1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to local government; requiring counties and cities to have written
1.3 procedures that are available to the public; proposing coding for new law in
1.4 Minnesota Statutes, chapter 471.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [471.199] POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Requirement to maintain policies and operations manuals.(a) A
1.8county, home rule charter city, or statutory city must have clear operating policies,
1.9procedures, forms, deadlines, due dates, or payment requirements relating to each duty or
1.10operation of the county or city on file in the applicable county or city office. The information
1.11must be contained in one or more policies and operations manuals, and these manuals must
1.12be available for employee training and reference and for inspection by the public at the
1.13applicable office. A county or city may also publish the manuals on a county or city website.
1.14If the manuals are published on a website, the website must include the physical location
1.15where the hard copies of the manuals are available. If the manuals are not published on a
1.16website, the manuals must be available at the city clerk's office or a county office designated
1.17by the county board.
1.18 (b) If the information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) relates to the payment
1.19of a fee or assessment, the manuals provided by the county or city must include any required
1.20forms and all other payment information, including any information or instructions required
1.21to complete a form, the due dates of payments, any other requirements, and the consequences
1.22of a late payment or nonpayment of the fee or assessment.
1Section 1.
REVISOR MS/BM 25-0183301/23/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 554
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Quam02/13/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations 2.1 (c) If the information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) includes a law
2.2enforcement procedure relating to investigations or similar activities, a county or city must
2.3include the procedure only if approved by the chief law enforcement officer of the county
2.4or city. In the absence of a chief law enforcement officer, a county or city must include the
2.5law enforcement procedure only if approved by at least two other law enforcement officers
2.6delegated with decision-making authority by a county or city official.
2.7 (d) The information in the manuals described in paragraph (a) does not include
2.8information that is not available to the public under the Administrative Procedure Act.
2.9 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
2.10meanings given.
2.11 (b) "Each duty or operation of the county or city" means: (1) the implementation of laws,
2.12ordinances, resolutions, and regulations; (2) the provision of services; (3) licensing
2.13requirements; (4) fees or assessments; (5) administrative and financial operating procedures,
2.14including budget and personnel procedures; and (6) any other similar duties or operations.
2.15 (c) "Fee or assessment" means any money, including penalties and interest, charged by
2.16the county or city for a service, license, permit, use, record, or privilege that is to be paid
2.17directly to the county or city. Fee or assessment includes child support obligations, recording
2.18taxes and fees, and similar charges for which the county acts as an agent of the state. Fee
2.19or assessment also includes special assessments and any money charged for services that
2.20may become a lien or tax assessed on real property by the county or city. Fee or assessment
2.21does not include property taxes under chapters 272 to 287, except as stated in this paragraph.
2Section 1.
REVISOR MS/BM 25-0183301/23/25