Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF403 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/11/2025

                            1.1	A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to taxation; property; establishing the senior credit; appropriating money;​
1.3 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 273.1392; 273.1393; 275.065,​
1.4 subdivision 3; 276.04, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota​
1.5 Statutes, chapter 273.​
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.7 Section 1. [273.1389] SENIOR CREDIT.​
1.8 Subdivision 1.Eligibility.Property is eligible for a credit under this section provided​
1.9that:​
1.10 (1) the property is classified as 1a or 1b under section 273.13, subdivision 22; 4d(2)​
1.11under section 273.13, subdivision 25; or is the portion of an agricultural homestead under​
1.12section 273.13, subdivision 23, consisting of the house, garage, and immediately surrounding​
1.13one acre of land;​
1.14 (2) the property is owned and occupied as a homestead by a person 65 years of age or​
1.15older. In the case of a married couple, at least one spouse must be at least 65 years of age​
1.16and the other spouse must be at least 62 years of age; and​
1.17 (3) the property has been owned and occupied as the homestead of at least one of the​
1.18homeowners since January 2 of the calendar year in which the initial application under​
1.19subdivision 2 is submitted.​
1.20 Subd. 2.Initial application.(a) The owner of property meeting the qualifications under​
1.21subdivision 1 may apply to the county assessor to receive the credit under this section.​
1.22Applications are due by December 15 of the taxes payable year prior to the taxes payable​
1.23year in which the credit is first granted. A taxpayer may first apply in the calendar year in​
1​Section 1.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​
State of Minnesota​
This Document can be made available​
in alternative formats upon request​
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​
H. F. No.  403​
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
Authored by Myers and Nadeau​02/13/2025​
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes​ 2.1which the taxpayer becomes 65 years of age. The application must be in a form and manner​
2.2prescribed by the county assessor and must include the following items and any other​
2.3information the county assessor deems necessary:​
2.4 (1) the name, address, and Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification​
2.5number of the owner or owners; and​
2.6 (2) the initial date of ownership and occupancy of the property as a homestead, except​
2.7that if this date is prior to the calendar year in which the application is submitted, only the​
2.8year must be provided.​
2.9 (b) Properties determined to be eligible after the application under paragraph (a) must​
2.10continue to receive the credit under this section for subsequent taxes payable years until​
2.11one of the following occurs:​
2.12 (1) the property is sold or transferred;​
2.13 (2) the death of all qualifying homeowners; or​
2.14 (3) the property no longer qualifies as a homestead.​
2.15 Subd. 3.Credit amount.The annual credit amount under this section is equal to the​
2.16difference between (1) the amount of tax due in the current taxes payable year on an eligible​
2.17property, after the application of all other property tax credits, minus (2) the product of (i)​
2.181.08, times (ii) the amount of tax due in the previous taxes payable year on the property​
2.19after the application of all property tax credits. The credit amount cannot be less than $0.​
2.20If the credit amount reduces the overall tax on the property to less than $0, the credit amount​
2.21must be reduced so that the overall tax on the property is equal to $0.​
2.22 Subd. 4.Credit reimbursements.The county auditor must determine the tax reductions​
2.23to the commissioner of revenue as part of the data required under section 270C.85,​
2.24subdivision 2. Any prior year adjustments must also be certified as part of the data required​
2.25under section 270C.85, subdivision 2. The commissioner must review the certifications for​
2.26accuracy, and make such changes as are deemed necessary, or return the certification to the​
2.27county auditor for correction. The credit under this section must be used to proportionately​
2.28reduce the net property tax payable to each local taxing jurisdiction as provided in section​
2.29273.1393.​
2.30 Subd. 5.Payment.(a) The commissioner of revenue must reimburse each local taxing​
2.31jurisdiction, other than school districts, for the tax reductions granted under this section in​
2.32two equal installments on October 31 and December 26 of the taxes payable year for which​
2​Section 1.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 3.1the reductions are granted, including in each payment the prior year adjustments certified​
3.2under section 270C.85, subdivision 2, for that taxes payable year.​
3.3 (b) The commissioner of revenue must certify the total of the tax reductions granted​
3.4under this section for each taxes payable year within each school district to the commissioner​
3.5of education, and the commissioner of education must pay the reimbursement amounts to​
3.6each school district as provided in section 273.1392.​
3.7 Subd. 6.Appropriation.An amount sufficient to make the payments required by this​
3.8section to taxing jurisdictions other than school districts is annually appropriated from the​
3.9general fund to the commissioner of revenue. An amount sufficient to make the payments​
3.10required by this section for school districts is annually appropriated from the general fund​
3.11to the commissioner of education.​
3.12 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective beginning with assessment year 2026.​
