In This Issue:
- Metro Cities Annual Meeting – Mark Your Calendar!
- Save The Dates! Regional and Local Planning Foundations Webinar Series
- Transit Consolidation Bill Heard in House
- Bill Hinders Municipalities from Entering into NDAs
- Emergency Rental Assistance Bill Passes Senate
- Bill Calls for Study of Federal Immigration Enforcement Impacts
- Save the Date: Training on Upcoming Transportation Funding Opportunities
- SMC Quarterly Convening: Spring 2026
- Bills of Note
Metro Cities Annual Meeting – Mark Your Calendar!
Metro Cities will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 15th at 5:00 pm at the Roseville Oval Skating Center Banquet Room. The meeting will feature a social hour starting at 5:00 pm. Our guest speaker is Trisha Kirk, Managing Director of the Guthrie Theater. A brief business meeting to elect Metro Cities Board officers and members will follow. This is a great opportunity to socialize and network with your peer colleagues across the metropolitan region. More information to follow! RSVP to Jennifer Dorn at [email protected].
Save The Dates! Regional and Local Planning Foundations Webinar Series
Metro Cities is hosting a three-part webinar series with Metropolitan Council staff, to give an overview of local comprehensive planning and its context within a regional framework and held the first of the three webinars yesterday. These are open to elected officials and staff. The series is covering the intersections of regional and local planning, and resources for communities in preparing comprehensive plans. All webinars are one hour and will be held over the noon hour. Details for the next two webinars are below:
- Comprehensive Planning in A Regional Context: April 9, 12:00-1:00 pm
-Technical Assistance for Comprehensive Planning: May 7, 12:00-1:00 pm
To register, email Jennifer Dorn at [email protected].
Transit Consolidation Bill Heard in House
HF 4111 (Koznick) was passed, as amended, by the House Transportation Committee on 3/11 and referred to Ways and Means. The bill makes the Metropolitan Council the exclusive transit provider beginning July 1, 2027, eliminating the four suburban “opt-out” transit providers. The bill requires an implementation plan to be developed by February 1, 2027, and it establishes a task force to work on the implementation planning. Finally, the bill requires a study to be completed assessing transit service in areas currently served by suburban transit providers. This transit service enhancement study is due to the legislature by February 1, 2028.
HF 4111 requires that as this consolidation is implemented, routes in the suburban transit markets remain “substantially similar” for at least one year. An exception to this requirement is that any of the routes identified as “high-subsidy” in the Metropolitan Council’s recently completed report can be altered or eliminated immediately. Arguments in favor of the bill largely relied on arguments of increased efficiency and savings found through cuts in overhead/administrative costs. Testifiers opposed to the bill argued that consolidation of this kind would reduce transit access in the suburbs and erode local control in transit decisions.
The bill was passed with a voice vote and if passed by Ways and Means, it would be sent to the House floor. The Senate companion, SF 4326 (Hoffman), has not been scheduled for a hearing as of 3/12. Click HERE to view a summary of HF 4111.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
Bill Hinders Municipalities from Entering into NDAs
On Wednesday, HF 4077 – Greenman was heard in the House Government Operations Committee. The bill prohibits municipalities from entering into a nondisclosure agreement or other contracts restricting disclosures of information to the public, with the focus of discussion on transparency relating to data centers. The companion bill, SF 4379 – Maye Quade, is scheduled to be heard in the Senate State and Local Government Committee next Tuesday.
Emergency Rental Assistance Bill Passes Senate
On Wednesday, SF 3596 – Port was passed by the Senate, following earlier hearings in the Senate Taxes and Finance committees. The bill provides $35.2 million to counties and $4.8 million to Tribal governments for emergency rental assistance. The assistance can be administered by the same entities allowed to administer family homeless prevention and assistance projects or programs. Multiple amendments were added to the bill, and the bill passed the Senate 35-32. Funds would come from the return of unused tax-forfeited funds from the Tyler v. Hennepin County settlement. The companion bill, HF 3403 – Kozlowski, was heard in the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee this week, however the bill did not pass the committee.
Bill Calls for Study of Federal Immigration Enforcement Impacts
Last week in the Senate, the State and Local Government committee heard SF 3695 – Port. The bill requires a statewide study on the economic impacts of federal immigration enforcement operations. The commissioner of MN Management and Budget (MMB) would direct a study on the economic impacts to the state, childcare providers, businesses, counties, cities, towns, school districts, and other parties. The deadline to submit the report is February 1st, 2027, to the Ways and Means committee in the House and Finance committee in the Senate.
Save the Date: Training on Upcoming Transportation Funding Opportunities
Metropolitan Council staff are hosting a training for cities on changes made to the 2026 Regional Solicitation and 2026 Active Transportation solicitation before the call for projects occurs later this Spring.
As part of this training Metropolitan Council staff will:
- Discuss changes made for this round of the Regional Solicitation.
- Walk through application requirements for Active Transportation dollars (made available via the regional sales tax revenue directed to the TAB).
- Answer questions from attendees so that cities are prepared to take advantage of both funding opportunities.
This is an in-person event in Saint Paul on Friday, April 3 at 10AM until 11:30AM. Any interested city officials or staff are welcome to attend. Stay tuned for more information on how to register in future newsletters and via email.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
SMC Quarterly Convening: Spring 2026
The Minnesota Shared Mobility Collaborative is holding its quarterly convening on Tuesday, March 17. The event will be held virtually via Zoom from 9:00AM to 10:00AM. This convening is entitled E-Bike Research Highlights. The convening will highlight two recently completed research studies on e-bike use.
