional facility. By September 1,
2021, the commissioner of corrections must issue a request for proposals. By December 1, 2021, the commissioner shall
award a $300,000 grant to the applicant that is best qualified to provide the
programming described in this paragraph.
(k) Homelessness Mitigation Plan
$12,000 the first year is to develop and
implement a homelessness mitigation plan for individuals released from prison.
(l) Identifying Documents
$23,000 the first year and $28,000 the
second year are to assist inmates in obtaining a copy of their birth
certificates and provide appropriate Department of Corrections identification
cards to individuals released from prison.
(m)
Salary Increases; Fugitive
Specialists
$63,000 in fiscal year 2021 is for
fugitive specialist salary increases. In
each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, $93,000 is appropriated for this purpose. This amount is in addition to the base
appropriation for this purpose.
|
Subd. 4. Operations
Support |
|
30,665,000
|
|
31,090,000
|
(a) Technology
$1,566,000 the first year and $1,621,000
the second year are to increase support for ongoing technology needs.
(b) Correctional Facilities Security Audit Group
$54,000 the first year and $81,000 the
second year are for the correctional facilities security audit group to prepare
security audit standards, conduct security audits, and prepare required
reports.
(c) Indeterminate Sentence Release Board
$40,000 in each fiscal year is to
establish the Indeterminate Sentence Release Board (ISRB) to review eligible
cases and make decisions for persons serving indeterminate sentences under the
authority of the commissioner of corrections.
The ISRB shall consist of five members including four persons appointed
by the governor from two recommendations of each of the majority and minority
leaders of the house of representatives and the senate, and the commissioner of
corrections who shall serve as chair.
|
Sec. 7. OMBUDSPERSON
FOR CORRECTIONS |
|
$659,000 |
|
$663,000 |
|
Sec. 8. SUPREME
COURT |
|
$545,000 |
|
$545,000 |
$545,000 each year is for temporary
caseload increases resulting from changes to the laws governing expungement of
criminal records.
|
Sec. 9. PUBLIC
DEFENSE |
|
$25,000 |
|
$25,000 |
$25,000 each year is for public defender
training on increasing diversion alternatives and using evidence-based
practices to increase public safety and decrease racial disparities. This is a onetime appropriation.
Sec. 10. TRANSFERS.
$6,265,000 in fiscal year 2022 is
transferred from the MINNCOR fund to the general fund.
Sec. 11. CANCELLATION;
FISCAL YEAR 2021.
$345,000 of the fiscal year 2021 general
fund appropriation under Laws 2019, First Special Session chapter 5, article 1,
section 12, subdivision 1, is canceled.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 2
POLICING
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 13.41, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training. The following government data of the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training are private data:
(1) personal phone numbers, and
home and email addresses of licensees and applicants for licenses;
and
(2) data that identify the government
entity that employs a licensed peace officer.
The board may disseminate private data on applicants and licensees as is necessary to administer law enforcement licensure or to provide data under section 626.845, subdivision 1, to law enforcement agencies who are conducting employment background investigations.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 13.411, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 11. Peace
officer database. Section
626.8457, subdivision 3, governs data sharing between law enforcement agencies
and the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for purposes of administering
the peace officer database required by section 626.845, subdivision 3.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 214.10, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
Subd. 11. Board
of Peace Officers Standards and Training; reasonable grounds determination. (a) After the investigation is complete,
the executive director shall convene at least a three-member four-member
committee of the board to determine if the complaint constitutes reasonable
grounds to believe that a violation within the board's enforcement jurisdiction
has occurred. In conformance with
section 626.843, subdivision 1b, at least two three members
of the committee must be voting board members who are peace officers and
one member of the committee must be a voting board member appointed from the
general public. No later than 30
days before the committee meets, the executive director shall give the licensee
who is the subject of the complaint and the complainant written notice of the
meeting. The executive director shall
also give the licensee a copy of the complaint.
Before making its determination, the committee shall give the
complaining party and the licensee who is the subject of the complaint a
reasonable opportunity to be heard.
(b) The committee shall, by majority vote, after considering the information supplied by the investigating agency and any additional information supplied by the complainant or the licensee who is the subject of the complaint, take one of the following actions:
(1) find that reasonable grounds exist to believe that a violation within the board's enforcement jurisdiction has occurred and order that an administrative hearing be held;
(2) decide that no further action is warranted; or
(3) continue the matter.
The executive director shall promptly give notice of the committee's action to the complainant and the licensee.
(c) If the committee determines that a complaint does not relate to matters within its enforcement jurisdiction but does relate to matters within another state or local agency's enforcement jurisdiction, it shall refer the complaint to the appropriate agency for disposition.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.09, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Clearinghouse and information center. The commission, in addition to establishing Sentencing Guidelines, shall serve as a clearinghouse and information center for the collection, preparation, analysis and dissemination of information on state and local sentencing and probation practices, and shall conduct ongoing research regarding Sentencing Guidelines, use of imprisonment and alternatives to imprisonment, probation terms, conditions of probation, probation revocations, plea bargaining, recidivism, and other matters relating to the improvement of the criminal justice system. The commission shall from time to time make recommendations to the legislature regarding changes in the Criminal Code, criminal procedures, and other aspects of sentencing and probation.
This information shall include information regarding the impact of statutory changes to the state's criminal laws related to controlled substances, including those changes enacted by the legislature in Laws 2016, chapter 160.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.14, is amended to read:
626.14
TIME AND MANNER OF SERVICE; NO-KNOCK SEARCH WARRANTS.
Subdivision 1. Time. A search warrant may be served only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. unless the court determines on the basis of facts stated in the affidavits that a nighttime search outside those hours is necessary to prevent the loss, destruction, or removal of the objects of the search or to protect the searchers or the public. The search warrant shall state that it may be served only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. unless a nighttime search outside those hours is authorized.
Subd. 2. Definition. For the purposes of this section,
"no-knock search warrant" means a search warrant authorizing peace
officers to enter certain premises without first knocking and announcing the
officer's presence or purpose prior to entering the premises. No-knock search warrants may also be referred
to as dynamic entry warrants.
Subd. 3. Requirements
for a no-knock search warrant. No
peace officer shall seek a no-knock search warrant unless the warrant
application includes at a minimum:
(1) all documentation and materials the
issuing court requires; and
(2) a sworn affidavit as provided in
section 626.08.
Subd. 4. Warrant
application form. (a) A law
enforcement agency shall develop a warrant application form. A completed warrant application form shall accompany
every request for a no-knock search warrant.
(b) The warrant application form must
be completed, signed, and dated by the peace officer seeking the no‑knock
search warrant.
(c) Each warrant application must
explain, in detailed terms, the following:
(1) why peace officers are
unable to detain the suspect or search the residence using less invasive means
or methods;
(2) what investigative activities have
taken place to support issuance of the no-knock search warrant, or why no
investigative activity is needed; and
(3) whether the warrant can be
effectively executed during daylight hours according to subdivision 1.
(d) The chief law enforcement officer or
designee and the supervising officer must review each warrant application form. If the chief law enforcement officer or
designee or commanding officer is unavailable, the direct superior officer
shall review the materials.
(e) The warrant application form shall
contain a certification of review section.
The form shall provide that, by executing the certification, the
individual signing the form has reviewed its contents and approves the request
for a no-knock search warrant. The chief
law enforcement officer or designee and the commanding officer, or the direct
superior officer, must each sign, date, and indicate the time of the
certification.
(f) Under no circumstance shall a
no-knock search warrant be issued when the only crime alleged is drug
possession.
Subd. 5. Reporting
requirements regarding no-knock search warrants. (a) Law enforcement agencies shall
report to the commissioner of public safety regarding the use of no-knock
search warrants. An agency must report
the use of a no-knock search warrant to the commissioner no later than three
months after the date the warrant was issued.
The report shall include the following information:
(1) the number of no-knock search
warrants requested;
(2) the number of no-knock search
warrants the court issued;
(3) the number of no-knock search
warrants executed; and
(4) the number of injuries and
fatalities suffered, if any, by peace officers and by civilians in the
execution of no‑knock search warrants.
(b) The commissioner of public safety
shall report the information provided under paragraph (a) annually to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over public safety.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.5531, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Reports
required. A peace officer must
report to the head of the officer's department every violation of chapter 609
or a local criminal ordinance if the officer has reason to believe, or if the
victim alleges, that the offender was motivated to commit the act by in
whole or in part because of the victim's actual or perceived race, color,
ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin,
or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or characteristics
identified as sexual orientation because of the victim's actual or
perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or
perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or disability as
defined in section 363A.03. The
superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shall adopt a reporting
form to be used by law enforcement agencies in making the reports required
under this section. The reports must
include for each incident all of the following:
(1) the date of the offense;
(2) the location of the offense;
(3) whether the target of the incident is a person, private property, or public property;
(4) the crime committed;
(5) the type of bias and information about the offender and the victim that is relevant to that bias;
(6) any organized group involved in the incident;
(7) the disposition of the case;
(8) whether the determination that the offense was motivated by bias was based on the officer's reasonable belief or on the victim's allegation; and
(9) any
additional information the superintendent deems necessary for the acquisition
of accurate and relevant data.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.842, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Terms,
compensation, removal, filling of vacancies.
The membership terms, compensation, removal of members and the
filling of vacancies for members appointed pursuant to section 626.841,
clauses (1), (2), (4), and (5) on the board; the provision of staff,
administrative services and office space; the review and processing of
complaints; the setting of fees; and other matters relating to board operations
shall be as provided in chapter 214.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8435, is amended to read:
626.8435
ENSURING POLICE EXCELLENCE AND IMPROVING COMMUNITY RELATIONS ADVISORY PEACE
OFFICER STANDARDS AND TRAINING BOARD CITIZEN'S COUNCIL.
Subdivision 1. Establishment
and membership. The Ensuring
Police Excellence and Improving Community Relations Advisory Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board Citizen's Council is established under
the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
The council consists of the following 15 members:
(1) the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, or a designee;
(2) the executive director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, or a designee;
(3) the executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, or a designee;
(4) the executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association, or a designee;
(5) the executive director of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, or a designee;
(6) six community members, of which:
(i) four members shall represent the
community-specific boards established under section 257.0768 sections
15.0145 and 3.922, reflecting one appointment made by each board;
(ii) one member shall be a mental health advocate and shall be appointed by the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and
(iii) one member shall be an advocate for victims and shall be appointed by Violence Free Minnesota; and
(7) four members appointed by the legislature, of which one shall be appointed by the speaker of the house, one by the house minority leader, one by the senate majority leader, and one by the senate minority leader.
The appointing authorities shall make their appointments by September 15, 2020, and shall ensure geographical balance when making appointments.
Subd. 2. Purpose and duties. (a) The purpose of the council is to assist the board in maintaining policies and regulating peace officers in a manner that ensures the protection of civil and human rights. The council shall provide for citizen involvement in policing policies, regulations, and supervision. The council shall advance policies and reforms that promote positive interactions between peace officers and the community.
(b) The board chair must place the council's recommendations to the board on the board's agenda within four months of receiving a recommendation from the council.
Subd. 3. Organization. The council shall be organized and administered under section 15.059, except that the council does not expire. Council members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The council shall select a chairperson from among the members by majority vote at its first meeting. The executive director of the board shall serve as the council's executive secretary.
Subd. 4. Meetings. The council must meet at least quarterly. Meetings of the council are governed by chapter 13D. The executive director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board shall convene the council's first meeting, which must occur by October 15, 2020.
Subd. 5. Office support. The executive director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board shall provide the council with the necessary office space, supplies, equipment, and clerical support to effectively perform the duties imposed.
Subd. 6. Reports. The council shall submit a report by February 15 of each year to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy and the board. At a minimum, the report shall include:
(1) all recommendations presented to the board and how the board acted on those recommendations;
(2) recommendations for statutory reform or legislative initiatives intended to promote police-community relations; and
(3) updates on the council's review and determinations.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.845, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Peace
officer data. The board, in
consultation with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, Minnesota
Sheriffs' Association, and Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association,
shall create a central repository for peace officer data designated as
public data under chapter 13. The
database shall be designed to receive, in real time, the public data
required to be submitted to the board by law enforcement agencies in section
626.8457, subdivision 3, paragraph (b). To
ensure the anonymity of individuals, the database must use encrypted data to
track information transmitted on individual peace officers.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8451, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Training
course; crimes motivated by bias. (a)
The board must prepare a approve a list of training course
courses to assist peace officers in identifying and,
responding to, and reporting crimes motivated by in whole or
in part because of the victim's or another's actual or perceived
race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national
origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or characteristics
identified as sexual orientation because of the victim's actual or
perceived association with
another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race, color,
ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03. The course must include material to help
officers distinguish bias crimes from other crimes, to help officers in
understanding and assisting victims of these crimes, and to ensure that bias
crimes will be accurately reported as required under section 626.5531. The course must be updated periodically
board must review the approved courses every three years and update the list
of approved courses as the board, in consultation with the commissioner
of human rights, considers appropriate.
(b) In updating the list of approved
training courses described in paragraph (a), the board must consult and secure
approval from the commissioner of human rights.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8457, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Report on alleged misconduct; database; report. (a) A chief law enforcement officer shall report annually to the board summary data regarding the investigation and disposition of cases involving alleged misconduct, indicating the total number of investigations, the total number by each subject matter, the number dismissed as unfounded, and the number dismissed on grounds that the allegation was unsubstantiated.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2021, a chief law enforcement officer, in real time, must submit individual peace officer data classified as public data on individuals, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision 15, or private data on individuals, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision 12, and submitted using encrypted data that the board determines is necessary to:
(1) evaluate the effectiveness of statutorily required training;
(2) assist the Ensuring Police
Excellence and Improving Community Relations Advisory Peace Officer
Standards and Training Board Citizen's Council in accomplishing the
council's duties; and
(3) allow for the board, the Ensuring
Police Excellence and Improving Community Relations Advisory Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board Citizen's Council, and the board's
complaint investigation committee to identify patterns of behavior that suggest
an officer is in crisis or is likely to violate a board-mandated model policy.
(c) The reporting obligation in paragraph (b) is ongoing. A chief law enforcement officer must update data within 30 days of final disposition of a complaint or investigation.
(d) Law enforcement agencies and political subdivisions are prohibited from entering into a confidentiality agreement that would prevent disclosure of the data identified in paragraph (b) to the board. Any such confidentiality agreement is void as to the requirements of this section.
(e) By February 1 of each year, the board shall prepare a report that contains summary data provided under paragraph (b). The board must post the report on its publicly accessible website and provide a copy to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy.
(f) For purposes of identifying
potential patterns and trends in police misconduct and determining training
needs and the purpose of the database outlined in paragraph (b), the board
shall adopt rules including but not limited to:
(1) creating detailed classifications of
peace officer complaints and discipline by conduct type and severity for formal
signed complaints;
(2) establishing definitions for the
following terms, including but not limited to formal complaint, discipline
action, coaching, and retraining; and
(3) directing annual reporting
by each chief law enforcement officer of the number and types of complaints:
(i) received by the law enforcement
agency, including but not limited to complaints involving chief law enforcement
officers;
(ii) initiated by action of the agency
and resulting in investigation;
(iii) resulting in formal discipline,
including but not limited to verbal and written reprimand, suspension, or
demotion, excluding termination;
(iv) resulting in termination;
(v) that are formal and result in
coaching or retraining; and
(vi) for each officer in the agency's
employ, and whether the complaint and investigation resulted in final
discipline.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8459, is amended to read:
626.8459
POST BOARD; COMPLIANCE REVIEWS REQUIRED.
Subdivision 1. Annual
reviews; scope. (a) Each
year, the board shall conduct compliance reviews on all state and local law
enforcement agencies. The compliance
reviews must ensure that the agencies are complying with all requirements
imposed on them by statute and rule. The
board shall update its procedures governing compliance reviews to update, among
other items, its assessment of the following data points, and evaluation of the
policies and practices that contribute to the following:
(1) the effectiveness of required
in-service training and adherence to model policies which are to include an
assessment and self-response survey where subjects explain the state of the following:
(i) the number of use of force
incidents per office and officers;
(ii) the rate of arrests and stops
involving minorities compared to that of their white counterparts within the
same jurisdiction, if data is available;
(iii) the number of emergency holds
requested by officers; and
(iv) other categorical metrics as
deemed necessary by the board;
(2) the agency's investigations of
complaints the board refers to the agency pursuant to section 214.10,
subdivision 10, and how the chief law enforcement officer holds officers
accountable for violations of statutory requirements imposed on peace officers,
applicable standards of conduct, board-mandated model policies, and
agency-established policies; and
(3) the on and off duty conduct of
officers employed by the agency to determine if the officers' conduct is
adversely affecting public respect and trust of law enforcement.
Subd. 2. Discovery;
subpoenas. For the purpose of
compliance reviews under this section, the board or director may exercise the discovery
and subpoena authority granted to the board under section 214.10, subdivision
3.
Subd. 3. Reports required. The board shall include in the reports to the legislature required in section 626.843, subdivision 4, detailed information on the compliance reviews conducted under this section. At a minimum, the reports must specify each requirement imposed by statute and rule on law enforcement agencies, the compliance rate of each agency, a summary of the investigation of matters listed in subdivision 1, clause (1), items (i) to (iv), and the action taken by the board, if any, against an agency not in compliance.
Subd. 4. Licensing
sanctions authorized. (b)
The board may impose licensing sanctions and seek injunctive relief under
section 214.11 for an agency's failure to comply with a requirement imposed on
it in statute or rule.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8469, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. In-service
training required. (a) Beginning
July 1, 2018, the chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law
enforcement agency shall provide in-service training in crisis intervention and
mental illness crises; conflict management and mediation; and
recognizing and valuing community diversity and cultural differences to include
implicit bias training; and training to assist peace officers in
identifying, responding to, and reporting crimes committed in whole or in part
because of the victim's actual or perceived race, religion, national origin,
sex, age, disability, or characteristics identified as sexual orientation
to every peace officer and part-time peace officer employed by the agency. The training shall comply with learning
objectives developed and approved by the board and shall meet board
requirements for board-approved continuing education credit. Every three years the board shall review
the learning objectives and must consult and collaborate with the commissioner
of human rights in identifying appropriate objectives and training courses
related to identifying, responding to, and reporting crimes committed in whole
or in part because of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race,
color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or disability as
defined in section 363A.03, or characteristics identified as sexual orientation
because of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or
group of a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex,
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national
origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03. The training shall consist of at least 16
continuing education credits within an officer's three-year licensing cycle. Each peace officer with a license renewal
date after June 30, 2018, is not required to complete this training until the
officer's next full three-year licensing cycle.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2021, the training mandated under paragraph (a) must be provided by an approved entity. The board shall create a list of approved entities and training courses and make the list available to the chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law enforcement agency. Each peace officer (1) with a license renewal date before June 30, 2022, and (2) who received the training mandated under paragraph (a) before July 1, 2021, is not required to receive this training by an approved entity until the officer's next full three-year licensing cycle.
(c) For every peace officer and part-time peace officer with a license renewal date of June 30, 2022, or later, the training mandated under paragraph (a) must:
(1) include a minimum of six hours for crisis intervention and mental illness crisis training that meets the standards established in subdivision 1a; and
(2) include a minimum of four hours to ensure safer interactions between peace officers and persons with autism in compliance with section 626.8474.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8469, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1b. Crisis
intervention and mental illness crisis training; dementia and Alzheimer's. The board, in consultation with
stakeholders, including but not limited to the Minnesota Crisis Intervention
Team and the Alzheimer's Association, shall create a list of approved entities
and training courses primarily focused on issues associated with persons with
dementia and Alzheimer's disease. To
receive the board's approval, a training course must:
(1) have trainers with at least
two years of direct care of a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia,
crisis intervention training, and mental health experience;
(2) cover techniques for responding to
and issues associated with persons with dementia and Alzheimer's disease,
including at a minimum wandering, driving, abuse, and neglect; and
(3) meet the crisis intervention and
mental illness crisis training standards established in subdivision 1a.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8473, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Written policies and procedures required. (a) The chief officer of every state and local law enforcement agency that uses or proposes to use a portable recording system must establish and enforce a written policy governing its use. In developing and adopting the policy, the law enforcement agency must provide for public comment and input as provided in subdivision 2. Use of a portable recording system without adoption of a written policy meeting the requirements of this section is prohibited. The written policy must be posted on the agency's website, if the agency has a website.
(b) At a minimum, the written policy must incorporate the following:
(1) the requirements of section 13.825 and other data classifications, access procedures, retention policies, and data security safeguards that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of chapter 13 and other applicable law. The policy must prohibit altering, erasing, or destroying any recording made with a peace officer's portable recording system or data and metadata related to the recording prior to the expiration of the applicable retention period under section 13.825, subdivision 3, except that the full, unedited and unredacted recording of a peace officer using deadly force must be maintained indefinitely;
(2) mandate that a deceased
individual's next of kin, legal representative of the next of kin, or other
parent of the deceased individual's children be entitled to view any and all
recordings from a peace officer's portable recording system, redacted no more
than what is required by law, of an officer's use of deadly force no later than
48 hours after an incident where deadly force used by a peace officer results
in death of an individual, except that a chief law enforcement officer may deny
a request if investigators can articulate a compelling reason as to why
allowing the deceased individual's next of kin, legal representative of the
next of kin, or other parent of the deceased individual's children to review
the recordings would interfere with the agency conducting a thorough
investigation. If the chief law
enforcement officer denies a request under this provision, the agency's policy
must require the chief law enforcement officer to issue a prompt, written
denial and provide notice to the deceased individual's next of kin, legal
representative of the next of kin, or other parent of the deceased individual's
children that they may seek relief from the district court;
(3) mandate release of all recordings
of an incident where a peace officer used deadly force and an individual dies
to the deceased individual's next of kin, legal representative of the next of
kin, and other parent of the deceased individual's children no later than 90
days after the incident;
(4) procedures for testing the portable recording system to ensure adequate functioning;
(3) (5) procedures to
address a system malfunction or failure, including requirements for
documentation by the officer using the system at the time of a malfunction or
failure;
(4) (6) circumstances under
which recording is mandatory, prohibited, or at the discretion of the officer
using the system;
(5) (7) circumstances under
which a data subject must be given notice of a recording;
(6) (8) circumstances under which a recording may be ended while an investigation, response, or incident is ongoing;
(7) (9) procedures for the
secure storage of portable recording system data and the creation of backup
copies of the data; and
(8) (10) procedures to
ensure compliance and address violations of the policy, which must include, at
a minimum, supervisory or internal audits and reviews, and the employee
discipline standards for unauthorized access to data contained in section
13.09.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.8475, is amended to read:
626.8475
DUTY TO INTERCEDE AND REPORT.
(a) Regardless of tenure or rank, a peace officer must intercede when:
(1) present and observing another peace officer using force in violation of section 609.066, subdivision 2, or otherwise beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances; and
(2) physically or verbally able to do so.
(b) A peace officer who observes another
employee or peace officer use force that exceeds the degree of force permitted
by law has the duty to report the incident in writing within 24 hours to the
chief law enforcement officer of the agency that employs the reporting peace officer. A chief law enforcement officer who
receives a report under this section must report the incident to the board on
the form adopted by the board pursuant to paragraph (d).
(c) A peace officer who breaches a duty established in this subdivision is subject to discipline by the board under Minnesota Rules, part 6700.1600.
(d) The board shall adopt a reporting
form to be used by law enforcement agencies in making the reports required
under this section. The reports must
include for each incident all of the following:
(1) the name of the officer accused of
using excessive force;
(2) the date of the incident;
(3) the location of the incident;
(4) the name of the person who was
subjected to excessive force, if known; and
(5) a description of the force used in
the incident.
Reports received by the board are licensing data governed
by section 13.41.
(e) A peace officer who breaches a duty
established in this section is subject to discipline by the board under
Minnesota Rules, part 6700.1600.
Sec. 17. [626.8476]
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS; REQUIRED POLICY AND TRAINING.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section,
the terms in this subdivision have the meanings given them.
(b) "Confidential
informant" means a person who cooperates with a law enforcement agency
confidentially in order to protect the person or the agency's intelligence
gathering or investigative efforts and:
(1) seeks to avoid arrest or
prosecution for a crime, mitigate punishment for a crime in which a sentence
will be or has been imposed, or receive a monetary or other benefit; and
(2) is able, by reason of the person's
familiarity or close association with suspected criminals, to:
(i) make a controlled buy or controlled
sale of contraband, controlled substances, or other items that are material to
a criminal investigation;
(ii) supply regular or constant
information about suspected or actual criminal activities to a law enforcement
agency; or
(iii) otherwise provide information
important to ongoing criminal intelligence gathering or criminal investigative
efforts.
(c) "Controlled buy" means
the purchase of contraband, controlled substances, or other items that are
material to a criminal investigation from a target offender that is initiated,
managed, overseen, or participated in by law enforcement personnel with the
knowledge of a confidential informant.
(d) "Controlled sale" means
the sale of contraband, controlled substances, or other items that are material
to a criminal investigation to a target offender that is initiated, managed,
overseen, or participated in by law enforcement personnel with the knowledge of
a confidential informant.
(e) "Mental harm" means a
psychological injury that is not necessarily permanent but results in visibly
demonstrable manifestations of a disorder of thought or mood that impairs a
person's judgment or behavior.
(f) "Target offender" means
the person suspected by law enforcement personnel to be implicated in criminal
acts by the activities of a confidential informant.
Subd. 2. Model
policy. (a) By January 1,
2022, the board shall adopt a model policy addressing the use of confidential
informants by law enforcement. The model
policy must establish policies and procedures for the recruitment, control, and
use of confidential informants. In
developing the policy, the board shall consult with representatives of the
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Police Chiefs Association, Minnesota
Sheriff's Association, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association,
Minnesota County Attorneys Association, treatment centers for substance abuse,
and mental health organizations. The
model policy must include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) information that the law
enforcement agency shall maintain about each confidential informant that must
include, at a minimum, an emergency contact for the informant in the event of
the informant's physical or mental harm or death;
(2) a process to advise a confidential
informant of conditions, restrictions, and procedures associated with
participating in the agency's investigative or intelligence gathering
activities;
(3) procedures for compensation to an informant that is commensurate with the value of the services and information provided and based on the level of the targeted offender, the amount of any seizure, and the significance of contributions made by the informant;
(4) designated supervisory or
command-level review and oversight in the use of a confidential informant;
(5) consultation with the
informant's probation, parole, or supervised release agent, if any;
(6) limits or restrictions on off-duty
association or social relationships by law enforcement agency personnel with a
confidential informant;
(7) limits or restrictions on the potential exclusion of an informant from engaging in a controlled buy or sale of a controlled substance if the informant is known by the law enforcement agency to: (i) be receiving in-patient or out‑patient treatment administered by a licensed service provider for substance abuse; (ii) be participating in a treatment-based drug court program; or (iii) have experienced a drug overdose within the past year;
(8) exclusion of an informant under the
age of 18 years from participating in a controlled buy or sale of a controlled
substance without the written consent of a parent or legal guardian, except
that the informant may provide confidential information to a law enforcement
agency;
(9) consideration of an informant's diagnosis of mental illness, substance abuse, or disability, and history of mental illness, substance abuse, or disability;
(10) guidelines for the law enforcement
agency to consider if the agency decides to establish a procedure to request an
advocate from the county social services agency for an informant if the
informant is an addict in recovery or possesses a physical or mental infirmity
or other physical, mental, or emotional dysfunction that impairs the
informant's ability to understand instructions and make informed decisions,
where the agency determines this process does not place the informant in any
danger;
(11) guidelines for the law enforcement
agency to use to encourage prospective and current confidential informants who
are known to be substance abusers or to be at risk for substance abuse to seek
prevention or treatment services;
(12) reasonable protective measures for
a confidential informant when law enforcement knows or should have known of a
risk or threat of harm to a person serving as a confidential informant and the
risk or threat of harm is a result of the informant's service to the law
enforcement agency;
(13) guidelines for the training and
briefing of a confidential informant;
(14) reasonable procedures to help
protect the identity of a confidential informant during the time the person is
acting as an informant;
(15) procedures to deactivate a
confidential informant that maintain the safety and anonymity of the informant;
(16) optional procedures that the law
enforcement agency may adopt relating to deactivated confidential informants to
offer and provide assistance to them with physical, mental, or emotional health
services;
(17) a process to evaluate and report
the criminal history and propensity for violence of any target offenders; and
(18) guidelines for a written agreement
between the confidential informant and the law enforcement agency that take
into consideration, at a minimum, an informant's physical or mental infirmity
or other physical, mental, or emotional dysfunction that impairs the
informant's ability to knowingly contract or otherwise protect the informant's
self-interest.
(b) The board shall annually review
and, as necessary, revise the model confidential informant policy in
collaboration with representatives from the organizations listed under
paragraph (a).
Subd. 3. Agency
policies required. (a) The
chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law enforcement agency
must establish and enforce a written policy governing the use of confidential
informants. The policy must be identical
or, at a minimum, substantially similar to the new or revised model policy
adopted by the board under subdivision 2.
(b) Every state and local law
enforcement agency must certify annually to the board that it has adopted a
written policy in compliance with the board's model confidential informant
policy.
(c) The board shall assist the chief
law enforcement officer of each state and local law enforcement agency in
developing and implementing confidential informant policies under this
subdivision.
