Minnesota Session Laws - 2025, 1st Special Session

CHAPTER 14--H.F.No. 17

An act

relating to capital investment; authorizing spending to acquire and better land and buildings and for other improvements of a capital nature with certain conditions; establishing and modifying programs; modifying requirements for certain projects and procedures; canceling prior appropriations; appropriating money;

amending Laws 2023, chapter 71, article 1, section 7; Laws 2025, chapter 39, article 2, section 67; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 240A.20.

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

Section 1. new text begin CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS. new text end

new text begin (a) The sums shown in the column under "Appropriations" are appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2026 to the state agencies or officials indicated, to be spent for public purposes. These are onetime appropriations. Unless otherwise specified, money appropriated in this act is subject to paragraphs (b) to (e) of this section. new text end

new text begin (b) For any project funded in whole or in part by this act, workers on the project must be paid at least the prevailing wage rate as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 177.42, subdivision 6, and the project is subject to the requirements and enforcement provisions in Minnesota Statutes, sections 177.27, 177.30, 177.32, and 177.41 to 177.45. For the purposes of this paragraph, "project" means demolition, erection, construction, remodeling, or repairing of a public building, facility, or other public work financed in whole or part by state funds. Project also includes demolition, erection, construction, remodeling, or repairing of a building, facility, or public work when the acquisition of property, predesign, design, or demolition is financed in whole or in part by state funds. new text end

new text begin (c) Money appropriated in this act: (1) is available for a grant after the commissioner of management and budget determines that an amount sufficient to complete the project as described in this act has been committed to the project, as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.502; (2) may be used to pay state agency staff costs that are attributed directly to the capital program or project for capitalizable staff costs; and (3) is available until the project is completed or abandoned, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642. new text end

new text begin (d) The sustainable building guidelines under Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.325, are mandatory for all new buildings and major renovations owned or to be owned by the state, state agencies, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and the University of Minnesota that are funded with an appropriation in this act. new text end

new text begin (e) Recipients of grants from money appropriated in this act must demonstrate to the commissioner of the agency making the grant that the recipient has the ability and a plan to fund the program intended for the facility. This paragraph does not apply to state agencies. new text end

new text begin APPROPRIATIONS new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin EDUCATION new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 1,000,000 new text end

new text begin (a) To the commissioner of education for law enforcement emergency entry device grants at schools. new text end

new text begin (b) For purposes of this section: new text end

new text begin (1) "eligible applicant" means a special or independent school district, a charter school, or a cooperative unit serving students; and new text end

new text begin (2) "law enforcement emergency entry device" means an exterior secure master key box meeting Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037 installed at the school building in accordance with the eligible applicant's crisis management policy. new text end

new text begin (c) An eligible applicant may apply to the commissioner of education in the form and manner specified by the commissioner for a law enforcement emergency entry device grant for each of the applicant's school buildings regularly serving students. The maximum grant per building is $1,000. new text end

new text begin (d) If the commissioner receives more applications for grants than money is available, the commissioner must first award one grant to each eligible applicant, and then award remaining money as grants to applicants on a lottery basis. new text end

new text begin (e) An eligible applicant receiving a grant under this section must update its crisis management policy to include the necessary information on its law enforcement emergency entry devices. new text end

new text begin (f) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be retained by the agency for administrative costs. new text end

new text begin (g) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2028. new text end

new text begin (h) Notwithstanding the requirements in section 1, paragraphs (b) to (e), grants from this appropriation are subject to grant requirements in Minnesota Statutes, sections 16B.97 and 16B.98. new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin ADMINISTRATION new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Total Appropriation new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 1,325,000 new text end

new text begin To the commissioner of administration for the purposes specified in this section. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Hubert H. Humphrey Statue new text end

