Common Statutes and Rules

Sets out the general rule that all government data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by a government entity is public unless otherwise classified by statute, temporary classification, or federal law, including classifications for private or confidential data on individuals. Establishes procedures ensuring prompt and appropriate responses to requests for access. Addresses public inspection and copying of data, related costs, and treatment of certain data in contexts such as public meetings and court pleadings.

Creation, alteration, and maintenance of access points and approaches to trunk highways, including responsibilities and conditions when highways are relocated or modified.

Authority for local governments to buy, sell, lease, or otherwise acquire or dispose of equipment, supplies, materials, and real property with the United States, state agencies, or other political subdivisions without regard to local charter or statutory restrictions and to designate officials to bid or pay on their behalf.

Rules governing actions that affect possession or title to real estate establish time limits tied to a recorded source of title. Coverage extends to rights, claims, encumbrances, and liens arising from older instruments or events, with mechanisms for preserving such interests through recorded notices and specified exceptions. Additional provisions address application to registered land, recording and discharge of notices, presumptions of abandonment, and categories of titles and interests that are not affected.

Establishes definitions and procedural requirements relating to aeronautics activities, including airports, aircraft, commercial operations, and flying clubs. Regulates air navigation obstructions by setting permitting processes and height criteria for structures near airports, and provides standards for airport zoning and licensing of public and private airports, seaplane bases, and heliports. Requires licensing and endorsements for commercial aeronautical operations such as flight schools, aircraft maintenance, rentals, aerial services, and aircraft dealers.

Authorizes certain counties to impose a production tax on operators and importers of aggregate material excavated or brought into the county. Establishes the tax rate, timing of imposition, reporting requirements, estimated assessments, objections, penalties for nonpayment or false reporting, and record inspection and retention obligations. Directs how tax proceeds are distributed among county and local road and bridge funds and environmental or reclamation purposes.

Describes the range of actions that town electors may take at an annual town meeting. The section covers authority to make decisions on local governance matters such as animals, roads, buildings, parks, cemeteries, waste management, community facilities, celebrations, and other public purposes. It also outlines how electors may authorize spending, taxation, ordinances, contracts, and special funds for the general welfare and operations of the town.

Sets out requirements that acquiring authorities must follow when obtaining property through eminent domain, including appraisal and negotiation duties. Requires at least one appraisal or a minimum damage acquisition report before proceedings begin, provides owners the right to obtain their own appraisal with limited reimbursement, and mandates disclosure of appraisal materials within specified time frames. Addresses good faith negotiation efforts. Limits the use of appraisal reports and business loss documentation at condemnation hearings unless timely shared.

Grants political subdivisions expanded authority during an emergency or disaster to enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to protect public health and safety and to provide emergency assistance. Allows governing bodies to act within or outside their boundaries and to bypass certain standard legal procedures and formalities related to public works, contracting, employment, purchasing, tax levies, and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds when responding to urgent conditions.

Governs the award of state building and construction contracts, permitting selection based on either the lowest responsible bid or a best value method that considers price and specified performance criteria. Describes requirements for solicitation documents, evaluation procedures, bonding and insurance, training for best value procurement, and circumstances under which bids or proposals may be rejected or multiple awards made. Addresses treatment of altered bids, limits on use of best value contracting during the years it is first used, application of bidder preferences, recordkeeping, and prevailing wage compliance.

Designates authority for units of government to establish bicycle lanes, routes, and paths on roads, sidewalks, and shoulders, and allows such entities to regulate vehicle types, priority, and speed on those bikeways while ensuring accessibility for disability parking and permitting safe speeds of at least 25 mph on streets with bicycle lanes.

Designates authority for local governments to set up and manage bicycle lanes, routes, and paths. Allows specification of permitted uses, prioritization, markings, and signage; ensures electric-assisted bicycles are not unduly restricted; enables setting safe speed limits (not below 25 mph) on streets with bike lanes; and provides a process for preserving or relocating disability parking when a bikeway is designated.

Provides the general law governing bonds, including their form, approval, filing, and enforcement, and sets rules for official bonds of public officers and sureties. Covers contractors bonds for public work, alternative forms of security in place of bonds, claims against payment and performance bonds, time limits for actions, and related procedures. Also includes provisions on fines and forfeitures, how actions to recover them are prosecuted, and how collected funds are handled.

Defines terms used for bridge and trunk-highway funding and construction, including "abandonment" (the abandoning of an existing bridge), "agency" (county, municipality, or township), and "bridge" (a structure with an opening of ten feet or more measured along specified points, with railroad bridges included only when over or under a public highway). It also defines "bridge rehabilitation" by reference to part 8820.0200, "commissioner," "construction" (replacement of a deficient or destroyed bridge), "reconstruction," "metropolitan council," "regional development commission," and road-system categories ("other roads or streets," "state-aid," and "trunk highway"). It defines "urban municipality" as a city of 5,000 or more population and cites statutory authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50.

Defines terms related to bridge and culvert construction and maintenance.

Outlines standards governing the construction, reconstruction, and removal of bridges, culverts, water intakes, outfalls, and other crossings of public waters. Describes activities that are prohibited, exemptions for certain minor or temporary crossings, and circumstances under which a permit is not needed. Also describes when permits are necessary and the general environmental, hydraulic, and land use criteria that proposed projects must satisfy to protect public waters and related resources.

Building and construction contract provisions on indemnification, enforceability limits, insurance obligations, and related rights under Minnesota law, plus rules on prohibited contract clauses such as out-of-state law choice, lien waivers, prompt payment, progress payments, retainages, and related payment terms.

Declares certain provisions in building and construction contracts void and unenforceable, including clauses that apply another state's law to work performed in this state or require dispute resolution to occur in another state. Invalidates advance waivers of mechanics lien rights or payment bond claims before payment is received. Sets standards for prompt payment to subcontractors and material suppliers, including interest on late undisputed payments and the right to suspend work, and regulates progress payments and retainage limit.

Provides regulatory requirements for building movers operating on public streets and highways. Requires state licensure, application procedures, fees, cab cards, and specified insurance coverage, along with compliance with safety, identification, and driver qualification rules. Addresses local permitting and regulation, grounds for license suspension or revocation, and penalties for violations.

Provides that, despite certain listed exemptions from licensure requirements, a responsible building official may require building plans and specifications to be prepared by a licensed architect or engineer.

Sets the general rule that plans and specifications for the erection, enlargement, alteration, remodeling, or renovation of buildings and structures must be prepared and certified by a licensed architect or engineer. Identifies statutory and project-based exceptions.

Classifies certain financial and proprietary information submitted by a business to a government entity when requesting public financial assistance or benefits as private or nonpublic data. Provides that most of this data becomes public if assistance or a benefit is granted, while specified materials such as business plans, customer lists, tax returns, and certain studies remain not public. Establishes how data submitted in response to requests for bids or proposals are treated during and after the selection or evaluation process, including rules for trade secrets, evaluative materials, data sharing among government entities, and internal competitive responses.

Requires the Metropolitan Council and certain metropolitan agencies to obtain a certificate of compliance before entering into contracts for goods or services exceeding $100,000 with businesses of a specified size. Businesses with more than 40 full-time employees must have an approved affirmative action plan on file with the commissioner of human rights, and contracts may not be executed without proof of compliance or certification of adherence to applicable federal affirmative action requirements.

Establishes requirements for businesses seeking certain state contracts to obtain a certificate of compliance from the commissioner of human rights, generally applying to contracts over specified dollar amounts and to businesses meeting employee thresholds. Extends similar compliance obligations to agencies and political subdivisions using state capital funding, and outlines application procedures, fees, and timelines for issuing certificates.

City approval requirements for portions of the county state-aid highway system inside city limits, prohibiting construction, reconstruction, improvement, or grade changes without the city governing body’s prior approval. If a city fails to approve under subdivision 7 or 8, establishes a process for the county board to request a dispute resolution board to review the matter and make recommendations to the commissioner.

Sets the general rule that state building, construction, and repair contracts must be awarded through competitive bids or competitive proposals, as defined in related procurement provisions. Describes procedures for standard requirement price contracts, including permissible price adjustments, contract term limits, and the use of standard specifications and bid security. Outlines public notice, solicitation, and recordkeeping requirements based on expenditure thresholds, and allows informal bidding or alternative proposal processes for smaller projects.

Creates a state treasury account to receive and manage revenue generated from designated conservation area funds. Provisions direct how money is transferred into the account, appropriated for related conservation purposes, and distributed among state accounts after use. Additional provisions address annual payments to counties where the land is located and prescribe how counties apportion and use those funds.