3.13 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 273.1392, is amended to read:​
3.14 273.1392 PAYMENT; SCHOOL DISTRICTS.​
3.15 The amounts of bovine tuberculosis credit reimbursements under section 273.113;​
3.16conservation tax credits under section 273.119; disaster or emergency reimbursement under​
3.17sections 273.1231 to 273.1235; agricultural credits under sections 273.1384 and 273.1387;​
3.18the senior credit under section 273.1389; aids and credits under section 273.1398; enterprise​
3.19zone property credit payments under section 469.171; metropolitan agricultural preserve​
3.20reduction under section 473H.10; and electric generation transition aid under section 477A.24​
3.21for school districts, shall be certified to the Department of Education by the Department of​
3.22Revenue. The amounts so certified shall be paid according to section 127A.45, subdivisions​
3.239, 10, and 13.​
3.24 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective beginning with fiscal year 2028.​
3.25 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 273.1393, is amended to read:​
3.26 273.1393 COMPUTATION OF NET PROPERTY TAXES.​
3.27 Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, "net" property taxes are determined​
3.28by subtracting the credits in the order listed from the gross tax:​
3.29 (1) disaster credit as provided in sections 273.1231 to 273.1235;​
3.30 (2) powerline credit as provided in section 273.42;​
3.31 (3) agricultural preserves credit as provided in section 473H.10;​
3​Sec. 3.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 4.1 (4) enterprise zone credit as provided in section 469.171;​
4.2 (5) disparity reduction credit;​
4.3 (6) conservation tax credit as provided in section 273.119;​
4.4 (7) the school bond credit as provided in section 273.1387;​
4.5 (8) agricultural credit as provided in section 273.1384;​
4.6 (9) taconite homestead credit as provided in section 273.135;​
4.7 (10) supplemental homestead credit as provided in section 273.1391; and​
4.8 (11) the bovine tuberculosis zone credit, as provided in section 273.113; and​
4.9 (12) the senior credit, as provided in section 273.1389.​
4.10 The combination of all property tax credits must not exceed the gross tax amount.​
4.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective beginning with property taxes payable​
4.12in 2027.​
4.13 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 275.065, subdivision 3, is amended to read:​
4.14 Subd. 3.Notice of proposed property taxes.(a) The county auditor shall prepare and​
4.15the county treasurer shall deliver after November 10 and on or before November 24 each​
4.16year, by first class mail to each taxpayer at the address listed on the county's current year's​
4.17assessment roll, a notice of proposed property taxes. Upon written request by the taxpayer,​
4.18the treasurer may send the notice in electronic form or by electronic mail instead of on paper​
4.19or by ordinary mail.​
4.20 (b) The commissioner of revenue shall prescribe the form of the notice.​
4.21 (c) The notice must inform taxpayers that it contains the amount of property taxes each​
4.22taxing authority proposes to collect for taxes payable the following year. In the case of a​
4.23town, or in the case of the state general tax, the final tax amount will be its proposed tax.​
4.24The notice must clearly state for each city that has a population over 500, county, school​
4.25district, regional library authority established under section 134.201, metropolitan taxing​
4.26districts as defined in paragraph (i), and fire protection and emergency medical services​
4.27special taxing districts established under section 144F.01, the time and place of a meeting​
4.28for each taxing authority in which the budget and levy will be discussed and public input​
4.29allowed, prior to the final budget and levy determination. The taxing authorities must provide​
4.30the county auditor with the information to be included in the notice on or before the time it​
4.31certifies its proposed levy under subdivision 1. The public must be allowed to speak at that​
4​Sec. 4.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 5.1meeting, which must occur after November 24 and must not be held before 6:00 p.m. It​
5.2must provide a website address and a telephone number for the taxing authority that taxpayers​
5.3may call if they have questions related to the notice and an address where comments will​
5.4be received by mail, except that no notice required under this section shall be interpreted​
5.5as requiring the printing of a personal telephone number or address as the contact information​
5.6for a taxing authority. If a taxing authority does not maintain a website or public offices​
5.7where telephone calls can be received by the authority, the authority may inform the county​
5.8of the lack of a public website or telephone number and the county shall not list a website​
5.9or telephone number for that taxing authority.​
5.10 (d) The notice must state for each parcel:​
5.11 (1) the market value of the property as determined under section 273.11, and used for​
5.12computing property taxes payable in the following year and for taxes payable in the current​
5.13year as each appears in the records of the county assessor on November 1 of the current​
5.14year; and, in the case of residential property, whether the property is classified as homestead​
5.15or nonhomestead. The notice must clearly inform taxpayers of the years to which the market​
5.16values apply and that the values are final values;​
5.17 (2) the items listed below, shown separately by county, city or town, and state general​
5.18tax, agricultural homestead credit under section 273.1384, school building bond agricultural​