Subd. 4. Required
in-service training. The
chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law enforcement agency
shall provide in-service training in the recruitment, control, and use of
confidential informants to every peace officer and part-time peace officer
employed by the agency who the chief law enforcement officer determines is
involved in working with confidential informants given the officer's
responsibilities. The training shall
comply with learning objectives based on the policies and procedures of the
model policy developed and approved by the board.
Subd. 5. Compliance
reviews. The board has the
authority to inspect state and local agency policies to ensure compliance with
this section. The board may conduct the
inspection based upon a complaint it receives about a particular agency or
through a random selection process.
Subd. 6. Licensing
sanctions; injunctive relief. The
board may impose licensing sanctions and seek injunctive relief under section
214.11 for failure to comply with the requirements of this section.
Subd. 7. Title. This section shall be known as
"Matthew's Law."
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 18. [626.8477]
INVESTIGATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES; POLICIES REQUIRED.
Subdivision 1. Model
policy required. By December
15, 2021, the board, in consultation with the statewide human trafficking
investigation coordinator defined in section 299A.873, as well as other
interested parties including the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Human
Trafficking Investigators Task Force, representatives of other sex trafficking
task forces, prosecutors, and Minnesota victim advocacy groups, must develop
and distribute to all chief law enforcement officers a comprehensive model
policy for law enforcement investigations of human trafficking cases, including
sex trafficking and labor trafficking, that are victim-centered and takes into
account best practices, including the Safe Harbor Protocol Guidelines developed
pursuant to legislative appropriation, and ensures a thorough investigation of
these cases and that victims are treated respectfully.
Subd. 2. Agency
policies required. (a) By
March 15, 2022, the chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law
enforcement agency must establish and enforce a written policy governing the
investigation of human trafficking cases within the agency that is identical or
substantially similar to the board's model policy described in subdivision 1. The chief law enforcement officer must ensure
that each peace officer investigating a human trafficking case follows the
agency's policy.
(b) Every state and local law
enforcement agency must certify to the board that it has adopted a written
policy in compliance with this subdivision.
(c) The board must assist the chief law
enforcement officer of each state and local law enforcement agency in
developing and implementing policies under this subdivision.
Sec. 19. [626.8478]
PUBLIC ASSEMBLY RESPONSE; POLICIES REQUIRED.
Subdivision 1. Model
policy required. By December
15, 2021, the board must develop a comprehensive model policy on responding to
public assemblies. The policy must be
based on best practices in public assembly response drawn from both domestic
and international sources. In developing
the policy, the board must consult with representatives of the Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Police Chiefs Association, Minnesota Sheriffs'
Association, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, Minnesota County
Attorneys Association, a nonprofit that organizes public assemblies, a nonprofit
that provides legal services to defend the rights of those who participate in
public assemblies, and other interested parties. The board must distribute the model policy to
all chief law enforcement officers.
Subd. 2. Agency
policies required. (a) By
March 15, 2022, each chief law enforcement officer must establish and implement
a written policy on public assembly response that is identical or substantially
similar to the board's model policy described in subdivision 1. The policy shall include specific actions to
be taken during a public assembly response.
(b) The board must assist the chief law
enforcement officer of each state and local law enforcement agency in
developing and implementing policies under this subdivision.
Subd. 3. Available
resources. If an agency,
board, or local representative reviews or updates its policies on public
assembly response, it may consider the advice and counsel of nonprofits that
organize public assemblies.
Subd. 4. Compliance
reviews authorized. The board
has authority to inspect state and local law enforcement agency policies to
ensure compliance with subdivision 2. The
board may conduct this inspection based upon a complaint it receives about a
particular agency or through a random selection process. The board must conduct a compliance review
after any major public safety event. The
board may impose licensing sanctions and seek injunctive relief under section
214.11 for an agency's failure to comply with subdivision 2.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.89, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Applicability. The procedures and provisions of this
section apply to law enforcement agencies and government units. The procedures and provisions of this section
do not apply to:
(1) investigations by civilian review
boards, commissions, or other oversight bodies; or
(2) investigations of criminal charges against an officer.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.89, subdivision 17, is amended to read:
Subd. 17. Civilian
review. (a) As used in this
subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given them:
(1) "civilian oversight
council" means a civilian review board, commission, or other oversight
body established by a local unit of government to provide civilian oversight of
a law enforcement agency and officers employed by the agency; and
(2) "misconduct" means a
violation of law, standards promulgated by the Peace Officer Standards and
Training Board, or agency policy.
(b) A local unit of government may
establish a civilian review board, commission, or other oversight body
shall not have council and grant the council the authority to make a
finding of fact or determination regarding a complaint against an officer or
impose discipline on an officer. A
civilian review board, commission, or other oversight body
may make a recommendation
regarding the merits of a complaint, however, the recommendation shall be
advisory only and shall not be binding on nor limit the authority of the chief
law enforcement officer of any unit of government.
(c) At the conclusion of any criminal
investigation or prosecution, if any, a civilian oversight council may conduct
an investigation into allegations of peace officer misconduct and retain an
investigator to facilitate an investigation.
Subject to other applicable law, a council may subpoena or compel
testimony and documents in an investigation.
Upon completion of an investigation, a council may make a finding of
misconduct and recommend appropriate discipline against peace officers employed
by the agency. If the governing body
grants a council the authority, the council may impose discipline on peace
officers employed by the agency. A
council shall submit investigation reports that contain findings of peace
officer misconduct to the chief law enforcement officer and the Peace Officer
Standards and Training Board's complaint committee. A council may also make policy
recommendations to the chief law enforcement officer and the Peace Officer
Standards and Training Board.
(d) The chief law enforcement officer
of a law enforcement agency under the jurisdiction of a civilian oversight
council shall cooperate with the council and facilitate the council's
achievement of its goals. However, the
officer is under no obligation to agree with individual recommendations of the
council and may oppose a recommendation.
If the officer fails to implement a recommendation that is within the
officer's authority, the officer shall inform the council of the failure along
with the officer's underlying reasons.
(e) Peace officer discipline decisions
imposed pursuant to the authority granted under this subdivision shall be
subject to the applicable grievance procedure established or agreed to under
chapter 179A.
(f) Data collected, created, received,
maintained, or disseminated by a civilian oversight council related to an
investigation of a peace officer are personnel data as defined by section
13.43, subdivision 1, and are governed by that section.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 626.93, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Exception;
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Notwithstanding
any contrary provision in subdivision 3 or 4, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has
concurrent jurisdictional authority under this section with the local county
sheriff within the geographical boundaries of the band's reservation to enforce
state criminal law if the requirements of subdivision 2 are met, regardless of
whether a cooperative agreement pursuant to subdivision 4 is entered into.
Sec. 23. Laws 2020, Fifth Special Session chapter 3, article 9, section 6, is amended to read:
Sec. 6. STATE
PATROL TROOPER LAW ENFORCEMENT SALARY INCREASE INCREASES. Notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, salary increases shall apply to the following employees whose
exclusive representative is the Minnesota Law Enforcement Association:
(1) the commissioner of public
safety must increase the salary paid to state patrol troopers, Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension agents, and special agents in the gambling enforcement
division by 8.4 percent.;
(2) the commissioner of natural
resources must increase the salary paid to conservation officers by 8.4
percent;
(3) the commissioner of corrections
must increase the salary paid to fugitive specialists by 8.4 percent; and
(4) the commissioner of commerce must
increase the salary paid to commerce insurance fraud specialists by 8.4
percent.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective
retroactively from October 22, 2020.
Sec. 24. RULEMAKING
AUTHORITY.
The executive director of the Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board may adopt rules to carry out the purposes
of section 3.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 25. GRANT
PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY AND TRAINING CONSULTANT COSTS.
(a) The executive director of the Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board shall issue grants to law enforcement
agencies to provide reimbursement for the expense of retaining a board-approved
public safety policy and training consultant.
(b) The Peace Officer Training and
Standards Board shall identify a qualified public safety policy and training
consultant whose expenses would be eligible for reimbursement under this
section. At a minimum, the board must
select a consultant who meets the following criteria:
(1) at least 15 years of experience
developing and implementing law enforcement policy and developing and leading
law enforcement training;
(2) proven experience in developing
both local and statewide law enforcement policies that incorporate current
statutory and judicial standards, academic research, and best practices in
policing;
(3) proven experience in successfully
assisting law enforcement agencies to implement policing reforms; and
(4) proven experience in providing
measurable value-added to clients for a competitive fee.
(c) The executive director shall give
priority to agencies that do not have a contract with the consultant selected
by the board under paragraph (b). If
there are insufficient funds to fully reimburse each eligible grant applicant,
the executive director shall provide a pro rata share of funds appropriated for
this purpose to each eligible law enforcement agency based on the number of
peace officers employed by the agency.
Sec. 26. PEACE
OFFICER STANDARDS OF CONDUCT; WHITE SUPREMACIST AFFILIATION AND SUPPORT
PROHIBITED.
(a) The Peace Officer Standards and
Training Board must revise the peace officer standards of conduct that the
board is mandated to publish and update under Minnesota Statutes, section
626.843, subdivision 1, clause (6), to prohibit peace officers from affiliating
with, supporting, or advocating for white supremacist groups, causes, or
ideologies or participation in, or active promotion of, an international or
domestic extremist group that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has
determined supports or encourages illegal, violent conduct.
(b) For purposes of this section, white
supremacist groups, causes, or ideologies include organizations and
associations and ideologies that: promote
white supremacy and the idea that white people are superior to Black,
Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), promote religious and racial bigotry,
or seek to exacerbate racial and ethnic tensions between BIPOC and non-BIPOC or
engage in patently hateful and inflammatory speech, intimidation, and violence
against BIPOC as means of promoting white supremacy.
ARTICLE 3
CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 152.32, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4. Probation;
supervised release. (a) A
court shall not prohibit a person from participating in the registry program
under sections 152.22 to 152.37 as a condition of probation, parole, pretrial
conditional release, or supervised release or revoke a patient's probation,
parole, pretrial conditional release, or supervised release or otherwise
sanction a patient on probation, parole, pretrial conditional release, or
supervised release, nor weigh participation in the registry program, or
positive drug test for cannabis components or metabolites by registry
participants, or both, as a factor when considering penalties for violations of
probation, parole, pretrial conditional release, or supervised release.
(b) The commissioner of corrections,
probation agent, or parole officer shall not prohibit a person from
participating in the registry program under sections 152.22 to 152.37 as a
condition of parole, supervised release, or conditional release or revoke a
patient's parole, supervised release, or conditional release or otherwise
sanction a patient on parole, supervised release, or conditional release solely
for participating in the registry program or for a positive drug test for
cannabis components or metabolites.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 171.06, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Contents of application; other information. (a) An application must:
(1) state the full name, date of birth, sex, and either (i) the residence address of the applicant, or (ii) designated address under section 5B.05;
(2) as may be required by the commissioner, contain a description of the applicant and any other facts pertaining to the applicant, the applicant's driving privileges, and the applicant's ability to operate a motor vehicle with safety;
(3) state:
(i) the applicant's Social Security number; or
(ii) if the applicant does not have a Social Security number and is applying for a Minnesota identification card, instruction permit, or class D provisional or driver's license, that the applicant certifies that the applicant is not eligible for a Social Security number;
(4) contain a notification to the applicant of the availability of a living will/health care directive designation on the license under section 171.07, subdivision 7; and
(5) include a method for the applicant to:
(i) request a veteran designation on the license under section 171.07, subdivision 15, and the driving record under section 171.12, subdivision 5a;
(ii) indicate a desire to make an anatomical gift under paragraph (d);
(iii) as applicable, designate document retention as provided under section 171.12, subdivision 3c; and
(iv) indicate emergency contacts as provided under section 171.12, subdivision 5b.
(b) Applications must be accompanied by satisfactory evidence demonstrating:
(1) identity, date of birth, and any legal name change if applicable; and
(2) for driver's licenses and Minnesota identification cards that meet all requirements of the REAL ID Act:
(i) principal residence address in Minnesota, including application for a change of address, unless the applicant provides a designated address under section 5B.05;
(ii) Social Security number, or related documentation as applicable; and
(iii) lawful status, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 6, section 37.3.
(c) An application for an enhanced driver's license or enhanced identification card must be accompanied by:
(1) satisfactory evidence demonstrating the applicant's full legal name and United States citizenship; and
(2) a photographic identity document.
(d) A valid Department of Corrections
or Federal Bureau of Prisons identification card, containing the applicant's
full name, date of birth, and photograph issued to the applicant is an
acceptable form of proof of identity in an application for an identification
card, instruction permit, or driver's license as a secondary document for
purposes of Minnesota Rules, part 7410.0400, and successor rules.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.01, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. Commissioner, powers and duties. The commissioner of corrections has the following powers and duties:
(a) To accept persons committed to the commissioner by the courts of this state for care, custody, and rehabilitation.
(b) To determine the place of confinement of committed persons in a correctional facility or other facility of the Department of Corrections and to prescribe reasonable conditions and rules for their employment, conduct, instruction, and discipline within or outside the facility. After July 1, 2021, the commissioner shall not allow inmates to be housed in facilities that are not owned and operated by the state, a local unit of government, or a group of local units of government. Inmates shall not exercise custodial functions or have authority over other inmates.
(c) To administer the money and property of the department.
(d) To administer, maintain, and inspect all state correctional facilities.
(e) To transfer authorized positions and personnel between state correctional facilities as necessary to properly staff facilities and programs.
(f) To utilize state correctional facilities in the manner deemed to be most efficient and beneficial to accomplish the purposes of this section, but not to close the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater or the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud without legislative approval. The commissioner may place juveniles and adults at the same state minimum security correctional facilities, if there is total separation of and no regular contact between juveniles and adults, except contact incidental to admission, classification, and mental and physical health care.
(g) To organize the department and employ personnel the commissioner deems necessary to discharge the functions of the department, including a chief executive officer for each facility under the commissioner's control who shall serve in the unclassified civil service and may, under the provisions of section 43A.33, be removed only for cause.
(h) To define the duties of these employees and to delegate to them any of the commissioner's powers, duties and responsibilities, subject to the commissioner's control and the conditions the commissioner prescribes.
(i) To annually develop a comprehensive set of goals and objectives designed to clearly establish the priorities of the Department of Corrections. This report shall be submitted to the governor commencing January 1, 1976. The commissioner may establish ad hoc advisory committees.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.016, is amended to read:
241.016
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT REQUIRED.
Subdivision 1. Biennial
Annual report. (a) The
Department of Corrections shall submit a performance report to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees
and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice funding by January 15
of each odd-numbered year. The
issuance and content of the report must include the following:
(1) department strategic mission, goals, and objectives;
(2) the department-wide per diem, adult facility-specific per diems, and an average per diem, reported in a standard calculated method as outlined in the departmental policies and procedures;
(3) department annual statistics as outlined
in the departmental policies and procedures; and
(4) information about prison-based mental health
programs, including, but not limited to, the availability of these programs,
participation rates, and completion rates.; and
(5) beginning in 2023, a written
aggregate of the state correctional facilities security audit group's
recommendations based on each security audit and assessment of a state
correctional facility and the commissioner's responses to the recommendations.
(b) The department shall maintain recidivism rates for adult facilities on an annual basis. In addition, each year the department shall, on an alternating basis, complete a recidivism analysis of adult facilities, juvenile services, and the community services divisions and include a three-year recidivism analysis in the report described in paragraph (a). The recidivism analysis must: (1) assess education programs, vocational programs, treatment programs, including mental health programs, industry, and employment; and (2) assess statewide re-entry policies and funding, including postrelease treatment, education, training, and supervision. In addition, when reporting recidivism for the department's adult and juvenile facilities, the department shall report on the extent to which offenders it has assessed as chemically dependent commit new offenses, with separate recidivism rates reported for persons completing and not completing the department's treatment programs.
(c) The department shall maintain annual
statistics related to the supervision of extended jurisdiction juveniles and
include those statistics in the report described in paragraph (a). The statistics must include:
(1) the total number and population
demographics of individuals under supervision in adult facilities, juvenile
facilities, and the community who were convicted as an extended jurisdiction
juvenile;
(2) the number of individuals
convicted as an extended jurisdiction juvenile who successfully completed
probation in the previous year;
(3) the number of individuals identified
in clause (2) for whom the court terminated jurisdiction before the person
became 21 years of age pursuant to section 260B.193, subdivision 5;
(4) the number of individuals convicted
as an extended jurisdiction juvenile whose sentences were executed; and
(5) the average length of time
individuals convicted as an extended jurisdiction juvenile spend on probation.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Correctional
facilities; inspection; licensing. (a)
Except as provided in paragraph (b), the commissioner of corrections shall
inspect and license all correctional facilities throughout the state, whether
public or private, established and operated for the detention and confinement
of persons detained or confined or incarcerated therein according
to law except to the extent that they are inspected or licensed by other state
regulating agencies. The commissioner
shall promulgate pursuant to chapter 14, rules establishing minimum standards
for these facilities with respect to their management, operation, physical
condition, and the security, safety, health, treatment, and discipline of
persons detained or confined or incarcerated therein. Commencing September 1, 1980, These
minimum standards shall include but are not limited to specific guidance
pertaining to:
(1) screening, appraisal, assessment,
and treatment for persons confined or incarcerated in correctional facilities
with mental illness or substance use disorders;
(2) a policy on the involuntary
administration of medications;
(3) suicide prevention plans and
training;
(4) verification of medications in a
timely manner;
(5) well-being checks;
(6) discharge planning, including
providing prescribed medications to persons confined or incarcerated in
correctional facilities upon release;
(7) a policy on referrals or transfers
to medical or mental health care in a noncorrectional institution;
(8) use of segregation and mental
health checks;
(9) critical incident debriefings;
(10) clinical management of substance
use disorders;
(11) a policy regarding identification
of persons with special needs confined or incarcerated in correctional
facilities;
(12) a policy regarding the use of
telehealth;
(13) self-auditing of compliance with
minimum standards;
(14) information sharing with medical
personnel and when medical assessment must be facilitated;
(15)
a code of conduct policy for facility staff and annual training;
(16) a policy on death review of all
circumstances surrounding the death of an individual committed to the custody
of the facility; and
(17) dissemination of a rights
statement made available to persons confined or incarcerated in licensed
correctional facilities.
No individual, corporation, partnership,
voluntary association, or other private organization legally responsible for
the operation of a correctional facility may operate the facility unless licensed
by it possesses a current license from the commissioner of
corrections. Private adult correctional
facilities shall have the authority of section 624.714, subdivision 13, if the
Department of Corrections licenses the facility with such the
authority and the facility meets requirements of section 243.52.
The commissioner shall review the
correctional facilities described in this subdivision at least once every biennium
two years, except as otherwise provided herein, to determine
compliance with the minimum standards established pursuant according
to this subdivision or other law related to minimum standards and conditions
of confinement.
The commissioner shall grant a license to
any facility found to conform to minimum standards or to any facility which, in
the commissioner's judgment, is making satisfactory progress toward substantial
conformity and the standards not being met do not impact the interests
and well-being of the persons detained or confined therein or
incarcerated in the facility are protected. A limited license under subdivision 1a may
be issued for purposes of effectuating a facility closure. The commissioner may grant licensure up to
two years. Unless otherwise specified
by statute, all licenses issued under this chapter expire at 12:01 a.m. on the
day after the expiration date stated on the license.
The commissioner shall have access to the
buildings, grounds, books, records, staff, and to persons detained or
confined or incarcerated in these facilities. The commissioner may require the officers in
charge of these facilities to furnish all information and statistics the
commissioner deems necessary, at a time and place designated by the
commissioner.
All facility administrators of correctional
facilities defined under subdivision 1g are required to report all deaths of
individuals who died while committed to the custody of the facility, regardless
of whether the death occurred at the facility or after removal from the
facility for medical care stemming from an incident or need for medical care at
the correctional facility, as soon as practicable, but no later than 24 hours
of receiving knowledge of the death, including any demographic information as
required by the commissioner.
All facility administrators of
correctional facilities defined under subdivision 1g are required to report all
other emergency or unusual occurrences as defined by rule, including uses of
force by facility staff that result in substantial bodily harm or suicide attempts,
to the commissioner of corrections within ten days from the occurrence,
including any demographic information as required by the commissioner. The commissioner of corrections shall consult
with the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association and a representative from the
Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties who is responsible
for the operations of an adult correctional facility to define "use of
force" that results in substantial bodily harm for reporting purposes.
The commissioner may require that any or
all such information be provided through the Department of Corrections
detention information system. The
commissioner shall post each inspection report publicly and on the department's
website within 30 days of completing the inspection. The education program offered in a
correctional facility for the detention or confinement or
incarceration of juvenile offenders must be approved by the commissioner of
education before the commissioner of corrections may grant a license to the
facility.
(b) For juvenile facilities licensed by the commissioner of human services, the commissioner may inspect and certify programs based on certification standards set forth in Minnesota Rules. For the purpose of this paragraph, "certification" has the meaning given it in section 245A.02.
(c) Any state agency which regulates, inspects, or licenses certain aspects of correctional facilities shall, insofar as is possible, ensure that the minimum standards it requires are substantially the same as those required by other state agencies which regulate, inspect, or license the same aspects of similar types of correctional facilities, although at different correctional facilities.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the commissioner of corrections' authority to promulgate rules establishing standards of eligibility for counties to receive funds under sections 401.01 to 401.16, or to require counties to comply with operating standards the commissioner establishes as a condition precedent for counties to receive that funding.
(e) The department's inspection unit
must report directly to a division head outside of the correctional
institutions division.
(e) When the commissioner finds that any
facility described in paragraph (a), except foster care facilities for
delinquent children and youth as provided in subdivision 2, does not
substantially conform to the minimum standards established by the commissioner
and is not making satisfactory progress toward substantial conformance, the
commissioner shall promptly notify the chief executive officer and the
governing board of the facility of the deficiencies and order that they be
remedied within a reasonable period of time.
The commissioner may by written order restrict the use of any facility
which does not substantially conform to minimum standards to prohibit the
detention of any person therein for more than 72 hours at one time. When, after due notice and hearing, the
commissioner finds that any facility described in this subdivision, except
county jails and lockups as provided in sections 641.26, 642.10, and 642.11,
does not conform to minimum standards, or is not making satisfactory progress
toward substantial compliance therewith, the commissioner may issue an order
revoking the license of that facility. After
revocation of its license, that facility shall not be used until its license is
renewed. When the commissioner is
satisfied that satisfactory progress towards substantial compliance with
minimum standard is being made, the commissioner may, at the request of the
appropriate officials of the affected facility supported by a written schedule
for compliance, grant an extension of time for a period not to exceed one year.
(f) As used in this subdivision,
"correctional facility" means any facility, including a group home,
having a residential component, the primary purpose of which is to serve
persons placed therein by a court, court services department, parole authority,
or other correctional agency having dispositional power over persons charged
with, convicted, or adjudicated to be guilty or delinquent.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Correction
order; conditional license. (a)
When the commissioner finds that any facility described in subdivision 1,
except foster care facilities for delinquent children and youth as provided in
subdivision 2, does not substantially conform to the minimum standards
established by the commissioner and is not making satisfactory progress toward
substantial conformance and the nonconformance does not present an imminent
risk of life‑threatening harm or serious physical injury to the persons
confined or incarcerated in the facility, the commissioner shall promptly
notify the facility administrator and the governing board of the facility of
the deficiencies and must issue a correction order or a conditional license order
that the deficiencies be remedied within a reasonable and specified period of
time.
The conditional license order may
restrict the use of any facility which does not substantially conform to
minimum standards, including imposition of conditions limiting operation of the
facility or parts of the facility, reducing facility capacity, limiting intake,
limiting length of detention for individuals, or imposing detention limitations
based on the needs of the individuals being confined or incarcerated therein.
The correction order or
conditional license order must clearly state the following:
(1) the specific minimum standards
violated, noting the implicated rule or law;
(2) the findings that constitute a
violation of minimum standards;
(3) the corrective action needed;
(4) time allowed to correct each
violation; and
(5) if a license is made conditional,
the length and terms of the conditional license, any conditions limiting
operation of the facility, and the reasons for making the license conditional.
(b) The facility administrator may
request review of the findings noted in the conditional license order on the
grounds that satisfactory progress toward substantial compliance with minimum
standards has been made, supported by evidence of correction, and, if
appropriate, may include a written schedule for compliance. The commissioner shall review the evidence of
correction and the progress made toward substantial compliance with minimum
standards within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed ten business days. When the commissioner has assurance that
satisfactory progress toward substantial compliance with minimum standards is being
made, the commissioner shall lift any conditions limiting operation of the
facility or parts of the facility or remove the conditional license order.
(c) Nothing in this section prohibits
the commissioner from ordering a revocation under subdivision 1b prior to
issuing a correction order or conditional license order.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1b. License
revocation order. (a) When,
after due notice to the facility administrator of the commissioner's intent to
issue a revocation order, the commissioner finds that any facility described in
this subdivision, except county jails and lockups subject to active
condemnation proceedings or orders as provided in sections 641.26, 642.10, and
642.11, does not conform to minimum standards, or is not making satisfactory
progress toward substantial compliance with minimum standards, and the
nonconformance does not present an imminent risk of life-threatening harm or
serious physical injury to the persons confined or incarcerated in the
facility, the commissioner may issue an order revoking the license of that
facility.
The notice of intent to issue a
revocation order shall include:
(1) the citation to minimum standards
that have been violated;
(2) the nature and severity of each
violation;
(3) whether the violation is recurring
or nonrecurring;
(4) the effect of the violation on
persons confined or incarcerated in the correctional facility;
(5) an evaluation of the risk of harm to
persons confined or incarcerated in the correctional facility;
(6) relevant facts, conditions, and
circumstances concerning the operation of the licensed facility, including at a
minimum:
(i) specific facility deficiencies that
endanger the health or safety of persons confined or incarcerated in the
correctional facility;
(ii) substantiated complaints
relating to the correctional facility; or
(iii) any other evidence that the
correctional facility is not in compliance with minimum standards.
(b) The facility administrator must
submit a written response within 30 days of receipt of the notice of intent to
issue a revocation order with any information related to errors in the notice,
ability to conform to minimum standards within a set period of time including
but not limited to a written schedule for compliance, and any other information
the facility administrator deems relevant for consideration by the commissioner. The written response must also include a
written plan indicating how the correctional facility will ensure the transfer
of confined or incarcerated individuals and records if the correctional
facility closes. Plans must specify
arrangements the correctional facility will make to transfer confined or
incarcerated individuals to another licensed correctional facility for
continuation of detention.
(c) When revoking a license, the
commissioner shall consider the nature, chronicity, or severity of the
violation of law or rule and the effect of the violation on the health, safety,
or rights of persons confined or incarcerated in the correctional facility.
(d) If the facility administrator does
not respond within 30 days to the notice of intent to issue a revocation order
or if the commissioner does not have assurance that satisfactory progress
toward substantial compliance with minimum standards will be made, the
commissioner shall issue a revocation order.
The revocation order must be sent to the facility administrator and the
governing board of the facility, clearly stating:
(1) the specific minimum standards
violated, noting the implicated rule or law;
(2) the findings that constitute a
violation of minimum standards and the nature, chronicity, or severity of those
violations;
(3) the corrective action needed;
(4) any prior correction or conditional
license orders issued to correct violations; and
(5) the date at which the license revocation shall take place.
A revocation order may authorize use until a certain date,
not to exceed the duration of the current license, unless a limited license is
issued by the commissioner for purposes of effectuating a facility closure and
continued operation does not present an imminent risk of life-threatening harm
or is not likely to result in serious physical injury to the persons confined
or incarcerated in the facility.
(e) After revocation of the facility's
licensure, that facility shall not be used until the license is renewed. When the commissioner is satisfied that
satisfactory progress toward substantial compliance with minimum standards is
being made, the commissioner may, at the request of the facility administrator
supported by a written schedule for compliance, reinstate the license.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1c. Temporary
license suspension. The
commissioner shall act immediately to temporarily suspend a license issued
under this chapter if:
(1) the correctional facility's failure
to comply with applicable minimum standards or the conditions in the
correctional facility pose an imminent risk of life-threatening harm or serious
physical injury to persons confined or incarcerated in the facility, staff, law
enforcement, visitors, or the public; and
(i) if the imminent risk of
life-threatening harm or serious physical injury cannot be promptly corrected
through a different type of order under this section; and
(ii) the correctional facility cannot or
has not corrected the violation giving rise to the imminent risk of life‑threatening
harm or serious physical injury; or
(2) while the correctional facility
continues to operate pending due notice and opportunity for written response to
the commissioner's notice of intent to issue an order of revocation, the
commissioner identifies one or more subsequent violations of minimum standards
which may adversely affect the health or safety of persons confined or
incarcerated in the facility, staff, law enforcement, visitors, or the public.