Provides requirements for agency cooperation with the commissioner in the creation, management, and oversight of state contracts, including delegation of contracting authority and supervision. Specifies the conditions for valid state contracts and amendments, recordkeeping and public access requirements, review by the attorney general, emergency authorizations, and standards for contract administration. Prohibits certain unenforceable contract terms, preserves tribal sovereignty in contracting, and authorizes legal remedies when contract performance is unsatisfactory.

Establishes responsibilities for contractors and their agents when work could alter public waters, including reservoirs, dams, or waterways. The section requires confirmation that necessary permits have been obtained or are not required and that notice of this confirmation is provided to the Department of Natural Resources. It also treats violations as separate offenses and calls for a standardized compliance form outlining permitting, penalties, and contact information.

Establishes requirements for performance and payment bonds on public work contracts with public bodies, ensuring completion of the work and payment to those providing labor and materials. Scope includes definitions, bond amounts, and conditions under which contracts are considered valid, along with enforcement provisions and potential recovery of costs and attorneys fees. Exemptions address certain manufacturers, selected transportation projects, and routine road maintenance activities.

Establishes prevailing wage and hour standards that must be included in state project contracts, including payment of at least the prevailing wage rate and overtime at one and one-half times the basic rate for hours worked beyond prevailing hours. Sets forth contract language requirements, payroll reporting and record access obligations, and duties of the contracting authority and commissioner in determining, posting, and enforcing prevailing wage rates. Creates penalties for noncompliance, authorizes withholding of payments for violations, and identifies limited exceptions and minimum project cost thresholds for applicability.

The section sets out how county boards may enter into contracts for purchases, services, and construction or repair work, including general requirements for competitive procurement and written agreements. It addresses notice, bidding, award standards, bonding, and limited circumstances allowing alternative procurement methods or emergency contracting. An exception is provided for Hennepin county.

Addresses payment requirements under state and local government contracts that involve the employment of workers for wages. Final settlement with a contractor or subcontractor is conditioned on proof of compliance with state income tax withholding obligations, confirmed by a certificate from the commissioner. If withholding taxes, penalties, or interest related to the contract remain unpaid at the time of settlement, certification is issued only after those amounts are paid with certified funds.

Outlines the general powers and legal authority of counties, including their ability to own and manage property, enter contracts, levy taxes for buildings and improvements, and issue certain forms of debt. Establishes procedures for county buildings, offices, claims and lawsuits against counties, payment of judgments, and the exercise of specific functions such as public safety communications, license bureaus, and capital improvement financing. Also sets conditions for special authorities such as bonding limits, energy projects, environmental funds, and postponement of certain local elections due to inclement weather.

Sets out the structure, authority, and procedures of county boards. Addresses the number, election, compensation, and duties of county commissioners, the conduct of meetings, and the board's powers over county property, contracts, finances, and administration. Further outlines authority relating to ordinances, personnel systems, purchasing, economic and agricultural activities, public safety communications, and other functions necessary for county governance.

Sets out the procedures a county board must follow when enacting ordinances, including voting requirements, signing, recording, and maintaining ordinances in an official book. Requires advance public notice and, in certain cases, a public hearing before adoption, and specifies how notice must be published and documented. Governs publication of enacted ordinances, including incorporation by reference of statutes, rules, or codes, and permits summary publication under defined conditions while ensuring public access to the full text.

Describes the general powers and duties of county boards, including financial management, infrastructure maintenance, and public welfare responsibilities.

Provides provisions relating to county highways. Covers the creation and management of a dedicated fund for road and bridge work; assigns general supervisory authority to county boards over establishment, maintenance, and acquisition of county highways; details procedures for hearing and resolving complaints about impassable roads (including based on petitions from landowners); and addresses alterations to public ditch systems that affect highways.

Establishes the framework for creating and operating single-county and multicounty park districts, including the qualifications, election, and duties of park district commissioners and the organization of the governing board. Grants park districts authority to acquire, develop, and manage park lands and facilities, adopt ordinances, hire staff, enter contracts, levy taxes, and issue bonds to finance park purposes.

Authorizes counties to conduct planning and zoning activities, adopt comprehensive plans, and implement official controls such as subdivision regulations and official maps for land needed for public purposes. Establishes procedures and standards for conditional and interim use permits, nonconformities, temporary family health care dwellings, notice of certain residential developments on agricultural land, and recording of official controls. Provides definitions, outlines coordination and notice requirements for planning, and sets limitations on eliminating lawful uses and on the continuation or termination of nonconforming uses.

Provides the policy and authority for counties to conduct solid waste management programs to protect public health and environmental resources. Grants counties powers to plan, acquire property, construct and operate facilities, regulate solid and hazardous waste activities, establish service areas and charges, issue bonds, levy taxes, and maintain dedicated funds for these purposes.

Authorizes counties to establish and operate solid waste management programs and to carry out activities necessary to implement those programs. Grants counties powers to acquire property, construct and operate facilities, enter into contracts, hire personnel, and expend funds for solid waste management purposes, including through joint powers agreements. Provides procedures for contracting, property acquisition, planning, and use of funds in administering these programs.

Outlines the authority of certain counties to create subordinate service districts within limited geographic areas to provide and finance specific governmental services or enhanced levels of existing services. Describes the procedures for creating, enlarging, and dissolving these districts, including requirements for petitions, public notice, referendums, and county board actions. Addresses funding mechanisms such as property taxes, service charges, and bonding, as well as the continuation of financial obligations if a district is withdrawn.

Establishes the office of county surveyor and sets out qualifications, appointment or election procedures, and general duties. Describes activities such as recordkeeping, field notes, and plats. Addresses the appointment of deputies and compensation.

Describes how a road used, maintained, and worked on continuously by a road authority for at least six years becomes dedicated to the public, unless proper notice to a private road owner was not given. Subdivision 2 clarifies that public use of a road running alongside a railroad right-of-way does not make it a legal highway or obligate the local town, and does not grant any public rights by use.

Establishes the Department of Health and sets forth the powers and duties of the commissioner of health. It governs public health functions including disease prevention and control, vital records, health data practices, licensing and regulation of hospitals and other health care facilities, environmental health, safe drinking water, radiation control, and emergency health powers. Includes provisions on health care provider standards, patient rights, enforcement authority, and various public health programs and initiatives.

Establishes the Department of Natural Resources and outlines the appointment, powers, and duties of the commissioner in managing the states natural resources. Provides authority for land acquisition, contracts, enforcement, grants, and cooperative agreements, and regulates activities involving state lands, forests, wildlife, recreational areas, and off highway and snowmobile use. Includes provisions governing conservation programs, habitat protection, easements, accounts, and funding mechanisms related to natural resource management and outdoor recreation.

Designation of minimum-maintenance roads and related posting and liability rules covering how a local road authority can label lightly used roads, what warning signs are required, which roads qualify, and how maintenance duties and liability are handled.

Establishes the framework for creating, improving, and maintaining public drainage systems, including ditches, tiles, and related water management infrastructure. Outlines procedures for petitions, engineering reports, hearings, cost assessments, construction, repairs, and inspections, and assigns responsibilities to drainage authorities, engineers, and viewers. Addresses funding, benefits and damages determinations, appeals, and ongoing administration of drainage systems.

Requires any person in control of a substance that is discharged and may cause water pollution to immediately notify the state agency, recover the substance as quickly and completely as possible, and take reasonable actions to minimize or abate pollution. Requires publicly owned treatment works and domestic sewer system owners to promptly notify affected communities and downstream drinking water facilities of certain discharges and directs the agency to issue guidance on providing timely notice.

Sets effluent limits and treatment requirements for discharges of sewage, industrial waste, and other wastes to surface and underground waters of the state. Defines key terms, outlines methods for determining compliance, and outlines general prohibitions and performance standards for point and nonpoint source discharges, including requirements for secondary treatment, phosphorus limits, and protections for specific water uses and classifications.

Eminent domain procedures, definitions, and compensation rules for taking private property for public use, covering preemption of local laws, joint acquisition, possession and notice requirements, appraisal and hearings, commissioners' roles, compensation (including for loss of business goodwill), taxes on condemned land, relocation assistance, and related procedural details for condemning authorities and property owners.

Governs employment practices in Minnesota, with extensive provisions on the payment and protection of wages, including timing of payment, permissible deductions, assignments, commissions, and remedies for nonpayment. The chapter also covers a wide range of workplace standards and employee protections, such as leave laws, earned sick and safe time, nursing accommodations, equal pay, restrictions on noncompete agreements, misclassification of employees, and prohibitions on retaliation and unfair employment practices. Additional sections establish requirements related to employment contracts, recruitment, medical examinations, polygraph testing, migrant labor, workplace communications, and other specific industries or employment situations.