new text begin 325,000 new text end

new text begin To replace the statue of Henry Mower Rice in the Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol with a statue of Hubert H. Humphrey. This appropriation includes money for the removal and transportation of the Henry Mower Rice statue in coordination with the Minnesota State Historical Society, the recasting of the statue of Hubert H. Humphrey that currently stands on the mall of the Minnesota State Capitol, and the erection of the new Hubert H. Humphrey statue in the Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. This appropriation is not an appropriation for a capital improvement project within the meaning of Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, notwithstanding the requirements in section 1, paragraphs (b) to (e). new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Capitol Area Economic Development Grant Program new text end

new text begin 1,000,000 new text end

new text begin (a) For a grant to the St. Paul Port Authority for the creation of a Capitol Area economic development grant program, for the purpose of making grants to new and existing businesses within the Capitol Area in the amount of $50,000 to $150,000 for operating equipment, facade, and other capital improvements with up to ten percent eligible for administration of the program. new text end

new text begin (b) As used in this section, "Capitol Area" includes that part of the city of St. Paul within the boundaries described in Minnesota Statutes, section 15B.02. new text end

new text begin (c) Notwithstanding the requirements in section 1, paragraphs (b) to (e), the grant from this appropriation is subject to grant requirements in Minnesota Statutes, sections 16B.97 and 16B.98. new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin PUBLIC SAFETY new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 500,000 new text end

new text begin To the commissioner of public safety for the public safety officer hearing protection program. This appropriation is not an appropriation for a capital improvement project within the meaning of Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, notwithstanding the requirements in section 1, paragraphs (b) to (e). new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 1,000,000 new text end

new text begin To the commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to the city of Minneapolis for the Center for Communication and Development for operational and facility support to facilitate the Center for Communication and Development's investment and expansion in the city of Minneapolis. Notwithstanding the requirements in section 1, paragraphs (c) to (e), the grant from this appropriation is subject to grant requirements in Minnesota Statutes, sections 16B.97 to 16B.98. new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin PUBLIC FACILITIES AUTHORITY new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 3,500,000 new text end

new text begin To the Public Facilities Authority for a grant to the First District Association, a dairy cooperative located in the city of Litchfield, to acquire land for, and to design, engineer, construct, equip, and furnish a new wastewater industrial pretreatment facility in the city of Litchfield. This appropriation is in addition to the appropriation in Laws 2023, chapter 71, article 1, section 15, subdivision 7, and Laws 2025, chapter 34, article 1, section 2, subdivision 4, and is for the same purpose. new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 2,439,000 new text end

new text begin To the Minnesota Housing Finance Authority for the local public housing program under Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.44. new text end

Sec. 8. new text begin MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 750,000 new text end

new text begin To the Minnesota Historical Society for a grant to the Minnesota Transportation Museum to construct capital improvements to the Minnesota Transportation Museum in the city of St. Paul, including replacing the roof, stabilizing masonry, replacing the roundhouse doors, installing insulation, and making modifications to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. new text end

Sec. 9.

new text begin [462A.44] LOCAL PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin A local public housing program is established for the agency to award funding to allow eligible recipients to develop or acquire housing to be owned by the recipient. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Creation of accounts. new text end

new text begin Two local public housing program accounts are created. One account is created in the housing development fund and one account is created in the bond proceeds fund. Money in the accounts is appropriated to the commissioner to award funding under this section. Money in the local public housing program account in the housing development fund consists of money appropriated to the account and transferred from other sources and all earnings from money in the account, including repayments on loans awarded under this section. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligible recipient. new text end

new text begin (a) A city, as defined in section 462C.02, subdivision 6, or a county is eligible to apply for and receive a grant from either account established in subdivision 2. new text end

new text begin (b) A federally recognized American Indian Tribe or a Tribally designated housing entity is eligible to apply for and receive a loan from the local public housing program account in the housing development fund. new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Use of funds; program requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) An eligible recipient must use money awarded under this section for qualifying capital costs, including predesign, design, property acquisition, construction, furnishing, and equipping of property, for use as housing, and must maintain ownership of housing funded under this section for at least 50 years after receipt of the funding. new text end