A notice stating the reasons for the
immediate suspension informing the facility administrator must be delivered by
personal service to the correctional facility administrator and the governing
board of the facility.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1d. Public
notice of restriction, revocation, or suspension. If the license of a facility under
this section is revoked or suspended, or use of the facility is restricted for
any reason under a conditional license order, the commissioner shall post the
facility, the status of the facility's license, and the reason for the
restriction, revocation, or suspension publicly and on the department's
website.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1e. Reconsideration
of orders; appeals. (a) If
the facility administrator believes the correction order, conditional license
order, or revocation order is in error, the facility administrator may ask the
Department of Corrections to reconsider the parts of the order or action that
are alleged to be in error. The request
for reconsideration must:
(1) be made in writing;
(2) be postmarked and sent to the
commissioner no later than 30 calendar days after receipt of the correction
order, conditional license order, or revocation order;
(3) specify the parts of the order that are alleged to be in error;
(4) explain why the correction order, conditional license order, or revocation order is in error; and
(5) include documentation to support the allegation of error.
The commissioner shall issue a
disposition within 60 days of receipt of the facility administrator's response
to correction, conditional license, or revocation order violations. A request for reconsideration does not stay
any provisions or requirements of the order.
(b) The facility administrator may
request reconsideration of an order immediately suspending a license. The request for reconsideration of an order
immediately suspending a license must be made in writing and sent by certified
mail, personal service, or other means expressly stated in the commissioner's
order. If mailed, the request for
reconsideration must be postmarked and sent to the commissioner no later than
five business days after the facility administrator receives notice that the
license has been immediately suspended. If
a request is made by personal service, it must be received by the commissioner
no later than five business days after the facility administrator received the
order. The request for reconsideration
must:
(1) specify the parts of the order that are alleged to be in error;
(2) explain why they are in error; and
(3) include documentation to support
the allegation of error.
A facility administrator and the
governing board of the facility shall discontinue operation of the correctional
facility upon receipt of the commissioner's order to immediately suspend the
license.
(c) Within five business days of receipt
of the facility administrator's timely request for reconsideration of a
temporary immediate suspension, the commissioner shall review the request for
reconsideration. The scope of the review
shall be limited solely to the issue of whether the temporary immediate
suspension order should remain in effect pending the written response to
commissioner's notice of intent to issue a revocation order.
The commissioner's disposition of a
request for reconsideration of correction, conditional license, temporary immediate
suspension, or revocation order is final and subject to appeal. The facility administrator must request
reconsideration as required by this section of any correction, conditional
license, temporary immediate suspension, or revocation order prior to appeal.
No later than 60 days after the
postmark date of the mailed notice of the commissioner's decision on a request
for reconsideration, the facility administrator may appeal the decision by
filing for a writ of certiorari with the court of appeals under section 606.01
and Minnesota Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure, Rule 115.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1f. Report. By February 15, 2022, and by February
15 each year thereafter, the commissioner of corrections shall report to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate
committees and divisions with jurisdiction over public safety and judiciary on
the status of the implementation of the provisions in this section over the
prior year, particularly the health and safety of individuals confined or
incarcerated in a state correctional facility and a facility licensed by the
commissioner. This report shall include
but not be limited to data regarding:
(1) the number of confined or
incarcerated persons who died while committed to the custody of the facility,
regardless of whether the death occurred at the facility or after removal from
the facility for medical care stemming from an incident or need for medical
care at the correctional facility, including aggregated demographic information
and the correctional facilities' most recent inspection reports and any
corrective orders or conditional licenses issued;
(2) the aggregated results of the death
reviews by facility as required by subdivision 8, including any implemented
policy changes;
(3) the number of uses of force by
facility staff on persons confined or incarcerated in the correctional
facility, including but not limited to whether those uses of force were
determined to be justified by the facility, for which the commissioner of
corrections shall consult with the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association and a
representative from the Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act
Counties who is responsible for the operations of an adult correctional
facility to develop criteria for reporting and define reportable uses of force;
(4) the number of suicide attempts,
number of people transported to a medical facility, and number of people placed
in segregation;
(5) the number of persons committed to
the commissioner of corrections' custody that the commissioner is housing in
facilities licensed under subdivision 1, including but not limited to:
(i) aggregated demographic data of
those individuals;
(ii) length of time spent
housed in a licensed correctional facility; and
(iii) any contracts the Department of
Corrections has with correctional facilities to provide housing; and
(6) summary data from state correctional
facilities regarding complaints involving alleged on-duty staff misconduct,
including but not limited to the:
(i) total number of misconduct
complaints and investigations;
(ii) total number of complaints by each
category of misconduct, as defined by the commissioner of corrections;
(iii) number of allegations dismissed as
unfounded;
(iv) number of allegations dismissed on
grounds that the allegation was unsubstantiated; and
(v) number of allegations substantiated,
any resulting disciplinary action, and the nature of the discipline.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1g. Biennial
assessment and audit of security practices; state correctional facilities. (a) Beginning in 2022, the
commissioner shall have the department's inspection unit conduct biennial
security audits of each state correctional facility using the standards
promulgated by the state correctional facilities security audit group. The unit must prepare a report for each
assessment and audit and submit the report to the state correctional facilities
security audit group within 30 days of completion of the audit.
(b) Corrections and detention
confidential data, as defined in section 13.85, subdivision 3, that is
contained in reports and records of the group maintain that classification,
regardless of their classification in the hands of the person who provided the
data, and are not subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in a civil
or criminal action against the state arising out of the matters the group is
reviewing. Information, documents, and
records otherwise available from other sources are not immune from discovery or
use in a civil or criminal action solely because they were acquired during the
group's audit. This section does not
limit a person who presented information to the group or who is a member of the
group from testifying about matters within the person's knowledge. However, in a civil or criminal proceeding, a
person may not be questioned about the person's good faith presentation of
information to the group or opinions formed by the person as a result of the
group's audits.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1h. State
correctional facilities security audit group. (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2022, the
commissioner shall form a state correctional facilities security audit group. The group must consist of the following
members:
(1) a department employee who is not
assigned to the correctional institutions division, appointed by the
commissioner;
(2) the ombudsperson for corrections;
(3) an elected sheriff or designee
nominated by the Minnesota Sheriffs Association and appointed by the
commissioner;
(4) a physical plant safety consultant,
appointed by the governor;
(5) a private security consultant with
expertise in correctional facility security, appointed by the governor;
(6) two senators, one appointed
by the senate majority leader and one appointed by the minority leader; and
(7) two representatives, one appointed
by the speaker of the house and one appointed by the minority leader of the
house of representatives.
(b) By January 1, 2022, the group shall
establish security audit standards for state correctional facilities. In developing the standards, the group, or
individual members of the group, may gather information from state correctional
facilities and state correctional staff and inmates. The security audit group must periodically
review the standards and modify them as needed.
The group must report the standards to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction
over public safety policy and finance by February 15, 2022.
(c) The group shall review facility
audit reports submitted to the group by the agency's inspection unit. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
group is entitled to review the full audit reports including corrections and
detention confidential data. Within 60
days of receiving an audit report from the department's inspection unit, the
group must make recommendations to the commissioner. Within 45 days of receiving the group's
recommendations, the commissioner must reply in writing to the group's findings
and recommendations. The commissioner's
response must explain whether the agency will implement the group's
recommendations, the timeline for implementation of the changes, and, if not,
why the commissioner will not or cannot implement the group's recommendations.
(d) Beginning in 2023, the commissioner
must include a written aggregate of the group's recommendations based on each
security audit and assessment of a state correctional facility and the
commissioner's responses to the recommendations in the biennial report required
under section 241.016, subdivision 1. The
commissioner shall not include corrections and detention confidential data, as
defined in section 13.85, subdivision 3, in the commissioner's report to the
legislature.
(e) The commissioner shall provide
staffing and administrative support to the group.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1i. Definition. As used in this section,
"correctional facility" means any facility, including a group home,
having a residential component, the primary purpose of which is to serve
persons placed therein by a court, court services department, parole authority,
or other correctional agency having dispositional power over persons charged
with, convicted, or adjudicated guilty or delinquent.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. Affected
municipality; notice. The
commissioner must not issue grant a license without giving
30 calendar days' written notice to any affected municipality or other
political subdivision unless the facility has a licensed capacity of six or
fewer persons and is occupied by either the licensee or the group foster home
parents. The notification must be given
before the license is first issuance of a license granted
and annually after that time if annual notification is requested in writing by
any affected municipality or other political subdivision. State funds must not be made available to or
be spent by an agency or department of state, county, or municipal government
for payment to a foster care facility licensed under subdivision 2 until the
provisions of this subdivision have been complied with in full.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
Subd. 2b. Licensing; facilities; juveniles from outside state. The commissioner may not:
(1) issue grant a license
under this section to operate a correctional facility for the detention or
confinement of juvenile offenders if the facility accepts juveniles who reside
outside of Minnesota without an agreement with the entity placing the juvenile
at the facility that obligates the entity to pay the educational expenses of
the juvenile; or
(2) renew a license under this section to operate a correctional facility for the detention or confinement of juvenile offenders if the facility accepts juveniles who reside outside of Minnesota without an agreement with the entity placing the juvenile at the facility that obligates the entity to pay the educational expenses of the juvenile.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 2c. Searches. The commissioner shall not grant a
license to any county, municipality, or agency to operate a facility for the
detention, care, and training of delinquent children and youth unless the
county, municipality, or agency institutes a policy strictly prohibiting the
visual inspection of breasts, buttocks, or genitalia of children and youth
received by the facility except during a health care procedure conducted by a
medically licensed person.
Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 2d. Disciplinary
room time. The commissioner
shall not grant a license to any county, municipality, or agency to operate a
facility for the detention, care, and training of delinquent children and youth
unless the county, municipality, or agency institutes a policy strictly
prohibiting the use of disciplinary room time for children and youth received
by the facility. Seclusion used in
emergency situations as a response to imminent danger to the resident or
others, when less restrictive interventions are determined to be ineffective,
is not a violation of this subdivision.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 7. Intake
release of information. All
correctional facilities that confine or incarcerate adults are required at
intake to provide each person an authorization form to release information
related to that person's health or mental health condition and when that
information should be shared. This release
form shall allow the individual to select if the individual wants to require
the correctional facility to make attempts to contact the designated person to
facilitate the sharing of health condition information upon incapacitation or
if the individual becomes unable to communicate or direct the sharing of this
information, so long as contact information was provided and the incapacitated
individual or individual who is unable to communicate or direct the sharing of
this information is not subject to a court order prohibiting contact with the
designated person.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.021, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 8. Death
review teams. In the event a
correctional facility as defined in subdivision 1g receives information of the
death of an individual while committed to the custody of the facility,
regardless of whether the death occurred at the facility or after removal from
the facility for medical care stemming from an incident or need for medical care
at the correctional facility, the administrator of the facility, minimally
including a medical expert of the facility's choosing who did not provide
medical services to the individual, and, if appropriate, a mental health
expert, shall review the circumstances of the death and assess for preventable
mortality and morbidity, including recommendations for policy or procedure
change, within 90 days of death. The
investigating law enforcement agency may provide documentation, participate in,
or provide documentation and participate in the review in instances where
criminal charges were not brought. A
preliminary autopsy report must be provided as part of the review and any
subsequent autopsy findings as available.
The facility administrator shall provide notice to the commissioner of
corrections via the Department of Corrections detention information system that
the correctional facility has conducted a review and identify any
recommendations for changes in policy, procedure, or training that will be
implemented. Any report or other
documentation created for purposes of a facility death review is confidential
as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 3.
Nothing in this section relieves the facility administrator from
complying with the notice of death to the commissioner as required by
subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Authorization. The commissioner of corrections may
appoint peace officers, as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph
(c), who shall serve in the classified service subject to the provisions of
section 43A.01, subdivision 2, and establish a law enforcement agency, as
defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (f), known as the
Department of Corrections Fugitive Apprehension Unit, to perform the duties
necessary to make statewide arrests under sections 629.30 and 629.34. The jurisdiction of the law enforcement
agency is limited to primarily the arrest of Department of
Corrections' discretionary and statutory released violators and Department of
Corrections' escapees. The Department
of Corrections Fugitive Apprehension Unit may exercise general law enforcement
duties during the course of official duties, including carrying out law
enforcement activities in coordination with the law enforcement agency of
jurisdiction, investigating criminal offenses in agency-operated correctional
facilities and surrounding property, and assisting other law enforcement
agencies upon request.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.025, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Limitations. The initial processing of a person
arrested by the fugitive apprehension unit for an offense within the
agency's jurisdiction is the responsibility of the fugitive apprehension
unit unless otherwise directed by the law enforcement agency with primary
jurisdiction. A subsequent investigation
is the responsibility of the law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in
which a new crime is committed unless the law enforcement agency
authorizes the fugitive apprehension unit to assume the subsequent
investigation. At the request of the
primary jurisdiction, the fugitive apprehension unit may assist in subsequent
investigations or law enforcement efforts being carried out by the primary
jurisdiction. Persons arrested for
violations that the fugitive apprehension unit determines are not within the
agency's jurisdiction must be referred to the appropriate local law enforcement
agency for further investigation or disposition.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 241.025, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Policies. The fugitive apprehension unit must
develop and file all policies required under state law for law enforcement
agencies. The fugitive apprehension unit
also must develop a policy for contacting law enforcement agencies in a city or
county before initiating any fugitive surveillance, investigation, or
apprehension within the city or county. These
policies must be filed with the board of peace officers standards and training
by November 1, 2000. Revisions of
any of these policies must be filed with the board within ten days of the
effective date of the revision. The
Department of Corrections shall train all of its peace officers regarding the
application of these policies.
Sec. 24. [241.067]
RELEASE OF INMATES; DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER.
Subdivision 1. Duties
upon release. When releasing
an inmate from prison, the commissioner shall provide to the inmate:
(1) a copy of the inmate's unofficial
criminal history compiled by the department and marked as unofficial;
(2) information on how to obtain the
inmate's full official criminal history from the Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension;
(3) general information describing the
laws and processes for obtaining an expungement of the inmate's criminal
record;
(4) general information on the inmate's
right to vote;
(5) current information on local career
workforce centers in the county in which the inmate will reside and, upon the
inmate's request, other counties;
(6)
a record of the programs that the inmate completed while in prison;
(7) an accounting of any court-ordered
payments, fines, and fees owed by the inmate upon release of which the
department has knowledge;
(8) assistance in obtaining a Social
Security card;
(9) a medical discharge summary;
(10) information on how the inmate may
obtain a complete copy of the inmate's medical record at no charge to the
inmate; and
(11) general information on the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, eligibility
criteria, and application process.
Subd. 2. Assistance
relating to birth certificate and identification cards. (a) Upon the request of an inmate, the
commissioner shall assist the inmate in obtaining a copy of the inmate's birth
certificate at no cost to the inmate. This
assistance does not apply to inmates who (1) upon intake have six months or
less remaining in their term of imprisonment, (2) already have an accessible
copy of their birth certificate available or other valid identification, or (3)
already have a valid photograph on file with the Department of Public Safety
that may be used as proof of identity for renewing an identification document.
(b) The commissioner, in collaboration
with the Department of Public Safety, shall facilitate the provision of a state
identification card to an inmate at no cost to the inmate under the same
criteria described in paragraph (a) relating to birth certificates, provided
the inmate possesses the necessary qualifying documents to obtain the card.
(c) The commissioner shall inform
inmates of the commissioner's duties under paragraphs (a) and (b) upon intake
and again upon the initiation of release planning.
Subd. 3. Medical
assistance or MinnesotaCare application.
At least 45 days before the scheduled release of an inmate, the
commissioner shall offer to assist the inmate in completing an application for
medical assistance or MinnesotaCare and shall provide the assistance if the
inmate accepts the offer.
Subd. 4. Medications. (a) When releasing an inmate from
prison, the commissioner shall provide the inmate with a one-month supply of
any non-narcotic medications that have been prescribed to the inmate and a
prescription for a 30-day supply of these medications that may be refilled
twice.
(b) Paragraph (a) applies only to the
extent the requirement is consistent with clinical guidelines and permitted
under state and federal law.
(c) Nothing in this subdivision
overrides the requirements in section 244.054.
Subd. 5. Exception;
release violators. Subdivisions
1 to 3 do not apply to inmates who are being imprisoned for a release violation. Subdivision 4 applies to all inmates being
released.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective September 1, 2021, except that the requirement in subdivision 1,
clause (10), is effective on July 1, 2022.
Sec. 25. [241.068]
HOMELESSNESS MITIGATION PLAN; ANNUAL REPORTING ON HOMELESSNESS.
Subdivision 1. Homelessness
mitigation plan; report. (a)
The commissioner of corrections shall develop and implement a homelessness
mitigation plan for individuals released from prison. At a minimum, the plan must include:
(1) redesigning of business
practices and policies to boost efforts to prevent homelessness for all persons
released from prison;
(2) efforts to increase interagency and
intergovernmental collaboration between state and local governmental units to
identify and leverage shared resources; and
(3) development of internal metrics for
the agency to report on its progress toward implementing the plan and achieving
the plan's goals.
(b) The commissioner shall submit the plan to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy and finance by October 31, 2022.
Subd. 2. Reporting
on individuals released to homelessness.
(a) By February 15 of each year beginning in 2022, the
commissioner shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy and
finance the following information on adults, disaggregated by race, gender, and
county of release:
(1) the total number released to
homelessness from prison;
(2) the total number released to
homelessness by each Minnesota correctional facility;
(3) the total number released to
homelessness by county of release; and
(4) the total number under supervised,
intensive supervised, or conditional release following release from prison who
reported experiencing homelessness or a lack of housing stability.
(b) Beginning with the 2024 report and
continuing until the 2033 report, the commissioner shall include in the report
required under paragraph (a), information detailing progress, measures, and
challenges to the implementation of the homelessness mitigation plan required
by subdivision 1.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July, 1, 2021.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 243.48, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General searches. The commissioner of corrections, the state correctional facilities audit group, the governor, lieutenant governor, members of the legislature, state officers, and the ombudsperson for corrections may visit the inmates at pleasure, but no other persons without permission of the chief executive officer of the facility, under rules prescribed by the commissioner. A moderate fee may be required of visitors, other than those allowed to visit at pleasure. All fees so collected shall be reported and remitted to the commissioner of management and budget under rules as the commissioner may deem proper, and when so remitted shall be placed to the credit of the general fund.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 243.52, is amended to read:
243.52
DISCIPLINE; PREVENTION OF ESCAPE; DUTY TO REPORT.
Subdivision 1. Discipline
and prevention of escape If any inmate of person confined or
incarcerated in any adult correctional facility either under the control of
the commissioner of corrections or licensed by the commissioner of corrections
under section 241.021 assaults any correctional officer or any other person or
inmate, the assaulted person may use force in defense of the assault,
except as limited in this section. If
any inmate confined or incarcerated person attempts to damage the
buildings or appurtenances, resists the lawful authority of any
correctional officer, refuses
to obey the correctional officer's reasonable demands, or attempts to escape,
the correctional officer may enforce obedience and discipline or prevent escape
by the use of force. If any inmate
confined or incarcerated person resisting lawful authority is wounded or
killed by the use of force by the correctional officer or assistants, that
conduct is authorized under this section.
Subd. 2. Use
of force. (a) Use of force
must not be applied maliciously or sadistically for the purpose of causing harm
to a confined or incarcerated person.
(b) Unless the use of deadly force is
justified in this section, a correctional officer working in a correctional
facility as defined in section 241.021 may not use any of the following
restraints:
(1) a choke hold;
(2) a prone restraint;
(3) tying all of a person's limbs
together behind the person's back to render the person immobile; or
(4) securing a person in any way that
results in transporting the person face down in a vehicle, except as directed
by a medical professional.
(c) For the purposes of this
subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given them:
(1) "choke hold" means a method by which a person applies sufficient pressure to a person to make breathing difficult or impossible, and includes but is not limited to any pressure to the neck, throat, or windpipe that may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air. Choke hold also means applying pressure to a person's neck on either side of the windpipe, but not to the windpipe itself, to stop the flow of blood to the brain via the carotid arteries;
(2) "prone restraint" means
the use of manual restraint that places a person in a face-down position; and
As used in this section, "use of
force" means conduct which is defined by sections 609.06 to 609.066. (3)
"deadly force" has the meaning given in section 609.066, subdivision
1.
(d) Use of deadly force is justified
only if an objectively reasonable correctional officer would believe, based on
the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time and without
the benefit of hindsight, that deadly force is necessary:
(1) to protect the correctional officer
or another from death or great bodily harm, provided that the threat:
(i) can be articulated with specificity
by the correctional officer;
(ii) is reasonably likely to occur
absent action by the correctional officer; and
(iii) must be addressed through the use
of deadly force without unreasonable delay; or
(2) to effect the capture or prevent the
escape of a person when the officer reasonably believes that the person will
cause death or great bodily harm to another person under the threat criteria in
clause (1), unless immediately apprehended.
Subd. 3. Duty
to report. (a) Regardless of
tenure or rank, staff working in a correctional facility as defined in section
241.021 who observe another employee engage in neglect or use force that
exceeds the degree of force permitted by law must report the incident in
writing as soon as practicable, but no later than 24 hours to the administrator
of the correctional facility that employs the reporting staff member.
(b)
A staff member who fails to report neglect or excessive use of force within 24
hours is subject to disciplinary action or sanction by the correctional
facility that employs them. Staff
members shall suffer no reprisal for reporting another staff member engaged in
excessive use of force or neglect.
(c) For the purposes of this
subdivision, "neglect" means:
(1) the knowing failure or omission to
supply a person confined or incarcerated in the facility with care or services,
including but not limited to food, clothing, health care, or supervision that
is reasonable and necessary to obtain or maintain the person's physical or
mental health or safety; or
(2) the absence or likelihood of absence
of care or services, including but not limited to food, clothing, health care,
or supervision necessary to maintain the physical and mental health of the
person that a reasonable person would deem essential for health, safety, or
comfort.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 28. [243.95]
PRIVATE PRISON CONTRACTS PROHIBITED.
The commissioner may not contract with
privately owned and operated prisons for the care, custody, and rehabilitation
of offenders committed to the custody of the commissioner.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 29. [244.049]
INDETERMINATE SENTENCE RELEASE BOARD.
Subdivision 1. Establishment;
membership. (a) The
Indeterminate Sentence Release Board is established to review eligible cases
and make release decisions for inmates serving indeterminate sentences under
the authority of the commissioner.
(b) The board shall consist of five
members as follows:
(1) four persons appointed by the
governor from two recommendations of each of the majority leaders and minority
leaders of the house of representatives and the senate; and
(2) the commissioner of corrections who
shall serve as chair.
(c) The members appointed from the
legislative recommendations must meet the following qualifications at a
minimum:
(1) a bachelor's degree in criminology,
corrections, or a related social science, or a law degree;
(2) five years of experience in
corrections, a criminal justice or community corrections field, rehabilitation
programming, behavioral health, or criminal law; and
(3) demonstrated knowledge of victim
issues and correctional processes.
Subd. 2. Terms;
compensation. (a) Members of
the board shall serve four-year staggered terms except that the terms of the
initial members of the board must be as follows:
(1) two members must be appointed for
terms that expire January 1, 2024; and
(2) two members must be appointed for
terms that expire January 1, 2026.
(b) A member is eligible for
reappointment.
(c) Vacancies on the board shall be
filled in the same manner as the initial appointments under subdivision 1.
(d) Member compensation and removal of
members on the board shall be as provided in section 15.0575.
Subd. 3. Quorum; administrative duties. (a) The majority of members constitutes a quorum.
(b) The commissioner of corrections
shall provide the board with personnel, supplies, equipment, office space, and
other administrative services necessary and incident to the discharge of the
functions of the board.
Subd. 4. Limitation. Nothing in this section supersedes the
commissioner's authority to revoke an inmate's release for a violation of the
inmate's terms of release or impairs the power of the Board of Pardons to grant
a pardon or commutation in any case.
Subd. 5. Report. On or before February 15 each year,
the board shall submit to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
criminal justice policy a written report detailing the number of inmates
reviewed and identifying persons granted release in the preceding year. The report shall also include the board's
recommendations for policy modifications that influence the board's duties.
Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Supervised
release, life sentence. (a) The commissioner
of corrections board may, under rules promulgated adopted
by the commissioner and upon majority vote of the board members, give
supervised release to an inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section
609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3), (5), or (6); 609.3455, subdivision 3 or 4;
609.385; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, subdivision 3, after the
inmate has served the minimum term of imprisonment specified in subdivision 4.
(b) The commissioner board
shall require the preparation of a community investigation report and shall
consider the findings of the report when making a supervised release decision
under this subdivision. The report shall
reflect the sentiment of the various elements of the community toward the
inmate, both at the time of the offense and at the present time. The report shall include the views of the
sentencing judge, the prosecutor, any law enforcement personnel who may have
been involved in the case, and any successors to these individuals who may have
information relevant to the supervised release decision. The report shall also include the views of
the victim and the victim's family unless the victim or the victim's family
chooses not to participate.
(c) The commissioner shall make reasonable
efforts to notify the victim, in advance, of the time and place of the inmate's
supervised release review hearing. The
victim has a right to submit an oral or written statement at the review hearing. The statement may summarize the harm suffered
by the victim as a result of the crime and give the victim's recommendation on
whether the inmate should be given supervised release at this time. The commissioner board must
consider the victim's statement when making the supervised release decision.
(d) When considering whether to give
supervised release to an inmate serving a life sentence under section 609.3455,
subdivision 3 or 4, the commissioner board shall consider, at a
minimum, the following: the risk the
inmate poses to the community if released, the inmate's progress in treatment,
the inmate's behavior while incarcerated, psychological or other diagnostic
evaluations of the inmate, the inmate's criminal history, and any other
relevant conduct of the inmate while incarcerated or before incarceration. The commissioner board may not
give supervised release to the inmate unless:
(1) while in prison:
(i) the inmate has successfully completed appropriate sex offender treatment;
(ii) the inmate has been assessed for chemical dependency needs and, if appropriate, has successfully completed chemical dependency treatment; and
(iii) the inmate has been assessed for mental health needs and, if appropriate, has successfully completed mental health treatment; and
(2) a comprehensive individual release plan is in place for the inmate that ensures that, after release, the inmate will have suitable housing and receive appropriate aftercare and community-based treatment. The comprehensive plan also must include a postprison employment or education plan for the inmate.
(e) As used in this subdivision,:
(1) "board" means the
Indeterminate Sentence Release Board under section 244.049; and
(2) "victim" means the individual who suffered harm as a result of the inmate's crime or, if the individual is deceased, the deceased's surviving spouse or next of kin.
Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.065, is amended to read:
244.065
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT OF INMATES OR SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING FOR PREGNANT
INMATES OF STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN COMMUNITY.
Subdivision 1. Work. When consistent with the public interest and the public safety, the commissioner of corrections may conditionally release an inmate to work at paid employment, seek employment, or participate in a vocational training or educational program, as provided in section 241.26, if the inmate has served at least one half of the term of imprisonment.
Subd. 2. Pregnancy. (a) In the furtherance of public
interest and community safety, the commissioner of corrections may
conditionally release:
(1) for up to one year postpartum, an
inmate who gave birth within eight months of the date of commitment; and
(2) for the duration of the pregnancy
and up to one year postpartum, an inmate who is pregnant.
(b) The commissioner may conditionally
release an inmate under paragraph (a) to community-based programming for the
purpose of participation in prenatal or postnatal care programming and to
promote mother‑child bonding in addition to other programming
requirements as established by the commissioner, including evidence-based
parenting skills programming; working at paid employment; seeking employment;
or participating in vocational training, an educational program, or chemical
dependency or mental health treatment services.
(c) The commissioner shall develop policy
and criteria to implement this subdivision according to public safety and
generally accepted correctional practice.
(d) By April 1 of each year, the
commissioner shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over
corrections on the number of inmates released and the duration of the release
under this subdivision for the prior calendar year.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.19, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Powers and duties. All county probation officers serving a district court shall act under the orders of the court in reference to any person committed to their care by the court, and in the performance of their duties shall have the general powers of a peace officer; and it shall be their duty to make such investigations with regard to any
person as may be required by the court before, during, or after the trial or hearing, and to furnish to the court such information and assistance as may be required; to take charge of any person before, during or after trial or hearing when so directed by the court, and to keep such records and to make such reports to the court as the court may order.
All county probation officers serving a district court shall, in addition, provide probation and parole services to wards of the commissioner of corrections resident in the counties they serve, and shall act under the orders of said commissioner of corrections in reference to any ward committed to their care by the commissioner of corrections.
All probation officers serving a district court shall, under the direction of the authority having power to appoint them, initiate programs for the welfare of persons coming within the jurisdiction of the court to prevent delinquency and crime and to rehabilitate within the community persons who come within the jurisdiction of the court and are properly subject to efforts to accomplish prevention and rehabilitation. They shall, under the direction of the court, cooperate with all law enforcement agencies, schools, child welfare agencies of a public or private character, and other groups concerned with the prevention of crime and delinquency and the rehabilitation of persons convicted of crime and delinquency.
All probation officers serving a district
court shall make monthly and annual reports to the commissioner of corrections,
on forms furnished by the commissioner, containing such information on number
of cases cited to the juvenile division of district court, offenses,
adjudications, dispositions, and related matters as may be required by the
commissioner of corrections. The
reports shall include the information on individuals convicted as an extended
jurisdiction juvenile identified in section 241.016, subdivision 1, paragraph
(c).