Establishes licensing and regulatory requirements for various professions overseen by the state, including architects, engineers, surveyors, landscape architects, geoscientists, and interior designers. Creates governing boards, sets qualifications, authorizes rulemaking, and outlines standards for licensure, certification, discipline, and enforcement.

Establishes the official lists of wild animal, plant, and other species designated as endangered, threatened, or of special concern under statutory authority. Identifies species by scientific name and organizes them by major groups such as mammals, birds, fish, vascular plants, and certain nonvascular organisms.

Surveys and examinations may be conducted on land in relation to eminent domain proceedings, provided no unnecessary damage is done. State agencies or political subdivisions may enter property for environmental testing—such as investigation, monitoring, testing, or boring—if the entry relates to possible eminent domain and concerns hazardous substances; they must notify the owner at least ten days in advance, offer samples or data, restore the site, and allow owner testing of samples. Those entities may also enter property for geotechnical investigations under similar notice, restoration, and damage-compensation rules.

Authorizes licensed surveyors to enter private land to locate existing survey or reference monuments or landmarks. Requires prior notice to the landowner or occupant before entry and makes the surveyor liable for any damages resulting from the entry.

Implements the environmental review process for governmental actions, including definitions, authority, and assignment of the responsible governmental unit. Sets out procedures and criteria for preparing environmental assessment worksheets and environmental impact statements, including project thresholds, scoping, content, public notice, comment, and adequacy determinations. Addresses mandatory and discretionary review categories, alternative review processes, coordination with energy project review, cost assessment for impact statements, and critical areas planning.

Lists categories of projects that are exempt from the environmental review requirements. Identifies specific types and sizes of projects, such as smaller energy facilities, utility lines, industrial and commercial buildings, residential developments, transportation projects, agricultural activities, and recreational trails, that qualify for exemption unless they meet mandatory environmental review thresholds.

Establishes a statewide process for giving advance notice before excavation or land surveying activities and describes what information must be included in those notices. Outlines the responsibilities of the notification center, underground facility operators, excavators, and land surveyors for locating, marking, documenting, and coordinating around underground facilities, including use of on-site meetings. Also addresses planning activities before bidding or construction, the duration and renewal of notices, and obligations to protect and verify facility markings during work.

Describes the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act, setting requirements for minimum wage rates, overtime compensation, meal breaks, and permissible methods of wage payment. Defines key terms, outlines employer recordkeeping and posting obligations, and grants enforcement authority to the commissioner of labor and industry, including rulemaking, inspections, and penalties. Regulates prevailing wages on state and public works projects and provides enforcement by the attorney general.

Establishes definitions, purpose, and scope for ferrous metallic mineral mining and sets standards for siting, design, operation, and reclamation of mining operations. Sets forth requirements for landform design, waste disposal, runoff management, vegetation, air pollution control, blasting, subsidence prevention, and deactivation to ensure environmental protection and public safety. Provides procedures and requirements for obtaining and modifying permits to mine.

Governs the general administration of Minnesota game and fish laws. It contains rules of construction, provisions on ownership of wild animals, the powers and duties of the commissioner, management of wildlife areas and funds, and agreements related to wildlife resources. It also covers enforcement authority, seizure and forfeiture procedures, penalties, and licensing and permitting requirements for hunting, fishing, and related activities.

Outlines the requirements and procedures for applying for permits related to the appropriation and use of waters, including required maps, plans, specifications, and environmental information. Establishes application, notification, and field inspection fees, including fee amounts, exemptions for certain governmental entities and towns, and rules on nonrefundability and deposit of fees. Also governs filing procedures, and involvement of local and tribal governments.

Provisions governing Minnesota general sales and use taxes, including definitions of taxable goods and services, tax rates, and the imposition of sales, use, and special excise taxes. Requirements for collection, remittance, reporting, permits, enforcement, exemptions, refunds, and administration are set out for retailers and purchasers. Allocation of revenues and coordination with local sales and use taxes, along with special provisions for specific industries, transactions, and interstate tax agreements, are also addressed.

Defines key terms including gift, interested person, and local official for purposes of restrictions on gifts. Prohibits an interested person from giving, or requesting others to give, a gift to a local official and bars a local official from accepting such a gift. Identifies specific exceptions to the prohibition, such as certain campaign contributions, nominal items, informational materials, services related to official duties, and certain food, beverages, or gifts provided in defined circumstances.

Outlines the framework governing the collection, creation, storage, use, and dissemination of government data by state agencies and political subdivisions. Defines key terms and data classifications, including public, private, confidential, and nonpublic data, and describes the rights of individuals who are subjects of data as well as the duties of responsible authorities. Includes provisions on access procedures, security breaches, enforcement and remedies, and detailed classifications for numerous categories of data such as education, health, personnel, licensing, welfare, taxation, and investigative records.

Sets forth the state goal of preventing degradation of groundwater. Addresses identification and protection of sensitive groundwater areas, development and promotion of best management practices, groundwater quality monitoring, and adoption and review of health risk limits. Describes procedures for evaluating pollutant detections and managing groundwater pollution through protective requirements.

Defines terms related to the management and maintenance of state highways.

Establishes prevailing wage and hour requirements for laborers and mechanics working on state highway construction or maintenance, including overtime pay for work beyond prevailing hours and payment of locally prevailing wage rates. Describes the role of the Department of Labor and Industry in determining, certifying, and updating prevailing hours and wage rates, and requires those rates to be included in contracts and posted at job sites. Sets out enforcement mechanisms, record access, and criminal penalties for contractors, subcontractors, and employees who violate the requirements.

Discusses how five percent of the highway user tax distribution fund is set aside and apportioned among town road, town bridge, and flexible highway accounts, and outlines how those funds can be invested and allocated—including the establishment of separate accounts for turnbacks, safety improvements, and routes of regional significance.

Defines exemptions and the scope of application for chapter 169. It exempts persons, motor vehicles, and equipment actually working on a highway from the chapter's provisions, while specifying that travel to or from such work is covered (with road-authority equipment exempt from certain size and weight limits when preparing for or performing snow/ice removal or flood control) and that chapter 169A and section 169.444 still apply during highway work. It subjects streetcars to many of the same traffic rules and rights as other vehicles, makes persons riding animals or operating animal-drawn vehicles subject to applicable driver provisions (and certain listed sections), and exempts railroad operators from citation under this chapter or chapter 171 and from furnishing a driver's license when operating locomotives, trains, or on-track equipment on rails

Governs hunting activities in Minnesota, setting out restrictions, requirements, and lawful methods for taking wild animals. Coverage includes trespass rules, firearms and archery regulations, hunter education and safety certification, clothing requirements, hunting hours, and prohibitions on certain equipment and practices. Additional provisions address special hunts, accommodations for persons with disabilities, use of dogs and other aids, and protections for big game, small game, and waterfowl.

Procedures for handling complaints about impassable town roads, including county board hearings on neglect, directives for necessary work or improvements, county completion of work if the town fails, and methods for assessing and collecting the costs through town tax levies and county road and bridge funds.

Discusses regulations and maintenance responsibilities for the preservation and improvement of roads and bridges.

Establishes that a person who intentionally removes, destroys, or defaces a lawfully erected monument commits a misdemeanor.

Describes the guidelines and procedures for governmental units in Minnesota to create and operate joint powers agreements, including the authority and responsibilities involved.

Establishes the Minnesota Labor Relations Act, governing labor relations between employers and employees, including definitions, collective bargaining rights, mediation services, arbitration procedures, and unfair labor practices. Addresses procedures for resolving labor disputes, protections for collective bargaining agreements, and limitations on strikes, boycotts, and certain conduct during labor disputes. Also includes provisions known as the Minnesota Labor Union Democracy Act and regulations concerning construction worker benefit funds and related labor matters.

Provides definitions for terms used in other sections relating to prevailing wages on state-funded projects. Defines key terms including project, area, prevailing hours of labor, hourly basic rate, prevailing wage rate, and employer, and describes how prevailing hours and wage rates are determined within a locality. Includes within the prevailing wage rate certain fringe benefit contributions and truck rental rates, and requires that the prevailing wage rate not be less than a reasonable and living wage.

Establishes water quality standards, criteria, and implementation procedures for surface waters in the Lake Superior basin, including protections for aquatic life, human health, and wildlife from Great Lakes Initiative pollutants. Provides methodologies for developing standards and bioaccumulation factors, and outlines processes for deriving water quality based effluent limits, total maximum daily loads, mixing zones, additivity determinations, and site specific criteria. Creates antidegradation requirements and regulates new or expanded discharges of bioaccumulative chemicals of concern and related pollutants.

