Chief justice security provided, base funding beginning in fiscal year 2028 redistributed, judicial branch funding provided, and money appropriated.

A bill for an act

relating to judiciary; providing security for the chief justice; redistributing base

funding beginning in fiscal year 2028; appropriating money for the judicial branch;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 1; Laws 2025,

chapter 35, article 1, sections 2; 4; 5.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Members, powers, and duties.

(a) The commissioner is hereby authorized

to employ and designate a chief supervisor, a chief assistant supervisor, and such assistant

supervisors, sergeants and officers as are provided by law, who shall comprise the Minnesota

State Patrol.

(b) The members of the Minnesota State Patrol shall have the power and authority:

(1) as peace officers to enforce the provisions of the law relating to the protection of

and use of trunk highways;

(2) at all times to direct all traffic on trunk highways in conformance with law, and in

the event of a fire or other emergency, or to expedite traffic or to insure safety, to direct

traffic on other roads as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of law;

(3) to serve search warrants related to criminal motor vehicle and traffic violations and

arrest warrants, and legal documents anywhere in the state;

(4) to serve orders of the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's duly

authorized agents issued under the provisions of the Driver's License Law, the Safety

Responsibility Act, or relating to authorized brake- and light-testing stations, anywhere in

the state and to take possession of any license, permit, or certificate ordered to be surrendered;

(5) to inspect official brake and light adjusting stations;

(6) to make appearances anywhere within the state for the purpose of conducting traffic

safety educational programs and school bus clinics;

(7) to exercise upon all trunk highways the same powers with respect to the enforcement

of laws relating to crimes, as sheriffs and police officers;

(8) to cooperate, under instructions and rules of the commissioner of public safety, with

all sheriffs and other police officers anywhere in the state, provided that said employees

shall have no power or authority in connection with strikes or industrial disputes;

(9) to assist and aid any peace officer whose life or safety is in jeopardy;

(10) as peace officers to provide security and protection to the governor, governor elect,

either or both houses of the legislature, and state buildings or property in the manner and

to the extent determined to be necessary after consultation with the governor, or a designee.

Pursuant to this clause, members of the State Patrol, acting as peace officers have the same

powers with respect to the enforcement of laws relating to crimes, as sheriffs and police

officers have within their respective jurisdictions;

(11) to inspect school buses anywhere in the state for the purposes of determining

compliance with vehicle equipment, pollution control, and registration requirements;

(12) as peace officers to make arrests for public offenses committed in their presence

anywhere within the state. Persons arrested for violations other than traffic violations shall

be referred forthwith to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for further investigation

or disposition;
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and
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(13) to enforce the North American uniform out-of-service criteria and issue

out-of-service orders, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 383.5
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.
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;

and
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(14) as peace officers to provide security and protection to the chief justice in the manner

and to the extent determined to be necessary after consultation with the chief justice or a

designee. Pursuant to this clause, members of the State Patrol acting as peace officers have

the same powers with respect to the enforcement of laws relating to crimes as sheriffs and

police officers have within their respective jurisdictions.

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(c) After consultation with the governor or a designee, the commissioner may require

the State Patrol to provide security and protection to supreme court justices, legislators, and

constitutional officers other than the governor, for a limited period and within the limits of

existing resources, in response to a credible threat on the individual's life or safety.

(d) The state may contract for State Patrol members to render the services described in

this section in excess of their regularly scheduled duty hours and patrol members rendering

such services shall be compensated in such amounts, manner and under such conditions as

the agreement provides.

(e) Employees thus employed and designated shall subscribe an oath.

Sec. 2.

Laws 2025, chapter 35, article 1, section 2, is amended to read:

Sec. 2.
SUPREME COURT

$

54,597,000

$

50,597,000

(a)
Contingent Account

$5,000 each year is for a contingent account

for expenses necessary for the normal

operation of the court for which no other

reimbursement is provided.

(b)
Justice Partner Access

$4,000,000 the first year is to improve justice

partner access to documents and court

information. This appropriation is available

until June 30, 2029.

(c)
Base Adjustment

The general fund base shall be
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$50,821,000
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$51,636,000
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beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Sec. 3.

Laws 2025, chapter 35, article 1, section 4, is amended to read:

Sec. 4.
COURT OF APPEALS

$

15,624,000

$

15,624,000

Base Adjustment

The general fund base shall be
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$15,794,000
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$15,871,000
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beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Sec. 4.

Laws 2025, chapter 35, article 1, section 5, is amended to read:

Sec. 5.
DISTRICT COURTS

$

396,395,000

$

396,396,000

(a)
Forensic Examiner Rate Increase

$2,685,000 each year is to increase the hourly

rate paid to forensic examiners.

(b)
Base Adjustment

The general fund base shall be
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$403,810,000
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$402,918,000
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beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Sec. 5.
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SUPREME COURT APPROPRIATIONS.
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Subdivision 1.

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Paid leave.

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$87,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $173,000 in fiscal year 2027

are appropriated from the general fund to the supreme court to fund the employer portion

of the Minnesota paid leave program. The appropriation for fiscal year 2026 is available

until July 1, 2027. This appropriation is added to the base beginning in fiscal year 2028.

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Subd. 2.

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Safety and security.

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$529,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the

general fund to the supreme court to implement safety and security measures. $488,000 is

added to the base beginning in fiscal year 2028.

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Subd. 3.

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Safe and secure courthouse initiative.

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$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 is

appropriated from the general fund to the supreme court for a competitive grant program

for courthouse safety and security improvements. Grants may be awarded to governmental

entities to fund courthouse security assessments, equipment, technology, construction, or

training needs. Grant recipients must provide a 50 percent nonstate match. This is a onetime

appropriation and is available until June 30, 2029.

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Sec. 6.
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COURT OF APPEALS APPROPRIATIONS.
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Subdivision 1.

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Paid leave.

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$23,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $46,000 in fiscal year 2027

are appropriated from the general fund to the court of appeals to fund the employer portion

of the Minnesota paid leave program. The appropriation for fiscal year 2026 is available

until July 1, 2027. This appropriation is added to the base beginning in fiscal year 2028.

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Subd. 2.

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Safety and security.

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$82,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the

general fund to the court of appeals to implement safety and security measures. $53,000 is

added to the base beginning in fiscal year 2028.

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Sec. 7.
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DISTRICT COURTS APPROPRIATIONS.
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Subdivision 1.

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Paid leave.

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$534,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,068,000 in fiscal year

2027 are appropriated from the general fund to the district courts to fund the employer

portion of the Minnesota paid leave program. The appropriation for fiscal year 2026 is

available until July 1, 2027. This appropriation is added to the base beginning in fiscal year

2028.

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Subd. 2.

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Safety and security.

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$1,276,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the

general fund to the district courts to implement safety and security measures. $824,000 is

added to the base beginning in fiscal year 2028.

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Sec. 8.
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EFFECTIVE DATE.
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Sections 1 to 7 are effective the day following final enactment.

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