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HF 2166

Agriculture department principal offices required to be located in Blue Earth or Nicollet County.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Erica Schwartz and 1 co-sponsor

The bill requires the MDA principal offices to be located in Blue Earth or Nicollet County, centralizing administrative leadership in one of those counties.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Agriculture Finance and Policy
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Bill Summary · HF 2166

Summary of HF 2166 (2025-2026) – Minnesota

Purpose

HF 2166 proposes that the principal offices of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) be located in Blue Earth County or Nicollet County, effectively directing where the department’s main administrative offices must be physically situated.

Key Provisions

  • Location requirement for principal offices: The bill would require the MDA’s principal or main administrative offices to be located within either Blue Earth County or Nicollet County.
  • Administrative focus: The mandate appears to center on the geographic placement of the department’s central operations, rather than broad reorganizations of agency functions or programs.

Scope and Applicability

  • Recipient agency: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
  • Geographic focus: The requirement applies to the location of the department’s principal offices only, not necessarily to field offices, outreach sites, or program locations elsewhere in the state.

Schedule and Process

  • Introduced and referred: The bill was introduced on March 12, 2025, and referred to the Agriculture Finance and Policy committee for consideration.
  • Sponsor information:
    • Primary sponsor: (not specified in the provided text)
    • Co-sponsors: Terry Stier and Erica Schwartz

Potential Impacts

  • Operational implications for MDA: A mandated principal-office location in Blue Earth or Nicollet counties could influence:
    • Office realignment or consolidation needs
    • Real estate and leasing decisions
    • Staffing location planning for central administrative functions (e.g., executive leadership, human resources, finance, legal)
  • Regional impact: If enacted, the bill would centralize the department’s leadership and centralized administrative functions in one of the two specified counties, potentially affecting local employment and access for state residents seeking centralized services.
  • Cost considerations: Depending on the current location of the MDA’s principal offices, the bill could entail relocation costs, lease penalties, or capital expenditure related to new facilities. Any transition period would need to be defined by implementing provisions.

Important Notes

  • The summary above reflects the bill text as provided and the action history up to the indicated date. Additional language in the full bill could specify transition timelines, exceptions, or implementation details.
  • No enactment date or fiscal note is provided in the available material; details on funding, timelines, and enforcement would typically be clarified in committee hearings or the bill’s fiscal/legal analysis.

If you’d like, I can incorporate the bill’s full text and any available fiscal notes to provide a more detailed analysis of timelines, costs, and potential legislative amendments.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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