Establishes procedures for appraising state-owned lakeshore lots that are leased, including definitions of appraisal terms and standards that licensed appraisers must follow. Explains how the commissioner determines market value, adjusts lease fees over time, and uses mass or individual appraisals in setting lease amounts. Outlines a multistep appeal process allowing lessees to challenge appraised values, culminating in binding arbitration.

Sets minimum standards and criteria for land use, development, and resource management within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area. Regulates state and local government planning and zoning through required plans and ordinances, zoning districts, allowable uses, dimensional limits, and procedures for variances and discretionary actions. Imposes development, vegetation management, land alteration, stormwater, subdivision, and public facility standards to protect primary conservation areas, river corridor views, bluffs, shorelines, and water quality.

Provides requirements for how a housing authority must award contracts for construction work, demolition, and purchases above a specified monetary threshold, including public notice, competitive bidding, and written contracts with performance bonds. Authorizes use of a best value request for proposals process and outlines procedures for emergency purchases without formal bidding.

Establishes requirements for licensing and marking watercraft, including display of license numbers, decals, and other identifying insignia. Details operational and safety standards for watercraft, such as navigation rules, required safety equipment, lighting, capacity information, and marking of swimming areas and hazards. Describes the framework for water surface use management, including standards and procedures for local ordinances governing watercraft type, speed, and times of operation.

Governs the licensing and regulation of architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, geoscientists, soil scientists, and certified interior designers. Covers application procedures, examinations, qualifications, fees, temporary military credentials, in-training classifications, issuance and renewal of licenses and certificates, and the use of professional seals and signatures.

Requires licensure or certification for individuals who practice or offer to practice architecture, professional engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, professional geoscience, or who use the title certified interior designer in Minnesota, and prohibits unauthorized use of those professional titles. Describes what constitutes professional practice.

Establishes minimum energy efficiency standards for lighting used on streets, highways, and parking lots.

Makes it a crime to throw, deposit, place, or dump snow, ice, glass, nails, cans, garbage, papers, ashes, cigarette filters, fireworks debris, animal carcasses, trash, or any substance likely to injure a person, animal, or vehicle on any street, highway, or adjacent land without the owner's consent. Requires anyone who drops such dangerous material on a highway to immediately remove it (and anyone removing a wrecked vehicle to remove glass or other injurious substances), and prohibits hurling destructive objects at motor vehicles or their occupants. Violations are misdemeanors, convictions for drivers are reported to the Department of Public Safety for inclusion on the driving record, repeat offenses carry a minimum $400 fine, and judges may order four to eight hours of highway litter pickup under Department of Transportation supervision (with the option of jail)

Creates a fund for local road improvements with money from appropriations, gifts, or grants. Establishes separate accounts within the fund—for trunk highway corridor projects, regionally significant roads, and rural road safety—and provides for an advisory committee to recommend fund expenditures, grant procedures and criteria, and a small allowance for administrative costs.

Defines standards and financing for local state-aid routes, including operation by county and municipal highway departments, route selection and designation, and distribution and use of state-aid funds. Covers construction and maintenance funding, hardship and disaster accounts, and research support. Sets minimum design standards, allows for variances, and addresses natural preservation and technical specifications for projects.

Governs the selection, designation, design standards, financing, and administration of county state-aid highways and municipal state-aid streets. Sets criteria and procedures for route approval, apportionment of state-aid funds, eligible expenditures, maintenance and construction requirements, reporting, transfers between accounts, and oversight by engineers and advisory committees. Includes minimum design standards for various roadway types, bridges, and bicycle facilities.

Establishes standards for the installation and support of mailboxes located along roadways under the authority of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Defines key terms related to mailbox installations and supports, including measurements, structural components, and roadway areas. Establishes standards and permissible locations for mailbox installations along streets or highways with speed limits of 40 miles per hour or greater. Identifies prohibited structures and configurations, including limits on size, weight, number, spacing, materials, and roadway encroachment.

Authorizes a county board to use general revenue funds to improve and maintain abandoned or neglected cemeteries, including certain private cemeteries containing graves of early residents or veterans. Covers delegation of maintenance duties, management and disbursement of raised funds, transfer of cemetery property after county maintenance, and the county authority to prohibit further burials in an abandoned cemetery.

Provides authority for a county to reconstruct or repair a town-road bridge when the responsible town fails to act, and outlines the process for notice and hearings. Details the county's obligation to prepare an itemized cost statement after performing repairs, and how that cost is shared among towns involved. Explains the procedure for levying a special tax by the town board to pay half the cost, and the county auditor's authority to levy the tax if the town fails to do so. Outlines how the tax is collected, enforced like other town taxes, and credited to the county road and bridge fund.

Maintains responsibility for keeping roadway-railroad grade-crossing surfaces safe and in compliance with federal standards. Outlines how repair or maintenance costs may be shared, how disputes are resolved (including department intervention and cost allocation), and penalties for noncompliance.

Identifies categories of projects that must undergo preparation of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet based on specified size, capacity, or impact thresholds, and explains how cumulative or phased projects are evaluated against those thresholds. Assigns the responsible governmental unit for environmental review for a wide range of activities, including energy facilities, pipelines, mining, storage facilities, industrial development, shoreland and wetland alterations, recreational trails, and land use conversions. Addresses expansions and modifications of existing facilities and clarifies when review is triggered or when a higher level of environmental review is required.

Establishes categories of projects that require preparation of an environmental impact statement when specified size or capacity thresholds are met, and requires connected or phased actions to be considered together in applying those thresholds. Identifies the responsible governmental unit for each type of project, including energy facilities, mining operations, waste facilities, industrial and commercial developments, residential projects, and water resource projects. Sets out how mixed-use projects and developments in shoreland or other sensitive areas are evaluated to determine whether an environmental impact statement is mandatory.

Provides regulatory requirements for manufactured home parks and recreational camping areas. Manufactured home owners must maintain approved fire extinguishers in each home. Vehicle speeds within parks are generally limited to ten miles per hour unless a municipality sets a higher posted limit up to 30 miles per hour. Certain activities, such as animal or car washing in undesignated areas, are prohibited, and pets are barred from sanitary or washing facilities buildings.

Authority for local governments to record informational maps or plats showing the location of streets, roads, highways, transportation corridors, and related rights-of-way is described. Requirements address how such maps or plats are prepared and recorded, limit when certain jurisdictions may file them, and clarify that filing does not transfer property title but serves as notice of a claimed interest.

Engaging acquisition and disposal of road-building materials via road authority agreement.

Governs the issuance of permits and leases for exploration and mining of metallic minerals other than iron ore and taconite, such as sand and gravel under public waters and certain industrial minerals on state-owned lands. Defines key terms and sets qualifications for applicants, application procedures, public sale and negotiated leasing processes, lease terms, rental and royalty payments, and reporting obligations. Authorizes limited geological data gathering activities without a lease and prescribes standard lease forms and conditions.

Sets minimum vertical clearance dimensions for various types of underpass configurations, including highways passing under roadway, railroad, pedestrian bridges, and sign structures, as well as railroads passing under roadway bridges, with separate standards for rural-suburban and urban designs. Provides a design chart listing the required clearances and addresses how existing skyway structures are treated when replaced. Permits the commissioner of transportation to grant variances from the stated minimums.

Sets minimum design standards for urban roadways that are specifically planned to include on-road bicycle facilities in new or reconstruction projects. Specifies required dimensions for lane widths, curb reaction distances, parking lanes, and types of bicycle accommodations based on projected traffic volumes and design speeds, and requires variances for deviations below listed minimums. Also outlines related requirements for medians, structural axle loads, bridge widths and load ratings, clear zones, and lane configurations to ensure roadway and structure designs accommodate bicycle use.

Establishes minimum design standards for on-road bicycle facilities on paved urban roadways undergoing reconditioning when a road authority determines a bicycle facility will be included. Requires projects to meet or exceed charted minimum dimensions for lane widths, parking lanes, structural design strength, and bikeway types based on lane configuration, traffic volume, and design speed. Directs use of engineering judgment for alternative dimensions and requires a variance for designs below the stated minimums, while addressing curb reaction distances, median widths, and bridge width and load rating criteria.

Establishes minimum design standards for 45-degree and 60-degree pull-in diagonal parking, including required stall dimensions, curb length, and separation distances based on traffic volumes. Limits such parking to roadways with a maximum speed limit of 30 miles per hour and at least two through-traffic lanes. Calls for a cooperative agreement between the local road authority and the commissioner addressing parking angle and pavement markings, adherence to statutory spacing requirements, and clearance from fixed objects.