5.19credit under section 273.1387, senior credit under section 273.1389, voter approved school​
5.20levy, other local school levy, and the sum of the special taxing districts, and as a total of all​
5.21taxing authorities:​
5.22 (i) the actual tax for taxes payable in the current year; and​
5.23 (ii) the proposed tax amount.​
5.24 If the county levy under clause (2) includes an amount for a lake improvement district​
5.25as defined under sections 103B.501 to 103B.581, the amount attributable for that purpose​
5.26must be separately stated from the remaining county levy amount.​
5.27 In the case of a town or the state general tax, the final tax shall also be its proposed tax​
5.28unless the town changes its levy at a special town meeting under section 365.52. If a school​
5.29district has certified under section 126C.17, subdivision 9, that a referendum will be held​
5.30in the school district at the November general election, the county auditor must note next​
5.31to the school district's proposed amount that a referendum is pending and that, if approved​
5.32by the voters, the tax amount may be higher than shown on the notice. In the case of the​
5.33city of Minneapolis, the levy for Minneapolis Park and Recreation shall be listed separately​
5.34from the remaining amount of the city's levy. In the case of the city of St. Paul, the levy for​
5​Sec. 4.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 6.1the St. Paul Library Agency must be listed separately from the remaining amount of the​
6.2city's levy. In the case of Ramsey County, any amount levied under section 134.07 may be​
6.3listed separately from the remaining amount of the county's levy. In the case of a parcel​
6.4where tax increment or the fiscal disparities areawide tax under chapter 276A or 473F​
6.5applies, the proposed tax levy on the captured value or the proposed tax levy on the tax​
6.6capacity subject to the areawide tax must each be stated separately and not included in the​
6.7sum of the special taxing districts; and​
6.8 (3) the increase or decrease between the total taxes payable in the current year and the​
6.9total proposed taxes, expressed as a percentage.​
6.10 For purposes of this section, the amount of the tax on homesteads qualifying under the​
6.11senior citizens' property tax deferral program under chapter 290B is the total amount of​
6.12property tax before subtraction of the deferred property tax amount.​
6.13 (e) The notice must clearly state that the proposed or final taxes do not include the​
6.14following:​
6.15 (1) special assessments;​
6.16 (2) levies approved by the voters after the date the proposed taxes are certified, including​
6.17bond referenda and school district levy referenda;​
6.18 (3) a levy limit increase approved by the voters by the first Tuesday after the first Monday​
6.19in November of the levy year as provided under section 275.73;​
6.20 (4) amounts necessary to pay cleanup or other costs due to a natural disaster occurring​
6.21after the date the proposed taxes are certified;​
6.22 (5) amounts necessary to pay tort judgments against the taxing authority that become​
6.23final after the date the proposed taxes are certified; and​
6.24 (6) the contamination tax imposed on properties which received market value reductions​
6.25for contamination.​
6.26 (f) Except as provided in subdivision 7, failure of the county auditor to prepare or the​
6.27county treasurer to deliver the notice as required in this section does not invalidate the​
6.28proposed or final tax levy or the taxes payable pursuant to the tax levy.​
6.29 (g) If the notice the taxpayer receives under this section lists the property as​
6.30nonhomestead, and satisfactory documentation is provided to the county assessor by the​
6.31applicable deadline, and the property qualifies for the homestead classification in that​
6​Sec. 4.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 7.1assessment year, the assessor shall reclassify the property to homestead for taxes payable​
7.2in the following year.​
7.3 (h) In the case of class 4 residential property used as a residence for lease or rental​
7.4periods of 30 days or more, the taxpayer must either:​
7.5 (1) mail or deliver a copy of the notice of proposed property taxes to each tenant, renter,​
7.6or lessee; or​
7.7 (2) post a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises of the property.​
7.8 The notice must be mailed or posted by the taxpayer by November 27 or within three​
7.9days of receipt of the notice, whichever is later. A taxpayer may notify the county treasurer​
7.10of the address of the taxpayer, agent, caretaker, or manager of the premises to which the​
7.11notice must be mailed in order to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph.​
7.12 (i) For purposes of this subdivision and subdivision 6, "metropolitan special taxing​
7.13districts" means the following taxing districts in the seven-county metropolitan area that​
7.14levy a property tax for any of the specified purposes listed below:​
7.15 (1) Metropolitan Council under section 473.132, 473.167, 473.249, 473.325, 473.446,​
7.16473.521, 473.547, or 473.834;​
7.17 (2) Metropolitan Airports Commission under section 473.667, 473.671, or 473.672; and​
7.18 (3) Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission under section 473.711.​
7.19 For purposes of this section, any levies made by the regional rail authorities in the county​
7.20of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington under chapter 398A​
7.21shall be included with the appropriate county's levy.​
7.22 (j) The governing body of a county, city, or school district may, with the consent of the​
7.23county board, include supplemental information with the statement of proposed property​
7.24taxes about the impact of state aid increases or decreases on property tax increases or​
