Metropolitan Council seeks explicit inclusion under Minnesota Government Data Practices Act

Judd Shetnan, government affairs director for the Metropolitan Council, told the Public Safety and Judiciary Conference Committee on May 8 that the Met Council asked the Legislature to amend the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act to make certain council leaders subject to the state’s public‑data rules.

Shetnan said the change followed a high‑profile staff separation last summer that generated multiple data‑practices requests. Council counsel determined the position in question was not clearly covered by the statute’s definition of a public official, and the council concluded that council members, the council chair and executive staff should be explicitly included. “In order to be transparent, we brought a bill forward in order to correct that and have the Metropolitan Council and our leadership be subject to the same laws,” Shetnan said.

The witness noted the Met Council requested the change to align its treatment with legislative intent and said the proposal was carried in house legislation by Representatives Quam and Freiberg and included in the house position before the conference committee. Committee members generally welcomed the request; one member commended the council’s decision to seek transparency and to be subject to the Data Practices Act.

Shetnan concluded by thanking the committee for its consideration and said the council appreciated inclusion in the house position. No committee vote was recorded on this item during the hearing.

Ending: The committee thanked the witness and moved on to the next item on the agenda.