Minnesota SF 3257: Deputy registrars and driver's license agents eligible to provide bilingual services and materials addition by Department of Public Safety requirement

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to state government; clarifying training on the unique relationship between​
1.3 the state of Minnesota and Minnesota Tribal governments; amending Minnesota​
1.4 Statutes 2024, section 10.65, subdivision 3.​
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 10.65, subdivision 3, is amended to read:​
1.7 Subd. 3.Consultation duties.(a) An agency must recognize the unique legal relationship​
1.8 between the state of Minnesota and the Minnesota Tribal governments, respect the​
1.9 fundamental principles that establish and maintain this relationship, and accord Tribal​
1.10 governments the same respect accorded to other governments.​
1.11 (b) An agency must, in consultation with Minnesota Tribal governments, implement​
1.12 Tribal consultation policies to comply with this section and guide the agency's work with​
1.13 Minnesota Tribal governments, and must submit these policies to the governor and lieutenant​
1.14 governor. Tribal consultation policies should address the communication protocols for each​
1.15 Minnesota Tribal government, which should be developed in coordination with​
1.16 representatives of each Minnesota Tribal government. An agency must update the Tribal​
1.17 consultation policies as often as required in order to facilitate timely and meaningful​
1.18 consultation, but no less than biannually.​
1.19 (c) Consultation under this section is a duty of an agency to consult with the governing​
1.20 body or bodies of each individual Minnesota Tribal government. Coordination with groups​
1.21 or entities that have representation on some or all of the governing bodies of the Minnesota​
1.22 Tribal governments, such as the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council or the Minnesota​
1.23 Chippewa Tribe, is encouraged but does not satisfy an agency's duty to consult with​
1​Section 1.​
25-04941 as introduced​03/17/25 REVISOR SGS/VJ​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 3257​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: KUNESH)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​1348​04/03/2025​
Referred to State and Local Government​

2.1 individual Minnesota Tribal governments on matters that have Tribal implications. If a​
2.2 matter has implications for one Minnesota Tribal government, but not others, the agency's​
2.3 duty is to only consult those Minnesota Tribal governments affected.​
2.4 (d) An agency must consult with each Minnesota Tribal government at least annually,​
2.5 and as often as is required to address matters that have Tribal implications.​
2.6 (e) An agency must consult with Minnesota Tribal governments on legislative and fiscal​
2.7 matters that affect one or all Minnesota Tribal governments or their members to identify​
2.8 priority issues in order to allow agencies to proactively engage Minnesota Tribal governments​
2.9 in the agency's development of legislative and fiscal proposals in time for submission into​
2.10 the governor's recommended budget and legislative proposals each year.​
2.11 (f) An agency must develop and maintain ongoing consultation with the Minnesota​
2.12 Tribal governments related to matters that have Tribal implications. Agencies must consider​
2.13 the input gathered from Tribal consultation into their decision-making processes, with the​
2.14 goal of achieving mutually beneficial solutions.​
2.15 (g) An agency and a Minnesota Tribal government may agree that a formal consultation​
2.16 is not necessary for a given year on a given matter that has Tribal implications, and the​
2.17 agency must keep a written record of this decision.​
2.18 (h) The prospective duty to consult does not apply to action on a matter that has Tribal​
2.19 implications if immediate action is required to address a present and immediate threat to​
2.20 the health, safety, or welfare of Minnesota citizens. For these actions, every effort should​
2.21 be made to communicate, and formal consultation should occur as soon as possible. The​
2.22 duty to consult also does not apply to criminal proceedings or other investigations or legal​
2.23 proceedings that prohibit an agency from disclosure.​
2.24 (i) An agency must designate a Tribal liaison to assume responsibility for implementation​
2.25 of the Tribal consultation policy and to serve as the principal point of contact for Minnesota​
2.26 Tribal governments. The Tribal liaison must be able to directly and regularly meet and​
2.27 communicate with the agency's commissioner and deputy and assistant commissioners in​
2.28 order to appropriately conduct government-to-government consultation and cooperation.​
2.29 (j) The state has instituted Tribal-state government relations training, developed in​
2.30 partnership with the 11 Tribal Nations, the Department of Transportation, and the University​
2.31 of Minnesota Sovereignty Institute, which is serves as the foundation and basis of all other​
2.32 Tribal government relations training sources. All ag