Requires reconditioning projects on rural and suburban undivided roadways to meet minimum lane and combined lane and shoulder widths based on traffic volume and posted speed. Allows consideration of on-road bicycle facilities and the use of engineering judgment to adjust dimensions, with variances required for widths below the minimums. Addresses bridge width and load rating requirements for structures remaining in place and requires a minimum structural design strength of seven tons per axle for the roadway.

Establishes minimum geometric and structural design standards for new or reconstructed urban roadways without designated on-road bicycle facilities, including lane widths, curb reaction distances, parking lane widths, and design speeds based on projected traffic volumes. Provides direction on the use of engineering judgment and variances, along with additional criteria for medians, one-way streets, clear zones, and structural axle load design. Includes requirements for bridge widths and load ratings, roadway clearances, and traffic study considerations for higher traffic volumes.

Establishes minimum design standards for new bridge, bridge replacement, or bridge rehabilitation projects and their approach roadways on rural or suburban undivided roadways that are not on the state-aid system. Specifies required minimum dimensions based on traffic volumes, including lane and shoulder widths, clear zones, inslopes, and design speeds, and allows the use of engineering judgment or variances under certain conditions. Sets structural and loading requirements for bridges, including load rating criteria, curb-to-curb width minimums, and guardrail installation standards.

Establishes minimum design standards for off road bicycle and shared use paths. Provides required and desired dimensions for surface width, shoulders or clear zones, inslopes, design speeds, grades, and vertical clearances, including special provisions for bridges, underpasses, and box culvert structures. Addresses how path widths and safety features must be handled where paths cross or pass through structures.

Establishes the Minnesota state transportation fund to finance capital improvements for a balanced statewide transportation system, including bridges, rail lines, and related infrastructure. Sets out how bond proceeds and other appropriations are deposited, managed, and used, and restricts transfers from constitutionally dedicated highway funds. Authorizes the commissioner of transportation to award grants to political subdivisions for bridge and transportation projects, and requires rulemaking to govern grant criteria, priorities, and administration.

Identifies categories of motor vehicle purchases and uses that are exempt from the motor vehicle sales and use tax imposed under the chapter. Coverage includes exemptions based on the purchaser, the purpose or use of the vehicle, and certain organizational, governmental, charitable, or interstate circumstances. The provision outlines the overall scope of tax exemptions without addressing procedures or enforcement.

Roadside vegetation management rules for mowing and tilling along highway rights-of-way, including general timing limits and exceptions.

Outlines the procedures a municipal council must follow when undertaking local improvements, including preparing and approving plans and specifications, advertising for bids when costs exceed statutory thresholds, and setting timelines for awarding contracts. Describes requirements for awarding contracts to the lowest responsible bidder, handling bid security and defaults, using day labor in certain circumstances, and supervising and reporting on work performed. Also covers alternative procurement methods, special procedures for certain street improvements, cooperation with other governmental units, progress payments and interest on late payments, and limits on contract modifications.

Chapter governing municipal planning, zoning, and regional development. Authority is granted to cities and towns to establish and enforce restricted residence districts, adopt official controls, regulate subdivisions, and implement comprehensive municipal planning, including procedures for adoption, administration, and judicial review of planning decisions. Creation, organization, powers, duties, financing, and regional boundaries of regional development commissions are also addressed, along with related definitions and enforcement mechanisms.

Sets out general rights, powers, and duties of municipalities and other political subdivisions, addressing matters such as contracting authority, financial expenditures, and cooperative arrangements. Covers topics including energy savings contracts, identification and use of publicly owned vehicles, permissible contracts and conflict exceptions, and authority to transfer certain jointly owned facilities. Establishes various operational rules that govern how local governments may manage property, funds, and public resources.

Describes tort claims against political subdivisions. Provides that municipalities are liable for their torts and those of their officers and employees acting within the scope of their duties, subject to specified exceptions and immunity provisions, and establishes monetary limits on liability. Requires timely notice of claims, authorizes the purchase of liability insurance and indemnification of employees, and governs the settlement and payment of claims and judgments.

Sets minimum geometric and structural design standards for new or reconstruction projects on type I, II, and III natural preservation routes, designated national forest highways within national forests, and state park access roads within state parks. Specifies required dimensions and criteria for elements such as design speed, lane and shoulder widths, clear zones, inslopes, bridges, guardrails, ditches, and loading standards, while allowing use of engineering judgment subject to variance procedures. Includes additional conditions related to bicycle accommodations, scenic areas, projected traffic volumes, and application thresholds for certain route types.

Establishes standards and procedures for the permitting, design, operation, reclamation, and closure of nonferrous metallic mineral mining operations. Describes application requirements, mine waste characterization, financial assurance, annual reporting, and public notice and hearing processes associated with a permit to mine. Details technical criteria for siting, buffers, waste storage, tailings basins, leaching facilities, blasting, dust control, corrective action, and long term closure and postclosure maintenance to ensure protection of natural resources and public safety.

Addresses the obligation of licensees and certificate holders to provide full and accurate disclosure in their professional activities. It covers standards for public statements and professional documents, requiring objectivity, truthfulness, and opinions based on adequate knowledge and competent evaluation. It also governs how individuals represent their qualifications, education, and responsibility for work when claiming credit.

Establishes the Occupational Safety and Health Act and outlines its purpose to ensure safe and healthful working conditions. Defines key terms such as employer, employee, and place of employment, specifies coverage, and requires employers to comply with adopted safety and health standards. Authorizes inspections, citations, penalties, rulemaking, and review procedures, and includes provisions governing topics such as independent contractors, crane operation, employee rights, recordkeeping, and safety committees.

Governs public use of state parks, forest lands, recreational areas, and state recreational trails, including hours of operation, permits, fees, personal conduct, environmental protection, camping, pets, boating, fishing, motor vehicles, and storage of property. Regulates snowmobile registration, equipment, operation, signage, education, and enforcement requirements. Sets standards and procedures for outdoor recreational project planning, classification, funding priorities, and allocation of state and local responsibilities.

Particular authorized and prohibited uses of highway rights-of-way, including placement of public notice billboards, benches and shelters (with advertising limits), customs inspection facilities, and micromobility/shared EV facilities with permits, removal of unauthorized structures, and authority for trunk highway closures and related safety notices, temporary field-use permits, and liability rules.

Regulates peat mining activities, including mine design, operation, reclamation, and cleanup of mining areas. Requires operators to obtain and maintain permits, submit applications and reports, prepare deactivation plans, and comply with performance bonding and inspection requirements. Outlines procedures for permit issuance, amendment, suspension, revocation, enforcement actions, hearings, and financial assurance to ensure reclamation and protection of natural resources.

Establishes the classification of personnel data maintained by government entities about employees, applicants, volunteers, and independent contractors. Identifies which categories of information are public, such as compensation, job-related details, and final disciplinary actions, and which data are private, including most other personnel information and certain applicant names. Also addresses circumstances under which personnel data may be shared with other government entities, law enforcement, retirement systems, or school districts.

Establishes minimum burial depth requirements for pipelines crossing public drainage facilities, roads, highways, and cultivated agricultural land, with specified conditions for waivers by landowners and political subdivisions. Authorizes local governments to adopt additional protective standards, including measures to safeguard and restore agricultural land, and requires payment of county inspection fees and on-site inspections during construction. Exempts certain interstate natural gas pipelines.

Provides procedures for obtaining a pipeline routing permit, including definitions, applicability, and the authority of the Public Utilities Commission. Outlines application content, public notice and hearing processes, criteria for route selection, and standards for partial exemptions, emergency actions, and consideration of alternative routes and environmental impacts. Details permit issuance, conditions for right-of-way preparation and restoration, compliance oversight, modification or suspension of permits, construction completion certification, and application fees.

Defines key terms related to pipelines and outlines when a routing permit from the Public Utilities Commission is required for certain gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines, including environmental review requirements. Describes procedures for route approval, public notice and meetings, easement acquisition, information provided to landowners, and exemptions for certain interstate pipelines.

Contains information about the subdivision and platting of land, including requirements for land surveying, official plat approval, and recording processes.

Grants certain metropolitan area towns expanded municipal powers when population or location criteria are met, and outlines how additional towns may adopt those powers by voter approval. The section broadly authorizes town boards to govern local affairs through ordinances covering public infrastructure, health and safety, commerce, services, land use, and general welfare. Administrative authority, enforcement mechanisms, financing options, and procedures for exercising and continuing these powers are also addressed.