Youth E-Bike Safety Study: E-bikes represent a growing opportunity for mobility and reduction in vehicle miles traveled. But they also present new safety challenges. Caroline Ketcham, active transportation planner for MnDOT, will discuss findings from a youth e-bike safety study and strategies to make e-bikes a safe option for all road users.
Rebate Incentives Powering Mode Shift: Kaitlyn Denten, infrastructure policy researcher at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, will discuss research examining data collected during the rebate application process in the 2024 e-bike rebate program year. Denten will draw on survey data to explore the use of e-bikes and provide important information for planners, engineers, and policymakers regarding this emerging mode.
The webinar is free to attend, but registration is required. Once you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation with a Zoom link. The link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
Bills of Note
HF 4077, Greenman/SF 4379, Maye Quade: Bill prohibits municipalities from entering into nondisclosure agreements.
HF 4087, Schultz: Bill requires certain publicly funded state and local institutions provide notice to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement when certain noncitizens are being housed in a facility under the institution's control.
HF 4103, Myers/SF 4051, Jasinski: Bill requires payment of certain local government utility costs related to trunk highway construction out of the trunk highway fund.
HF 4105, Johnson, W.: Bill authorizes local governments to post public notices online as alternative to a qualified newspaper.
HF 4111, Koznick/SF 4326, Hoffman: Bill consolidates transit in the Metropolitan region under the exclusive control of the Metropolitan Council, eliminating the suburban “opt-out” providers.
HF 4113, Koznick/SF 4163, Jasinski: Bill repeals provisions related to the transportation greenhouse gas emissions impact assessment.
HF 4117, Momanyi-Hiltsley/SF 3614, Boldon: Bill increases the appropriation for family homeless prevention and assistance program.
HF 4137, Elkins: Bill requires rulemaking to adopt standards based on the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety's 2025 FORTIFIED Roof High Wind Standard with Hail Supplement and tailored to the climate of Minnesota as part of the State Building Code.
HF 4141, Johnson, W.: Bill provides a criminal penalty for assaulting housing and redevelopment authority employees.
HF 4144, Nadeau/SF 4279, Hoffman: Bill establishes spatial separation standards for the location of group homes and assisted living facilities with six or fewer residents, requires notification from state agencies, and allows for delegation of building inspection to local governments.
HF 4171, Rehrauer: Bill prohibits local governments from imposing certain fees for residential improvements necessary to accommodate the disability of a veteran.
HF 4190, Huot: Bill appropriates money for Allied Radio Matrix Emergency Response (ARMER) grants.
HF 4197, Finke: Bill provides methods of emissions measurements and emissions limits for solid waste. Bill imposes capacity limits for municipal solid waste incinerators.
HF 4202, Hanson, J.: Bill modifies provisions related to local government regulation of cannabis businesses.
HF 4205, Tabke: Bill makes several changes regarding automated license plate readers.
HF 4208, Jones: Bill imposes a motor vehicle weight surcharge.
HF 4216, Sencer-Mura/SF 4381, Maye Quade: Bill establishes an advisory board to study impacts of commercial autonomous vehicle operations implementation, establishes minimum requirements for operation of commercial autonomous vehicles, and requires a permit process for these operations.
HF 4220, Howard: Bill modifies reserve requirements for a common interest community.
HF 4240, Freiberg/SF 4006, Westlin: Bill makes several changes to election law.
HF 4265, Skraba/SF 4420, Hauschild: Bill appropriates money for local recreation grants.
HF 4286, Koznick/SF 4274, Hoffman: Bill modifies the crime of fleeing a peace officer in motor vehicles and addresses civil liability.
SF 4212, McEwen/HF 3663, Jones: Bill appropriates funding for competitive grants to assist municipalities with streamlining State Energy Code compliance.
SF 4216, Hemmingsen-Jaeger: Bill exempts certain tenants from personal property taxation.
SF 4258, Latz: Bill establishes the public safety radio account.
SF 4271, Draheim: Bill requires notice in cases where a municipality removes a sign from a street right-of-way.
SF 4285, Seeberger: Bill authorizes peace officers to use oral fluid screening of drivers to determine presence of drugs.
SF 4296, Maye Quade: Bill requires public hearings and certain disclosures prior to approval of data center development.
SF 4306, Abeler: Bill provides standards for rent and utility payments, fees, and charges in manufactured home parks, requires certain safety inspections and modifies provisions for sale of manufactured home parks.
SF 4327, Latz: Bill establishes a onetime emergency rental assistance aid for counties and Tribal governments.
SF 4367, Xiong/HF 4186, Luger-Nikolai: Bill authorizes housing and redevelopment agencies to utilize certain long-term equity investment authority and modifies investment types in which a qualifying government may invest.
SF 4386, Pratt/HF 2675, Koznick: Bill requires host counties to fund transit guideways.
SF 4392, Putnam: Bill modifies statewide local housing aid, expands eligible uses of aid and modifies the deadline to spend aid on certain eligible uses.
SF 4394, Port/HF 4207, Howard: Bill modifies and clarifies eligible uses for certain housing aid funds and eliminates requirements for reporting on certain emergency rental assistance.