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.195, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Detention pending hearing. When it appears necessary to enforce discipline or to prevent a person on conditional release from escaping or absconding from supervision, a court services director has the authority to issue a written order directing any peace officer or any probation officer in the state serving the district and juvenile courts to detain and bring the person before the court or the commissioner, whichever is appropriate, for disposition. If the person on conditional release commits a violation described in section 609.14, subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), the court services director must have a reasonable belief that the order is necessary to prevent the person from escaping or absconding from supervision or that the continued presence of the person in the community presents a risk to public safety before issuing a written order. This written order is sufficient authority for the peace officer or probation officer to detain the person for not more than 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, pending a hearing before the court or the commissioner.
Sec. 34. [260B.008]
USE OF RESTRAINTS.
(a) As used in this section,
"restraints" means a mechanical or other device that constrains the
movement of a person's body or limbs.
(b) Restraints may not be used on a
child appearing in court in a proceeding under this chapter unless the court
finds that:
(1) the use of restraints is necessary:
(i) to prevent physical harm to the
child or another; or
(ii) to prevent the child from fleeing
in situations in which the child presents a substantial risk of flight from the
courtroom; and
(2) there are no less restrictive
alternatives to restraints that will prevent flight or physical harm to the
child or another, including but not limited to the presence of court personnel,
law enforcement officers, or bailiffs.
The finding in clause (1), item
(i), may be based, among other things, on the child having a history of
disruptive courtroom behavior or behavior while in custody for any current or
prior offense that has placed others in potentially harmful situations, or
presenting a substantial risk of inflicting physical harm on the child or others
as evidenced by past behavior. The court
may take into account the physical structure of the courthouse in assessing the
applicability of the above factors to the individual child.
(c) The court shall be provided the
child's behavior history and shall provide the child an opportunity to be heard
in person or through counsel before ordering the use of restraints. If restraints are ordered, the court shall
make findings of fact in support of the order.
(d) By April 1, 2022, each judicial
district shall develop a protocol to address how to implement and comply with
this section. In developing the
protocol, a district shall consult with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors,
public defenders within the district, and any other entity deemed necessary by
the district's chief judge.
EFFECTIVE DATE. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) are effective April 15, 2022. Paragraph (d) is effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 260B.163, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. General. (a) Except for hearings arising under section 260B.425, hearings on any matter shall be without a jury and may be conducted in an informal manner, except that a child who is prosecuted as an extended jurisdiction juvenile has the right to a jury trial on the issue of guilt. The rules of evidence promulgated pursuant to section 480.0591 and the law of evidence shall apply in adjudicatory proceedings involving a child alleged to be delinquent, an extended jurisdiction juvenile, or a juvenile petty offender, and hearings conducted pursuant to section 260B.125 except to the extent that the rules themselves provide that they do not apply.
(b) When a continuance or adjournment is ordered in any proceeding, the court may make any interim orders as it deems in the best interests of the minor in accordance with the provisions of sections 260B.001 to 260B.421.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the court shall exclude the general public from hearings under this chapter and shall admit only those persons who, in the discretion of the court, have a direct interest in the case or in the work of the court. The court shall permit the victim of a child's delinquent act to attend any related delinquency proceeding, except that the court may exclude the victim:
(1) as a witness under the Rules of Criminal Procedure; and
(2) from portions of a certification hearing to discuss psychological material or other evidence that would not be accessible to the public.
The court shall open the hearings to the public in delinquency
or extended jurisdiction juvenile proceedings where the child is alleged to
have committed an offense or has been proven to have committed an offense that
would be a felony if committed by an adult and the child was at least 16 years
of age at the time of the offense, except that the court may exclude the public
from portions of a certification hearing to discuss psychological material or
other evidence that would not be accessible to the public in an adult proceeding.
(d) In all delinquency cases a person named in the charging clause of the petition as a person directly damaged in person or property shall be entitled, upon request, to be notified by the court administrator in writing, at the named person's last known address, of (1) the date of the certification or adjudicatory hearings, and (2) the disposition of the case.
Sec. 36. [260B.1755]
ALTERNATIVE TO ARREST OF CERTAIN JUVENILE OFFENDERS AUTHORIZED.
(a) A peace officer who has probable
cause to believe that a child is a petty offender or delinquent child may refer
the child to a program, including restorative programs, that the law
enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the child deems appropriate.
(b) If a peace officer or law
enforcement agency refers a child to a program under paragraph (a), the peace
officer or law enforcement agency may defer issuing a citation or a notice to
the child to appear in juvenile court, transmitting a report to the prosecuting
authority, or otherwise initiating a proceeding in juvenile court.
(c) After receiving notice that a child
who was referred to a program under paragraph (a) successfully completed that
program, a peace officer or law enforcement agency shall not issue a citation
or a notice to the child to appear in juvenile court, transmit a report to the
prosecuting authority, or otherwise initiate a proceeding in juvenile court for
the conduct that formed the basis of the referral.
(d) This section does not apply to peace
officers acting pursuant to an order or warrant described in section 260B.175,
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), or other court order to take a child into
custody.
Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 260B.176, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Risk
assessment instrument. If a
peace officer or probation or parole officer who took a child into custody does
not release the child as provided in subdivision 1, the peace officer or
probation or parole officer shall communicate with or deliver the child to a
juvenile secure detention facility to determine whether the child should be
released or detained. Before detaining a
child, the supervisor of the facility shall use an objective and racially,
ethnically, and gender-responsive juvenile detention risk assessment instrument
developed by the commissioner of corrections, county, group of counties, or
judicial district, in consultation with the state coordinator or coordinators
of the Minnesota Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. The risk assessment instrument must assess
the likelihood that a child released from preadjudication detention under this
section or section 260B.178 would endanger others or not return for a court
hearing. The instrument must identify
the appropriate setting for a child who might endanger others or not return for
a court hearing pending adjudication, with either continued detention or
placement in a noncustodial community-based supervision setting. The instrument must also identify the type of
noncustodial community-based supervision setting necessary to minimize the risk
that a child who is released from custody will endanger others or not return
for a court hearing. If, after using the
instrument, a determination is made that the child should be released, the
person taking the child into custody or the supervisor of the facility shall
release the child as provided in subdivision 1.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 15, 2022.
Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 260B.176, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Reasons for detention. (a) If the child is not released as provided in subdivision 1, the person taking the child into custody shall notify the court as soon as possible of the detention of the child and the reasons for detention.
(b) No child may be detained in a secure
detention facility after being taken into custody for a delinquent act as
defined in section 260B.007, subdivision 6, unless the child is over the age of
12.
(b) (c) No child may be
detained in a juvenile secure detention facility or shelter care facility
longer than 36 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after being
taken into custody for a delinquent act as defined in section 260B.007,
subdivision 6, unless a petition has been filed and the judge or referee
determines pursuant to section 260B.178 that the child shall remain in
detention.
(c) (d) No child may be detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours in an adult jail or municipal lockup in a standard metropolitan statistical area, after being taken into custody for a delinquent act as defined in section 260B.007, subdivision 6, unless:
(1) a petition has been filed under section 260B.141; and
(2) a judge or referee has determined under section 260B.178 that the child shall remain in detention.
After August 1, 1991, no child described in this paragraph may be detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours in an adult jail or municipal lockup in a standard metropolitan statistical area, unless the requirements of this paragraph have been met and, in addition, a motion to refer the child for adult prosecution has been made under section 260B.125. Notwithstanding this paragraph, continued detention of a child in an adult detention facility outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area county is permissible if:
(i) the facility in which the child is detained is located where conditions of distance to be traveled or other ground transportation do not allow for court appearances within 24 hours. A delay not to exceed 48 hours may be made under this clause; or
(ii) the facility is located where conditions of safety exist. Time for an appearance may be delayed until 24 hours after the time that conditions allow for reasonably safe travel. "Conditions of safety" include adverse life‑threatening weather conditions that do not allow for reasonably safe travel.
The continued detention of a child under clause (i) or (ii) must be reported to the commissioner of corrections.
(d) (e) If a child described
in paragraph (c) (d) is to be detained in a jail beyond 24 hours,
excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the judge or referee, in accordance
with rules and procedures established by the commissioner of corrections, shall
notify the commissioner of the place of the detention and the reasons therefor. The commissioner shall thereupon assist the
court in the relocation of the child in an appropriate juvenile secure
detention facility or approved jail within the county or elsewhere in the
state, or in determining suitable alternatives.
The commissioner shall direct that a child detained in a jail be
detained after eight days from and including the date of the original detention
order in an approved juvenile secure detention facility with the approval of
the administrative authority of the facility.
If the court refers the matter to the prosecuting authority pursuant to
section 260B.125, notice to the commissioner shall not be required.
(e) (f) When a child is
detained for an alleged delinquent act in a state licensed juvenile facility or
program, or when a child is detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup as
provided in paragraph (c) (d), the supervisor of the facility
shall, if the child's parent or legal guardian consents, have a children's
mental health screening conducted with a screening instrument approved by the
commissioner of human services, unless a screening has been performed within
the previous 180 days or the child is currently under the care of a mental
health professional. The screening shall
be conducted by a mental health practitioner as defined in section 245.4871,
subdivision 26, or a probation officer who is trained in the use of the
screening instrument. The screening
shall be conducted after the initial detention hearing has been held and the
court has ordered the child continued in detention. The results of the screening may only be
presented to the court at the dispositional phase of the court proceedings on
the matter unless the parent or legal guardian consents to presentation at a
different time. If the screening
indicates a need for assessment, the local social services agency or probation
officer, with the approval of the child's parent or legal guardian, shall have
a diagnostic assessment conducted, including a functional assessment, as
defined in section 245.4871.
Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 260C.007, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Child in need of protection or services. "Child in need of protection or services" means a child who is in need of protection or services because the child:
(1) is abandoned or without parent, guardian, or custodian;
(2)(i) has been a victim of physical or sexual abuse as defined in section 260E.03, subdivision 18 or 20, (ii) resides with or has resided with a victim of child abuse as defined in subdivision 5 or domestic child abuse as defined in subdivision 13, (iii) resides with or would reside with a perpetrator of domestic child abuse as defined in subdivision 13 or child abuse as defined in subdivision 5 or 13, or (iv) is a victim of emotional maltreatment as defined in subdivision 15;
(3) is without necessary food, clothing, shelter, education, or other required care for the child's physical or mental health or morals because the child's parent, guardian, or custodian is unable or unwilling to provide that care;
(4) is without the special care made necessary by a physical, mental, or emotional condition because the child's parent, guardian, or custodian is unable or unwilling to provide that care;
(5) is medically neglected, which includes, but is not limited to, the withholding of medically indicated treatment from an infant with a disability with a life-threatening condition. The term "withholding of medically indicated treatment" means the failure to respond to the infant's life-threatening conditions by providing treatment, including appropriate nutrition, hydration, and medication which, in the treating physician's or advanced practice registered nurse's reasonable medical judgment, will be most likely to be effective in ameliorating or correcting all conditions, except that the term does not include the failure to provide treatment other than appropriate nutrition, hydration, or medication to an infant when, in the treating physician's or advanced practice registered nurse's reasonable medical judgment:
(i) the infant is chronically and irreversibly comatose;
(ii) the provision of the treatment would merely prolong dying, not be effective in ameliorating or correcting all of the infant's life-threatening conditions, or otherwise be futile in terms of the survival of the infant; or
(iii) the provision of the treatment would be virtually futile in terms of the survival of the infant and the treatment itself under the circumstances would be inhumane;
(6) is one whose parent, guardian, or other custodian for good cause desires to be relieved of the child's care and custody, including a child who entered foster care under a voluntary placement agreement between the parent and the responsible social services agency under section 260C.227;
(7) has been placed for adoption or care in violation of law;
(8) is without proper parental care because of the emotional, mental, or physical disability, or state of immaturity of the child's parent, guardian, or other custodian;
(9) is one whose behavior, condition, or environment is such as to be injurious or dangerous to the child or others. An injurious or dangerous environment may include, but is not limited to, the exposure of a child to criminal activity in the child's home;
(10) is experiencing growth delays, which may be referred to as failure to thrive, that have been diagnosed by a physician and are due to parental neglect;
(11) is a sexually exploited youth;
(12) has committed a delinquent act or a
juvenile petty offense before becoming ten 13 years old;
(13) is a runaway;
(14) is a habitual truant;
(15) has been found incompetent to proceed or has been found not guilty by reason of mental illness or mental deficiency in connection with a delinquency proceeding, a certification under section 260B.125, an extended jurisdiction juvenile prosecution, or a proceeding involving a juvenile petty offense; or
(16) has a parent whose parental rights to one or more other children were involuntarily terminated or whose custodial rights to another child have been involuntarily transferred to a relative and there is a case plan prepared by the responsible social services agency documenting a compelling reason why filing the termination of parental rights petition under section 260C.503, subdivision 2, is not in the best interests of the child.
Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 401.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Peace officers and probation officers serving CCA counties. (a) When it appears necessary to enforce discipline or to prevent a person on conditional release from escaping or absconding from supervision, the chief executive officer or designee of a community corrections agency in a CCA county has the authority to issue a written order directing any peace officer or any probation officer in the state serving the district and juvenile courts to detain and bring the person before the court or the commissioner, whichever is appropriate, for disposition. If the person on conditional release commits a violation described in section 609.14, subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), the chief executive officer or designee must have a reasonable belief that the order is necessary to prevent the person from escaping or absconding from supervision or that the continued presence of the person in the community presents a risk to public safety before issuing a written order. This written order is sufficient authority for the peace officer or probation officer to detain the person for not more than 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, pending a hearing before the court or the commissioner.
(b) The chief executive officer or designee of a community corrections agency in a CCA county has the authority to issue a written order directing a peace officer or probation officer serving the district and juvenile courts to release a person detained under paragraph (a) within 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, without an appearance before the court or the commissioner. This written order is sufficient authority for the peace officer or probation officer to release the detained person.
(c) The chief executive officer or designee of a community corrections agency in a CCA county has the authority to issue a written order directing any peace officer or any probation officer serving the district and juvenile courts to detain any person on court-ordered pretrial release who absconds from pretrial release or fails to abide by the conditions of pretrial release. A written order issued under this paragraph is sufficient authority for the peace officer or probation officer to detain the person.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
August 1, 2021, and applies to violations that occur on or after that date.
Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 401.06, is amended to read:
401.06
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; STANDARDS OF ELIGIBILITY; COMPLIANCE.
No county or group of counties electing to provide correctional services pursuant to sections 401.01 to 401.16 shall be eligible for the subsidy herein provided unless and until its comprehensive plan shall have been approved by the commissioner. The commissioner shall, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, promulgate rules establishing standards of eligibility for counties to receive funds under sections 401.01 to 401.16. To remain eligible for subsidy counties shall maintain substantial compliance with the minimum standards established pursuant to sections 401.01 to 401.16 and the policies and procedures governing the services described in section 401.025 as prescribed by the commissioner. Counties shall also be in substantial compliance with other correctional operating
standards permitted by law and established by the commissioner and shall report statistics required by the commissioner including but not limited to information on individuals convicted as an extended jurisdiction juvenile identified in section 241.016, subdivision 1, paragraph (c). The commissioner shall review annually the comprehensive plans submitted by participating counties, including the facilities and programs operated under the plans. The commissioner is hereby authorized to enter upon any facility operated under the plan, and inspect books and records, for purposes of recommending needed changes or improvements.
When the commissioner shall determine that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a county or group of counties is not in substantial compliance with minimum standards, at least 30 days' notice shall be given the county or counties and a hearing conducted by the commissioner to ascertain whether there is substantial compliance or satisfactory progress being made toward compliance. The commissioner may suspend all or a portion of any subsidy until the required standard of operation has been met.
Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Grounds. (a) When it appears that the defendant
has violated any of the conditions of probation or intermediate sanction, or
has otherwise been guilty of misconduct which warrants the imposing or
execution of sentence, the court may without notice revoke the stay and direct
that the defendant be taken into immediate custody. Revocation should only be used as a last
resort when rehabilitation has failed.
(b) When it appears that the defendant violated any of the conditions of probation during the term of the stay, but the term of the stay has since expired, the defendant's probation officer or the prosecutor may ask the court to initiate probation revocation proceedings under the Rules of Criminal Procedure at any time within six months after the expiration of the stay. The court also may initiate proceedings under these circumstances on its own motion. If proceedings are initiated within this six-month period, the court may conduct a revocation hearing and take any action authorized under rule 27.04 at any time during or after the six-month period.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 609.135 or any law to the contrary, after proceedings to revoke the stay have been initiated by a court order revoking the stay and directing either that the defendant be taken into custody or that a summons be issued in accordance with paragraph (a), the proceedings to revoke the stay may be concluded and the summary hearing provided by subdivision 2 may be conducted after the expiration of the stay or after the six-month period set forth in paragraph (b). The proceedings to revoke the stay shall not be dismissed on the basis that the summary hearing is conducted after the term of the stay or after the six-month period. The ability or inability to locate or apprehend the defendant prior to the expiration of the stay or during or after the six-month period shall not preclude the court from conducting the summary hearing unless the defendant demonstrates that the delay was purposefully caused by the state in order to gain an unfair advantage.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to violations that occur on or after that
date.
Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.14, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 1a. Violations
where policies favor continued rehabilitation. (a) Correctional treatment is better
provided through a community resource than through confinement, it would not
unduly depreciate the seriousness of the violation if probation was not
revoked, and the policies favoring probation outweigh the need for confinement
if a person has not previously violated a condition of probation or
intermediate sanction and does any of the following in violation of a condition
imposed by the court:
(1) fails to abstain from the use of
controlled substances without a valid prescription, unless the person is under
supervision for a violation of:
(i) section 169A.20;
(ii) 609.2112, subdivision 1,
paragraph (a), clauses (2) to (6); or
(iii)
609.2113, subdivision 1, clauses (2) to (6), subdivision 2, clauses (2) to (6),
or subdivision 3, clauses (2) to (6);
(2) fails to abstain from the use of
alcohol, unless the person is under supervision for a violation of:
(i) section 169A.20;
(ii) 609.2112, subdivision 1, paragraph
(a), clauses (2) to (6); or
(iii)
609.2113, subdivision 1, clauses (2) to (6), subdivision 2, clauses (2) to (6),
or subdivision 3, clauses (2) to (6);
(3) possesses drug paraphernalia in
violation of section 152.092;
(4) fails to obtain or maintain
employment;
(5) fails to pursue a course of study
or vocational training;
(6) fails to report a change in
employment, unless the person is prohibited from having contact with minors and
the employment would involve such contact;
(7) violates a curfew;
(8) fails to report contact with a law
enforcement agency, unless the person was charged with a misdemeanor, gross
misdemeanor, or felony; or
(9) commits any offense for which the
penalty is a petty misdemeanor.
(b) A violation by a person described
in paragraph (a) does not warrant the imposition or execution of sentence and
the court may not direct that the person be taken into immediate custody unless
the court receives a written report, signed under penalty of perjury pursuant
to section 358.116, showing probable cause to believe the person violated
probation and establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that the
continued presence of the person in the community would present a risk to
public safety. If the court does not
direct that the person be taken into custody, the court may request a
supplemental report from the supervising agent containing:
(1) the specific nature of the
violation;
(2) the response of the person under
supervision to the violation, if any; and
(3) the actions the supervising agent
has taken or will take to address the violation.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to violations that occur on or after that
date.
Sec. 44. [641.015]
PLACEMENT IN PRIVATE PRISONS PROHIBITED.
Subdivision 1. Placement
prohibited. After August 1,
2021, a sheriff shall not allow inmates committed to the custody of the sheriff
to be housed in facilities that are not owned and operated by a local
government, or a group of local units of government.
Subd. 2. Contracts
prohibited. The county board
may not authorize the sheriff to contract with privately owned and operated
prisons for the care, custody, and rehabilitation of offenders committed to the
custody of the sheriff.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 45. Laws 2017, chapter 95, article 3, section 30, is amended to read:
Sec. 30. ALTERNATIVES
TO INCARCERATION PILOT PROGRAM FUND.
(a) Agencies providing supervision to offenders on probation,
parole, or supervised release are eligible for grants funding to
facilitate access to community options including, but not limited to, inpatient
chemical dependency treatment for nonviolent controlled substance offenders to
address and correct behavior that is, or is likely to result in, a technical
violation of the conditions of release. For
purposes of this section, "nonviolent controlled substance offender"
is a person who meets the criteria described under Minnesota Statutes, section
244.0513, subdivision 2, clauses (1), (2), and (5), and "technical
violation" means a violation of a court order of probation, condition of
parole, or condition of supervised release, except an allegation of a
subsequent criminal act that is alleged in a formal complaint, citation, or
petition.
(b) The Department of Corrections shall establish
criteria for selecting grant recipients and the amount awarded to each grant
recipient issue annual funding of $160,000 to each recipient.
(c) By January 15, 2019, The
commissioner of corrections shall submit a an annual report to
the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with
jurisdiction over public safety policy and finance by January 15 of each
year. At a minimum, the report must
include:
(1) the total number of grants issued
under this program;
(2) the average amount of each grant;
(3) (1) the community
services accessed as a result of the grants funding;
(4) (2) a summary of the
type of supervision offenders were under when a grant funding was
used to help access a community option;
(5) (3) the number of
individuals who completed, and the number who failed to complete, programs
accessed as a result of this grant funding; and
(6) (4) the number of
individuals who violated the terms of release following participation in a
program accessed as a result of this grant funding, separating
technical violations and new criminal offenses.;
(5) the number of individuals who
completed or were discharged from probation after participating in the program;
(6) the number of individuals
identified in clause (5) who committed a new offense after discharge from the
program;
(7) identification of barriers
nonviolent controlled substance offenders face in accessing community services
and a description of how the program navigates those barriers; and
(8) identification of gaps in existing
community services for nonviolent controlled substance offenders.
Sec. 46. TASK
FORCE ON AIDING AND ABETTING FELONY MURDER.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. As used in this section, the following
terms have the meanings given:
(1) "aiding and abetting"
means a person who is criminally liable for a crime committed by another
because that person intentionally aided, advised, hired, counseled, or
conspired with or otherwise procured the other to commit the crime; and
(2) "felony murder" means a
violation of Minnesota Statutes, section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (2),
(3), (5), (6), or (7); or 609.19, subdivision 2, clause (1).
Subd. 2. Establishment. The task force on aiding and abetting
felony murder is established to collect and analyze data on the charging,
convicting, and sentencing of people for aiding and abetting felony murder;
assess whether current laws and practices promote public safety and equity in
sentencing; and make recommendations to the legislature.
Subd. 3. Membership. (a) The task force consists of the
following members:
(1) two members of the house of
representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house and one appointed by
the minority leader;
(2) two members of the senate, one
appointed by the majority leader and one appointed by the minority leader;
(3) the commissioner of corrections or
a designee;
(4) the executive director of the
Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission or a designee;
(5) the attorney general or a designee;
(6) the state public defender or a
designee;
(7) the statewide coordinator of the
Violent Crime Coordinating Council;
(8) one defense attorney, appointed by
the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers;
(9) three county attorneys, appointed
by the Minnesota County Attorneys Association;
(10) two members representing victims'
rights organizations, appointed by the Office of Justice Programs director in
the Department of Public Safety;
(11) one member of a criminal justice
advocacy organization, appointed by the governor;
(12) one member of a statewide civil
rights organization, appointed by the governor;
(13) two impacted persons who are
directly related to a person who has been convicted of felony murder, appointed
by the governor; and
(14) one person with expertise regarding
the laws and practices of other states relating to aiding and abetting felony
murder, appointed by the governor.
(b) Appointments must be made no later
than July 30, 2021.
(c) The legislative members
identified in paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), shall serve as ex officio,
nonvoting members of the task force.
(d) Members shall serve without
compensation.
(e) Members of the task force serve at
the pleasure of the appointing authority or until the task force expires. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing
authority consistent with the qualifications of the vacating member required by
this subdivision.
Subd. 4. Officers;
meetings. (a) The task force
shall elect a chair and vice-chair and may elect other officers as necessary.
(b) The commissioner of corrections
shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than August 1, 2021, and shall provide meeting space and
administrative assistance as necessary for the task force to conduct its work.
(c) The task force shall meet at least
monthly or upon the call of its chair. The
task force shall meet sufficiently enough to accomplish the tasks identified in
this section. Meetings of the task force
are subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
(d) To compile and analyze data, the
task force shall request the cooperation and assistance of local law
enforcement agencies, the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the
judicial branch, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, county attorneys, and
Tribal governments and may request the cooperation of academics and others with
experience and expertise in researching the impact of laws criminalizing aiding
and abetting felony murder.
Subd. 5. Duties. (a) The task force shall, at a
minimum:
(1) collect and analyze data on
charges, convictions, and sentences for aiding and abetting felony murder;
(2) collect and analyze data on
sentences for aiding and abetting felony murder in which a person received a
mitigated durational departure because the person played a minor or passive
role in the crime or participated under circumstances of coercion or duress;
(3) collect and analyze data on
charges, convictions, and sentences for codefendants of people sentenced for
aiding and abetting felony murder;
(4) review relevant state statutes and
state and federal court decisions;
(5) receive input from individuals who
were convicted of aiding and abetting felony murder;
(6) receive input from family members
of individuals who were victims of felony murder;
(7) analyze the benefits and unintended
consequences of Minnesota Statutes and practices related to the charging,
convicting, and sentencing of people for aiding and abetting felony murder
including but not limited to an analysis of whether current statutes and
practice:
(i) promote public safety; and
(ii) properly punish people for their
role in an offense; and
(8) make recommendations for
legislative action, if any, on laws affecting:
(i) the collection and
reporting of data; and
(ii) the charging, convicting, and
sentencing of people for aiding and abetting felony murder.
(b) At its discretion, the task force
may examine, as necessary, other related issues consistent with this section.
Subd. 6. Report. On or before January 15, 2022, the
task force shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of
the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with
jurisdiction over criminal sentencing on the findings and recommendations of
the task force.
Subd. 7. Expiration. The task force expires the day after
submitting its report under subdivision 6.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 47. TITLE.
Sections 5 to 11, 13, 19, 20, and 27
shall be know as the "Hardel Sherrell Act."
Sec. 48. CORRECTIONAL
SUPERVISION WORKING GROUP; TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.
Subdivision 1. Establishment. Recognizing the sovereignty of Tribal
governments and the shared state and Tribal interests in providing effective,
responsive, and culturally relevant correctional supervision and services, a
working group is established to develop policy, protocols, and procedures for
Minnesota-based federally recognized Indian Tribes to participate in the
Community Corrections Act subsidy program and make recommendations to the
legislature on changes to the law to allow for Tribal supervision.
Subd. 2. Duties. The working group shall develop
comprehensive recommendations that allow a Minnesota‑based federally
recognized Indian Tribe, as defined in United States Code, title 25, section
450b(e), to qualify for a grant provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 401.01,
by meeting and agreeing to the requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section
401.02, subdivision 1, excluding the population requirement. The working group shall:
(1) develop statutory policy language
that provides that interested Tribal governments may participate in the
Community Corrections Act grant program;
(2) identify Tribal Community
Corrections Act supervision jurisdiction parameters such as Tribal lands,
Tribal enrollment, and recognized Tribal affiliation;
(3) develop a court process for
determining whether an individual shall receive correctional supervision and
services from a Tribal Community Corrections Act authority;
(4) develop an effective and relevant
formula for determining the amount of community corrections aid to be paid to a
participating Tribal government; and
(5) develop legislation to establish
conformance with all other requirements in the Community Corrections Act.
Subd. 3. Members. The working group must include the
following members:
(1) the commissioner of corrections, or
designee;
(2) the commissioner of human services,
or designee;
(3) the attorney general, or designee;
(4)
a representative of each Minnesota-based federally recognized Indian Tribe
appointed by each Tribe;
(5) a representative appointed by the
governor;
(6) a representative appointed by the
speaker of the house;
(7) a representative appointed by the
senate majority leader;
(8) a representative of the State Court
Administrators Office appointed by the state court administrator;
(9) Department of Corrections,
executive officer of hearings and release;
(10) Department of Corrections, director
of field services;
(11) a representative of the Minnesota
Indian Affairs Council appointed by the council; and
(12) one representative appointed by
each of the following associations:
(i) the Minnesota Association of
Community Corrections Act Counties;
(ii) the Minnesota Association of
County Probation Officers;
(iii) the Minnesota Sheriffs'
Association;
(iv) the Minnesota County Attorney's
Association; and
(v) the Association of Minnesota
Counties.
Subd. 4. Meetings. The commissioner of corrections or a
designee shall convene the first meeting of the working group no later than
October 15, 2021. Members of the working
group shall elect a chair from among the group's members at the first meeting,
and the commissioner of corrections or a designee shall serve as the working
group's chair until a chair is elected.
Subd. 5. Compensation. Members of the working group shall
serve without compensation.
Subd. 6. Administrative
support. The commissioner of
corrections shall provide administrative support staff and meeting space for
the working group.
Subd. 7. Report. The working group shall prepare and
submit a report to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate
committees and divisions with jurisdiction over public safety not later than
March 15, 2022. The working group's
report shall minimally include statutory policy language that provides that
interested Tribal governments may participate in the Community Corrections Act
grant program.
Subd. 8. Expiration. The working group expires the earlier
of March 16, 2022, or the day after the working group submits the report under
subdivision 7.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment.
ARTICLE 4
MINNESOTA REHABILITATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.03, is amended to read:
244.03
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS.
