Hennepin County medical examiner selection procedures modified, Independent School District No. 535, Rochester school board procedure modified, and economic interest disclosure required for park district board candidates.

A bill for an act

relating to elections; modifying certain selection procedures for the Hennepin

County medical examiner; modifying school board procedure for Independent

School District No. 535; requiring economic interest disclosure for certain park

district board candidates; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383B.041,

by adding a subdivision; 390.0065; Laws 1969, chapter 193, section 3, as amended.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383B.041, is amended by adding a subdivision

to read:

new text begin

Subd. 6.

new text end

new text begin

Economic interest disclosure; Three Rivers Park District.

new text end

new text begin

A candidate for

park district board of commissioners in Three Rivers Park District must file an original

statement of economic interest with Hennepin County within 14 days of the end of the

candidate filing period. An elected official in Three Rivers Park District must file the annual

statement required in section 10A.09, subdivision 6, with Hennepin County for each year

the individual remains in office. An original statement and annual statement must contain

the information listed in section 10A.09, subdivision 5. The provisions of section 10A.09,

subdivisions 6a, 7, and 9, apply to statements required by this subdivision.

new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 390.0065, is amended to read:

390.0065 HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER; SELECTION AND

TERM.

Hennepin County shall use the following procedure to select the Hennepin County

medical examiner: the Hennepin County Board shall designate three
deleted text begin
licensed physicians
deleted text end
new text begin

individuals
new text end
who shall constitute a Medical Examiner Board. One member shall be a
deleted text begin
dean

or professor of the Department of Pathology of a Class A medical school as designated by

the American Medical Association. Another
deleted text end
new text begin
professor of pathology in the Department of

Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Minnesota. The second
new text end
member

of the board shall be a
deleted text begin
member of the Minnesota Society of Pathologists
deleted text end
new text begin
pathologist practicing

at Hennepin Healthcare
new text end
. The third member shall be
deleted text begin
designated by the Hennepin County

Medical Association from its membership
deleted text end
new text begin
the director of medical examiner operations at

the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office
new text end
. The Medical Examiner Board shall accept

applications for the position of Hennepin County medical examiner when a vacancy exists

in the office. Applications
deleted text begin
therefore
deleted text end
shall be considered from doctors of medicine who are:

(1) graduates of a medical school recognized by the American Medical Association or

American Osteopathic Association
deleted text begin
,
deleted text end
new text begin
;
new text end
(2) members in good standing in the medical profession
deleted text begin
,
deleted text end
new text begin
;
new text end

(3) eligible for
deleted text begin
appointment to the staff of the Hennepin County Medical Center,
deleted text end
new text begin
a license

to practice medicine in Minnesota;
new text end
and (4)
deleted text begin
certified or eligible for certification
deleted text end
new text begin
board-certified
new text end

in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology. The Medical Examiner Board

shall review the qualifications of the applicants
deleted text begin
and shall
deleted text end
new text begin
,
new text end
rank the applicants deemed

qualified for the position
new text begin
,
new text end
and provide to the county board a report of the
deleted text begin
seven highest

ranked
deleted text end
applicants together with their qualifications. The county board shall appoint a county

medical examiner from those listed in the report. The term of the examiner shall continue

for four years from the date of appointment. Reappointment shall be made at least 90 days

prior to the expiration of the term. If a vacancy requires a temporary appointment, the board

of commissioners shall appoint a medical doctor on the staff of the county medical examiner's

office to assume the duties of the medical examiner until an appointment can be made in

compliance with the specified selection procedure. Actual and necessary expenses of the

Medical Examiner Board shall be paid in accordance with sections
471.38
to
471.415
.

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 1969, chapter 193, section 3, as amended by Laws 1974, chapter 235, section

1, and Laws 1980, chapter 371, section 1, is amended to read:

Sec. 3.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 535; ELECTIONS.

deleted text begin

Election districts may at any time be established in the manner provided by this act or

the board of education of the district may by resolution at any time provide that the board

members be elected at large. If the members are elected at large the notice of election should

include substantially the following form:

deleted text end

deleted text begin

"Position number 3 and Position number 5 are to be filled by election. Candidates may

not file for more than one position."

deleted text end

deleted text begin

If the members are elected at large the ballots shall read as follows:

deleted text end

deleted text begin

"For school board position number 3 of Independent School District Number 535" or

"For school board position number 5 of Independent School District Number 535."

deleted text end

deleted text begin

The names of the candidates for each seat shall be rotated on the ballots to avoid any

appearance of preference for incumbents, and incumbency shall not be indicated on the

ballot.

deleted text end

deleted text begin

Newly elected school board members shall take office at the next regularly scheduled

meeting of the board following receipt of their certificates of election and notwithstanding

section 123.34, subdivision 1, the board may organize at that meeting rather than at the time

required by section 123.34, subdivision 1. If the school district changes from election by

district to election at large or from election at large to election by district incumbents shall

serve the entire terms to which they were elected under the prior system. If the school district

changes from election by district to election at large incumbents shall be assigned by lot to

the numbered positions.

deleted text end

new text begin

School board elections for Independent School District No. 535, Rochester, shall be

conducted in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 205A. Notwithstanding Minnesota

Statutes, section 205A.12, the district may alter its organization into separate election districts

for the purpose of election of board members using the procedures provided in that section.

School board membership shall be governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.09.

new text end

Sec. 4.
new text begin
SPECIAL LAW.
new text end

new text begin

Section 3 is a special law enacted pursuant to the Minnesota Constitution, article XII,

section 2, and applies to Independent School District No. 535, Rochester.

new text end

Sec. 5.
new text begin
EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin

Section 3 is effective upon approval by the governing body of Independent School

District No. 535 and compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2

and 3, for school district elections held after completion of local approval. The local approval

process must be completed by June 30, 2026, to apply to 2026 school district elections.

new text end