HF 4241

HF4241 FIRST ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4241-1
This Document can be made available  Printed
in alternative formats upon request  State of Minnesota  Page No.      259
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
  H. F. No.  4241
03/12/2026     Authored by Freiberg
  The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations
03/23/2026     Adoption of Report: Placed on the General Register as Amended
  Read for the Second Time
04/13/2026     Calendar for the Day
  Read for the Third Time
  Passed by the House and transmitted to the Senate
04/22/2026     Passed by the Senate and returned to the House
04/28/2026     Presented to Governor
04/29/2026     Governor Approval
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to elections; modifying certain selection procedures for the Hennepin
1.3County medical examiner; modifying school board procedure for Independent
1.4School District No. 535; requiring economic interest disclosure for certain park
1.5district board candidates; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383B.041,
1.6by adding a subdivision; 390.0065; Laws 1969, chapter 193, section 3, as amended.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383B.041, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.9to read:
1.10Subd. 6. Economic interest disclosure; Three Rivers Park District. A candidate for
1.11park district board of commissioners in Three Rivers Park District must file an original
1.12statement of economic interest with Hennepin County within 14 days of the end of the
1.13candidate filing period. An elected official in Three Rivers Park District must file the annual
1.14statement required in section 10A.09, subdivision 6, with Hennepin County for each year
1.15the individual remains in office. An original statement and annual statement must contain
1.16the information listed in section 10A.09, subdivision 5. The provisions of section 10A.09,
1.17subdivisions 6a, 7, and 9, apply to statements required by this subdivision.
1.18Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 390.0065, is amended to read:
1.19390.0065 HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER; SELECTION AND
1.20TERM.
1.21Hennepin County shall use the following procedure to select the Hennepin County
1.22medical examiner: the Hennepin County Board shall designate three licensed physicians
1.23individuals who shall constitute a Medical Examiner Board. One member shall be a dean
Sec. 2.  1
HF4241 FIRST ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4241-1
2.1  or professor of the Department of Pathology of a Class A medical school as designated by
2.2  the American Medical Association. Another professor of pathology in the Department of
2.3  Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Minnesota. The second member
2.4  of the board shall be a member of the Minnesota Society of Pathologists pathologist practicing
2.5  at Hennepin Healthcare. The third member shall be designated by the Hennepin County
2.6  Medical Association from its membership the director of medical examiner operations at
2.7  the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office. The Medical Examiner Board shall accept
2.8  applications for the position of Hennepin County medical examiner when a vacancy exists
2.9  in the office. Applications therefore shall be considered from doctors of medicine who are:
2.10 (1) graduates of a medical school recognized by the American Medical Association or
2.11 American Osteopathic Association,; (2) members in good standing in the medical profession,;
2.12 (3) eligible for appointment to the staff of the Hennepin County Medical Center, a license
2.13 to practice medicine in Minnesota; and (4) certified or eligible for certification board-certified
2.14 in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology. The Medical Examiner Board
2.15 shall review the qualifications of the applicants and shall, rank the applicants deemed
2.16 qualified for the position, and provide to the county board a report of the seven highest
2.17 ranked applicants together with their qualifications. The county board shall appoint a county
2.18 medical examiner from those listed in the report. The term of the examiner shall continue
2.19 for four years from the date of appointment. Reappointment shall be made at least 90 days
2.20 prior to the expiration of the term. If a vacancy requires a temporary appointment, the board
2.21 of commissioners shall appoint a medical doctor on the staff of the county medical examiner's
2.22 office to assume the duties of the medical examiner until an appointment can be made in
2.23 compliance with the specified selection procedure. Actual and necessary expenses of the
2.24 Medical Examiner Board shall be paid in accordance with sections 471.38 to 471.415.
2.25     EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.26   Sec. 3. Laws 1969, chapter 193, section 3, as amended by Laws 1974, chapter 235, section
2.27 1, and Laws 1980, chapter 371, section 1, is amended to read:
2.28   Sec. 3. INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 535; ELECTIONS.
2.29     Election districts may at any time be established in the manner provided by this act or
2.30 the board of education of the district may by resolution at any time provide that the board
2.31 members be elected at large. If the members are elected at large the notice of election should
2.32 include substantially the following form:
Sec. 3.  2
HF4241 FIRST ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4241-1
3.1      "Position number 3 and Position number 5 are to be filled by election. Candidates may
3.2  not file for more than one position."
3.3      If the members are elected at large the ballots shall read as follows:
3.4      "For school board position number 3 of Independent School District Number 535" or
3.5  "For school board position number 5 of Independent School District Number 535."
3.6      The names of the candidates for each seat shall be rotated on the ballots to avoid any
3.7  appearance of preference for incumbents, and incumbency shall not be indicated on the
3.8  ballot.
3.9      Newly elected school board members shall take office at the next regularly scheduled
3.10 meeting of the board following receipt of their certificates of election and notwithstanding
3.11 section 123.34, subdivision 1, the board may organize at that meeting rather than at the time
3.12 required by section 123.34, subdivision 1. If the school district changes from election by
3.13 district to election at large or from election at large to election by district incumbents shall
3.14 serve the entire terms to which they were elected under the prior system. If the school district
3.15 changes from election by district to election at large incumbents shall be assigned by lot to
3.16 the numbered positions.
3.17     School board elections for Independent School District No. 535, Rochester, shall be
3.18 conducted in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 205A. Notwithstanding Minnesota
3.19 Statutes, section 205A.12, the district may alter its organization into separate election districts
3.20 for the purpose of election of board members using the procedures provided in that section.
3.21 School board membership shall be governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.09.
3.22   Sec. 4. SPECIAL LAW.
3.23     Section 3 is a special law enacted pursuant to the Minnesota Constitution, article XII,
3.24 section 2, and applies to Independent School District No. 535, Rochester.
3.25   Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
3.26     Section 3 is effective upon approval by the governing body of Independent School
3.27 District No. 535 and compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2
3.28 and 3, for school district elections held after completion of local approval. The local approval
3.29 process must be completed by June 30, 2026, to apply to 2026 school district elections.
Sec. 5.  3