The commissioner shall provide
appropriate mental health programs and vocational and educational programs with
employment-related goals for inmates. The
selection, design and implementation of programs under this section shall be
the sole responsibility of the commissioner, acting within the limitations
imposed by the funds appropriated for such programs develop, implement,
and provide appropriate substance abuse treatment programs; sexual offender
treatment programming; domestic abuse programming; medical and mental health
services; and vocational, employment and career, educational, and other
rehabilitative programs for persons committed to the authority of the
commissioner.
While evidence-based programs shall be
prioritized, the selection, design, and implementation of programs under this
section shall be the sole responsibility of the commissioner, acting within the
limitations imposed by the funds appropriated for the programs under this
section.
No action challenging the level of
expenditures for programs authorized under this section, nor any action
challenging the selection, design or implementation of these programs,
including employee assignments, may be maintained by an inmate incarcerated
person in any court in this state.
The commissioner may impose disciplinary
sanctions upon any inmate incarcerated person who refuses to
participate in rehabilitative programs.
Sec. 2. [244.031]
REHABILITATIVE NEED ASSESSMENT AND INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAM PLAN REQUIRED.
(a) The commissioner shall develop a
comprehensive need assessment process for each person who is serving a fixed
term of imprisonment in a state correctional facility on or after August 1,
2021, and has 365 days or more remaining until the person's scheduled
supervised release date.
(b) Upon completion of the assessment process,
the commissioner shall ensure the development of an individualized program
plan, along with identified goals for every person committed to the authority
of the Department of Corrections. The
individualized program plan shall be holistic in nature in that it identifies
intended outcomes for addressing the incarcerated person's needs and risk
factors, the individual's identified strengths, and available and needed
community supports, including victim safety considerations as required in
section 244.0552, if applicable.
(c) When an individual is committed to
the custody of the commissioner for a crime resulting in harm against a person
or persons, the commissioner shall provide opportunity for input during the
assessment and program plan process. Victim
input may include a summary of victim concerns relative to release, concerns
related to victim safety during the committed person's term of imprisonment,
and requests for imposition of victim safety protocols as additional conditions
of imprisonment or supervised release.
(d) The commissioner shall consider
victim input statements in program planning and establishing conditions
governing confinement or release.
(e) For an individual with less than
365 days remaining until the individual's supervised release date, the
commissioner, in consultation with the incarcerated individual, shall develop a
transition and release plan.
Sec. 3. [244.032]
EARNED INCENTIVE RELEASE.
(a) For the purposes of this section,
"earned incentive release" means release credit that is earned and
subtracted from the term of imprisonment for completion of objectives
established by an incarcerated person's individualized program plan.
(b) To encourage and support
rehabilitation when consistent with public interest and public safety, the
commissioner of corrections, in consultation with the Minnesota County
Attorney's Association, Minnesota Board of Public Defense, Minnesota
Association of Community Corrections Act Counties, Minnesota Indian Women's
Sexual Assault Coalition, Violence Free Minnesota, Minnesota Coalition Against
Sexual Assault, Minnesota Alliance on Crime, the Minnesota Sheriff's Association,
Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, and the Minnesota Police and Peace
Officers Association, shall establish policy providing for earned incentive
release credit and forfeiture of the credit as part of the term of imprisonment. The policy shall:
(1) provide circumstances upon which an
incarcerated person may earn incentive release credits, including participation
in rehabilitative programming as required under section 244.031; and
(2) address those circumstances where
(i) the capacity to provide treatment programming in the correctional facility
is diminished but the services are available to the community, and (ii) the
conditions under which the incarcerated person could be released to the
community-based resource but remain subject to commitment to the commissioner
and considered for earned incentive release credit.
(c) The commissioner shall also develop
a policy establishing a process for assessing and addressing any systemic and
programmatic gender and racial disparities that may be identified in the award
of earned incentive release credits.
Sec. 4. [244.033]
APPLICATION OF EARNED INCENTIVE RELEASE CREDIT.
(a) Earned incentive release credits
shall be subtracted from the term of imprisonment but shall not be added to the
person's supervised release term. In no
case shall the credit reduce the term of imprisonment to less than one‑half
of the incarcerated person's executed sentence.
(b) The earned incentive release program
is separate and distinct from other legislatively authorized release programs,
including the challenge incarceration program, work release, conditional
medical release, or Conditional Release of Nonviolent Controlled Substance
Offenders program, which may have unique statutory requirements and
obligations.
Sec. 5. [244.034]
CERTAIN OFFENSES INELIGIBLE FOR EARNED INCENTIVE RELEASE CREDIT.
(a) A person committed to the
commissioner for any of the following offenses shall be ineligible for earned
incentive release credit under sections 244.031 to 244.033:
(1) section 609.185, first degree
murder, or 609.19, murder in the second degree;
(2) section 609.195, murder in the third
degree, or 609.221, assault in the first degree;
(3) section 609.342, first degree
criminal sexual conduct, 609.343, second degree criminal sexual conduct, or
609.344, third degree criminal sexual conduct, if the offense was committed
with force or violence;
(4) section 609.3455, subdivision 5,
dangerous sex offenders, where the court shall specify a minimum term of
imprisonment, based on the sentencing guidelines or any applicable mandatory
minimum sentence, that must be served before the offender may be considered for
supervised release;
(5)
section 609.229, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), crimes committed for the benefit
of a gang where any person convicted and sentenced as required by section
609.229, subdivision 4, paragraph (a), is not eligible for probation, parole,
discharge, work release, or supervised release until that person has served the
full term of imprisonment as provided by law;
(6) section 152.026 where a person with
a mandatory minimum sentence imposed for a first or second degree controlled
substance crime is not eligible for probation, parole, discharge, or supervised
release until that person has served the full term of imprisonment as provided
by law;
(7) a person who was convicted in any
other jurisdiction of a crime and the person's supervision was transferred to
this state;
(8) section 243.166, subdivision 5,
paragraph (e), predatory offender registration;
(9) section 609.11, subdivision 6, use
of firearm or dangerous weapon during the commission of certain offenses;
(10) section 609.221, subdivision 2,
paragraph (b), use of deadly force against a peace officer, prosecutor, judge,
or correctional employee;
(11) section 609.2231, subdivision 3a,
paragraph (d), assault against secure treatment personnel; and
(12) a person subject to a conditional
release term under section 609.3455, subdivisions 6 and 7, whether on the
present offense or previous offense for which a term of conditional release
remains.
(b) Persons serving life sentences,
persons given indeterminate sentences for crimes committed on or before April
30, 1980, or persons subject to good time under section 244.04, or similar laws
are ineligible for earned incentive release credit.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:
Subd. 1b. Supervised release; offenders who commit crimes on or after August 1, 1993. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions 4 and 5, every inmate sentenced to prison for a felony offense committed on or after August 1, 1993, shall serve a supervised release term upon completion of the inmate's term of imprisonment and any disciplinary confinement period imposed by the commissioner due to the inmate's violation of any disciplinary rule adopted by the commissioner or refusal to participate in a rehabilitative program required under section 244.03. The amount of time the inmate serves on supervised release shall be equal in length to the amount of time remaining in the inmate's executed sentence after the inmate has served the term of imprisonment reduced by any earned incentive release credit and any disciplinary confinement period imposed by the commissioner.
(b) No inmate who violates a disciplinary
rule or refuses to participate in a rehabilitative program as required under
section 244.03 shall be placed on supervised release until the inmate has
served the disciplinary confinement period for that disciplinary sanction or
until the inmate is discharged or released from punitive segregation restrictive
housing confinement, whichever is later.
The imposition of a disciplinary confinement period shall be considered
to be a disciplinary sanction imposed upon an inmate, and the procedure for
imposing the disciplinary confinement period and the rights of the inmate in
the procedure shall be those in effect for the imposition of other disciplinary
sanctions at each state correctional institution.
Sec. 7. [244.0551]
EARNED COMPLIANCE CREDIT AND SUPERVISION ABATEMENT STATUS.
(a) For the purposes of this section,
the following terms have the meanings given them:
(1) "supervision abatement
status" means an end to active correctional supervision of a supervised
individual without effect on the legal expiration date of the executed sentence
less any earned incentive release credit; and
(2) "earned compliance
credit" means a one-month reduction from the period of active supervision
of the supervised release term for every two months that a supervised
individual exhibits compliance with the conditions and goals of the
individual's supervision plan.
(b) The commissioner of corrections
shall adopt policy providing for earned compliance credit and forfeiture of the
credit. The commissioner shall adjust
the period of an individual's supervised release term for earned compliance
credits accrued under a program created under this section. Once a combination of time served, earned
incentive credit, along with a term of supervision and earned compliance
credits equal the supervised release term, the commissioner shall place the
individual on supervision abatement status.
(c) A person whose period of active
supervision has been completely reduced as a result of earned compliance
credits shall remain on supervision abatement status until the expiration of
the executed sentence, less any earned incentive release credit. If an individual is on supervision abatement
status and is charged with a new presumptive commit felony-level crime against
a person, the commissioner may return the individual to active supervision and
impose any additional sanctions, up to and including revocation from supervised
release and return to the custody of the commissioner.
(d) A person who is placed on
supervision abatement status under this section may not be required to
regularly report to a supervised release agent or pay a supervision fee but
must continue to obey all laws, report any new criminal charges, and abide by
section 243.1605 before seeking written authorization to relocate to another state.
(e) This section does not apply to
persons serving life sentences, persons given indeterminate sentences for
crimes committed on or before April 30, 1980, or persons subject to good time
under section 244.04, or similar laws.
Sec. 8. [244.0552]
VICTIM INPUT.
When an individual is committed to the
custody of the commissioner for a crime of violence and is eligible for earned
incentive release credit under section 244.032, the commissioner shall make
reasonable efforts to notify the victim of the committed person's eligibility
for earned incentive release. Victim
input may include a summary of victim concerns relative to earned incentive
release eligibility, concerns related to victim safety during the committed
person's term of imprisonment, and requests for imposition of victim safety
protocols as additional conditions of imprisonment or supervised release.
The commissioner shall consider victim
input statements in establishing requirements governing conditions of release. The commissioner shall provide the name and
telephone number of the local victim agency serving the jurisdiction of release
to any victim providing input on earned incentive release.
Sec. 9. [244.0553]
VICTIM NOTIFICATION.
Nothing in sections 244.031 to 244.033
or 244.0551 to 244.0554 limits any victim notification obligations of the
commissioner of corrections required by statute related to a change in custody
status, committing offense, end of confinement review, or notification
registration.
Sec. 10. [244.0554]
INTERSTATE COMPACT.
As may be allowed by compact
requirements established in section 243.1605, a person subject to supervision
on a Minnesota sentence in another state under the Interstate Compact for Adult
Offender Supervision may be eligible for supervision abatement status pursuant
to this chapter only if they meet eligibility criteria as established in this
section and certified by a supervising entity in another state.
Sec. 11. [244.0555]
REALLOCATION OF EARNED INCENTIVE RELEASE SAVINGS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section
the terms in this subdivision have the meanings given them.
(b) "Commissioner" means the
commissioner of corrections.
(c) "Offender daily cost"
means the actual nonsalary expenditures, including encumbrances as of July 31
following the end of the fiscal year, from the Department of Corrections
expense budgets for case management, food preparation, food provisions,
offender personal support including clothing, linen and other personal
supplies, transportation, dental care, nursing services, and professional
technical contracted health care services.
(d) "Incarcerated days saved"
means the number of days of an incarcerated person's original sentence minus
the number of actual days served, excluding days not served due to death or as
a result of time earned in the Challenge Incarceration Program under sections
244.17 to 244.173.
(e) "Earned incentive release per
day cost savings" means the calculation of the total actual expenses
identified in paragraph (c) divided by the average daily population, divided by
365 days, which reflects the daily cost per person.
(f) "Earned incentive release
savings" means the calculation of the offender daily cost multiplied by
the number of incarcerated days saved for the period of one fiscal year.
Subd. 2. Establishment
of reallocation revenue account. The
reallocation of earned incentive release savings account is established in the
special revenue fund in the state treasury.
Funds in the account are appropriated to the commissioner and shall be
expended in accordance with the allocation established in subdivision 5, once
the requirements of subdivision 3 are met.
Funds in the account are available until expended.
Subd. 3. Certification
of earned incentive release savings.
On or before the final closeout date of each fiscal year, the
commissioner shall certify to Minnesota Management and Budget the earned
incentive release savings from the previous fiscal year. The commissioner shall provide the detailed
calculation substantiating the savings amount, including accounting
system-generated data where possible, supporting the offender daily cost and the
incarcerated days saved.
Subd. 4. Savings to be transferred to the
reallocation revenue account. After
the certification in subdivision 3 is completed, the commissioner
shall transfer funds from the appropriation from which the savings occurred to
the reallocation revenue account according to the allocation in subdivision 5. Transfers shall occur before the final
closeout each year.
Subd. 5. Distribution
of reallocation funds. The
commissioner shall distribute funds as follows:
(1) 25 percent shall be transferred to
the Office of Justice Programs in the Department of Public Safety for crime
victim services;
(2) 25 percent shall be transferred to
the Community Corrections Act subsidy appropriation and to the Department of
Corrections for supervised release and intensive supervision services, based
upon a three-year average of the release jurisdiction of supervised releasees
and intensive supervised releasees across the state;
(3) 25 percent shall be transferred to
the Department of Corrections for grants to develop and invest in
community-based services that support the identified needs of correctionally
involved individuals or individuals at risk of criminal justice system
involvement, and for sustaining the operation of evidence-based programming and
domestic abuse programming in state and local correctional facilities; and
(4) 25 percent shall be transferred to
the general fund.
Sec. 12. [244.0556]
REPORTING REQUIRED.
(a) Beginning January 15, 2022, and by
January 15 each year thereafter for a period of ten years, the commissioner of
corrections shall provide a report to the chairs and ranking minority members
of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with
jurisdiction over public safety and judiciary on the status of the requirements
in this section for the previous fiscal year.
The report shall also be provided to the sitting president of the
Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties and the executive
directors of the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Minnesota
Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition, the Minnesota Alliance on Crime,
Violence Free Minnesota, the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and
the Minnesota County Attorney Association.
The report shall include but not be limited to:
(1) a qualitative description of program
development; implementation status; identified implementation or operational
challenges; strategies identified to mitigate and ensure that the program does
not create or exacerbate gender, racial, and ethnic disparities; the number,
reason, and background of those in the prison population deemed ineligible for
participation in the program; and proposed mechanisms for projecting future
program savings and reallocation of savings;
(2) the number of persons granted earned
incentive release, the total number of days of incentive release earned, a
summary of committing offenses for those individuals who earned incentive
release, the most recent calculated per diem, and the demographic data for all
persons eligible for earned incentive release and the reasons and demographic
data of those eligible individuals for whom earned incentive release was
unearned or denied;
(3) the number of persons who earned
supervision abatement status, the total number of days of supervision abatement
earned, the committing offenses for those individuals granted supervision
abatement status, the number of revocations for reoffense while on supervision
abatement status, and the demographic data for all persons eligible for,
considered for, granted, or denied supervision abatement status and the reasons
supervision abatement status was unearned or denied; and
(4) the number of victims who submitted
input, the number of referrals to local victim-serving agencies, and a summary
of the kinds of victim services requested.
(b) The commissioner shall solicit
feedback on victim-related operational concerns as it relates to the
application earned incentive release and supervision abatement status options
from the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition, Minnesota Alliance
on Crime, Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Violence Free
Minnesota. A summary of the feedback
from these organizations shall be included in the annual report under paragraph
(a).
(c) The commissioner shall direct the
Department of Corrections' research unit to perform regular evaluation of the
earned incentive release program and publish findings on the Department of
Corrections' website and in the annual report under paragraph (a).
Sec. 13. EFFECTIVE
DATE.
Sections 1 to 12 are effective August 1,
2021, and apply to persons sentenced to a fixed executed sentence or to persons
serving a fixed term of imprisonment in a state correctional facility on or
after that date.
ARTICLE 5
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT REFORM
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.2325, is amended to read:
609.2325
CRIMINAL ABUSE.
Subdivision 1. Crimes. (a) A caregiver who, with intent
to produce physical or mental pain or injury to a vulnerable adult, subjects a
vulnerable adult to any aversive or deprivation procedure, unreasonable
confinement, or involuntary seclusion, is guilty of criminal abuse and may be
sentenced as provided in subdivision 3.
This paragraph subdivision
does not apply to therapeutic conduct.
(b) A caregiver, facility staff person,
or person providing services in a facility who engages in sexual contact or
penetration, as defined in section 609.341, under circumstances other than
those described in sections 609.342 to 609.345, with a resident, patient, or
client of the facility is guilty of criminal abuse and may be sentenced as
provided in subdivision 3.
Subd. 2. Exemptions. For the purposes of this section, a vulnerable adult is not abused for the sole reason that:
(1) the vulnerable adult or a person with authority to make health care decisions for the vulnerable adult under sections 144.651, 144A.44, chapter 145B, 145C, or 252A, or sections 253B.03 or 524.5-101 to 524.5-502, refuses consent or withdraws consent, consistent with that authority and within the boundary of reasonable medical practice, to any therapeutic conduct, including any care, service, or procedure to diagnose, maintain, or treat the physical or mental condition of the vulnerable adult or, where permitted under law, to provide nutrition and hydration parenterally or through intubation; this paragraph does not enlarge or diminish rights otherwise held under law by:
(i) a vulnerable adult or a person acting on behalf of a vulnerable adult, including an involved family member, to consent to or refuse consent for therapeutic conduct; or
(ii) a caregiver to offer or provide or
refuse to offer or provide therapeutic conduct; or
(2) the vulnerable adult, a person with
authority to make health care decisions for the vulnerable adult, or a
caregiver in good faith selects and depends upon spiritual means or prayer for
treatment or care of disease or remedial care of the vulnerable adult in lieu
of medical care, provided that this is consistent with the prior practice or
belief of the vulnerable adult or with the expressed intentions of the
vulnerable adult; or.
(3) the vulnerable adult, who is not
impaired in judgment or capacity by mental or emotional dysfunction or undue
influence, engages in consensual sexual contact with: (i) a person, including a facility staff
person, when a consensual sexual personal relationship existed prior to the
caregiving relationship; or (ii) a personal care attendant, regardless of
whether the consensual sexual personal relationship existed prior to the
caregiving relationship.
Subd. 3. Penalties. (a) A person who violates
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if the act results in the death of a vulnerable adult, imprisonment for not more than 15 years or payment of a fine of not more than $30,000, or both;
(2) if the act results in great bodily harm, imprisonment for not more than ten years or payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both;
(3) if the act results in substantial bodily harm or the risk of death, imprisonment for not more than five years or payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both; or
(4) in other cases, imprisonment for not more than one year or payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
(b) A person who violates subdivision 1,
paragraph (b), may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or
to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Force. "Force" means either: (1) the infliction, by the
actor of bodily harm; or (2) the attempted infliction, or threatened
infliction by the actor of bodily harm or commission or threat of any other
crime by the actor against the complainant or another, which (a) causes
the complainant to reasonably believe that the actor has the present ability to
execute the threat and (b) if the actor does not have a significant
relationship to the complainant, also causes the complainant to submit.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
Subd. 7. Mentally
incapacitated. "Mentally
incapacitated" means:
(1) that a person under the
influence of alcohol, a narcotic, anesthetic, or any other substance,
administered to that person without the person's agreement, lacks the judgment
to give a reasoned consent to sexual contact or sexual penetration; or
(2) that a person is under the influence of an intoxicating substance to a degree that renders them incapable of consenting or incapable of appreciating, understanding, or controlling the person's conduct.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
Subd. 11. Sexual
contact. (a) "Sexual
contact," for the purposes of sections 609.343, subdivision 1, clauses (a)
to (f) (e), and subdivision 1a, clauses (a) to (f) and (i), and
609.345, subdivision 1, clauses (a) to (e), (d) and (h) to (p)
(i), and subdivision 1a, clauses (a) to (e), (h), and (i), includes any
of the following acts committed without the complainant's consent, except in
those cases where consent is not a defense, and committed with sexual or
aggressive intent:
(i) the intentional touching by the actor of the complainant's intimate parts, or
(ii) the touching by the complainant of the
actor's, the complainant's, or another's intimate parts effected by a person in
a current or recent position of authority, or by coercion, or by inducement if
the complainant is under 13 14 years of age or mentally impaired,
or
(iii) the touching by another of the complainant's intimate parts effected by coercion or by a person in a current or recent position of authority, or
(iv) in any of the cases above, the touching of the clothing covering the immediate area of the intimate parts, or
(v) the intentional touching with seminal fluid or sperm by the actor of the complainant's body or the clothing covering the complainant's body.
(b) "Sexual contact," for the
purposes of sections 609.343, subdivision 1 1a, clauses (g) and
(h), and 609.345, subdivision 1 1a, clauses (f) and (g), includes
any of the following acts committed with sexual or aggressive intent:
(i) the intentional touching by the actor of the complainant's intimate parts;
(ii) the touching by the complainant of the actor's, the complainant's, or another's intimate parts;
(iii) the touching by another of the complainant's intimate parts;
(iv) in
any of the cases listed above, touching of the clothing covering the immediate
area of the intimate parts; or
(v) the intentional touching with seminal fluid or sperm by the actor of the complainant's body or the clothing covering the complainant's body.
(c) "Sexual contact with a person under
13 14" means the intentional touching of the complainant's
bare genitals or anal opening by the actor's bare genitals or anal opening with
sexual or aggressive intent or the touching by the complainant's bare genitals
or anal opening of the actor's or another's bare genitals or anal opening with
sexual or aggressive intent.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
Subd. 12. Sexual penetration. "Sexual penetration" means any of the following acts committed without the complainant's consent, except in those cases where consent is not a defense, whether or not emission of semen occurs:
(1) sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anal intercourse; or
(2) any intrusion however slight into the genital or anal openings:
(i) of the complainant's body by any part of the actor's body or any object used by the actor for this purpose;
(ii) of the complainant's body by any part
of the body of the complainant, by any part of the body of another person, or
by any object used by the complainant or another person for this purpose, when
effected by a person in a current or recent position of authority, or by
coercion, or by inducement if the child is under 13 14 years of
age or mentally impaired; or
(iii) of the body of the actor or another
person by any part of the body of the complainant or by any object used by the
complainant for this purpose, when effected by a person in a current or recent
position of authority, or by coercion, or by inducement if the child is under 13
14 years of age or mentally impaired.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 14, is amended to read:
Subd. 14. Coercion. "Coercion" means the use by the
actor of words or circumstances that cause the complainant reasonably to fear that
the actor will inflict the infliction of bodily harm upon the
complainant or another, or the use by the actor of confinement, or superior
size or strength, against the complainant that causes the complainant to
submit to sexual penetration or contact against the complainant's will to
accomplish the act. Proof of
coercion does not require proof of a specific act or threat.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
Subd. 15. Significant relationship. "Significant relationship" means a situation in which the actor is:
(1) the complainant's parent, stepparent, or guardian;
(2) any of the following persons related
to the complainant by blood, marriage, or adoption: brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister,
first cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, grandparent, great-grandparent,
great-uncle, great‑aunt; or
(3) an adult who jointly resides
intermittently or regularly in the same dwelling as the complainant and who is
not the complainant's spouse; or
(4) an adult who is or was involved in a significant romantic or sexual relationship with the parent of a complainant.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 24. Prohibited
occupational relationship. A
"prohibited occupational relationship" exists when the actor is in
one of the following occupations and the act takes place under the specified
circumstances:
(1) the actor performed massage
or other bodywork for hire, the sexual penetration or sexual contact occurred
during or immediately before or after the actor performed or was hired to
perform one of those services for the complainant, and the sexual penetration
or sexual contact was nonconsensual; or
(2) the actor and the complainant were
in one of the following occupational relationships at the time of the act. Consent by the complainant is not a defense:
(i) the actor was a psychotherapist,
the complainant was the actor's patient, and the sexual penetration or sexual
contact occurred during a psychotherapy session or during a period of time when
the psychotherapist-patient relationship was ongoing;
(ii) the actor was a psychotherapist
and the complainant was the actor's former patient who was emotionally
dependent on the actor;
(iii) the actor was or falsely
impersonated a psychotherapist, the complainant was the actor's patient or
former patient, and the sexual penetration or sexual contact occurred by means
of therapeutic deception;
(iv) the actor was or falsely
impersonated a provider of medical services to the complainant and the sexual
penetration or sexual contact occurred by means of deception or false
representation that the sexual penetration or sexual contact was for a bona
fide medical purpose;
(v) the actor was or falsely
impersonated a member of the clergy, the complainant was not married to the
actor, the complainant met with the actor in private seeking or receiving
religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort from the actor, and the sexual
penetration or sexual contact occurred during the course of the meeting or
during a period of time when the meetings were ongoing;
(vi) the actor provided special
transportation service to the complainant and the sexual penetration or sexual
contact occurred during or immediately before or after the actor transported
the complainant;
(vii) the actor was or falsely
impersonated a peace officer, as defined in section 626.84, the actor
physically or constructively restrained the complainant or the complainant did
not reasonably feel free to leave the actor's presence, and the sexual
penetration or sexual contact was not pursuant to a lawful search or lawful use
of force;
(viii) the actor was an employee,
independent contractor, or volunteer of a state, county, city, or privately operated
adult or juvenile correctional system, or secure treatment facility, or
treatment facility providing services to clients civilly committed as mentally
ill and dangerous, sexually dangerous persons, or sexual psychopathic
personalities, including but not limited to jails, prisons, detention centers,
or work release facilities, and the complainant was a resident of a facility or
under supervision of the correctional system;
(ix) the complainant was enrolled in a
secondary school and:
(A) the actor was a licensed educator
employed or contracted to provide service for the school at which the
complainant was a student;
(B) the actor was age 18 or older and
at least 48 months older than the complainant and was employed or contracted to
provide service for the secondary school at which the complainant was a
student; or
(C) the actor was age 18 or older and
at least 48 months older than the complainant, and was a licensed educator
employed or contracted to provide services for an elementary, middle, or secondary
school;
(x) the actor was a caregiver,
facility staff person, or person providing services in a facility, as defined
under section 609.232, subdivision 3, and the complainant was a vulnerable
adult who was a resident, patient, or client of the facility who was impaired
in judgment or capacity by mental or emotional dysfunction or undue influence;
or
(xi) the actor was a caregiver, facility
staff person, or person providing services in a facility, and the complainant
was a resident, patient, or client of the facility. This clause does not apply if a consensual
sexual personal relationship existed prior to the caregiving relationship or if
the actor was a personal care attendant.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 25. Caregiver. "Caregiver" has the meaning
given in section 609.232, subdivision 2.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 26. Facility. "Facility" has the meaning
given in section 609.232, subdivision 3.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.341, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 27. Vulnerable
adult. "Vulnerable
adult" has the meaning given in section 609.232, subdivision 11.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.342, is amended to read:
609.342
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
Subdivision 1. Adult
victim; crime defined. A person
who engages in sexual penetration with another person, or in sexual contact
with a person under 13 years of age as defined in section 609.341, subdivision
11, paragraph (c), is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree
if any of the following circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 13 years of
age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(b) the complainant is at least 13 years
of age but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older
than the complainant and in a current or recent position of authority over the
complainant. Neither mistake as to the
complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(c) (a) circumstances
existing at the time of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear
of imminent great bodily harm to the complainant or another;
(d) (b) the actor is armed
with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead
the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or
threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;
(e) (c) the actor causes
personal injury to the complainant, and either any of the
following circumstances exist:
(i) the actor uses force or coercion
to accomplish the act; or
(ii) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(ii) (iii) the actor knows or
has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally
incapacitated, or physically helpless;
(d) the actor uses force as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (1); or
(f) (e) the actor is aided or abetted by one or more accomplices within the meaning of section 609.05, and either of the following circumstances exists:
(i) the actor or an accomplice uses force or coercion to cause the complainant to submit; or
(ii) the actor or an accomplice is
armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to
lead the complainant reasonably to believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses
or threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;.
(g) the actor has a significant
relationship to the complainant and the complainant was under 16 years of age
at the time of the act. Neither mistake
as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a
defense; or
(h) the actor has a significant
relationship to the complainant, the complainant was under 16 years of age at
the time of the act, and:
(i) the actor or an accomplice used
force or coercion to accomplish the act;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal
injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved multiple
acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's
age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense.
Subd. 1a. Victim
under the age of 18; crime defined. A
person who engages in penetration with anyone under 18 years of age or sexual
contact with a person under 14 years of age as defined in section 609.341,
subdivision 11, paragraph (c), is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the
first degree if any of the following circumstances exists:
(a) circumstances existing at the time
of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear of imminent great
bodily harm to the complainant or another;
(b) the actor is armed with a dangerous
weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead the complainant to
reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or threatens to use the
weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;
(c) the actor causes personal injury to
the complainant, and any of the following circumstances exist:
(i) the actor uses coercion to accomplish the act;
(ii) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(iii) the actor knows or has reason to
know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or
physically helpless;
(d) the actor is aided or abetted by one
or more accomplices within the meaning of section 609.05, and either of the
following circumstances exists:
(i) the actor or an accomplice uses
force or coercion to cause the complainant to submit; or
(ii) the actor or an accomplice is armed
with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead
the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or
threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;
(e) the complainant is under 14
years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(f) the complainant is at least 14 years
of age but less than 16 years of age and:
(i) the actor is more than 36 months
older than the complainant; and
(ii) the actor is in a current or recent
position of authority over the complainant.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to
the act by the complainant is a defense;
(g) the complainant was under 16 years of age at the time of the act and the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(h) the complainant was under 16 years
of age at the time of the act, and the actor has a significant relationship to
the complainant and any of the following circumstances exist:
(i) the actor or an accomplice used
force or coercion to accomplish the act;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal
injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved multiple
acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to
the act by the complainant is a defense; or
(i) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (1).
