HF 554

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/05/2025 12:18pm

A bill for an act
relating to local government; requiring counties and cities to have written
procedures that are available to the public; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 471.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [471.199] POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Requirement to maintain policies and operations manuals. new text end

new text begin (a) A
county, home rule charter city, or statutory city must have clear operating policies,
procedures, forms, deadlines, due dates, or payment requirements relating to each duty or
operation of the county or city on file in the applicable county or city office. The information
must be contained in one or more policies and operations manuals, and these manuals must
be available for employee training and reference and for inspection by the public at the
applicable office. A county or city may also publish the manuals on a county or city website.
If the manuals are published on a website, the website must include the physical location
where the hard copies of the manuals are available. If the manuals are not published on a
website, the manuals must be available at the city clerk's office or a county office designated
by the county board.
new text end

new text begin (b) If the information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) relates to the payment
of a fee or assessment, the manuals provided by the county or city must include any required
forms and all other payment information, including any information or instructions required
to complete a form, the due dates of payments, any other requirements, and the consequences
of a late payment or nonpayment of the fee or assessment.
new text end

new text begin (c) If the information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) includes a law
enforcement procedure relating to investigations or similar activities, a county or city must
include the procedure only if approved by the chief law enforcement officer of the county
or city. In the absence of a chief law enforcement officer, a county or city must include the
law enforcement procedure only if approved by at least two other law enforcement officers
delegated with decision-making authority by a county or city official.
new text end

new text begin (d) The information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) does not include
information that is classified as not public data, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision
8a.
new text end

new text begin (e) This section does not apply to a home rule charter or statutory city with a population
of 10,000 or less, or a county with a population of less than 40,000.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Each duty or operation of the county or city" means: (1) the implementation of laws,
ordinances, resolutions, and regulations; (2) the provision of services; (3) licensing
requirements; (4) fees or assessments; (5) administrative and financial operating procedures,
including budget and personnel procedures; and (6) any other similar duties or operations.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Fee or assessment" means any money, including penalties and interest, charged by
the county or city for a service, license, permit, use, record, or privilege that is to be paid
directly to the county or city. Fee or assessment includes child support obligations, recording
taxes and fees, and similar charges for which the county acts as an agent of the state. Fee
or assessment also includes special assessments and any money charged for services that
may become a lien or tax assessed on real property by the county or city. Fee or assessment
does not include property taxes under chapters 272 to 287, except as stated in this paragraph.
new text end