Bill
HF 389
HF 389 requires Minnesota Historical Society meetings to be open to the public and designates data on state-owned properties as public data.
Minnesota Bill HF 389 (Session 2025-2026) – Summary
Purpose and intent
- HF 389 aims to increase transparency and public access within the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) and its governance. Specifically, it requires that MHS meetings be open to the public and that data held by the MHS relating to state-owned properties be treated as public data.
Key provisions (as inferred from the bill title and typical structure)
- Open meetings: All meetings of the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) would be required to be open to the public. This typically includes public notice, agendas, minutes, and opportunities for public comment or participation, consistent with open meeting law standards.
- Public data on state-owned properties: Data held by the Minnesota Historical Society about state-owned properties would be designated as public data. This would generally imply that information such as ownership records, appraisals, acquisition and disposition details, property boundaries, and related documentation must be accessible to the public, subject to any applicable exemptions or privacy protections under Minnesota law.
- Administration and compliance: The bill likely sets out responsibilities for MHS to publish or provide access to public data and to conduct meetings in compliance with open meeting requirements. It may also reference standard enforcement or remedies if requirements are not met.
Who would be affected
- Minnesota Historical Society: As the primary agency affected, with obligations to hold meetings that are open to the public and to classify/state-owned-property data as public data.
- State-owned property records: Information maintained by MHS related to state-owned properties would become public data, increasing public access to datasets, documents, and records.
- General public and stakeholders: Individuals, researchers, journalists, and advocacy groups would gain greater access to MHS meetings and property-related data, potentially enhancing transparency and oversight.
Significant procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduction and first reading occurred on February 13, 2025, and the bill was referred to the State Government Finance and Policy committee.
- As a newly introduced bill in the 2025-2026 session, it would follow standard committee review, hearings, potential amendments, and floor votes in both chambers, with eventual reconciliation for any differences before becoming law.
- If enacted, the open meetings and public data provisions would take effect on dates specified within the bill or, if not specified, upon passage and enactment, with transitional provisions possibly addressing ongoing meetings or existing data.
Notes and considerations
- The summary above is based on the bill’s title, session, and initial action description. The actual text of HF 389 would specify exact definitions (e.g., what constitutes “public data” for state-owned properties, any exemptions), implementation timelines, penalties or enforcement mechanisms, and any transitional provisions.
- It may interact with existing Minnesota Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D) and Public Data Access policies, including potential exemptions for sensitive information (e.g., security, proprietary details, or personal data).
If you’d like, I can fetch the bill’s full text and provide a more granular section-by-section breakdown, including exact definitions, exemptions, timelines, and fiscal implications.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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