Establishes the county board's authority to create, modify, vacate, or revoke county highways—including taking over public roads (excluding trunk highways and state‐aid routes) by resolution. Specifies what must be included in such resolutions, authorizes acquisition of property by purchase, gift, or eminent domain, and details procedures for vacating, revoking, designating former highways as limited-use cartways, transferring jurisdiction, extinguishing old highway interests, and providing notice when vacating roads that abut public water.

Establishes a process for municipalities to create and adopt official maps that identify land reserved for future public uses such as streets, transportation, and community facilities. Sets out how these maps are adopted, recorded, and used to guide permitting decisions and future land acquisition without immediately transferring property rights. Provides a framework for appeals and limited relief when map designations restrict reasonable use of private property.

Requires licensed architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, geoscientists, and certified interior designers to complete a specified number of professional development hours during each biennial renewal period, including ethics coursework. Outlines qualifying continuing education activities, standards those activities must meet, recordkeeping obligations, reporting requirements, and limited exemptions for new licensees and certain hardships. Provides procedures for audits, correction of deficiencies, and suspension for noncompliance.

Explains what constitutes professional misconduct for licensees and certificate holders regulated by the board.

Covers how state agencies procure and manage professional or technical services, including what qualifies as those services and when outside contracts may be used. It sets statewide requirements for competitive solicitation, contract management, commissioner review, reporting, and oversight, with special rules for enterprise and single source procurements. The section also addresses transparency, filing of contract products, limits on contractor claims related to disclosures, and specific exclusions from its application.

Authorizes state department and agency heads to enter into contracts for professional or technical services as part of their operations, subject to approval by the commissioner of administration. Establishes that contracts made under this authority are not required to follow standard competitive bidding procedures.

Requires monthly progress payments as work progresses unless the contract specifies otherwise. Allows withholding up to 5 percent as retainage, with conditions for release and subcontractor payments. Specifies limits and timing for withholdings after substantial completion, and provides restrictions on indemnification provisions.

Progress payments and retainage limits in building and construction contracts, requiring monthly progress payments as work progresses and capping retainage at five percent with rules for reducing or releasing retainage based on satisfactory work and timelines for release to contractors and subcontractors.

Establishes requirements for timely payment of bills by local governments to vendors and contractors. Sets a general framework for payment periods, handling of invoice issues, and consequences for late payment, including interest obligations and dispute considerations. Applies broadly to municipal purchases and contracts for goods, services, and construction, with limited exceptions.

Describes property transfers from a city, town, or school district to another public entity.

Authorizes a city or town governing body to record maps or plats showing proposed acquisitions of rights of way for public transportation, public utilities, and drainage easements. Establishes standards for preparing, certifying, filing, amending, and correcting those maps or plats, and allows related documents and certificates to be recorded.

Responsibilities of the town board include enforcing legal and financial obligations owed to the town and pursuing actions related to bonds, penalties, forfeitures, and property violations. Enforcement and collection activities are carried out on behalf of the town, with resulting funds directed into town finances through the treasurer.

Provides statewide rules governing protection of underground waters, including purpose, policy, and definitions related to groundwater and aquifers. Classifies underground waters for their highest priority use as potable water supplies and adopts a nondegradation policy to prevent pollution.

Establishes that a public body may require bidders on public work or public improvement projects to provide a bid bond or other security to guarantee entry into a contract if the bid is accepted. Provides that when such a deposit or security is required, the public body is liable to return it if the bid is not accepted, or if the bid is accepted and the bidder enters into the contract and furnishes the required security. Holds the public body responsible for returning the deposit even if it was lost or misused by an officer charged with its custody.

Addresses what constitutes a public nuisance and the legal implications associated with it.

Establishes standards governing the management of public rights-of-way by local government units, including applicability, definitions, fees, permits, restoration requirements, and enforcement. Addresses installation, construction, location, relocation, and abandonment of utility and telecommunications facilities, along with bonding, indemnification, notice, and completion certification requirements. Sets forth mapping system authority and required information.

Definitions and parameters related to telecommunications rights-of-way management.

Use of public roads by utilities and pipeline carriers to install and maintain lines, conduits, and related infrastructure with rules to avoid interfering with travel and to comply with local and state regulations on construction and crossings.

Governs activities affecting public water resources and dams under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources. It establishes permit requirements, fees, and standards for work such as filling, excavation, structures, water level controls, drainage, mining-related alterations, water appropriation, and restoration in public waters, along with criteria for protecting environmental quality and public safety.

Sets forth definitions and standards governing qualified newspapers that may publish public notices for political subdivisions. Describes the requirements a newspaper must meet to receive compensation for publishing notices, the manner and timing of publication, designation of official newspapers, rates and affidavits of publication, and rules for computing time. Addresses application of these provisions to political subdivisions and permits certain transportation project advertisements to be published on a designated website.

Addresses the timing of printing public notices in newspapers, including issues released on Sundays or legal holidays. The section explains how required multiweek publication periods are satisfied regardless of the specific day of the week used, as long as the notice appears the required number of times. It clarifies when such publications are considered legally valid.

Provides that responsibility for maintaining grade crossing surfaces is determined under Minnesota Statutes, section 219.071. Prohibits a rail carrier from closing a roadway for 15 minutes or longer to perform grade crossing maintenance without giving advance notice to the road authority, allowing the authority to inform the public and, when possible, identify alternate routes.

Covers laws governing railroad safety and employment. Includes standards for track safety, hazardous materials, emergency response, grade crossings, required signage, and clearance requirements, as well as inspection authority and enforcement powers of the commissioner of transportation. Also sets out provisions related to railroad employee protections, employer liability, required equipment and facilities, reimbursement for emergency responses, and penalties for violations.

Provides definitions and incorporates technical manuals applicable to railroad regulation, and explains how the chapter applies to grade crossings, private crossings, grade separations, rail rehabilitation projects, rail bank property, and rail loan programs. Prescribes standards for railroad-highway grade crossings, including visibility, signage, pavement markings, active warning devices, gates, clearances, and maintenance responsibilities, along with reporting requirements for system failures and track safety standards.

Facilitates recording of maps or plats that outline land to be acquired for highway right-of-way, detailing certification requirements, how they're recorded without formalities, correction procedures, and how such documentation may be used in describing acquisitions or conveyances.

Defines terms and outlines requirements for the registration, numbering, and display of decals for all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and off-road vehicles, including procedures for dealers and manufacturers. Specifies equipment standards, noise limits, identification numbers, and operating rules for use on public lands, waters, trails, and certain road rights-of-way, along with traffic control and signage requirements. Describes special operating permits, education and safety training programs, and conditions under which official use or variances from these requirements are allowed.

Discusses the procedures and regulations surrounding the conveyance of real estate by the commissioner of transportation, including conditions and considerations for transferring property rights.

Outlines when a court must or may award a property owner reasonable attorney fees, litigation expenses, appraisal fees, and related costs in eminent domain proceedings.

Establishes procedures for inspection and maintenance of drainage systems after construction, including regular inspections by an appointed committee or inspector and oversight of permanent strips of perennial vegetation. Sets forth a compliance process when vegetation requirements are violated, including notice to property owners and authority for corrective work if violations are not resolved. Governs reporting, authorization of repairs, cost limits, assessments for repair levies, and special provisions for emergency repairs following disasters.

Describes the ability for a town to make repairs to a street when the statutory city within the limits of the town fails to do so.

Provides a process allowing county boards to authorize repairs to county property without advertising for bids when an emergency involving breakage, damage, or decay cannot wait for the normal bidding timeline. Excludes Ramsey County.

Defines terms related to construction contracting for purposes of determining responsibility. Requires contractors on certain publicly owned or financed construction projects over a stated dollar threshold to meet specified minimum criteria concerning legal compliance, wage laws, registration, debarment status, and verification of subcontractors and motor carriers.

Addresses limits on public access to certain wetlands to protect public health and safety. Authority is given to local governments to restrict access to public waters wetlands adjacent to roads, and conditions are established under which privately created or restored wetlands posted by a landowner are not open to public access.

Prohibits certain activities on trunk highways, including littering, unauthorized advertising, and interference with ditches and culverts.

Establishes various rights, powers, and duties of municipalities. Addresses authority to acquire and manage property, including through eminent domain, and governs the acceptance and use of gifts, grants, and conveyances for public purposes. Provisions cover financial matters such as tax levies and severance pay, regulation of certain local activities, reimbursement of officials legal expenses, and procedures for cooperation or combination of local government units.

