1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to transportation; authorizing research on autonomous mower technology
1.3 by the Department of Transportation; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. AUTONOMOUS MOWERS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT .
1.6 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
1.7the meanings given.
1.8 (b) "Autonomous mower" means a robotic or automated device designed, programmed,
1.9and operated to cut grass or vegetation with predefined routes to minimize the need for
1.10manual assistance or intervention.
1.11 (c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of transportation.
1.12 (d) "Department" means the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
1.13 Subd. 2.Research and development authorized.(a) The commissioner must conduct
1.14research on the use of automation and robotics for mowing and vegetation management at
1.15property owned by the department. The research must examine the use of autonomous
1.16mower technology at the following locations:
1.17 (1) rest areas;
1.18 (2) highway rights-of-way, including ditches, shoulders, or other varied or sloped terrain;
1.19or
1.20 (3) other roadside or public-facing property owned by the department.
1Section 1.
25-00665 as introduced11/22/24 REVISOR KRB/HL
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 75NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: JASINSKI and Dibble)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading01/16/2025
Referred to Transportation 2.1 (b) The research must examine the use of autonomous mowing technology for mowing
2.2or vegetation management by other states or government entities. The research conducted
2.3under this section must analyze different configurations and types of autonomous mowers,
2.4including mowers that require different levels of human intervention, to research for future
2.5statewide deployment at rest areas, at or along the trunk highway system, or on other property
2.6owned by the department.
2.7 (c) The commissioner must research the current and potential commercial availability
2.8of autonomous mowing products used by public or private entities for applications that
2.9include but are not limited to rest area mowing, highway right-of-way ditch mowing,
2.10vegetation management, or other applications related to property or roadside maintenance.
2.11 (d) The commissioner must include research on Minnesota-based companies engaged
2.12in autonomous mower technology. If the commissioner elects to purchase autonomous
2.13mower technology for research under this section, the commissioner must purchase the
2.14technology from a Minnesota-based company.
2.15 (e) The research must analyze whether an autonomous mower can operate safely in
2.16varied terrain, including ditches, and navigate obstacles such as culvert ends, guardrails,
2.17signposts, other barriers, and unexpected debris that may be found on or alongside a highway
2.18right-of-way. The research must examine the potential impact of autonomous mowing
2.19technology on worker safety and maintenance staffing needs.
2.20 (f) The commissioner must propose an autonomous mower pilot project to further study
2.21and examine the challenges to implementing autonomous mower technology into roadside
2.22vegetation management activities. The proposed pilot project must include the proposed
2.23location for the pilot project, the autonomous mower activities examined, and the anticipated
2.24timeline for implementation of the proposed pilot project.
2.25 Subd. 3.Report.By February 15, 2027, the commissioner must submit a report to the
2.26chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
2.27transportation finance and policy on the results of the autonomous mower research authorized
2.28in subdivision 2. The report must include:
2.29 (1) information and analysis of other governmental agencies or private entities using
2.30autonomous mowing operations;
2.31 (2) the commissioner's detailed plan for conducting a pilot project with autonomous
2.32mowing technology, once available, at rest areas; at or alongside trunk highway
2.33rights-of-way, including ditches, shoulders, and other terrain; and at other properties owned
2.34by the department;
2Section 1.
25-00665 as introduced11/22/24 REVISOR KRB/HL 3.1 (3) the timeline and funding needed to conduct an autonomous mowing pilot project
3.2established in subdivision 2, paragraph (f);
3.3 (4) a cost-benefit analysis of whether autonomous mowing technology can yield
3.4productivity or efficiency gains in maintenance of department property compared to
3.5traditional methods of mowing;
3.6 (5) an analysis of whether the operation of autonomous mowing technology by the
3.7department would yield improvements compared to traditional mowing methods in worker
3.8safety, congestion, environmental impact outcomes, cost savings, maintenance scheduling,
3.9or any other factor deemed relevant by the commissioner; and
3.10 (6) an analysis of the costs and any other short-term or long-term challenges posed by
3.11the pilot project or the future operation of autonomous mowing technology on property
3.12owned by the department.
3.13 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.14 $150,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
3.15of transportation for autonomous mowing research and the purchase of autonomous mowing
3.16equipment. The commissioner must use at least a portion of this appropriation to purchase
3.17an autonomous mower suitable for commercial mowing operations. The autonomous mower
3.18must be purchased from a company based in Minnesota.
3Sec. 2.
25-00665 as introduced11/22/24 REVISOR KRB/HL