Constitutional amendment proposal for state debt for digital infrastructure authorization

A bill for an act

relating to state government; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota

Constitution, article XI, section 5; authorizing state debt for digital infrastructure.

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

Section 1.
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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
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An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment

is adopted, article XI, section 5, will read:

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Sec. 5.

Public debt may be contracted and works of internal improvements carried on

for the following purposes:

(a) to acquire and to better public land and buildings and other public improvements of

a capital nature and to provide money to be appropriated or loaned to any agency or political

subdivision of the state for such purposes if the law authorizing the debt is adopted by the

vote of at least three-fifths of the members of each house of the legislature;

(b) to repel invasion or suppress insurrection;

(c) to borrow temporarily as authorized in section 6;

(d) to refund outstanding bonds of the state or any of its agencies whether or not the full

faith and credit of the state has been pledged for the payment of the bonds;

(e) to establish and maintain highways subject to the limitations of article XIV;

(f) to promote forestation and prevent and abate forest fires, including the compulsory

clearing and improving of wild lands whether public or private;

(g) to construct, improve and operate airports and other air navigation facilities;

(h) to develop the state's agricultural resources by extending credit on real estate security

in the manner and on the terms and conditions prescribed by law;

(i) to improve and rehabilitate railroad rights-of-way and other rail facilities whether

public or private, provided that bonds issued and unpaid shall not at any time exceed

$200,000,000 par value;
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and
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(j) to purchase, install, maintain, and upgrade digital infrastructure, including hardware

and software systems, that are owned, leased, or used by state constitutional officers,

executive branch agencies, the legislature, legislative agencies, and the state courts; and

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(j)
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(k)
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as otherwise authorized in this constitution.

As authorized by law political subdivisions may engage in the works permitted by (f),

(g), and (i) and contract debt therefor.

Sec. 2.
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SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
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The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2026 general election.

The question submitted must be:

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"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to authorize the state to use general

obligation debt to improve the state's digital infrastructure?

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Yes

.

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No

.

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"

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