SF 4649

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/24/2026 10:26 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to state government; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, by adding a section; exempting local governments and
school districts from state mandates unless funding is provided to comply with the
mandate; providing implementation language; authorizing contested case hearings;
requiring a report; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
465.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

ARTICLE 1

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED

Section 1. new text begin CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
new text end

new text begin An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment
is adopted, a section shall be added to article XI, to read:
new text end

new text begin Sec. 16. new text end

new text begin A local government or school district shall not be required to comply with a
state mandate until a state law is enacted that appropriates money in the amount
commensurate with the cost to comply with the mandate, except that a local government
or school district must comply with a state mandate if the law governs financial audit
requirements. The legislature may provide by law a process for the state to withhold
reasonable administrative fees.
new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section, a state mandate is any mandate that affects the daily operation
of a local government or school district, changes the allocation of a local government's or
school district's resources, or changes a local government's or school district's spending
priorities.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2026 general election.
The question submitted must be:
new text end

new text begin "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended, effective January 1, 2027, by adding a
section that exempts local governments and school districts from complying with state
mandates unless the state provides funding to pay for compliance with the mandate?
new text end

	new text begin Yes . new text end
	new text begin No . new text end	new text begin " new text end

new text begin (b) The title required under Minnesota Statutes, section 204D.15, subdivision 1, for the
question submitted to the people under paragraph (a) shall be "Local Governments Exempt
from Compliance with Unfunded Mandates."
new text end

ARTICLE 2

IMPLEMENTATION LANGUAGE

Section 1.

new text begin [465.793] EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN STATE MANDATES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Assertion of noncompliance. new text end

new text begin (a) Pursuant to the Minnesota Constitution,
article XI, section 16, a local government or school district may, by resolution, assert that
the local government or school district will not comply with a state mandate because the
legislature has not appropriated money in an amount commensurate with the cost to comply
with a mandate.
new text end

new text begin (b) Within 14 calendar days of passing a resolution described in paragraph (a), the local
government or school district must transmit a copy of the resolution to the commissioner
of management and budget. By January 15 of each calendar year, the commissioner must
report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives Ways
and Means Committee and the senate Finance Committee on the resolutions the commissioner
has received for the previous calendar year. The report must include copies of each resolution.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Contested case procedure. new text end

new text begin An agency, as defined in section 43A.02, with
jurisdiction to oversee or enforce a state mandate may initiate a contested case procedure
under chapter 14 to contest a local government's or school district's resolution that asserts
that the legislature did not appropriate money in an amount commensurate with the cost to
comply with the mandate in question.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective January 1, 2027, if the constitutional
amendment in article 1, section 1, is approved by the voters at the 2026 general election.
new text end