new text begin (b) In a multifamily property funded under this section, at least 30 percent of the units must be occupied by households whose income, at the time of application or initial lease agreement, does not exceed 50 percent of the area median income as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as adjusted for household size, and at least 30 percent of the units must be occupied by households whose income, at the time of application or initial lease agreement, does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as adjusted for household size. At the time of application or initial lease agreement, no household moving into a multifamily property funded under this section may have an income greater than 400 percent of the area median income as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as adjusted for household size. new text end

new text begin (c) In single-family property funded under this section, the homes must be occupied by households with incomes not exceeding 80 percent of the area median income as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as adjusted for household size. new text end

new text begin (d) An eligible recipient may act as a community land trust with respect to single-family property funded through the local public housing program account in the housing development fund, provided that the recipient meets the requirements applying to a city acting as a community land trust under sections 462A.30 and 462A.31. new text end

new text begin (e) Lease agreements with tenants in housing funded under this section must include all applicable tenant protections included in public housing lease agreements. new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Operation of local public housing. new text end

new text begin (a) An eligible recipient may enter into a lease or management agreement for operation of housing funded under this section. A lease or management agreement for state bond-financed property is subject to section 16A.695, subdivision 2. new text end

new text begin (b) Except when money received from the operation of the housing is pledged for repayment of the awarded funds, a recipient may use the money only for the purposes in subdivision 4, paragraph (a), for affordable housing in the recipient's jurisdiction. new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin (a) To the extent practicable: new text end

new text begin (1) the agency must make funding available so that an approximately equal number of housing units are financed in the metropolitan area and in the nonmetropolitan area; new text end

new text begin (2) the agency must fund projects that include accessible units, as defined in section 1002 of the current State Building Code Accessibility Provisions for Dwelling Units in Minnesota; and new text end

new text begin (3) the agency must provide technical assistance to eligible recipients seeking to apply for funding under this section and eligible recipients that have been awarded funding under this section. new text end

new text begin (b) Money in the local public housing program account in the bond proceeds fund must be awarded as grants. Money in the local public housing development fund must be awarded as loans. The commissioner must operate the local public housing program account in the housing development fund as a revolving loan fund. new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin Beginning January 15, 2026, and each year thereafter, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over housing finance and capital investment specifying the projects that received funding under this section in the prior fiscal year. new text end

Sec. 10.

Laws 2023, chapter 71, article 1, section 7, is amended to read:

Sec. 7. AMATEUR SPORTS deleted text begin COMMISSION deleted text end new text begin SUPPORT new text end

$

4,000,000

(a) To the deleted text begin Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission deleted text end new text begin commissioner of employment and economic development new text end for grants to cities, towns, counties, park boards, and school districts for the planning and building of public skate parks deleted text begin under Minnesota Statutes, section 240A.20, subdivision 3, deleted text end with the assistance of the nonprofit consultant hired under paragraph deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (j) new text end .

new text begin (b) Of this amount, $550,000 is for a grant to the city of Winona for site preparation; construction of a public multiuse street park for skateboarding, in-line skating, roller skating, and bmx and scooter riding; and site amenities, including public restrooms, a drinking fountain, a gazebo, shade canopies, a mural, a skate sculpture, picnic tables, and landscaping. new text end

new text begin (c) Of this amount, $500,000 is for a grant to the city of Northfield to update the predesign plan for, and to design and construct, phase II of the skate park in Memorial Park in the city of Northfield. new text end

new text begin (d) Of this amount, $400,000 is for a grant to the city of Minnetonka to design and construct a skate park and associated park elements at Glen Lake Park in the city of Minnetonka. This appropriation may be used to demolish existing structures on the site. new text end

new text begin (e) Of this amount, $750,000 is for a grant to the city of Brainerd for design and construction of a skate park in Memorial Park in the city of Brainerd. new text end

new text begin (f) Of this amount, $650,000 is for a grant to the city of Rochester to design and construct the expansion and renovation of the skate park at Silver Lake Park in the city of Rochester. new text end

new text begin (g) Of this amount, $500,000 is for a grant to the city of St. Paul to design and construct the expansion and renovation of the Merriam Park Skatepark for skateboarding, rollerblading, and bicycles in the city of St. Paul. This appropriation is not available until the St. Paul City Council approves this project in its master plan for Merriam Park after soliciting public input. new text end

