Plain English Breakdown
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
HF4704 • 2026
Local governments and school districts exempted from state mandates unless funding is provided to comply with the mandate, implementation language provided, contested case hearings authorized, report required, and constitutional amendment proposed.
Local governments and school districts exempted from state mandates unless funding is provided to comply with the mandate, implementation language provided, contested case hearings authorized, report required, and constitutional amendment proposed.
Education
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-03-26
House
Author added Duran
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2026-03-25
House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Education Finance
Official Summary Text
Local governments and school districts exempted from state mandates unless funding is provided to comply with the mandate, implementation language provided, contested case hearings authorized, report required, and constitutional amendment proposed.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
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