Subd. 2. Penalty. (a) Except as otherwise provided in section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, a person convicted under subdivision 1 or subdivision 1a may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 30 years or to a payment of a fine of not more than $40,000, or both.
(b) Unless a longer mandatory minimum sentence is otherwise required by law or the Sentencing Guidelines provide for a longer presumptive executed sentence, the court shall presume that an executed sentence of 144 months must be imposed on an offender convicted of violating this section. Sentencing a person in a manner other than that described in this paragraph is a departure from the Sentencing Guidelines.
(c) A person convicted under this section is also subject to conditional release under section 609.3455.
Subd. 3. Stay. Except when imprisonment is required
under section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, if a
person is convicted under subdivision 1 1a, clause (g), the court
may stay imposition or execution of the sentence if it finds that:
(a) a stay is in the best interest of the complainant or the family unit; and
(b) a professional assessment indicates that the offender has been accepted by and can respond to a treatment program.
If the court stays imposition or execution of sentence, it shall include the following as conditions of probation:
(1) incarceration in a local jail or workhouse;
(2) a requirement that the offender complete a treatment program; and
(3) a requirement that the offender have no unsupervised contact with the complainant until the offender has successfully completed the treatment program unless approved by the treatment program and the supervising correctional agent.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.343, is amended to read:
609.343
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
Subdivision 1. Adult victim; crime defined. A person who engages in sexual contact with another person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree if any of the following circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 13 years of
age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense. In a prosecution under this clause, the state
is not required to prove that the sexual contact was coerced;
(b) the complainant is at least 13 but
less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the
complainant and in a current or recent position of authority over the
complainant. Neither mistake as to the
complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(c) (a) circumstances
existing at the time of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear
of imminent great bodily harm to the complainant or another;
(d) (b) the actor is armed
with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead
the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or
threatens to use the dangerous weapon to cause the complainant to submit;
(e) (c) the actor causes
personal injury to the complainant, and either any of the
following circumstances exist:
(i) the actor uses force or coercion
to accomplish the sexual contact; or
(ii) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(ii) (iii) the actor knows or
has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally
incapacitated, or physically helpless;
(d) the actor uses force as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (1); or
(f) (e) the actor is aided or
abetted by one or more accomplices within the meaning of section 609.05, and
either of the following circumstances exists:
(i) the actor or an accomplice uses force or coercion to cause the complainant to submit; or
(ii) the actor or an accomplice is
armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to
lead the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses
or threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;.
(g) the actor has a significant
relationship to the complainant and the complainant was under 16 years of age
at the time of the sexual contact. Neither
mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant
is a defense; or
(h) the actor has a significant
relationship to the complainant, the complainant was under 16 years of age at
the time of the sexual contact, and:
(i) the actor or an accomplice
used force or coercion to accomplish the contact;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal
injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved multiple
acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's
age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense.
Subd. 1a. Victim
under the age of 18; crime defined. A
person who engages in sexual contact with anyone under 18 years of age is
guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree if any of the following
circumstances exists:
(a) circumstances existing at the time
of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear of imminent great
bodily harm to the complainant or another;
(b) the actor is armed with a dangerous
weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead the complainant to
reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or threatens to use the
dangerous weapon to cause the complainant to submit;
(c) the actor causes personal injury to
the complainant, and any of the following circumstances exist:
(i) the actor uses coercion to accomplish the sexual contact;
(ii) the actor uses force, as defined
in section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(iii) the actor knows or has reason to
know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or
physically helpless;
(d) the actor is aided or abetted by
one or more accomplices within the meaning of section 609.05, and either of the
following circumstances exists:
(i) the actor or an accomplice uses
force or coercion to cause the complainant to submit; or
(ii) the actor or an accomplice is
armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to
lead the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses
or threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;
(e) the complainant is under 14 years
of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense. In a prosecution under this clause, the state
is not required to prove that the sexual contact was coerced;
(f) the complainant is at least 14 but
less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the
complainant and in a current or recent position of authority over the
complainant. Neither mistake as to the
complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(g) the complainant was under 16 years of age at the time of the sexual contact and the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(h) the actor has a significant
relationship to the complainant, the complainant was under 16 years of age at
the time of the sexual contact, and:
(i) the actor or an accomplice
used force or coercion to accomplish the contact;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal
injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved
multiple acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to
the act by the complainant is a defense; or
(i) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (1).
Subd. 2. Penalty. (a) Except as otherwise provided in section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, a person convicted under subdivision 1 or subdivision 1a may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years or to a payment of a fine of not more than $35,000, or both.
(b) Unless a longer mandatory minimum
sentence is otherwise required by law or the Sentencing Guidelines provide for
a longer presumptive executed sentence, the court shall presume that an
executed sentence of 90 months must be imposed on an offender convicted of
violating subdivision 1, clause (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e),
(f), or subdivision 1a, clause (a), (b), (c), (d), or (h),
or (i). Sentencing a person in a
manner other than that described in this paragraph is a departure from the
Sentencing Guidelines.
(c) A person convicted under this section is also subject to conditional release under section 609.3455.
Subd. 3. Stay. Except when imprisonment is required
under section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, if a
person is convicted under subdivision 1 1a, clause (g), the court
may stay imposition or execution of the sentence if it finds that:
(a) a stay is in the best interest of the complainant or the family unit; and
(b) a professional assessment indicates that the offender has been accepted by and can respond to a treatment program.
If the court stays imposition or execution of sentence, it shall include the following as conditions of probation:
(1) incarceration in a local jail or workhouse;
(2) a requirement that the offender complete a treatment program; and
(3) a requirement that the offender have no unsupervised contact with the complainant until the offender has successfully completed the treatment program unless approved by the treatment program and the supervising correctional agent.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.344, is amended to read:
609.344
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE THIRD DEGREE.
Subdivision 1. Adult victim; crime defined. A person who engages in sexual penetration with another person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if any of the following circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 13 years of
age and the actor is no more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant shall be a defense;
(b) the complainant is at least
13 but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 24 months older
than the complainant. In any such case
if the actor is no more than 120 months older than the complainant, it shall be
an affirmative defense, which must be proved by a preponderance of the
evidence, that the actor reasonably believes the complainant to be 16 years of
age or older. In all other cases,
mistake as to the complainant's age shall not be a defense. Consent by the complainant is not a defense;
(c) (a) the actor uses force
or coercion to accomplish the penetration;
(d) (b) the actor knows or has
reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally
incapacitated, or physically helpless;
(c) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(d) at the time of the act, the actor
is in a prohibited occupational relationship with the complainant.
Subd. 1a. Victim
under the age of 18; crime defined. A
person who engages in sexual penetration with anyone under 18 years of age is
guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if any of the following
circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 14 years
of age and the actor is no more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
nor consent to the act by the complainant shall be a defense;
(b) the complainant is at least 14 but
less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the
complainant. In any such case if the
actor is no more than 60 months older than the complainant, it shall be an
affirmative defense, which must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence,
that the actor reasonably believes the complainant to be 16 years of age or
older. In all other cases, mistake as to
the complainant's age shall not be a defense.
Consent by the complainant is not a defense;
(c) the actor uses coercion to
accomplish the penetration;
(d) the actor knows or has reason to
know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or
physically helpless;
(e) the complainant is at least 16 but less
than 18 years of age and the actor is more than 48 36 months
older than the complainant and in a current or recent position of authority
over the complainant. Neither mistake as
to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a
defense;
(f) the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant and the complainant was at least 16 but under 18 years of age at the time of the sexual penetration. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(g) the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant, the complainant was at least 16 but under 18 years of age at the time of the sexual penetration, and:
(i) the actor or an accomplice used force or coercion to accomplish the penetration;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved multiple acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(h) the actor is a
psychotherapist and the complainant is a patient of the psychotherapist and the
sexual penetration occurred: the actor uses force, as defined in section
609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(i) at the time of the act, the actor is
in a prohibited occupational relationship with the complainant.
(i) during the psychotherapy session; or
(ii) outside the psychotherapy session if
an ongoing psychotherapist-patient relationship exists.
Consent by the complainant is not a
defense;
(i) the actor is a psychotherapist and the
complainant is a former patient of the psychotherapist and the former patient
is emotionally dependent upon the psychotherapist;
(j) the actor is a psychotherapist and the
complainant is a patient or former patient and the sexual penetration occurred
by means of therapeutic deception. Consent
by the complainant is not a defense;
(k) the actor accomplishes the sexual
penetration by means of deception or false representation that the penetration
is for a bona fide medical purpose. Consent
by the complainant is not a defense;
(1) the actor is or purports to be a
member of the clergy, the complainant is not married to the actor, and:
(i) the sexual penetration occurred during
the course of a meeting in which the complainant sought or received religious
or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort from the actor in private; or
(ii) the sexual penetration occurred
during a period of time in which the complainant was meeting on an ongoing
basis with the actor to seek or receive religious or spiritual advice, aid, or
comfort in private. Consent by the
complainant is not a defense;
(m) the actor is an employee, independent
contractor, or volunteer of a state, county, city, or privately operated adult
or juvenile correctional system, or secure treatment facility, or treatment
facility providing services to clients civilly committed as mentally ill and dangerous,
sexually dangerous persons, or sexual psychopathic personalities, including,
but not limited to, jails, prisons, detention centers, or work release
facilities, and the complainant is a resident of a facility or under
supervision of the correctional system. Consent
by the complainant is not a defense;
(n) the actor provides or is an agent of
an entity that provides special transportation service, the complainant used
the special transportation service, and the sexual penetration occurred during or
immediately before or after the actor transported the complainant. Consent by the complainant is not a defense;
(o) the actor performs massage or other
bodywork for hire, the complainant was a user of one of those services, and
nonconsensual sexual penetration occurred during or immediately before or after
the actor performed or was hired to perform one of those services for the
complainant; or
(p) the actor is a peace officer, as
defined in section 626.84, and the officer physically or constructively
restrains the complainant or the complainant does not reasonably feel free to
leave the officer's presence. Consent by
the complainant is not a defense. This
paragraph does not apply to any penetration of the mouth, genitals, or anus
during a lawful search.
Subd. 2. Penalty. Except as otherwise provided in section 609.3455, a person convicted under subdivision 1 or subdivision 1a may be sentenced:
(1) to imprisonment for not more than 15 years or to a payment of a fine of not more than $30,000, or both; or
(2) if the person was convicted
under subdivision 1 1a, paragraph (b), and if the actor was no
more than 48 months but more than 24 months older than the complainant, to
imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than $30,000,
or both.
A person convicted under this section is also subject to conditional release under section 609.3455.
Subd. 3. Stay. Except when imprisonment is required
under section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, if a
person is convicted under subdivision 1 1a, clause (f), the court
may stay imposition or execution of the sentence if it finds that:
(a) a stay is in the best interest of the complainant or the family unit; and
(b) a professional assessment indicates that the offender has been accepted by and can respond to a treatment program.
If the court stays imposition or execution of sentence, it shall include the following as conditions of probation:
(1) incarceration in a local jail or workhouse;
(2) a requirement that the offender complete a treatment program; and
(3) a requirement that the offender have no unsupervised contact with the complainant until the offender has successfully completed the treatment program unless approved by the treatment program and the supervising correctional agent.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.345, is amended to read:
609.345
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE FOURTH DEGREE.
Subdivision 1. Adult victim; crime defined. A person who engages in sexual contact with another person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree if any of the following circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 13 years of
age and the actor is no more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
or consent to the act by the complainant is a defense. In a prosecution under this clause, the state
is not required to prove that the sexual contact was coerced;
(b) the complainant is at least 13 but
less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the
complainant or in a current or recent position of authority over the
complainant. Consent by the complainant
to the act is not a defense. In any such
case, if the actor is no more than 120 months older than the complainant, it
shall be an affirmative defense which must be proved by a preponderance of the
evidence that the actor reasonably believes the complainant to be 16 years of
age or older. In all other cases,
mistake as to the complainant's age shall not be a defense;
(c) (a) the actor uses force
or coercion to accomplish the sexual contact;
(d) (b) the actor knows or has
reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally
incapacitated, or physically helpless;
(c) the actor uses force, as defined in
section 609.341, subdivision 3, clause (2); or
(d) at the time of the act, the actor
is in a prohibited occupational relationship with the complainant.
Subd. 1a. Victim
under the age of 18; crime defined. A
person who engages in sexual contact with anyone under 18 years of age is
guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree if any of the following
circumstances exists:
(a) the complainant is under 14 years of
age and the actor is no more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age
or consent to the act by the complainant is a defense. In a prosecution under this clause, the state
is not required to prove that the sexual contact was coerced;
(b) the complainant is at least 14 but
less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the
complainant or in a current or recent position of authority over the
complainant. Consent by the complainant
to the act is not a defense.
Mistake of age is not a defense unless actor is less than
60 months older. In any such case, if
the actor is no more than 60 months older than the complainant, it shall be an
affirmative defense which must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence
that the actor reasonably believes the complainant to be 16 years of age or
older. In all other cases, mistake as to
the complainant's age shall not be a defense;
(c) the actor uses coercion to
accomplish the sexual contact;
(d) The actor knows or has reason to
know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or
physically helpless;
(e) the complainant is at least 16 but less
than 18 years of age and the actor is more than 48 36 months
older than the complainant and in a current or recent position of authority
over the complainant. Neither mistake as
to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a
defense;
(f) the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant and the complainant was at least 16 but under 18 years of age at the time of the sexual contact. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(g) the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant, the complainant was at least 16 but under 18 years of age at the time of the sexual contact, and:
(i) the actor or an accomplice used force or coercion to accomplish the contact;
(ii) the complainant suffered personal injury; or
(iii) the sexual abuse involved multiple acts committed over an extended period of time.
Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense;
(h) the actor is a psychotherapist and the
complainant is a patient of the psychotherapist and the sexual contact
occurred: the actor uses force, as defined in section 609.341, subdivision
3, clause (2); or
(i) at the time of the act, the actor is
in a prohibited occupational relationship with the complainant.
(i) during the psychotherapy session; or
(ii) outside the psychotherapy session if
an ongoing psychotherapist-patient relationship exists. Consent by the complainant is not a defense;
(i) the actor is a psychotherapist and the
complainant is a former patient of the psychotherapist and the former patient
is emotionally dependent upon the psychotherapist;
(j) the actor is a
psychotherapist and the complainant is a patient or former patient and the
sexual contact occurred by means of therapeutic deception. Consent by the complainant is not a defense;
(k) the actor accomplishes the sexual
contact by means of deception or false representation that the contact is for a
bona fide medical purpose. Consent by
the complainant is not a defense;
(1) the actor is or purports to be a
member of the clergy, the complainant is not married to the actor, and:
(i) the sexual contact occurred during the
course of a meeting in which the complainant sought or received religious or
spiritual advice, aid, or comfort from the actor in private; or
(ii) the sexual contact occurred during a
period of time in which the complainant was meeting on an ongoing basis with
the actor to seek or receive religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort in
private. Consent by the complainant is
not a defense;
(m) the actor is an employee, independent
contractor, or volunteer of a state, county, city, or privately operated adult
or juvenile correctional system, or secure treatment facility, or treatment
facility providing services to clients civilly committed as mentally ill and
dangerous, sexually dangerous persons, or sexual psychopathic personalities,
including, but not limited to, jails, prisons, detention centers, or work
release facilities, and the complainant is a resident of a facility or under
supervision of the correctional system. Consent
by the complainant is not a defense;
(n) the actor provides or is an agent of
an entity that provides special transportation service, the complainant used
the special transportation service, the complainant is not married to the
actor, and the sexual contact occurred during or immediately before or after
the actor transported the complainant. Consent
by the complainant is not a defense;
(o) the actor performs massage or other
bodywork for hire, the complainant was a user of one of those services, and
nonconsensual sexual contact occurred during or immediately before or after the
actor performed or was hired to perform one of those services for the
complainant; or
(p) the actor is a peace officer, as
defined in section 626.84, and the officer physically or constructively
restrains the complainant or the complainant does not reasonably feel free to
leave the officer's presence. Consent by
the complainant is not a defense.
Subd. 2. Penalty. Except as otherwise provided in section 609.3455, a person convicted under subdivision 1 or subdivision 1a may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to a payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both. A person convicted under this section is also subject to conditional release under section 609.3455.
Subd. 3. Stay. Except when imprisonment is required
under section 609.3455; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, if a
person is convicted under subdivision 1 1a, clause (f), the court
may stay imposition or execution of the sentence if it finds that:
(a) a stay is in the best interest of the complainant or the family unit; and
(b) a professional assessment indicates that the offender has been accepted by and can respond to a treatment program.
If the court stays imposition or execution of sentence, it shall include the following as conditions of probation:
(1) incarceration in a local jail or workhouse;
(2) a requirement that the offender complete a treatment program; and
(3) a requirement that the offender have no unsupervised contact with the complainant until the offender has successfully completed the treatment program unless approved by the treatment program and the supervising correctional agent.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.3451, is amended to read:
609.3451
CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE FIFTH DEGREE.
Subdivision 1. Sexual
penetration; crime defined. A
person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree: if
the person engages in nonconsensual sexual penetration.
Subd. 1a. Sexual
contact; child present; crime defined.
A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree
if:
(1) if the person engages in
nonconsensual sexual contact; or
(2) the person engages in masturbation or lewd exhibition of the genitals in the presence of a minor under the age of 16, knowing or having reason to know the minor is present.
For purposes of this section, "sexual contact" has the meaning given in section 609.341, subdivision 11, paragraph (a), clauses (i), (iv), and (v). Sexual contact also includes the intentional removal or attempted removal of clothing covering the complainant's intimate parts or undergarments, and the nonconsensual touching by the complainant of the actor's intimate parts, effected by the actor, if the action is performed with sexual or aggressive intent.
Subd. 2. Gross
misdemeanor. A person convicted
under subdivision 1 1a may be sentenced to imprisonment for not
more than one year or to a payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
Subd. 3. Felony. (a) A person is guilty of a felony and
may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a
fine of not more than $10,000, or both, if the person violates subdivision 1.
(b) A person is guilty of a felony
and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than seven years or to
payment of a fine of not more than $14,000, or both, if the person violates this
section subdivision 1 or 1a within seven ten years of:
(1) conviction or adjudication under
subdivision 1; or
(2) a previous conviction or
adjudication for violating subdivision 1 1a, clause (2), a
crime described in paragraph (b), or a statute from another state in
conformity with any of these offenses; or
(2) (3) the first of two or
more previous convictions for violating subdivision 1 1a, clause
(1), or a statute from another state in conformity with this offense.
(b) (c) A previous conviction
for violating section 609.342; 609.343; 609.344; 609.345; 609.3453; 617.23,
subdivision 2, clause (2), or subdivision 3; or 617.247 may be used to enhance
a criminal penalty as provided in paragraph (a).
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.3455, is amended to read:
609.3455
DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDERS; LIFE SENTENCES; CONDITIONAL RELEASE.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Conviction"
includes a conviction as an extended jurisdiction juvenile under section
260B.130 for a violation of, or an attempt to violate, section 609.342,
609.343, 609.344, or 609.3453, or 609.3458, if the adult sentence
has been executed.
(c) "Extreme inhumane conditions" mean situations where, either before or after the sexual penetration or sexual contact, the offender knowingly causes or permits the complainant to be placed in a situation likely to cause the complainant severe ongoing mental, emotional, or psychological harm, or causes the complainant's death.
(d) A "heinous element" includes:
(1) the offender tortured the complainant;
(2) the offender intentionally inflicted great bodily harm upon the complainant;
(3) the offender intentionally mutilated the complainant;
(4) the offender exposed the complainant to extreme inhumane conditions;
(5) the offender was armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and used or threatened to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;
(6) the offense involved sexual penetration or sexual contact with more than one victim;
(7) the offense involved more than one perpetrator engaging in sexual penetration or sexual contact with the complainant; or
(8) the offender, without the complainant's consent, removed the complainant from one place to another and did not release the complainant in a safe place.
(e) "Mutilation" means the intentional infliction of physical abuse designed to cause serious permanent disfigurement or permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the functions of any bodily member or organ, where the offender relishes the infliction of the abuse, evidencing debasement or perversion.
(f) A conviction is considered a "previous sex offense conviction" if the offender was convicted and sentenced for a sex offense before the commission of the present offense.
(g) A conviction is considered a "prior sex offense conviction" if the offender was convicted of committing a sex offense before the offender has been convicted of the present offense, regardless of whether the offender was convicted for the first offense before the commission of the present offense, and the convictions involved separate behavioral incidents.
(h) "Sex offense" means any violation of, or attempt to violate, section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.3451, 609.3453, 609.3458, or any similar statute of the United States, this state, or any other state.
(i) "Torture" means the intentional infliction of extreme mental anguish, or extreme psychological or physical abuse, when committed in an especially depraved manner.
(j) An offender has "two previous sex offense convictions" only if the offender was convicted and sentenced for a sex offense committed after the offender was earlier convicted and sentenced for a sex offense and both convictions preceded the commission of the present offense of conviction.
Subd. 2. Mandatory
life sentence without release; egregious first-time and repeat offenders. (a) Notwithstanding the statutory maximum
penalty otherwise applicable to the offense, the court shall sentence a person
convicted under section 609.342, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), (b), (c),
(d), or (e), (f), or (h); or 609.342, subdivision 1a,
clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (h), or (i); 609.343, subdivision 1, paragraph (a),
(b), (c), (d), or (e), (f),; or (h) 609.343,
subdivision 1a, clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (h), or (i), to life without the
possibility of release if:
(1) the fact finder determines that two or more heinous elements exist; or
(2) the person has a previous sex offense
conviction for a violation of section 609.342, 609.343, or 609.344, or
609.3458, and the fact finder determines that a heinous element exists for
the present offense.
(b) A fact finder may not consider a heinous element if it is an element of the underlying specified violation of section 609.342 or 609.343. In addition, when determining whether two or more heinous elements exist, the fact finder may not use the same underlying facts to support a determination that more than one element exists.
Subd. 3. Mandatory
life sentence for egregious first-time offenders. (a) Notwithstanding the statutory maximum
penalty otherwise applicable to the offense, the court shall sentence a person
to imprisonment for life if the person is convicted under section 609.342,
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e), (f), or
(h), or; 609.342, subdivision 1a, clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (h), or (i);
609.343, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e),
(f), or (h); or 609.343, subdivision 1a, clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (h),
or (i); and the fact finder determines that a heinous element exists.
(b) The fact finder may not consider a heinous element if it is an element of the underlying specified violation of section 609.342 or 609.343.
Subd. 3a. Mandatory sentence for certain engrained offenders. (a) A court shall commit a person to the commissioner of corrections for a period of time that is not less than double the presumptive sentence under the sentencing guidelines and not more than the statutory maximum, or if the statutory maximum is less than double the presumptive sentence, for a period of time that is equal to the statutory maximum, if:
(1) the court is imposing an executed
sentence on a person convicted of committing or attempting to commit a
violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or 609.3453,
or 609.3458;
(2) the fact finder determines that the offender is a danger to public safety; and
(3) the fact finder determines that the offender's criminal sexual behavior is so engrained that the risk of reoffending is great without intensive psychotherapeutic intervention or other long-term treatment or supervision extending beyond the presumptive term of imprisonment and supervised release.
(b) The fact finder shall base its determination that the offender is a danger to public safety on any of the following factors:
(1) the crime involved an aggravating factor that would justify a durational departure from the presumptive sentence under the sentencing guidelines;
(2) the offender previously committed or attempted to commit a predatory crime or a violation of section 609.224 or 609.2242, including:
(i) an offense committed as a juvenile that would have been a predatory crime or a violation of section 609.224 or 609.2242 if committed by an adult; or
(ii) a violation or attempted violation of a similar law of any other state or the United States; or
(3) the offender planned or prepared for the crime prior to its commission.
(c) As used in this section, "predatory crime" has the meaning given in section 609.341, subdivision 22.
Subd. 4. Mandatory
life sentence; repeat offenders. (a)
Notwithstanding the statutory maximum penalty otherwise applicable to the
offense, the court shall sentence a person to imprisonment for life if the
person is convicted of violating section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or
609.3453, or 609.3458 and:
(1) the person has two previous sex offense convictions;
(2) the person has a previous sex offense conviction and:
(i) the fact finder determines that the present offense involved an aggravating factor that would provide grounds for an upward durational departure under the sentencing guidelines other than the aggravating factor applicable to repeat criminal sexual conduct convictions;
(ii) the person received an upward durational departure from the sentencing guidelines for the previous sex offense conviction; or
(iii) the person was sentenced under this section or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.108, for the previous sex offense conviction; or
(3) the person has two prior sex offense convictions, and the fact finder determines that the prior convictions and present offense involved at least three separate victims, and:
(i) the fact finder determines that the present offense involved an aggravating factor that would provide grounds for an upward durational departure under the sentencing guidelines other than the aggravating factor applicable to repeat criminal sexual conduct convictions;
(ii) the person received an upward durational departure from the sentencing guidelines for one of the prior sex offense convictions; or
(iii) the person was sentenced under this section or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.108, for one of the prior sex offense convictions.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a court
may not sentence a person to imprisonment for life for a violation of section
609.345, unless the person's previous or prior sex offense convictions that are
being used as the basis for the sentence are for violations of section 609.342,
609.343, 609.344, or 609.3453, or 609.3458, or any similar
statute of the United States, this state, or any other state.
Subd. 5. Life sentences; minimum term of imprisonment. At the time of sentencing under subdivision 3 or 4, the court shall specify a minimum term of imprisonment, based on the sentencing guidelines or any applicable mandatory minimum sentence, that must be served before the offender may be considered for supervised release.
Subd. 6. Mandatory
ten-year conditional release term. Notwithstanding
the statutory maximum sentence otherwise applicable to the offense and unless a
longer conditional release term is required in subdivision 7, when a court
commits an offender to the custody of the commissioner of corrections for a
violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or 609.3453, or
609.3458, the court shall provide that, after the offender has been
released from prison, the commissioner shall place the offender on conditional
release for ten years.
Subd. 7. Mandatory lifetime conditional release term. (a) When a court sentences an offender under subdivision 3 or 4, the court shall provide that, if the offender is released from prison, the commissioner of corrections shall place the offender on conditional release for the remainder of the offender's life.
(b) Notwithstanding the
statutory maximum sentence otherwise applicable to the offense, when the court
commits an offender to the custody of the commissioner of corrections for a
violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or 609.3453, or
609.3458, and the offender has a previous or prior sex offense conviction,
the court shall provide that, after the offender has been released from prison,
the commissioner shall place the offender on conditional release for the
remainder of the offender's life.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), an
offender may not be placed on lifetime conditional release for a violation of section
609.345, unless the offender's previous or prior sex offense conviction is for
a violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, or 609.3453, or
609.3458, or any similar statute of the United States, this state, or any
other state.
Subd. 8. Terms
of conditional release; applicable to all sex offenders. (a) The provisions of this subdivision
relating to conditional release apply to all sex offenders sentenced to prison
for a violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or
609.3453, or 609.3458. Except as
provided in this subdivision, conditional release of sex offenders is governed
by provisions relating to supervised release.
The commissioner of corrections may not dismiss an offender on
conditional release from supervision until the offender's conditional release
term expires.
(b) The conditions of release may include successful completion of treatment and aftercare in a program approved by the commissioner, satisfaction of the release conditions specified in section 244.05, subdivision 6, and any other conditions the commissioner considers appropriate. The commissioner shall develop a plan to pay the cost of treatment of a person released under this subdivision. The plan may include co-payments from offenders, third‑party payers, local agencies, or other funding sources as they are identified. This section does not require the commissioner to accept or retain an offender in a treatment program. Before the offender is placed on conditional release, the commissioner shall notify the sentencing court and the prosecutor in the jurisdiction where the offender was sentenced of the terms of the offender's conditional release. The commissioner also shall make reasonable efforts to notify the victim of the offender's crime of the terms of the offender's conditional release.
(c) If the offender fails to meet any condition of release, the commissioner may revoke the offender's conditional release and order that the offender serve all or a part of the remaining portion of the conditional release term in prison. An offender, while on supervised release, is not entitled to credit against the offender's conditional release term for time served in confinement for a violation of release.
Subd. 9. Applicability. The provisions of this section do not affect the applicability of Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.108, to crimes committed before August 1, 2005, or the validity of sentences imposed under Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.108.