new text begin (h) Of this amount, $250,000 is for a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to construct a skate park at the Central Gym Park in the city of Minneapolis. new text end

new text begin (i) Of this amount, $400,000 is for a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to construct a skate park at Folwell Park in North Minneapolis. new text end

deleted text begin (b) Of this appropriation, up to $100,000 may be used to hire a Minnesota nonprofit consultant deleted text end new text begin (j) In addition to the project uses listed in this section, up to four percent of each of the grant amounts in paragraphs (b) to (i) may be used by the grantee to contract with an entity new text end with expertise in public skate park development deleted text begin to assist the commission in developing and applying the criteria for awarding grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 240A.20, subdivision 3 deleted text end new text begin for predesign and design work to ensure the parks are constructed to meet high quality standards and are safe and accessible new text end .

new text begin (k) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the appropriation for grants in this section is available until December 31, 2029. new text end

new text begin (l) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 471.345, grantees may solicit and award a design-build or construction manager at risk contract on the basis of a best value selection process for a construction project funded under this section. The grantee must consider at least two proposals when awarding a design-build contract under this section. new text end

Sec. 11.

Laws 2025, chapter 39, article 2, section 67, the effective date, is amended to read:

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective deleted text begin the day after the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate jointly notify the revisor of statutes and the commissioner of administration that the state has satisfied the requirements for a statue replacement request under United States Code, title 2, chapter 30, section 2132 deleted text end new text begin July 1, 2025 new text end .

Sec. 12.

new text begin PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER HEARING PROTECTION PROGRAM. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given: new text end

new text begin (1) "commissioner" means the commissioner of public safety; new text end

new text begin (2) "firefighter" means a volunteer, paid on-call, part-time, or career firefighter serving a general population within the boundaries of the state; new text end

new text begin (3) "hearing protection product" means a commercial off-the-shelf, multiuse, completely in the canal hearing protection product with a minimum noise reduction rating of 25 decibels and a maximum output of 80 decibels; new text end

new text begin (4) "peace officer" means a person who is licensed under Minnesota Statutes, section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c); new text end

new text begin (5) "public safety officer" means a peace officer, firefighter, or qualified emergency medical service provider; and new text end

new text begin (6) "qualified emergency medical service provider" means a person certified under Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.28, who is actively employed by a Minnesota licensed ambulance service. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin State and local eligibility. new text end

new text begin Public safety officers and heads of agencies and entities who buy hearing protection products for public safety officer employees may request hearing protection products from the commissioner on a form prepared by the commissioner. While the supply lasts, the commissioner must make hearing protection products available to qualified applicants at no cost in the order the applications are received. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Limitation of liability. new text end

new text begin A state agency, political subdivision of the state, state or local government employee, or other entity that provides a public safety officer with a hearing protection product under this section is not liable to the public safety officer or public safety officer's heirs for negligence in the death of or injury to the public safety officer because the hearing protection product was defective or deficient. new text end

Sec. 13.

new text begin NATIONAL STATUARY HALL; HUBERT H. HUMPHREY STATUE. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Legislative findings. new text end

new text begin The legislature finds that: new text end

new text begin (1) an act of Congress of July 2, 1864, established National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol; new text end

new text begin (2) the act provides that each state has the right to donate "statues, in marble or bronze, not exceeding two in number for each State, of deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or military services..."; new text end

new text begin (3) the state of Minnesota appreciates the opportunity provided by that act; new text end

new text begin (4) Minnesota currently has contributed for display a statue of Maria Sanford and a statue of Henry Mower Rice; new text end

new text begin (5) the act of Congress creating Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol was amended in 2000 by section 311 of H.R. 5657, established as law by Public Law 106-554, and provides that "Any State may request the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to approve the replacement of a statue the State has provided for display"; new text end

new text begin (6) the statue of Henry Mower Rice, having been first placed on display in 1916, has met the minimum requirement of that act for display for at least ten years; new text end

