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HF 4591

State government policy and finance bill.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Gustafson and 4 co-sponsors

The bill ties state grants to Minnesota noncommercial educational radio stations meeting strict criteria (license class, staffing, schedule, local programming, finances, governance

Secretary of State Chapter 119 05/27/26
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Bill Summary · HF 4591

Summary of HF 4591 (2025-2026) — Minnesota

Purpose and Intent

HF 4591 proposes to modify eligibility criteria for noncommercial radio station grants under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 129D, and to authorize a onetime appropriation of $165,000 from the general fund to support Minnesota public educational radio stations. The overarching aim is to ensure grant eligibility is aligned with credible community-serving and financially sound noncommercial stations and to help member stations consolidate resources, training, and operations.

Key Provisions

1) Eligibility Criteria for Grants (Minnesota Statutes 2024, §129D.14, subd. 3, amended)

To qualify for a grant, a noncommercial radio station must meet all of the following (new and/or clarified requirements):

  • Licensing and Location

    • Hold a valid FCC noncommercial FM or AM license that falls within specific classes:
    • FM: Class A or C (per 47 C.F.R. 73.210/73.211) or
    • AM: Class C or D (per 47 C.F.R. 73.21; with Class L1 and LP100 excluded)
    • The station must be licensed to a community in Minnesota and operate as a noncommercial educational station.

  • Facilities and Staffing

    • Have facilities adequate for local program production and origination.
    • Employ at least two full-time equivalent professional radio staff (or the equivalent in part-time staff) and commit to maintaining at least two full-time equivalent staff throughout the grant year.

  • Broadcast Schedule and Identity

    • Maintain a minimum daily broadcast schedule:
    • Up to the maximum allowed by the FCC license, or
    • 12 hours/day in Year 1 of eligibility, 15 hours/day in Year 2, and 18 hours/day in Year 3 and subsequent years.
    • Broadcast 365 days/year or the maximum allowed by the FCC license, with exceptions for power outages and natural disasters.

  • Content and Service to Community

    • Schedule programming that primarily serves identified educational, informational, or cultural needs within the primary signal area.
    • Excludes schedules whose main channel is dedicated to religious programming (or heavily religious content) or primarily in-school/professional in-service audiences.

  • Local Production and Financial Viability

    • Originate significant locally produced programming designed to serve the station’s community of license.
    • Have total annual operating income and budget of at least $50,000.

  • Governance and Public Access

    • Have either a community-representative board or a community advisory board with meetings open to the public.
    • A board meeting must be open to the public, and attendance cannot require registration of attendees or collection of identifying information.

  • Eligibility Window

    • The station must meet all criteria (1)–(10) for six months before becoming eligible for state assistance under this section.

  • Audit and Verification

    • The Commissioner must accept audits from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) when available for eligibility verification.
    • If CPB audits are not available, or a station is not CPB-funded, an independent audit is required to verify eligibility, particularly criterion (8) (financial threshold).
    • If neither CPB audit nor independent audit is available, a written eligibility declaration signed by an independent auditor, a CPA, or the station’s parent organization CEO may be accepted.

2) Appropriation (Sec. 2)

  • Funding: A onetime appropriation of $165,000 in fiscal year 2027 from the general fund.
  • Purpose: Grants to the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations to provide resources, software, training, and assistance to help member stations consolidate resources and expenses.
  • Implementation: Administered through the Commissioner of Administration.

Affected Entities

  • Minnesota-based noncommercial educational radio stations with FCC licenses (Class A/C FM or Class C/D AM) that are community-focused.
  • The Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPR) as a grant recipient and resource conduit.
  • CPB-audited stations or those seeking audit verification for eligibility.
  • Minnesota residents served by eligible community radio stations (audience and community stakeholders).

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The bill was introduced in March 2026 and referred to State Government Finance and Policy, then re-referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
  • If enacted, the $165,000 appropriation would become available in FY 2027 for AMPR-related capacity-building activities.
  • Eligibility criteria require stations to meet six months of qualifying conditions prior to receiving state assistance.
  • Auditing/verification provisions allow CPB audits to satisfy eligibility verification; otherwise, independent audits or a CEO declaration may be used.

Notes

  • The bill explicitly excludes certain low-power or limited-service licenses (e.g., Class L1, LP100) from eligibility.
  • The subsidy is intended to promote collective resource sharing and professional development among Minnesota public educational radio stations.

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

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