7.25decreases and on the level of services provided in the affected jurisdiction. This supplemental​
7.26information may include information for the following year, the current year, and for as​
7.27many consecutive preceding years as deemed appropriate by the governing body of the​
7.28county, city, or school district. It may include only information regarding:​
7.29 (1) the impact of inflation as measured by the implicit price deflator for state and local​
7.30government purchases;​
7.31 (2) population growth and decline;​
7.32 (3) state or federal government action; and​
7​Sec. 4.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 8.1 (4) other financial factors that affect the level of property taxation and local services​
8.2that the governing body of the county, city, or school district may deem appropriate to​
8.3include.​
8.4 The information may be presented using tables, written narrative, and graphic​
8.5representations and may contain instruction toward further sources of information or​
8.6opportunity for comment.​
8.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective beginning with property taxes payable​
8.8in 2027.​
8.9 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 276.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:​
8.10 Subd. 2.Contents of tax statements.(a) The treasurer shall provide for the printing of​
8.11the tax statements. The commissioner of revenue shall prescribe the form of the property​
8.12tax statement and its contents. The tax statement must not state or imply that property tax​
8.13credits are paid by the state of Minnesota. The statement must contain a tabulated statement​
8.14of the dollar amount due to each taxing authority and the amount of the state tax from the​
8.15parcel of real property for which a particular tax statement is prepared. The dollar amounts​
8.16attributable to the county, the state tax, the voter approved school tax, the other local school​
8.17tax, the township or municipality, and the total of the metropolitan special taxing districts​
8.18as defined in section 275.065, subdivision 3, paragraph (i), must be separately stated. The​
8.19amounts due all other special taxing districts, if any, may be aggregated except that any​
8.20levies made by the regional rail authorities in the county of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin,​
8.21Ramsey, Scott, or Washington under chapter 398A shall be listed on a separate line directly​
8.22under the appropriate county's levy. If the county levy under this paragraph includes an​
8.23amount for a lake improvement district as defined under sections 103B.501 to 103B.581,​
8.24the amount attributable for that purpose must be separately stated from the remaining county​
8.25levy amount. In the case of Ramsey County, if the county levy under this paragraph includes​
8.26an amount for public library service under section 134.07, the amount attributable for that​
8.27purpose may be separated from the remaining county levy amount. The amount of the tax​
8.28on homesteads qualifying under the senior citizens' property tax deferral program under​
8.29chapter 290B is the total amount of property tax before subtraction of the deferred property​
8.30tax amount. The amount of the tax on contamination value imposed under sections 270.91​
8.31to 270.98, if any, must also be separately stated. The dollar amounts, including the dollar​
8.32amount of any special assessments, may be rounded to the nearest even whole dollar. For​
8.33purposes of this section whole odd-numbered dollars may be adjusted to the next higher​
8.34even-numbered dollar.​
8​Sec. 5.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​ 9.1 (b) The property tax statements for manufactured homes and sectional structures taxed​
9.2as personal property shall contain the same information that is required on the tax statements​
9.3for real property.​
9.4 (c) Real and personal property tax statements must contain the following information​
9.5in the order given in this paragraph. The information must contain the current year tax​
9.6information in the right column with the corresponding information for the previous year​
9.7in a column on the left:​
9.8 (1) the property's estimated market value under section 273.11, subdivision 1;​
9.9 (2) the property's homestead market value exclusion under section 273.13, subdivision​
9.1035;​
9.11 (3) the property's taxable market value under section 272.03, subdivision 15;​
9.12 (4) the property's gross tax, before credits;​
9.13 (5) for agricultural properties, the credits under sections 273.1384 and 273.1387;​
9.14 (6) any credits received under sections 273.119; 273.1234 or 273.1235; 273.135;​
9.15273.1389; 273.1391; 273.1398, subdivision 4; 469.171; and 473H.10, except that the amount​
9.16of credit received under section 273.135 must be separately stated and identified as "taconite​
9.17tax relief"; and​
9.18 (7) the net tax payable in the manner required in paragraph (a).​
9.19 (d) If the county uses envelopes for mailing property tax statements and if the county​
9.20agrees, a taxing district may include a notice with the property tax statement notifying​
9.21taxpayers when the taxing district will begin its budget deliberations for the current year,​
9.22and encouraging taxpayers to attend the hearings. If the county allows notices to be included​
9.23in the envelope containing the property tax statement, and if more than one taxing district​
9.24relative to a given property decides to include a notice with the tax statement, the county​
9.25treasurer or auditor must coordinate the process and may combine the information on a​
9.26single announcement.​
9.27 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective beginning with property taxes payable​
9.28in 2027.​
9​Sec. 5.​
REVISOR MS/AC 25-03451​02/07/25 ​