Subd. 10. Presumptive executed sentence for repeat sex offenders. Except as provided in subdivision 2, 3, 3a, or 4, if a person is convicted under sections 609.342 to 609.345 or 609.3453 within 15 years of a previous sex offense conviction, the court shall commit the defendant to the commissioner of corrections for not less than three years, nor more than the maximum sentence provided by law for the offense for which convicted, notwithstanding sections 242.19, 243.05, 609.11, 609.12, and 609.135. The court may stay the execution of the sentence imposed under this subdivision only if it finds that a professional assessment indicates the offender is accepted by and can respond to treatment at a long-term inpatient program exclusively treating sex offenders and approved by the commissioner of corrections. If the court stays the execution of a sentence, it shall include the following as conditions of probation:
(1) incarceration in a local jail or workhouse; and
(2) a requirement that the offender successfully complete the treatment program and aftercare as directed by the court.
Sec. 18. [609.3458]
SEXUAL EXTORTION.
Subdivision 1. Crime
defined. (a) A person who
engages in sexual contact with another person and compels the other person to
submit to the contact by making any of the following threats, directly or
indirectly, is guilty of sexual extortion:
(1) a threat to withhold or harm the
complainant's trade, business, profession, position, employment, or calling;
(2) a threat to make or cause to be made
a criminal charge against the complainant, whether true or false;
(3) a threat to report the complainant's
immigration status to immigration or law enforcement authorities;
(4) a threat to disseminate private
sexual images of the complainant as specified in section 617.261, nonconsensual
dissemination of private sexual images;
(5) a threat to expose information that
the actor knows the complainant wishes to keep confidential; or
(6) a threat to withhold complainant's
housing, or to cause complainant a loss or disadvantage in the complainant's
housing, or a change in the cost of complainant's housing.
(b) A person who engages in sexual
penetration with another person and compels the other person to submit to such
penetration by making any of the following threats, directly or indirectly, is
guilty of sexual extortion:
(1) a threat to withhold or harm the
complainant's trade, business, profession, position, employment, or calling;
(2) a threat to make or cause to be made
a criminal charge against the complainant, whether true or false;
(3) a threat to report the complainant's
immigration status to immigration or law enforcement authorities;
(4) a threat to disseminate private
sexual images of the complainant as specified in section 617.261, nonconsensual
dissemination of private sexual images;
(5) a threat to expose information that
the actor knows the complainant wishes to keep confidential; or
(6) a threat to withhold complainant's
housing, or to cause complainant a loss or disadvantage in the complainant's
housing, or a change in the cost of complainant's housing.
Subd. 2. Penalty. (a) A person is guilty of a felony and
may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both, if
the person violates subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
(b) A person is guilty of a felony and
may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 15 years or to payment of a
fine of not more than $30,000, or both, if the person violates subdivision 1,
paragraph (b).
(c) A person convicted under this
section is also subject to conditional release under section 609.3455.
Subd. 3. No
attempt charge. Notwithstanding
section 609.17, no person may be charged with or convicted of an attempt to
commit a violation of this section.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 624.712, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Crime of violence. "Crime of violence" means: felony convictions of the following offenses: sections 609.185 (murder in the first degree); 609.19 (murder in the second degree); 609.195 (murder in the third degree); 609.20 (manslaughter in the first degree); 609.205 (manslaughter in the second degree); 609.215 (aiding
suicide and aiding attempted suicide); 609.221 (assault in the first degree); 609.222 (assault in the second degree); 609.223 (assault in the third degree); 609.2231 (assault in the fourth degree); 609.224 (assault in the fifth degree); 609.2242 (domestic assault); 609.2247 (domestic assault by strangulation); 609.229 (crimes committed for the benefit of a gang); 609.235 (use of drugs to injure or facilitate crime); 609.24 (simple robbery); 609.245 (aggravated robbery); 609.25 (kidnapping); 609.255 (false imprisonment); 609.322 (solicitation, inducement, and promotion of prostitution; sex trafficking); 609.342 (criminal sexual conduct in the first degree); 609.343 (criminal sexual conduct in the second degree); 609.344 (criminal sexual conduct in the third degree); 609.345 (criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree); 609.3458 (sexual extortion); 609.377 (malicious punishment of a child); 609.378 (neglect or endangerment of a child); 609.486 (commission of crime while wearing or possessing a bullet-resistant vest); 609.52 (involving theft of a firearm and theft involving the theft of a controlled substance, an explosive, or an incendiary device); 609.561 (arson in the first degree); 609.562 (arson in the second degree); 609.582, subdivision 1 or 2 (burglary in the first and second degrees); 609.66, subdivision 1e (drive-by shooting); 609.67 (unlawfully owning, possessing, operating a machine gun or short-barreled shotgun); 609.71 (riot); 609.713 (terroristic threats); 609.749 (harassment); 609.855, subdivision 5 (shooting at a public transit vehicle or facility); and chapter 152 (drugs, controlled substances); and an attempt to commit any of these offenses.
Sec. 20. PREDATORY
OFFENDER STATUTORY FRAMEWORK WORKING GROUP; REPORT.
Subdivision 1. Direction. By September 1, 2021, the commissioner
of public safety shall convene a working group to comprehensively assess the
predatory offender statutory framework. The
commissioner shall invite representatives from the Department of Corrections
with specific expertise on juvenile justice reform, city and county prosecuting
agencies, statewide crime victim coalitions, the Minnesota judicial branch, the
Minnesota Board of Public Defense, private criminal defense attorneys, the
Department of Public Safety, the Department of Human Services, the Sentencing
Guidelines Commission, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other
interested parties to participate in the working group. The commissioner shall ensure that the
membership of the working group is balanced among the various representatives
and reflects a broad spectrum of viewpoints, and is inclusive of marginalized
communities as well as victim and survivor voices.
Subd. 2. Duties. The working group must examine and
assess the predatory offender registration (POR) laws, including, but not
limited to, the requirements placed on offenders, the crimes for which POR is
required, the method by which POR requirements are applied to offenders, and
the effectiveness of the POR system in achieving its stated purpose. Governmental agencies that hold POR data
shall provide the working group with public POR data upon request. The working group is encouraged to request
the assistance of the state court administrator's office to obtain relevant POR
data maintained by the court system.
Subd. 3. Report
to legislature. The
commissioner shall file a report detailing the working group's findings and recommendations with the chairs and ranking
minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and
divisions having jurisdiction over public safety and judiciary policy and
finance by January 15, 2022.
Sec. 21. REVISOR
INSTRUCTION.
The revisor of statutes shall make
necessary cross-reference changes and remove statutory cross-references in
Minnesota Statutes to conform with this article. The revisor may make technical and other
necessary changes to language and sentence structure to preserve the meaning of
the text.
Sec. 22. REPEALER.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections
609.293, subdivisions 1 and 5; 609.34; and 609.36, are repealed.
ARTICLE 6
CRIMINAL AND SENTENCING PROVISIONS
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:
Subd. 1b. Supervised release; offenders who commit crimes on or after August 1, 1993. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions 4, 4a, and 5, every inmate sentenced to prison for a felony offense committed on or after August 1, 1993, shall serve a supervised release term upon completion of the inmate's term of imprisonment and any disciplinary confinement period imposed by the commissioner due to the inmate's violation of any disciplinary rule adopted by the commissioner or refusal to participate in a rehabilitative program required under section 244.03. The amount of time the inmate serves on supervised release shall be equal in length to the amount of time remaining in the inmate's executed sentence after the inmate has served the term of imprisonment and any disciplinary confinement period imposed by the commissioner.
(b) No inmate who violates a disciplinary rule or refuses to participate in a rehabilitative program as required under section 244.03 shall be placed on supervised release until the inmate has served the disciplinary confinement period for that disciplinary sanction or until the inmate is discharged or released from punitive segregation confinement, whichever is later. The imposition of a disciplinary confinement period shall be considered to be a disciplinary sanction imposed upon an inmate, and the procedure for imposing the disciplinary confinement period and the rights of the inmate in the procedure shall be those in effect for the imposition of other disciplinary sanctions at each state correctional institution.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Minimum imprisonment, life sentence. (a) An inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.106, subdivision 2, or 609.3455, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), must not be given supervised release under this section.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (f), an inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3), (5), or (6); or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, subdivision 3, must not be given supervised release under this section without having served a minimum term of 30 years.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (f), an inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.385 must not be given supervised release under this section without having served a minimum term of imprisonment of 17 years.
(d) An inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.3455, subdivision 3 or 4, must not be given supervised release under this section without having served the minimum term of imprisonment specified by the court in its sentence.
(e)
An inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.106, subdivision
3, or 609.3455, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), must not be given
supervised release under this section without having served a minimum term of
imprisonment of 15 years.
(f) An inmate serving a mandatory life
sentence for a crime described in paragraph (b) or (c) who was under 18 years
of age at the time of the commission of the offense must not be given
supervised release under this section without having served a minimum term of
imprisonment of 15 years.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 4a. Eligibility
for early supervised release; offenders who were under 18 at the time of
offense. (a) Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, any person who was under the age of 18 at the time
of the commission of an offense is eligible for early supervised release if the
person is serving an executed sentence that includes a term of imprisonment of
more than 15 years or separate, consecutive executed sentences for two or more
crimes that include combined terms of imprisonment that total more than 15
years.
(b) A person eligible for early
supervised release under paragraph (a) must be considered for early supervised
release pursuant to section 244.0515 after serving 15 years of imprisonment.
(c) Where the person is serving separate,
consecutive executed sentences for two or more crimes, the person may be
granted early supervised release on all sentences.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.05, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Supervised release, life sentence. (a) Except as provided in section 244.0515, the commissioner of corrections may, under rules promulgated by the commissioner, give supervised release to an inmate serving a mandatory life sentence under section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3), (5), or (6); 609.3455, subdivision 3 or 4; 609.385; or Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.109, subdivision 3, after the inmate has served the minimum term of imprisonment specified in subdivision 4.
(b) The commissioner shall require the preparation of a community investigation report and shall consider the findings of the report when making a supervised release decision under this subdivision. The report shall reflect the sentiment of the various elements of the community toward the inmate, both at the time of the offense and at the present time. The report shall include the views of the sentencing judge, the prosecutor, any law enforcement personnel who may have been involved in the case, and any successors to these individuals who may have information relevant to the supervised release decision. The report shall also include the views of the victim and the victim's family unless the victim or the victim's family chooses not to participate.
(c) The commissioner shall make reasonable efforts to notify the victim, in advance, of the time and place of the inmate's supervised release review hearing. The victim has a right to submit an oral or written statement at the review hearing. The statement may summarize the harm suffered by the victim as a result of the crime and give the victim's recommendation on whether the inmate should be given supervised release at this time. The commissioner must consider the victim's statement when making the supervised release decision.
(d) When considering whether to give supervised release to an inmate serving a life sentence under section 609.3455, subdivision 3 or 4, the commissioner shall consider, at a minimum, the following: the risk the inmate poses to the community if released, the inmate's progress in treatment, the inmate's behavior while incarcerated, psychological or other diagnostic evaluations of the inmate, the inmate's criminal history, and any other relevant conduct of the inmate while incarcerated or before incarceration. The commissioner may not give supervised release to the inmate unless:
(1) while in prison:
(i) the inmate has successfully completed appropriate sex offender treatment;
(ii) the inmate has been assessed for chemical dependency needs and, if appropriate, has successfully completed chemical dependency treatment; and
(iii) the inmate has been assessed for mental health needs and, if appropriate, has successfully completed mental health treatment; and
(2) a comprehensive individual release plan is in place for the inmate that ensures that, after release, the inmate will have suitable housing and receive appropriate aftercare and community-based treatment. The comprehensive plan also must include a postprison employment or education plan for the inmate.
(e) As used in this subdivision, "victim" means the individual who suffered harm as a result of the inmate's crime or, if the individual is deceased, the deceased's surviving spouse or next of kin.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 5. [244.0515]
JUVENILE REVIEW BOARD.
Subdivision 1. Board. The Juvenile Review Board is created
with the power and duties established by subdivision 4.
Subd. 2. Members. (a) The board consists of seven
members as follows:
(1) the commissioner of corrections or
the commissioner's designee;
(2) the commissioner of human services
or the commissioner's designee;
(3) the commissioner of public safety or
the commissioner's designee;
(4) the attorney general or the attorney
general's designee; and
(5) three at-large members with
expertise in the neurodevelopment of youth, appointed by the governor.
(b) The board shall select one of its
members to serve as chair.
Subd. 3. Terms,
compensation, and removal. The
membership terms, compensation, and removal of members and the filling of
membership vacancies is as provided in section 15.0575.
Subd. 4. Powers
and duties. (a) Consistent
with the requirements of this section, the board has authority to grant
supervised release to an inmate who was under 18 years of age at the time of
the commission of the offense and is serving a mandatory life sentence; an
executed sentence that includes a term of imprisonment of more than 15 years;
or separate, consecutive executed sentences for two or more crimes that include
combined terms of imprisonment that total more than 15 years.
(b) The board may give supervised
release to an inmate described in paragraph (a) after the inmate has served the
minimum term of imprisonment specified by the court or 15 years, whichever is
earlier.
(c) Where an inmate is serving multiple
sentences that are concurrent to one another, the board must grant or deny
supervised release on all sentences. Notwithstanding
any law to the contrary, where an inmate is serving multiple sentences that are
consecutive to one another, the court may grant or deny supervised release on
one or more sentences.
(d) The board shall conduct an initial
supervised release review hearing as soon as practicable after the inmate has
served the applicable minimum term of imprisonment. Hearings for inmates eligible for a review
hearing on or before July 1, 2021, shall take place before July 1, 2022.
(e) If the inmate is not released at the
initial supervised release review hearing, the board shall conduct subsequent
review hearings until the inmate's release.
Review hearings shall not be scheduled to take place within six months
of a previous hearing or more than three years after a previous hearing.
(f) The board may order that an
inmate be placed on intensive supervised release for all or part of the
inmate's supervised release pursuant to section 244.05, subdivision 6.
Subd. 5. Administrative
services. The commissioner of
corrections shall provide adequate office space and administrative services for
the board and the board shall reimburse the commissioner for the space and
services provided. The board may also
utilize, with their consent, the services, equipment, personnel, information,
and resources of other state agencies; and may accept voluntary and
uncompensated services, contract with individuals and public and private
agencies, and request information, reports, and data from any agency of the
state or any of the state's political subdivisions to the extent authorized by
law.
Subd. 6. Development
report. (a) Except as
provided in paragraph (b), the board shall require the preparation of a
development report and shall consider the findings of the report when making a
supervised release decision under this section.
The report shall be prepared by a mental health professional as defined
in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (4) or (6), and shall
address the cognitive, emotional, and social maturity of the inmate.
(b) If a development report was prepared
within the 12 months immediately proceeding the hearing, the board may rely on
that report.
Subd. 7. Victim
statement. The board shall
make reasonable efforts to notify the victim, in advance, of the time and place
of the inmate's supervised release review hearing. The victim has a right to submit an oral or
written statement at the review hearing.
The statement may summarize the harm suffered by the victim as a result
of the crime and give the victim's recommendation on whether the inmate should
be given supervised release at this time.
The board must consider the victim's statement when making the
supervised release decision. As used in
this subdivision, "victim" means the individual who suffered harm as
a result of the inmate's crime or, if the individual is deceased, the
deceased's surviving spouse or next of kin.
Subd. 8. Review
hearing; notice. (a) At least
90 days before a supervised release review hearing, the commissioner of
corrections shall notify the inmate of the time and place of the hearing and
that the inmate has the right to be present at the hearing, request appointment
of counsel, access the inmate's prison file prior to the hearing, and submit
written arguments to the board prior to the hearing.
(b) The inmate may make oral arguments
to the board at the hearing.
Subd. 9. Considerations. (a) When considering whether to give
supervised release to an inmate serving a mandatory life sentence the board
shall consider, at a minimum, the following:
(1) the development report;
(2) the victim statement, if any;
(3) the risk the inmate poses to the community
if released;
(4) the inmate's progress in treatment;
(5) the inmate's behavior while
incarcerated;
(6) any additional psychological or
other diagnostic evaluations of the inmate;
(7) the inmate's criminal history;
(8) whether the inmate is serving
consecutive sentences; and
(9) any other relevant conduct
of the inmate while incarcerated or before incarceration.
(b) In making its decision, the board
must consider relevant science regarding the neurological development of
juveniles and shall prioritize information regarding the inmate's maturity and
rehabilitation while incarcerated.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d),
the board may not give supervised release to the inmate unless:
(1) while in prison:
(i) if applicable, the inmate has
successfully completed appropriate sex offender treatment;
(ii) the inmate has been assessed for
chemical dependency needs and, if appropriate, has successfully completed
chemical dependency treatment; and
(iii) the inmate has been assessed for
mental health needs and, if appropriate, has been provided mental health
treatment; and
(2) a comprehensive individual release
plan is in place for the inmate that ensures that, after release, the inmate
will have suitable housing and receive appropriate aftercare and
community-based treatment. The
comprehensive plan also must include a postprison employment or education plan
for the inmate.
(d) The board shall not deny supervised
release to an inmate pursuant to paragraph (c) if the appropriate assessments,
treatment, or planning were not made available to the inmate.
Subd. 10. Findings
of the board. Within 30 days
after a supervised release hearing, the board shall issue its decision on
granting release, including a statement of reasons for that decision. If the board does not grant supervised
release, the statement of the reasons for that denial must identify specific
steps the inmate can take to increase the likelihood that release will be
granted at a future hearing.
Subd. 11. Review
by court of appeals. When the
board has issued its findings, an inmate who acts within 30 days from the
date the inmate received the findings may have the order reviewed by the court
of appeals upon either of the following grounds:
(1) the order does not conform with this
section; or
(2) the findings of fact and order were
unsupported by substantial evidence in view of the entire record as submitted.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.09, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15. Report
on sentencing adjustments. The
Sentencing Guidelines Commission shall include in its annual report to the
legislature a summary and analysis of sentence adjustments issued under section
609.133. At a minimum, the summary and
analysis must include information on the counties where a sentencing adjustment
was granted and on the race, sex, and age of individuals who received a
sentence adjustment.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 244.101, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Executed sentences. Except as provided in section 244.05, subdivision 4a, when a felony offender is sentenced to a fixed executed sentence for an offense committed on or after August 1, 1993, the executed sentence consists of two parts: (1) a specified minimum term of imprisonment that is equal to two-thirds of the
executed sentence; and (2) a specified maximum supervised release term that is equal to one-third of the executed sentence. The amount of time the inmate actually serves in prison and on supervised release is subject to the provisions of section 244.05, subdivision 1b.
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 480A.06, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Administrative
review. The court of appeals shall
have jurisdiction to review on the record the validity of administrative rules,
as provided in sections 14.44 and 14.45, and the decisions of
administrative agencies in contested cases, as provided in sections 14.63 to
14.69, and the decisions of the Juvenile Review Board as provided in section
244.0515.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective July 1, 2021.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.03, is amended to read:
609.03
PUNISHMENT WHEN NOT OTHERWISE FIXED.
If a person is convicted of a crime for which no punishment is otherwise provided the person may be sentenced as follows:
(1) If the crime is a felony, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both; or
(2) If the crime is a gross misdemeanor,
to imprisonment for not more than one year 364 days or to payment
of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; or
(3) If the crime is a misdemeanor, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both; or
(4) If the crime is other than a misdemeanor and a fine is imposed but the amount is not specified, to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or to imprisonment for a specified term of not more than six months if the fine is not paid.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective the day following final enactment and applies to offenders receiving
a gross misdemeanor sentence before, on, or after that date.
Sec. 10. [609.0342]
MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT FOR GROSS MISDEMEANORS.
Any law of this state that provides for
a maximum sentence of imprisonment of one year or is defined as a gross
misdemeanor shall be deemed to provide for a maximum fine of $3,000 and a
maximum sentence of imprisonment of 364 days.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is effective
the day following final enactment and applies to offenders receiving a gross
misdemeanor sentence before, on, or after that date.
Sec. 11. [609.1056]
MILITARY VETERANS; CRIMES COMMITTED BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM
SERVICE; DISCHARGE AND DISMISSAL.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. As used in this section, the following
terms have the meanings given:
(1) "applicable condition"
means sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder,
substance abuse, or a mental health condition;
(2) "eligible
offense" means any misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, and any felony that
is ranked at severity level 7 or lower or D7 or lower on the Sentencing
Guidelines grid;
(3) "pretrial diversion"
means the decision of a prosecutor to refer a defendant to a diversion program
on condition that the criminal charges against the defendant shall be dismissed
after a specified period of time, or the case shall not be charged, if the
defendant successfully completes the program of treatment recommended by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs or a local, state, federal, or
private nonprofit treatment program; and
(4) "veterans treatment court
program" means a program that has the following essential characteristics:
(i) the integration of services in the
processing of cases in the judicial system;
(ii) the use of a nonadversarial
approach involving prosecutors and defense attorneys to promote public safety
and to protect the due process rights of program participants;
(iii) early identification and prompt
placement of eligible participants in the program;
(iv) access to a continuum of alcohol,
controlled substance, mental health, and other related treatment and
rehabilitative services;
(v) careful monitoring of treatment and
services provided to program participants;
(vi) a coordinated strategy to govern
program responses to participants' compliance;
(vii) ongoing judicial interaction with
program participants;
(viii) monitoring and evaluation of
program goals and effectiveness;
(ix) continuing interdisciplinary
education to promote effective program planning, implementation, and
operations;
(x) development of partnerships with
public agencies and community organizations, including the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(xi) inclusion of a participant's
family members who agree to be involved in the treatment and services provided
to the participant under the program.
Subd. 2. Deferred
prosecution. (a) The court
shall defer prosecution for an eligible offense committed by a defendant who
was, or currently is, a member of the United States military as provided in
this subdivision. The court shall do
this at the request of the defendant upon a finding of guilty after trial or
upon a guilty plea.
(b) A defendant who requests to be
sentenced under this subdivision shall release or authorize access to military
service reports and records relating to the alleged applicable condition. The court must file the records as
confidential and designate that they remain sealed, except as provided in this
paragraph. In addition, the court may
request, through existing resources, an assessment of the defendant. The defendant, through existing records or
licensed professional evaluation, shall establish the diagnosis of the
condition, that it was caused by military service, and that the offense was
committed as a result of the condition. The
court, on its own motion or the prosecutor's, with notice to defense counsel,
may order the defendant to furnish to the court for in-camera review or to the
prosecutor copies of all medical and military service reports and records
previously or subsequently made concerning the defendant's condition and the
condition's connection to service.
(c) Based on the record, the
court shall determine whether, by clear and convincing evidence: (1) the defendant suffered from an applicable
condition at the time of the offense; (2) the applicable condition was caused
by service in the United States military; and (3) the offense was committed as
a result of the applicable condition.
Within 15 days of the court's determination, either party may file
a challenge to the determination and demand a hearing on the defendant's
eligibility under this subdivision.
(d) If the court makes the
determination described in paragraph (c), the court shall, without entering a
judgment of guilty, defer further proceedings and place the defendant on
probation upon such reasonable conditions as it may require and for a period
not to exceed the maximum period provided by law. A court may extend a defendant's term of
probation pursuant to section 609.135, subdivision 2, paragraphs (g) and (h). Conditions ordered by the court must include
treatment, services, rehabilitation, and education sufficient so that if
completed, the defendant would be eligible for discharge and dismissal under
subdivision 3. In addition, the court
shall order that the defendant undergo a chemical use assessment that includes
a recommended level of care for the defendant in accordance with the criteria
contained in rules adopted by the commissioner of human services under section
254A.03, subdivision 3.
(e) If the court determines that the
defendant is eligible for a deferred sentence but the defendant has previously
received one for a felony offense under this subdivision, the court may, but is
not required to, impose a deferred sentence.
If the court does not impose a deferred sentence, the court may sentence
the defendant as otherwise provided in law, including as provided in
subdivision 4.
(f) Upon violation of a condition of
probation, the court may enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as
otherwise provided in law, including as provided in subdivision 4.
(g) As a condition of probation, the
court may order the defendant to attend a local, state, federal, or private
nonprofit treatment program for a period not to exceed the maximum period for
which the defendant could have been incarcerated.
(h) The court, when issuing an order
under this subdivision that a defendant attend an established treatment program,
shall give preference to a treatment program that has a history of successfully
treating veterans who suffer from applicable conditions caused by military
service, including but not limited to programs operated by the United States
Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs.
(i) The court and any assigned
treatment program shall collaborate with, when available, the county veterans
service officer and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to
maximize benefits and services provided to the defendant.
(j) If available in the county or
judicial district having jurisdiction over the case, the defendant may be
supervised by a veterans treatment court program under subdivision 5. If there is a veterans treatment court that
meets the requirements of subdivision 5 in the county in which the defendant
resides or works, supervision of the defendant may be transferred to that
county or judicial district veterans treatment court program. Upon the defendant's successful or
unsuccessful completion of the program, the veterans treatment court program
shall communicate this information to the court of original jurisdiction for
further action.
(k) Sentencing pursuant to this
subdivision waives any right to administrative review pursuant to section
169A.53, subdivision 1, or judicial review pursuant to section 169A.53,
subdivision 2, for a license revocation or cancellation imposed pursuant to
section 169A.52, and also waives any right to administrative review pursuant to
section 171.177, subdivision 10, or judicial review pursuant to section
171.177, subdivision 11, for a license revocation or cancellation imposed
pursuant to section 171.177, if that license revocation or cancellation is the
result of the same incident that is being sentenced.
Subd. 3. Discharge
and dismissal. (a) Upon the
expiration of the period of the defendant's probation the court shall hold a
hearing to discharge the defendant from probation and determine whether to
dismiss the proceedings against a defendant who received a deferred sentence
under subdivision 2. The hearing shall
be scheduled so that the parties have adequate time to prepare and present
arguments regarding the issue of dismissal.
The parties may submit written arguments to the court prior to the date
of the hearing and may make oral arguments before the court at the hearing. The defendant must be present at the hearing
unless excused under Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 26.03,
subdivision 1, clause (3).
(b) The court shall provide notice to
any identifiable victim of the offense at least 15 days before the hearing is
held. Notice to victims of the offense
under this subdivision must specifically inform the victim of the right to
submit an oral or written statement to the court at the time of the hearing
describing the harm suffered by the victim as a result of the crime and the
victim's recommendation on whether dismissal should be granted or denied. The judge shall consider the victim's
statement when making a decision. If a
victim notifies the prosecutor of an objection to dismissal and is not present
at the hearing, the prosecutor shall make the objections known to the court.
(c) The court shall dismiss proceedings
against a defendant if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that
the defendant:
(1) is in substantial compliance with
the conditions of probation;
(2) has successfully participated in
court-ordered treatment and services to address the applicable condition caused
by military service;
(3) does not represent a danger to the
health or safety of victims or others; and
(4) has demonstrated significant benefit
from court-ordered education, treatment, or rehabilitation to clearly show that
a discharge and dismissal under this subdivision is in the interests of
justice.
(d) In determining the interests of
justice, the court shall consider, among other factors, all of the following:
(1) the defendant's completion and
degree of participation in education, treatment, and rehabilitation as ordered
by the court;
(2) the defendant's progress in formal
education;
(3) the defendant's development of
career potential;
(4) the defendant's leadership and
personal responsibility efforts;
(5) the defendant's contribution of
service in support of the community;
(6) the level of harm to the community
from the offense; and
(7) the statement of the victim, if any.
(e) If the court finds that the
defendant does not qualify for discharge and dismissal under paragraph (c), the
court shall enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided in
law, including as provided in subdivision 4.
(f) Discharge and dismissal under this
subdivision shall be without court adjudication of guilt, but a not public
record of the discharge and dismissal shall be retained by the Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension for the purpose of use by the courts in determining the
merits of subsequent proceedings against the defendant. The not public record
may also be opened only upon
court order for purposes of a criminal investigation, prosecution, or
sentencing. Upon request by law
enforcement, prosecution, or corrections authorities, the bureau shall notify
the requesting party of the existence of the not public record and the right to
seek a court order to open the not public record under this paragraph. The court shall forward a record of any
discharge and dismissal under this subdivision to the bureau, which shall make
and maintain the not public record of the discharge and dismissal. The discharge and dismissal shall not be
deemed a conviction for purposes of disqualifications or disabilities imposed
by law upon conviction of a crime or for any other purpose. For purposes of this paragraph, "not
public" has the meaning given in section 13.02, subdivision 8a.
Subd. 4. Sentencing
departure; waiver of mandatory sentence.
(a) This subdivision applies to defendants who plead or are found
guilty of any criminal offense except one for which registration is required
under section 243.166, subdivision 1b.
(b) Prior to sentencing, a defendant
described in paragraph (a) may present proof to the court that the defendant
has, since the commission of the offense, engaged in rehabilitative efforts
consistent with those described in this section. If the court determines that the defendant
has engaged in substantial rehabilitative efforts and the defendant establishes
by clear and convincing evidence that:
(1) the defendant suffered from an
applicable condition at the time of the offense;
(2) the applicable condition was caused
by service in the United States military; and
(3) the offense was committed as a
result of the applicable condition;
the court may determine that the defendant is particularly
amenable to probation and order a mitigated durational or dispositional
sentencing departure or a waiver of any statutory mandatory minimum sentence
applicable to the defendant.
Subd. 5. Optional
veterans treatment court program; procedures for eligible defendants. A county or judicial district may
supervise probation under this section through a veterans treatment court,
using county veterans service officers appointed under sections 197.60 to
197.606, United States Department of Veterans Affairs veterans justice outreach
specialists, probation agents, and any other rehabilitative resources available
to the court.