Establishes rules of professional conduct for individuals and firms regulated by the Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design. Provisions address duties to protect public health, safety, and welfare, requirements for honesty and full disclosure, conflicts of interest, competence, compliance with laws, and standards for employment practices and professional behavior.

Prohibits state officers and employees, and those of political subdivisions, from selling or offering state-owned property to other public employees except under specified conditions. Allows surplus property not needed for public purposes to be sold to employees only after public notice and through a public auction or sealed bid process in which the employee is not involved, and limits the purchase of motor vehicles to one per auction. Classifies violations as misdemeanors and excludes ordinary course sales to the general public or routine job-related sales activities from these restrictions.

Establishes a comprehensive set of exemptions from state sales and use taxes for a wide range of goods, services, and transactions. The section identifies categories of exempt items and activities, along with conditions, limitations, and cross references to related provisions that affect eligibility. Administrative aspects such as documentation, refunds, and interactions with other tax provisions are also addressed.

Regulates the subdivision, use, and development of shorelands along public waters by requiring local zoning controls based on waterbody classifications and by prescribing standards for lot size, structure placement, vegetation alteration, sewage treatment, water supply, and planned unit developments. Requires local governments to administer and enforce shoreland ordinances, review subdivisions for land suitability, and process variances consistent with statutory criteria. Provides minimum floodplain management standards, mapping requirements, zoning provisions, subdivision controls, and variance procedures to guide local regulation of development within flood-prone areas.

Addresses the obligation of railroad companies to place and maintain proper and conspicuous signs at every location where their rail lines cross a public road to indicate the presence of the crossing, with a fee for every day there is a failure to comply.

Governs the operation of snowmobiles on streets, highways, bridges, and rights-of-way, including when and how crossings may occur and where operation is prohibited. Establishes general safety standards, equipment and lighting expectations, restrictions on unsafe or reckless operation, limits on use at airports, and special provisions for manufacturer testing.

Establishes the Soil and Water Conservation District Law as part of the states water law and sets forth the policy of conserving and enhancing soil and water resources. Provides for the creation, alteration, governance, and termination of soil and water conservation districts, including the election and powers of district boards and their authority to undertake conservation projects, acquire property, cooperate with other entities, and implement resource management practices. Defines the duties of the Board of Water and Soil Resources and outlines procedures for carrying out works of improvement within districts.

Prevents local governments and school districts from preparing specifications that are overly restrictive when seeking bids for supplies or equipment.

Establishes that drivers must operate at a speed that is reasonable and prudent for existing conditions and restricts speed as necessary to avoid collisions; driving over 100 mph results in mandatory license revocation. Prescribes statutory prima facie speed limits (30 mph in urban districts; 70/65 mph on interstates depending on urbanized area status; 65 mph on noninterstate expressways/freeways; 55 mph elsewhere; 10 mph in alleys; and optional 25 mph residential or 35 mph rural residential limits when adopted and signed by the road authority) and allows a 10 mph increase when legally overtaking on two-lane highways meeting specified conditions. Authorizes the commissioner and local authorities to set, alter, and sign speed zones (including school, work, park, and safe road zones) following engineering and traffic investigations or, in some work-zone or city-street cases, without one; it also establishes surcharges and enhanced fines for certain violations (including an added surcharge for large excesses and a $300 fine for work-zone speed violations) and permits posting of minimum speed limits where warranted

Provides standards governing the physical format and legibility of documents submitted for recording or filing with county recorders or registrars of titles. The section covers page size, paper quality, margins, reserved space for recording and tax information, document titles, and overall readability. It also notes limited exceptions for certain types of plats, surveys, and common interest community documents.

Provides definitions and requirements governing property acquired or improved with state general obligation bond proceeds. Regulates how public officers and agencies may lease, manage, or sell state bond financed property. Sets conditions for grants funded with bond proceeds, including program operation, matching funds, grant agreements, and ongoing compliance to protect the tax-exempt status of the bonds.

Governs the procurement of materials and services for the state, including solicitation methods, advertising requirements, vendor registration, bid security, evaluation and award of contracts, handling of tied bids, contract performance standards, and remedies for failure to perform. Establishes a small business procurement program with eligibility, ownership, control, certification, and participation standards for socially and economically disadvantaged, economically disadvantaged area, and veteran-owned small businesses, along with procedures for certification, denial, and notice of changes. Sets out debarment and suspension provisions, including grounds, procedures, terms, and public notice requirements, particularly for transportation contracts.

Sets out the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency stormwater regulatory program governing discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems, construction activities, and industrial activities. It outlines when NPDES or state disposal system permits are required, describes application and fee procedures, and specifies minimum program and stormwater pollution prevention plan requirements for regulated entities.

Explains that exceptions to the requirement that plans be prepared by a licensed architect or engineer are only available if plans and specifications are submitted.

Requires persons who hire nonresident contractors to perform construction work in Minnesota to withhold a percentage of payments on contracts exceeding a specified amount. Allows the commissioner to waive withholding if the contractor provides a cash surety or bond or has a recent history of full tax compliance in the state. Provides that withheld amounts are held as surety to ensure payment of state income, franchise, withholding, and sales and use taxes until the contractor's tax liability is determined.

Provides procedures for initiating and conducting surveys of townships and sections upon petition, including notice, hearings, appointment of licensed surveyors, and preparation and filing of plats and records. Establishes requirements for monumenting and perpetuating public land survey corners and township landmarks, including standards for placement, documentation, and evidentiary status.

Governs the classification, management, lease, sale, and repurchase of tax-forfeited lands, including procedures for initial sale, public notice, online auctions, and completion of conveyances. Regulates how lands may be designated for conservation, forest, agricultural, or other uses; limits or prohibits certain sales; and addresses special conditions for lands near public waters, contaminated property, and lands within reservation boundaries. Directs how proceeds are distributed, outlines duties of county officials and the commissioner of natural resources, and sets terms for leases, contracts, cancellations, and repurchase rights.

States the policy framework for fair and uniform use of public rights-of-way by telecommunications providers while allowing local governments to manage those areas. The section describes the authority of local government units to require permits, registration, and coordination for construction, maintenance, and placement of telecommunications and small wireless facilities, along with limits on moratoria and zoning treatment. It addresses responsibilities related to restoration of rights-of-way after excavation and sets general rules for permitting and collocation of small wireless facilities.

Requires employers to allow, without retaliation, time off—paid, unpaid, or made up—for elected officials to attend necessary public office meetings.

Sets out the powers and duties of town boards in Minnesota, including authority over licensing, emergency service charges, road matters, financial management, and the issuance of certificates of indebtedness. Provides procedures for certain actions such as submitting questions to voters, auditing town accounts, publishing financial reports, and levying taxes for specific purposes. Includes provisions related to the handling of town funds, enforcement of penalties, and the organization and responsibilities of the town board of audit.

Allows damages and litigation costs from town-ordered work on a private road, mistakenly treated as public, to be treated as a claim against the town when a court makes that finding. Payment as a town charge depends on approval by a majority of electors at a properly noticed town meeting where the question is presented for a vote.

Contains the general law governing towns, including provisions on boundaries, corporate powers, contracts, and ownership and transfer of property. It addresses town finances and charges, tax levies, town meetings and elections, claims and lawsuits involving towns, and limits on debts and expenditures. Includes detailed provisions on town cemeteries, fire and police protection, dissolution or separation of towns, and the handling of town funds and property in those circumstances.

Establishes a framework allowing towns to create subordinate service districts within defined areas to provide and finance special or enhanced governmental services beyond those offered townwide. It addresses the procedures for creating, expanding, and removing districts, including petitions, public hearings, publication requirements, and the opportunity for a reverse referendum. Governs financing methods, including property taxes, service charges, bonding authority, and coordination among districts.

Traffic regulations governing operation of vehicles on Minnesota roads, including basic traffic rules (right-of-way, speed limits, vehicle movement, accident procedures), authority of local and emergency traffic control, and definitions for traffic enforcement. Also covers vehicle equipment and safety standards (lights, restraints, tires), signs and signals, parking, towing, pedestrian and bicycle interaction, and miscellaneous traffic offenses and procedures.

Sets requirements for trail and bicycle path grade crossings, including preferences for right-angle crossings of railroad tracks and avoiding placement on curves, and requires widening where a right-angle crossing is not feasible. Requires active warning devices, signs, and pavement markings to comply with applicable standards, mandates stop signs and advance pavement markings, and assigns responsibility for installation and maintenance to the governmental entity with jurisdiction over the trail or path.

A list of statutes on Minnesota's transportation-related laws, including roads and bridges, vehicle registration and titles, traffic rules and impaired driving, driver licensing, highway funding and patrol functions, and regulations for carriers, signage, and delivery fees.

