Bill
SF 5279
The bill tightens and standardizes operating referendum renewals by requiring explicit tax impact notices, board-action renewal rules, and standardized ballot language.
SF 5279 seeks to modify how operating referendum ballots are presented to voters and tighten procedures around renewing or revoking operating referendum revenue. The bill aims to:
- Update required ballot language to include clear notices about property tax impacts.
- Restrict the school board’s ability to renew an expiring operating referendum without meeting specific notice and procedural requirements.
- Introduce standardized text on ballots for renewals and revocations to improve taxpayer understanding of tax impacts and renewal authority.
- Align renewal mechanics with a formal notice framework and timing requirements, effective for referenda conducted on or after July 1, 2026.
1) Section 9 (amendment to subdivision 9 – Referendum revenue)
- Allows referenda to increase revenue per adjusted pupil unit as approved by voters.
- Requires referenda to be conducted one or two calendar years before the increased levy becomes payable; only one election per calendar year.
- Ballot content:
- Must state the maximum revenue per pupil (or a schedule or inflation-based increase).
- May compare to expiring authority and show the increase as over the expiring amount if applicable.
- Must designate the number of years (up to 10) for which authority applies.
- Abbreviates “per adjusted pupil unit” to “per pupil.”
- Notice requirements:
- Board must mail notices to taxpayers 15 to 45 days before the referendum, with estimated tax impact for typical property types (residential, agricultural, rental, commercial/industrial).
- Notices must include a statement about tax impact; renewals may note extension of the existing levy at same per-pupil amount.
- New addition: a statement that “This referendum may be renewed once for an additional term by vote of the school board.”
- Renewal and revocation mechanics:
- A separate revocation/reduction referendum may be held, with explicit per-pupil reduction amounts and only once per year per year.
- Revenue authority approved by voters must be available at least once before a revocation/reduction referendum.
- Procedural requirements:
- Minimum 50% plus one to pass.
- Prior to the referendum, districts must share the notice with the commissioner and county auditors; results must be reported after certification or recount.
2) Section 2 (amendment to subdivision 9b – Renewal by school board)
- Enables renewal of an expiring referendum by board action only under stricter conditions:
- The initial per-pupil amount must be the same as expiring, or inflation-adjusted amount must be the same as expiring, with inflation applied similarly.
- Renewal term cannot exceed the initial term, unless allowed by other statutes.
- Board must hold a meeting with public testimony and adopt a recorded vote and written resolution.
- The expiring referendum cannot have been renewed previously under this subdivision.
- Timing:
- Resolution must be adopted between July 1 of the second fiscal year prior to expiration and June 15 of the fiscal year prior to expiration.
- Renewal becomes effective 60 days after adoption.
- A copy of the resolution must be submitted by August 15 of the expiration year.
- Effective date: Applies to referenda conducted on or after July 1, 2026.
3) Section 3 (new subdivision 9c – Ballot to state taxpayer impact)
- Requires on-ballot notices to include taxpayer impact notices required by § 275.60, with exceptions.
- For operating referenda enacted after July 1, 2026, renewals by board action may only occur if the ballot states:
- “BY VOTING 'YES' ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. THIS REFERENDUM MAY BE RENEWED ONCE FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM BY VOTE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.”
- For renewals of existing operating levies at the same per-pupil amount, notices may be modified to include:
- “BY VOTING 'YES' ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING TO EXTEND AN EXISTING PROPERTY TAX REFERENDUM THAT IS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE. THIS REFERENDUM MAY BE RENEWED ONCE FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM BY VOTE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.”
- Effective date: Applies to referenda conducted on or after July 1, 2026.
SF 5279 tightens controlling rules around operating referendum renewals, expands the transparency of tax impact on ballots, and introduces standardized language to help voters understand when a referendum increases taxes and whether it may be renewed by the school board. It increases procedural checks for renewals and revocations, potentially reducing automatic renewals without explicit board action and public consideration.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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