Subd. 6. Creation
of county and city diversion programs; authorization. Any county or city may establish and
operate a veterans pretrial diversion program for offenders eligible under
subdivision 2 without penalty under section 477A.0175.
Subd. 7. Exception. This section does not apply to a
person charged with an offense for which registration is required under section
243.166, subdivision 1b.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.106, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Life without release. Except as provided in subdivision 3, the court shall sentence a person to life imprisonment without possibility of release under the following circumstances:
(1)
the person is convicted of first-degree murder under section 609.185, paragraph
(a), clause (1), (2), (4), or (7);
(2) the person is convicted of committing first-degree murder in the course of a kidnapping under section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3); or
(3) the person is convicted of first-degree murder under section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3), (5), or (6), and the court determines on the record at the time of sentencing that the person has one or more previous convictions for a heinous crime.
Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.106, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3. Offender
under age 18; life imprisonment. The
court shall sentence a person who was under 18 years of age at the time of
the commission of an offense under the circumstances described in subdivision 2
to imprisonment for life.
Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.1095, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Conviction" means any of the following accepted and recorded by the court: a plea of guilty, a verdict of guilty by a jury, or a finding of guilty by the court. The term includes a conviction by any court in Minnesota or another jurisdiction.
(c) "Prior conviction" means a conviction that occurred before the offender committed the next felony resulting in a conviction and before the offense for which the offender is being sentenced under this section.
(d) "Violent crime" means a violation of or an attempt or conspiracy to violate any of the following laws of this state or any similar laws of the United States or any other state: sections 152.137; 609.165; 609.185; 609.19; 609.195; 609.20; 609.205; 609.2112; 609.2113; 609.2114; 609.221; 609.222; 609.223; 609.228; 609.235; 609.24; 609.245; 609.25; 609.255; 609.2661; 609.2662; 609.2663; 609.2664; 609.2665; 609.267; 609.2671; 609.268; 609.322; 609.342; 609.343; 609.344; 609.345; 609.498, subdivision 1; 609.561; 609.562; 609.582, subdivision 1; 609.66, subdivision 1e; 609.687; and 609.855, subdivision 5; any provision of sections 609.229; 609.377; 609.378; 609.749; and 624.713 that is punishable by a felony penalty; or any provision of chapter 152 that is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years or more; or Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 609.21.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.115, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 11. Disability
impact statement. (a) When a
defendant appears in court and is convicted of a crime, the court shall inquire
whether the defendant is an individual with a disability. For the purposes of this subdivision,
"disability" has the meaning given in the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act of
2008, United States Code, Title 42, section 12102.
(b) If the defendant is an individual
with a disability and may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the court:
(1) may order that the presentence
investigator preparing the report under subdivision 1 prepare an impact
statement that addresses the impact on a person's disability including but not
limited to health, housing, family, employment effect of benefits, and
potential for abuse if the defendant is sentenced to a term of imprisonment,
for the purpose of providing the court with information regarding sentencing
options other than a term of imprisonment;
(2) must consider the impact statement
in imposing a sentence; and
(3) must consider the least restrictive
environment to meet the state's penal objective.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021, and applies to individuals convicted of a crime on or
after that date.
Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.115, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 12. Traumatic
brain injury. (a) When a
defendant appears in court and is convicted of a felony, the court shall
inquire whether the defendant has a history of stroke, traumatic brain injury,
or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
(b) If the defendant has a history of
stroke, traumatic brain injury, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and the
court believes that the offender may have a mental impairment that caused the
offender to lack substantial capacity for judgment when the offense was
committed, the court shall order that the offender undergo a neuropsychological
examination unless the offender has had a recent examination as described in
paragraph (c). The report prepared under
subdivision 1 shall contain the results of the examination ordered by the court
or the recent examination and the officer preparing the report may consult with
any medical provider, mental health professional, or other agency or person
with suitable knowledge or experience for the purpose of providing the court
with information regarding treatment and case management options available to
the defendant.
(c) An updated neuropsychological
examination is not required under this subdivision if:
(1) the person had a previous
examination when the person was at least 25 years of age;
(2)
the examination took place at least 18 months after the person's most recent
stroke or traumatic brain injury; and
(3) the examination took place within
the previous three years.
(d) At sentencing, the court may
consider any relevant information including but not limited to the information
provided pursuant to paragraph (b) and the recommendations of any diagnosing or
treating medical providers or mental health professionals to determine whether
the offender, because of mental impairment resulting from a stroke, traumatic
brain injury, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, lacked substantial capacity
for judgment when the offense was committed.
Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.131, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Certain
violations excepted. Subdivision 1
does not apply to a misdemeanor violation of section 169A.20; 171.09,
subdivision 1, paragraph (g); 171.306, subdivision 6; 609.224; 609.2242;
609.226; 609.324, subdivision 3; 609.52; or 617.23, or an ordinance that
conforms in substantial part to any of those sections. A violation described in this subdivision
must be treated as a misdemeanor unless the defendant consents to the
certification of the violation as a petty misdemeanor.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 18. [609.133]
SENTENCE ADJUSTMENT.
Subdivision 1. Definition. As used in this section,
"prosecutor" means the attorney general, county attorney, or city
attorney responsible for the prosecution of individuals charged with a crime.
Subd. 2. Prosecutor-initiated
sentence adjustment. The
prosecutor responsible for the prosecution of an individual convicted of a
crime may commence a proceeding to adjust the sentence of that individual at
any time after the initial sentencing provided the prosecutor does not seek to
increase the period of confinement or, if the individual is serving a stayed
sentence, increase the period of supervision.
Subd. 3. Review
by prosecutor. (a)
Prosecutors may review individual cases at their discretion.
(b) Prior to filing a petition under this
section, a prosecutor shall make a reasonable and good faith effort to seek
input from any identifiable victim and shall consider the impact an adjusted
sentence would have on the victim.
(c) The commissioner of
corrections, a supervising agent, or an offender may request that a prosecutor
review an individual case. A prosecutor
is not required to respond to a request.
Subd. 4. Petition;
contents; fee. (a) A petition
for sentence adjustment shall include the following:
(1) the full name of the individual on
whose behalf the petition is being brought and, to the extent possible, all
other legal names or aliases by which the individual has been known at any
time;
(2) the individual's date of birth;
(3) the individual's address;
(4) a brief statement of the reason the
prosecutor is seeking a sentence adjustment for the individual;
(5) the details of the offense for
which an adjustment is sought, including:
(i) the date and jurisdiction of the
occurrence;
(ii) either the names of any victims or
that there were no identifiable victims;
(iii) whether there is a current order
for protection, restraining order, or other no contact order prohibiting the
individual from contacting the victims or whether there has ever been a prior
order for protection or restraining order prohibiting the individual from
contacting the victims;
(iv) the court file number; and
(v) the date of conviction;
(6) what steps the individual has taken
since the time of the offense toward personal rehabilitation, including
treatment, work, good conduct within correctional facilities, or other personal
history that demonstrates rehabilitation;
(7) the individual's criminal
conviction record indicating all convictions for misdemeanors, gross
misdemeanors, or felonies in this state, and for all comparable convictions in
any other state, federal court, or foreign country, whether the convictions
occurred before or after the conviction for which an adjustment is sought;
(8) the individual's criminal charges
record indicating all prior and pending criminal charges against the individual
in this state or another jurisdiction, including all criminal charges that have
been continued for dismissal, stayed for adjudication, or were the subject of
pretrial diversion; and
(9) to the extent known, all prior
requests by the individual, whether for the present offense or for any other
offenses in this state or any other state or federal court, for pardon, return
of arrest records, or expungement or sealing of a criminal record, whether
granted or not, and all stays of adjudication or imposition of sentence
involving the petitioner.
(b) The filing fee for a petition
brought under this section shall be waived.
Subd. 5. Service
of petition. (a) The
prosecutor shall serve the petition for sentence adjustment on the individual
on whose behalf the petition is being brought.
(b) The prosecutor shall make a
good faith and reasonable effort to notify any person determined to be a victim
of the offense for which adjustment is sought of the existence of a petition. Notification under this paragraph does not
constitute a violation of an existing order for protection, restraining order,
or other no contact order.
(c) Notice to victims of the offense
under this subdivision must:
(1) specifically inform the victim of
the right to object, orally or in writing, to the proposed adjustment of
sentence; and
(2) inform the victims of the right to
be present and to submit an oral or written statement at the hearing described
in subdivision 6.
(d) If a victim notifies the prosecutor
of an objection to the proposed adjustment of sentence and is not present when
the court considers the sentence adjustment, the prosecutor shall make these
objections known to the court.
Subd. 6. Hearing. (a) The court shall hold a hearing on
the petition no sooner than 60 days after service of the petition. The hearing shall be scheduled so that the
parties have adequate time to prepare and present arguments regarding the issue
of sentence adjustment. The parties may
submit written arguments to the court prior to the date of the hearing and may
make oral arguments before the court at the hearing. The individual on whose behalf the petition
has been brought must be present at the hearing, unless excused under Minnesota
Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 26.03, subdivision 1, clause (3).
(b) A victim of the offense for which
sentence adjustment is sought has a right to submit an oral or written
statement to the court at the time of the hearing describing the harm suffered
by the victim as a result of the crime and the victim's recommendation on
whether adjustment should be granted or denied.
The judge shall consider the victim's statement when making a decision.
(c) Representatives of the Department
of Corrections, supervising agents, community treatment providers, and any
other individual with relevant information may submit an oral or written
statement to the court at the time of the hearing.
Subd. 7. Nature
of remedy; standard. (a) The
court shall determine whether there are substantial and compelling reasons to
adjust the individual's sentence. In
making this determination, the court shall consider what impact, if any, a
sentence adjustment would have on public safety, including whether an
adjustment would promote the rehabilitation of the individual, properly reflect
the severity of the underlying offense, or reduce sentencing disparities. In making this determination, the court may
consider factors relating to both the offender and the offense, including but
not limited to:
(1) the individual's performance on
probation or supervision;
(2) the individual's disciplinary
record during any period of incarceration;
(3) records of any rehabilitation
efforts made by the individual since the date of offense and any plan to
continue those efforts in the community;
(4) evidence that remorse, age,
diminished physical condition, or any other factor has significantly reduced
the likelihood that the individual will commit a future offense;
(5) the amount of time the individual
has served in custody or under supervision; and
(6) significant changes in law or
sentencing practice since the date of offense.
(b) Notwithstanding any law to
the contrary, if the court determines that there are substantial and compelling
reasons to adjust the individual's sentence, the court may modify the sentence
in any way provided the adjustment does not:
(1) increase the period of confinement
or, if the individual is serving a stayed sentence, increase the period of
supervision;
(2) reduce or eliminate the amount of
court-ordered restitution; or
(3) reduce or eliminate a term of
conditional release required by law when a court commits an offender to the
custody of the commissioner of corrections.
The court may stay imposition or execution of sentence
pursuant to section 609.135.
(c) A sentence adjustment is not a
valid basis to vacate the judgment of conviction, enter a judgment of conviction
for a different offense, or impose sentence for any other offense.
(d) The court shall state in writing or
on the record the reasons for its decision on the petition. If the court grants a sentence adjustment, it
shall cause a sentencing worksheet as provided in section 609.115, subdivision
1, to be completed and forwarded to the Sentencing Guidelines Commission. The sentencing worksheet shall clearly
indicate that it is for a sentence adjustment.
Subd. 8. Appeals. An order issued under this section
shall not be considered a final judgment, but shall be treated as an order
imposing or staying a sentence.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2021.
Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.2231, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Assaults
motivated by bias. (a) Whoever
assaults another in whole or in part because of the victim's or
another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national
origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, age, or national
origin or because of the victim's actual or perceived association with
another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race, color,
ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03,
may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a
fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
(b) Whoever violates the provisions of paragraph (a) within five years of a previous conviction under paragraph (a) is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and a day or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.2233, is amended to read:
609.2233
FELONY ASSAULT MOTIVATED BY BIAS; INCREASED STATUTORY MAXIMUM SENTENCE.
A person who violates section 609.221,
609.222, or 609.223 because of the victim's or another person's actual or
perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or
disability as defined in section 363A.03, age, or national origin or
because of the victim's actual
or perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, is subject to a statutory maximum penalty of 25 percent longer than the maximum penalty otherwise applicable.
Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.322, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Solicitation,
inducement, and promotion of prostitution; sex trafficking in the first degree. (a) Whoever, while acting other than as a
prostitute or patron, intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced
to imprisonment for not more than 20 25 years or to payment of a
fine of not more than $50,000, or both:
(1) solicits or induces an individual under the age of 18 years to practice prostitution;
(2) promotes the prostitution of an individual under the age of 18 years;
(3) receives profit, knowing or having reason to know that it is derived from the prostitution, or the promotion of the prostitution, of an individual under the age of 18 years; or
(4) engages in the sex trafficking of an individual under the age of 18 years.
(b) Whoever violates paragraph (a) or
subdivision 1a may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 30
years or to payment of a fine of not more than $60,000, or both, if one or more
of the following aggravating factors are present:
(1) the offender has committed a prior qualified human trafficking-related offense;
(2) the offense involved a sex trafficking victim who suffered bodily harm during the commission of the offense;
(3) the time period that a sex trafficking victim was held in debt bondage or forced labor or services exceeded 180 days; or
(4) the offense involved more than one sex trafficking victim.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.322, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. Solicitation,
inducement, and promotion of prostitution; sex trafficking in the second degree. Whoever, while acting other than as a
prostitute or patron, intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced
to imprisonment for not more than 15 20 years or to payment of a
fine of not more than $40,000, or both:
(1) solicits or induces an individual to practice prostitution;
(2) promotes the prostitution of an individual;
(3) receives profit, knowing or having reason to know that it is derived from the prostitution, or the promotion of the prostitution, of an individual; or
(4) engages in the sex trafficking of an individual.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.324, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Engaging in, hiring, or agreeing to hire minor to engage in prostitution; penalties. (a) Whoever intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 20 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $40,000, or both:
(1) engages in prostitution with an
individual under the age of 13 14 years;
(2) hires or offers or agrees to hire an
individual under the age of 13 14 years to engage in sexual
penetration or sexual contact; or
(3) hires or offers or agrees to hire an
individual who the actor reasonably believes to be under the age of 13 14
years to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact.
(b) Whoever intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both:
(1) engages in prostitution with an
individual under the age of 16 years but at least 13 14 years;
(2) hires or offers or agrees to hire an
individual under the age of 16 years but at least 13 14 years to
engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact; or
(3) hires or offers or agrees to hire an individual who the actor reasonably believes to be under the age of 16 years but at least 13 years to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact.
(c) Whoever intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both:
(1) engages in prostitution with an individual under the age of 18 years but at least 16 years;
(2) hires or offers or agrees to hire an individual under the age of 18 years but at least 16 years to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact; or
(3) hires or offers or agrees to hire an individual who the actor reasonably believes to be under the age of 18 years but at least 16 years to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.324, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Patrons
of prostitution in public place; penalty for patrons. (a) Whoever, while acting as a
patron, intentionally does any of the following while in a public place
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor:
(1) engages in prostitution with an individual 18 years of age or older; or
(2) hires, offers to hire, or agrees to hire an individual 18 years of age or older to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact.
Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 4, a person who is convicted of violating this subdivision must, at a minimum, be sentenced to pay a fine of at least $1,500.
(b) Whoever violates the
provisions of this subdivision within ten years of a previous conviction for
violating this section or section 609.322 is guilty of a felony and may be
sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine
of not more than $10,000, or both.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.324, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4. Community
service in lieu of minimum fine. The
court may order a person convicted of violating subdivision 2 or 3 to
perform community work service in lieu of all or a portion of the minimum fine
required under those subdivisions if the court makes specific, written findings
that the convicted person is indigent or that payment of the fine would create
undue hardship for the convicted person or that person's immediate family. Community work service ordered under this
subdivision is in addition to any mandatory community work service ordered
under subdivision 3.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.3241, is amended to read:
609.3241
PENALTY ASSESSMENT AUTHORIZED.
(a) When a court sentences an adult
convicted of violating section 609.27, 609.282, 609.283, 609.322, 609.324,
609.33, 609.352, 617.246, 617.247, or 617.293, while acting other than as a
prostitute, the court shall impose an assessment of not less than $500 and not
more than $750 for a misdemeanor violation of section 609.27, a violation of
section 609.324, subdivision 2, a misdemeanor violation of section 609.324,
subdivision 3, a violation of section 609.33, or a violation of section
617.293; otherwise the court shall impose an assessment of not less than $750
and not more than $1,000. The assessment
shall be distributed as provided in paragraph (c) and is in addition to the
surcharge required by section 357.021, subdivision 6.
(b) The court may not waive payment of the minimum assessment required by this section. If the defendant qualifies for the services of a public defender or the court finds on the record that the convicted person is indigent or that immediate payment of the assessment would create undue hardship for the convicted person or that person's immediate family, the court may reduce the amount of the minimum assessment to not less than $100. The court also may authorize payment of the assessment in installments.
(c) The assessment collected under paragraph (a) must be distributed as follows:
(1) 40 percent of the assessment shall be forwarded to the political subdivision that employs the arresting officer for use in enforcement, training, and education activities related to combating sexual exploitation of youth, or if the arresting officer is an employee of the state, this portion shall be forwarded to the commissioner of public safety for those purposes identified in clause (3);
(2) 20 percent of the assessment shall be forwarded to the prosecuting agency that handled the case for use in training and education activities relating to combating sexual exploitation activities of youth; and
(3) 40 percent of the assessment must be forwarded to the commissioner of health to be deposited in the safe harbor for youth account in the special revenue fund and are appropriated to the commissioner for distribution to crime victims services organizations that provide services to sexually exploited youth, as defined in section 260C.007, subdivision 31.
(d) A safe harbor for youth account is established as a special account in the state treasury.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.3455, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Mandatory life sentence without release; egregious first-time and repeat offenders. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c), notwithstanding the statutory maximum penalty otherwise applicable to the offense, the court shall sentence a person convicted under section 609.342, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), (d), (e), (f), or (h); or 609.343, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), (d), (e), (f), or (h), to life without the possibility of release if:
(1) the fact finder determines that two or more heinous elements exist; or
(2) the person has a previous sex offense conviction for a violation of section 609.342, 609.343, or 609.344, and the fact finder determines that a heinous element exists for the present offense.
(b) A fact finder may not consider a heinous element if it is an element of the underlying specified violation of section 609.342 or 609.343. In addition, when determining whether two or more heinous elements exist, the fact finder may not use the same underlying facts to support a determination that more than one element exists.
(c) The court shall sentence a person
who was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of an offense
described in paragraph (a) to imprisonment for life.
Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.3455, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. Life
sentences; minimum term of imprisonment.
At the time of sentencing under subdivision 3 or 4, the court shall
specify a minimum term of imprisonment, based on the sentencing guidelines or
any applicable mandatory minimum sentence, that must be served before the
offender may be considered for supervised release. If the offender was under 18 years of age
at the time of the commission of the offense, the minimum term of imprisonment
specified by the court shall not exceed 15 years.
Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.352, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4.
Penalty. A person convicted under subdivision 2 or
2a is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than
three five years, or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000
$10,000, or both.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.527, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Penalties. A person who violates subdivision 2 may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if the offense involves a single direct victim and the total, combined loss to the direct victim and any indirect victims is $250 or less, the person may be sentenced as provided in section 609.52, subdivision 3, clause (5);
(2) if the offense involves a single direct victim and the total, combined loss to the direct victim and any indirect victims is more than $250 but not more than $500, the person may be sentenced as provided in section 609.52, subdivision 3, clause (4);
(3) if the offense involves two or three direct victims or the total, combined loss to the direct and indirect victims is more than $500 but not more than $2,500, the person may be sentenced as provided in section 609.52, subdivision 3, clause (3);
(4) if the offense involves more than three
but not more than seven direct victims, or if the total combined loss to the
direct and indirect victims is more than $2,500, the person may be sentenced as
provided in section 609.52, subdivision 3, clause (2); and
(5) if the offense involves
eight or more direct victims;, or if the total, combined loss to
the direct and indirect victims is more than $35,000; or, the person
may be sentenced as provided in section 609.52, subdivision 3, clause (1);
and
(6) if the offense is related to
possession or distribution of pornographic work in violation of section 617.246
or 617.247;, the person may be sentenced as provided in section
609.52, subdivision 3, clause (1).
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.595, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a. Criminal
damage to property in the second degree.
(a) Whoever intentionally causes damage described in subdivision 2,
paragraph (a), because of the property owner's or another's actual or
perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability as defined
in section 363A.03, age, or national origin is guilty of a felony and may
be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and a day or to payment
of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both., if the damage:
(1) was committed in whole or in part
because of the property owner's or another's actual or perceived race, color,
ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
(2) was committed in whole or in part
because of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or
group of a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex,
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national
origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
(3) was motivated in whole or in part
by an intent to intimidate or harm an individual or group of individuals
because of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin,
or disability as defined in section 363A.03; or
(4) was motivated in whole or in part
by an intent to intimidate or harm an individual or group of individuals because
of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of
a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin,
or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
(b) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), the value of property damaged by the defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be aggregated and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or more offenses are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may be prosecuted in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the offenses aggregated under this paragraph.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.595, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Criminal damage to property in the third degree. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 1a, whoever intentionally causes damage to another person's physical property without the other person's consent may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if: (1) the damage reduces the value of the property by more than $500 but not more than $1,000 as measured by the cost of repair and replacement; or (2) the damage was to a public safety motor vehicle and the defendant knew the vehicle was a public safety motor vehicle.
(b) Whoever intentionally
causes damage to another person's physical property without the other person's
consent because of the property owner's or another's actual or perceived
race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability as defined in
section 363A.03, age, or national origin may be sentenced to imprisonment
for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or
both, if the damage reduces the value of the property by not more than $500.
and:
(1) was committed in whole or in part
because of the property owner's or another's actual or perceived race, color,
ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
(2) was committed in whole or in part
because of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or
group of a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex,
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national
origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
(3) was motivated in whole or in part by
an intent to intimidate or harm an individual or group of individuals because
of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or
disability as defined in section 363A.03; or
(4) was motivated in whole or in part by
an intent to intimidate or harm an individual or group of individuals because
of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of
a certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin,
or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
(c) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), clause (1), the value of property damaged by the defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be aggregated and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or more offenses are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may be prosecuted in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the offenses aggregated under this paragraph.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.605, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. Gross misdemeanor. Whoever trespasses upon the grounds of a facility providing emergency shelter services for battered women, as defined under section 611A.31, subdivision 3, or providing comparable services for sex trafficking victims, as defined under section 609.321, subdivision 7b, or of a facility providing transitional housing for battered women and their children or sex trafficking victims and their children, without claim of right or consent of one who has right to give consent, and refuses to depart from the grounds of the facility on demand of one who has right to give consent, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.66, subdivision 1e, is amended to read:
Subd. 1e. Felony;
drive-by shooting. (a) Whoever,
A person is guilty of a felony who, while in or having just exited from
a motor vehicle, recklessly discharges a firearm at or toward another:
(1) an unoccupied motor vehicle or a
building is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not
more than three years or to payment of a fine of not more than $6,000, or both.;
(2) an occupied motor vehicle or
building; or
(3) a person.
(b) Any person who violates
this subdivision by firing at or toward a person, or an occupied building or
motor vehicle, may be sentenced A person convicted under paragraph (a),
clause (1), may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years or
to payment of a fine of not more than $6,000, or both. A person convicted under paragraph (a),
clause (2) or (3), may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten
years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both.
(c) For purposes of this subdivision, "motor vehicle" has the meaning given in section 609.52, subdivision 1, and "building" has the meaning given in section 609.581, subdivision 2.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609.749, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Aggravated violations. (a) A person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both:
(1) commits any offense described in
subdivision 2 because of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race,
color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity, gender expression, age, national origin, or disability as defined
in section 363A.03, age, or national origin or because of the
victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of a
certain actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin,
or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
(2) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 by falsely impersonating another;
(3) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 and a dangerous weapon was used in any way in the commission of the offense;
(4) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 with intent to influence or otherwise tamper with a juror or a judicial proceeding or with intent to retaliate against a judicial officer, as defined in section 609.415, or a prosecutor, defense attorney, or officer of the court, because of that person's performance of official duties in connection with a judicial proceeding; or
(5) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under the age of 18, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim.
(b) A person who commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under the age of 18, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim, and the act is committed with sexual or aggressive intent, is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2021, and
applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 609A.01, is amended to read:
609A.01
EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS.
This chapter provides the grounds and procedures for expungement of criminal records under section 13.82; 152.18, subdivision 1; 299C.11, where expungement is automatic under section 609A.015, or a petition is authorized under section 609A.02, subdivision 3; or other applicable law. The remedy available is limited to a court order sealing the records and prohibiting the disclosure of their existence or their opening except under court order or statutory authority. Nothing in this chapter authorizes the destruction of records or their return to the subject of the records.
EFFECTIVE
DATE. This section is
effective August 1, 2023.
Sec. 37. [609A.015]
AUTOMATIC EXPUNGEMENT OF RECORDS.
Subdivision 1. Eligibility;
dismissal; exoneration. A
person who is the subject of a criminal record or delinquency record is
eligible for a grant of expungement relief without the filing of a petition:
(1) upon the dismissal and discharge of
proceedings against a person under section 152.18, subdivision 1, for violation
of section 152.024, 152.025, or 152.027 for possession of a controlled
substance;
(2) if the person was arrested and all
charges were dismissed prior to a determination of probable cause; or
(3) if all pending actions or
proceedings were resolved in favor of the person. For purposes of this chapter, a verdict of
not guilty by reason of mental illness is not a resolution in favor of the
person. For purposes of this chapter, an
action or proceeding is resolved in favor of the person if the petitioner
received an order under section 590.11 determining that the person is eligible
for compensation based on exoneration.
Subd. 2. Eligibility;
diversion and stay of adjudication. A
person is eligible for a grant of expungement relief if the person has
successfully completed the terms of a diversion program or stay of adjudication
and has not been petitioned or charged with a new crime for one year
immediately following completion of the diversion program or stay of
adjudication.
Subd. 3. Eligibility;
certain criminal and delinquency proceedings. (a) A person is eligible for a grant
of expungement relief if the person:
(1) was adjudicated delinquent for,
convicted of, or received a stayed sentence for a qualifying offense;
(2) has not been convicted of a new
crime in Minnesota during the applicable waiting period immediately following
discharge of the disposition or sentence for the crime;
(3) is not incarcerated or charged with
an offense in Minnesota at the time the person reaches the end of the
applicable waiting period; and
(4) has not been convicted of a new
crime in any other jurisdiction during the applicable waiting period
immediately following discharge of the disposition or sentence for the crime,
if the qualifying offense was a felony.
(b) As used in this subdivision,
"qualifying offense" means an adjudication, conviction, or stayed
sentence for:
(1) any petty misdemeanor offense other
than a violation of a traffic regulation relating to the operation or parking
of motor vehicles;
(2) any misdemeanor offense other than:
(i) section 169A.27 (fourth-degree
driving while impaired);
(ii) section 518B.01, subdivision 14
(violation of an order for protection);
(iii) section 609.224 (assault in the
fifth degree);
(iv) section 609.2242 (domestic
assault);
(v) section 609.748 (violation of a
harassment restraining order);
(vi) section 609.78 (interference with
emergency call);
(vii) section 609.79 (obscene
or harassing phone calls);
(viii) section 617.23 (indecent
exposure); or
(ix) section 629.75 (violation of
domestic abuse no contact order);
(3) any gross misdemeanor offense other
than:
(i) section 169A.25 (second-degree
driving while impaired);
(ii) section 169A.26 (third-degree
driving while impaired);
(iii) section 518B.01, subdivision 14
(violation of an order for protection);
(iv) section 609.2231 (assault in the
fourth degree);
(v) section 609.224 (assault in the
fifth degree);
(vi) section 609.2242 (domestic
assault);
(vii) section 609.233 (criminal
neglect);
(viii) section 609.3451 (criminal
sexual conduct in the fifth degree);
(ix) section 609.377 (malicious
punishment of child);
(x) section 609.485 (escape from
custody);
(xi) section 609.498 (tampering with
witness);
(xii) section 609.582, subdivision 4
(burglary in the fourth degree);
(xiii) section 609.746 (interference
with privacy);
(xiv) section 609.748 (violation of a
harassment restraining order);
(xv) section 609.749 (harassment;
stalking);
(xvi) section 609.78 (interference with
emergency call);
(xvii) section 617.23 (indecent
exposure);
(xviii) section 617.261 (nonconsensual
dissemination of private sexual images); or
(xix) section 629.75 (violation of
domestic abuse no contact order); and
(4) any of the following felony
offenses:
(i) section 152.025 (controlled
substance crime in the fifth degree);
(ii) section 152.097 (simulated
controlled substances);
(iii) section 256.98
(wrongfully obtaining assistance; theft);
(iv) section 256.984 (false declaration
in assistance application);
(v) any offense sentenced under section
609.52, subdivision 3, clause (3)(a) (theft of $5,000 or less);
(vi) any offense sentenced under
section 609.528, subdivision 3, clause (3) (possession or sale of stolen or counterfeit
check);
(vii) section 609.529 (mail theft);