It establishes a state transportation revolving loan fund, detailing definitions, purpose, and administration by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Minnesota Public Facilities Authority. Links cover eligible transportation projects, application requirements, evaluation criteria, and the certification process for financial assistance. Procedures for project eligibility, submission, review, and approval are outlined.

Establishes procedures for certifying transportation projects for financial assistance from the transportation revolving loan fund. Explains key terms, identifies eligible projects and borrowers, and outlines the information required in loan applications. Describes the criteria used to evaluate projects, the process for certification and notification, coordination with the Public Facilities Authority for financial review, and the handling of project changes before execution of a loan agreement.

Vegetation management along rural highways, authorizing road authorities to plant and tend trees and shrubs for snow protection, set consent rules for removal, acquire vegetation, and regulate cutting, hearings, notices, appeals, and disposal of trees and hedges that interfere with highway safety or maintenance.

Defines rules for managing the trunk highway system, including controls on outdoor advertising, sign types, spacing, permits, and zoning along highways. Regulates utility equipment placement, work permits, and changes to highway access. Establishes procedures for bridge construction and reconstruction, including eligibility, application, review, and priority setting.

Governs use and regulation of the trunk highway system, including prohibiting nonmotorized traffic on interstate highways and regulating outdoor advertising devices along interstate and primary highways through definitions, spacing, size limits, permitting, and exemptions. Sets standards and permit requirements for utility installations and driveway access connections within trunk highway right of way, including provisions for changes in use, revocation, and variances. Provides criteria and procedures for bridge construction and reconstruction grants, including eligibility, application review, prioritization, and applicable bridge and roadway specifications.

The section prohibits placing, maintaining, or displaying on or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device that imitates or resembles official traffic-control or railroad devices, attempts to direct traffic, or hides or interferes with official devices, and it bars traffic signs on highways that bear commercial advertising. It permits nonmisleading directional signs on private property adjacent to highways that cannot be confused with official signs and allows licensed (or exempt) auctioneers to place up to four temporary auction signs for no more than eight consecutive hours on or adjacent to the right-of-way. Any prohibited sign, signal, or marking is declared a public nuisance and may be removed by the highway authority without notice

Limits enforceability of indemnification in construction contracts. Specifies that such provisions are only valid if the indemnifying party—or its agents, contractors, or delegates—has caused the injury or damage through negligence or wrongful act, or if indemnification is required for environmental strict liability and agreed to by an owner, responsible party, or government entity.

Describes a uniform framework governing how municipalities enter into contracts for goods, services, and construction work. The section defines key terms and outlines when competitive bidding, quotations, negotiation, or alternative procurement methods may be used based on contract size and type. Additional provisions address specialized contracting situations and establish recordkeeping and compliance expectations for municipal contracting practices.

Makes it unlawful to misuse or falsely present one's own or another person's professional seal, certificate, or license in connection with licensure.

Sets standards and criteria for licensing utility crossings over or under public lands and waters, addressing application requirements, fee schedules, license terms, and grounds for cancellation. Regulates route selection, structure design, construction practices, safety measures, and right of way maintenance to reduce environmental impacts and protect public resources. Applies to utilities such as electric transmission lines, pipelines, and communication lines, and coordinates these requirements with other environmental laws and regulations.

Establishes the time limitations for commencing various types of civil actions, including contract disputes and property recovery.

Requires approval by town voters before a town may require owners or occupants of property adjoining a town road to remove snow or ice placed on the road right-of-way by that property.

Requires approval by town voters before a town may require adjoining property owners or occupants to destroy weeds and remove rocks along town roads.

Defines terms related to water aeration systems in protected waters and requires a permit from the commissioner for most aeration system installations and operations. Outlines application requirements, criteria for approval, permit duration, operational conditions, marking and public notice obligations, and circumstances under which permits may not be issued.

Establishes the framework for statewide and local water planning and project implementation, including coordination of water resource management among state agencies and development of a state water and related land resources plan. Creates and defines the authority and duties of the Board of Water and Soil Resources, and authorizes metropolitan watershed management organizations, counties, and other local entities to prepare, adopt, and implement surface water, groundwater, and comprehensive local water management plans. Provides for oversight of local water management entities, emergency project powers, wetland function evaluation standards, and special programs such as comprehensive watershed management planning and conservation districts.

Governs protection of water resources through programs addressing floodplain management, water quality and storage practices, soil health, and erosion control. Requires local governments to adopt and enforce ordinances. Creates conservation and land retirement programs, including riparian buffer requirements, wetland preservation areas, water bank initiatives, and the reinvest in Minnesota reserve program, to restore and protect sensitive lands and water resources.

Sets out the state water law framework. States policies on regulation and conservation of public waters, wetlands, groundwater, rainwater, scenic rivers, hydropower, marginal lands, and watershed management, and assigns responsibilities among state agencies for protecting water quality and quantity. Creates procedures for resolving questions of water policy through the Board of Water and Soil Resources. Also directs the development of statewide water information systems, training programs for pumping tests and data acquisition, and water assessments and reports to the legislature.

Sets water quality standards to protect the surface and groundwater of the state, including a system of use classifications and both narrative and numeric criteria tied to designated beneficial uses such as drinking water, aquatic life, recreation, agriculture, industry, and limited resource waters. Addresses how water quality is evaluated, how compliance and impairment are determined, and how natural conditions, wetlands, and downstream uses are protected. Contains general prohibitions against nuisance conditions, requirements for maintaining high water quality, standards for toxic pollutants, bacteria, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and other contaminants, and procedures for variances and antidegradation review.

Establishes Minnesota water law governing waters of the state, including definitions and general provisions applicable throughout the chapter. Grants authority to the commissioner of natural resources to manage, allocate, conserve, and regulate surface water and groundwater, including permitting for water use, dams, diversions, and other activities affecting public waters and wetlands. Provides procedures for investigations, enforcement, penalties, water level control, wetland replacement, aquatic plant management, and related programs addressing protection and use of water resources.

Provides for the creation, governance, and operation of watershed districts to conserve and manage the state's water. Describes procedures for establishing, modifying, or terminating districts; appointing managers; adopting watershed management plans; and adopting rules, permits, and enforcement measures. Addresses the planning, financing, construction, and maintenance of drainage and water management projects, along with assessments, levies, appeals, and dispute resolution processes.

Establishes how political subdivisions may publish advertisements for bids on transportation projects using their official websites. The section covers when website publication may substitute for or supplement newspaper publication, along with expectations for format, timing, and public notice. Requirements for maintaining a permanent, publicly accessible record of such online publications are also set out.

Provides the statutory framework for the regulation of wells, borings, and certain underground uses in order to protect groundwater and public health. Defines key terms and outlines the authority and duties of the commissioner of health. Includes provisions on well ownership and disclosure, sealing requirements and funding, elevator and exploratory borings, geothermal and thermal exchange systems, underground space development, and underground storage of gas or liquid.

Establishes where public notices must be published and the circumstances under which publication in a qualified newspaper is required, modified, or not required. Provides an exception allowing certain metropolitan fourth-class cities to use city-prepared printed notices when no suitable local newspaper exists. Permits political subdivisions to use approved alternative methods for disseminating bids and requests, with conditions governing notice, format, and transition.

Prescribes restitution values payable to the state for unlawful taking, possession, or destruction of wild animals, including game birds, big game, small game, endangered and threatened species, wolves, game fish, and minnows. Provides definitions for key terms and sets specific dollar amounts by species, with enhanced values for trophy animals and certain large fish based on size.

Establishes statewide standards and criteria for the designation, classification, and management of wild, scenic, and recreational rivers and their associated land use districts. Provides requirements for land use, zoning dimensions, subdivisions, vegetative cutting, grading and filling, utility and road crossings, sanitary controls, and public use within designated river corridors. Incorporates management plans for specific rivers, addressing land acquisition, recreation management, district boundaries, and administrative procedures for local implementation and enforcement.

Imposes a tax on the production of electricity from wind energy conversion systems installed after January 1, 1991. Sets the applicable tax rates, establishes exemptions for certain small systems and systems located in job opportunity building zones, and outlines how system size and common ownership are determined. Requires annual reporting of electricity production to the commissioner of revenue. Directs how revenues are distributed among counties, cities, townships, and school districts.

Requires permits for construction, alteration, or other work that affects public waters, including changes to waterways, dams, and obstructions. Provides general categories of activities that are exempt from permitting and outlines how permit applications are submitted and administered. Regulates the placement, repair, and replacement of boathouses and boat storage structures on public waters and allows delegation of permitting authority to local government units under specified conditions.