new text begin (7) by this section, the state has selected the Honorable Hubert H. Humphrey, former Vice President of the United States, to be newly commemorated; new text end

new text begin (8) Hubert H. Humphrey served as mayor of Minneapolis from 1945 to 1948; new text end

new text begin (9) Hubert H. Humphrey led forces at the 1948 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in support of the successful minority platform plank on civil rights and equal opportunity, challenging the delegates to "get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights"; new text end

new text begin (10) Hubert H. Humphrey spent a total of 23 years of service in the United States Senate, serving from 1949 to 1964 and from 1970 to 1978, compiling a record of accomplishments virtually unmatched in the 20th century, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, Medicare, human rights, workforce development, labor rights, health care, arms control and disarmament, the Peace Corps, small business assistance, education reform, wilderness preservation, immigration reform, and agriculture; new text end

new text begin (11) Hubert H. Humphrey served in the United States Senate as Assistant Senate Majority Leader and Deputy President Pro Tempore; new text end

new text begin (12) Hubert H. Humphrey served as floor leader during consideration of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was essential to the eventual passage of the act in the aftermath of breaking the filibuster against this historic legislation; new text end

new text begin (13) Hubert H. Humphrey worked alongside former University of Minnesota law student and Republican Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen to build a bipartisan coalition to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964; new text end

new text begin (14) Hubert H. Humphrey, although dedicated to the Democratic Party, always sought bipartisan support for his legislative goals and routinely shared credit with other senators for his legislative victories; new text end

new text begin (15) Hubert H. Humphrey, as Vice President of the United States, loyally served President Lyndon Baines Johnson and successfully carried out a number of domestic and overseas assignments; new text end

new text begin (16) Hubert H. Humphrey served as the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States in 1968; new text end

new text begin (17) Hubert H. Humphrey was reelected by the people of Minnesota, in 1970 and 1976, to two additional terms in the United States Senate, thereby continuing his extraordinary record of legislative achievement with passage of such bills as the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act; new text end

new text begin (18) Hubert H. Humphrey, after his time in government, later served as a professor at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota; and new text end

new text begin (19) the state of Minnesota understands its responsibilities for expenditures associated with removing and transporting the replaced statue and erecting the new statue in its place. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Request for statue replacement. new text end

new text begin No later than January 1, 2028, the governor must submit to the Architect of the United States Capitol a written request to provide a recast of the statue of Hubert H. Humphrey that currently stands on the mall of the Minnesota State Capitol for placement in the National Statuary Hall Collection, to replace the statue of Henry Mower Rice currently on display. The request must identify the location where the statue of Henry Mower Rice will be displayed after it is transferred back to the state; include an authenticated copy of this act as evidence that the replacement has been authorized; and provide any other information required by Public Law 106-554 and any other applicable federal law that is necessary for the application to be approved by the Joint Committee on the Library of the United States Congress. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Duties upon approval of request. new text end

new text begin If the request is approved, the governor must enter into all contracts necessary to: new text end

new text begin (1) complete, transport, display, and maintain the statue representing Hubert H. Humphrey; new text end

new text begin (2) remove and transport the Henry Mower Rice statue to the state and complete its transfer to the Rice County Board of Commissioners for display in a suitable location determined by the board; and new text end

new text begin (3) comply with all other state obligations required by Public Law 106-554 and any other applicable federal law related to the statue replacement. new text end

Sec. 14.

new text begin GENERAL FUND CANCELLATIONS. new text end

new text begin The amounts of the general fund appropriations listed in the cancellation report submitted to the legislature in 2025, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, with the exception of appropriations that are extended in legislation finally enacted in the 2025 First Special Session, are canceled on the effective date of this section. new text end

Sec. 15.

new text begin REPEALER. new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 240A.20, new text end new text begin is repealed. new text end

Sec. 16.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This act is effective the day following final enactment. new text end

Presented to the governor June 12, 2025

Signed by the governor June 14, 2025, 10:31 a.m.