1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education; modifying the prohibition on American Indian mascots;
1.3 appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.041,
1.4 subdivision 2.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.041, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 2.Prohibition on American Indian mascots.(a) Starting September 1, 2026, a
1.8public school may not have or adopt a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an
1.9American Indian Tribe, individual, custom, or tradition to be used as a mascot, nickname,
1.10logo, letterhead, or team name of the school, district, or school within the district, unless
1.11the school has obtained an exemption under subdivision 3.
1.12 (b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) does not apply to a public school located within the
1.13reservation of a federally recognized Tribal Nation in Minnesota, where at least 95 percent
1.14of students meet the state definition of American Indian student.
1.15 (c) A school district with a prohibited American Indian mascot according to paragraph
1.16(a), that has not received an exemption according to subdivision 3, must report to the chairs
1.17and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over
1.18kindergarten through grade 12 education policy by February 14, 2025, and again by February
1.191, 2026, on the district's progress to comply with this section; and the district must submit
1.20copies of the reports to the Legislative Reference Library. The reports must include the
1.21following:
1.22 (1) confirmation that the district has removed the American Indian mascot, nickname,
1.23logo, letterhead, or team name from the district website;
1Section 1.
REVISOR CR/HL 25-0110312/12/24
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 171
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Knudsen, Kresha, Bennett, Mueller, Bakeberg and others01/22/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education Policy 2.1 (2) confirmation that the board of the district has approved a new mascot, nickname,
2.2logo, letterhead, or team name;
2.3 (3) a summary of the district's progress on removing the American Indian mascot,
2.4nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name from uniforms, equipment, signs, elements of
2.5facilities, and other district items; and
2.6 (4) a summary of resources necessary to comply with the prohibition in paragraph (a)
2.7and the district's plan to raise and allocate any necessary funds.
2.8 (d) The commissioner must establish a process for a public school to apply for funding
2.9to make changes necessary to replace a prohibited name, symbol, or image on uniforms,
2.10signs, paintings, equipment, gym floors, websites, and other school property, including
2.11supplies and other building surfaces. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
2.12commissioner may approve an application to reimburse a school for amounts expended to
2.13comply with paragraph (a) after July 1, 2023, and for expenses a public school has incurred
2.14based on a work plan and budget approved by the commissioner. The commissioner must
2.15provide a public school with the funding requested within 30 days of approving the school's
2.16work plan and budget. A public school that applies to the commissioner for mascot
2.17replacement assistance is not required to comply with the prohibition in paragraph (a) until
2.18the commissioner has approved the request.
2.19 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.20 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; MASCOT REPLACEMENT FUNDING.
2.21 Subdivision 1.Department of Education.The sum indicated in this section is
2.22appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal year
2.23designated.
2.24 Subd. 2.Mascot replacement assistance.(a) For assistance to public schools seeking
2.25to comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 121A.041:
2026............2.26 $
2.27 (b) This is a onetime appropriation and is available until July 1, 2028.
2Sec. 2.
REVISOR CR/HL 25-0110312/12/24