Conference committee adopts A26 amendment and passes Senate File 4282 as amended

A Minnesota conference committee reviewing Senate File 4282 unanimously adopted amendment A26-0180 and passed the bill as the conference committee agreement.

Chair Sen. Mary Kunish called the meeting to order and asked nonpartisan staff to summarize the senate engrossment of the bill. Committee staff described Articles 1–3 as forecast adjustments for the Department of Education, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), which update FY26–27 appropriations to reflect changes in pupil counts and actual costs. Committee fiscal staff said Article 4 is a forecast adjustment for Metropolitan Council special transportation services (Metro Mobility and Metro Move), increasing funding by $8,900,000 in fiscal 2026 and $10,900,000 in fiscal 2027 to align with the February forecast.

House research staff presented the house language entering conference, noting it matches the senate explanation for the education forecast adjustments and that the house package does not include the senate articles 2–4.

Representative Cheryl Joaquin introduced amendment A26-0180, which committee staff said contains six sections. According to committee staff, the amendment includes: (1) paraprofessional qualification provisions drawn from House File 3067; (2) language from House File 3900 to provide each of the four tribal contract schools an annual aid amount equivalent to the per-pupil distribution districts and charter schools receive under the revised permanent school fund (staff referenced roughly $70,000 total per tribal contract school per year beginning in fiscal 2028); (3) expanded allowable uses of a school district’s operating capital revenue to include certain utility costs; (4–5) extensions of existing appropriations for gender-neutral single-use restroom projects to give districts more time to complete work; and (6) two district-specific fund-transfer provisions, one permitting West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan School District to transfer building construction funds to operating capital, and one permitting Maple Lake School District a similar transfer (the amendment materials specify dollar amounts).

Members discussed the amendment briefly; several said most provisions are no-cost and reflect prior committee conversations. The committee clerk, Tessa Yeager, took the role for a voice vote on the amendment. The roll call recorded affirmative responses from Chair Kunish, Senators Swadzinski and Clark, Senator Roehrig, and Representatives Joaquin, Kreeshaw, Noor and Schumacher. Chair Kunish announced, "There being 8 yeses and 0 noes, the A26 amendment is adopted."

The chair then moved to adopt Senate File 4282 as amended as the conference committee agreement. The clerk polled members again; the committee recorded eight ayes and no nays and the chair announced that Senate File 4282 passes as amended. The chair closed the meeting and adjourned the committee.

What this means: the conference agreement updates multiple agencies’ forecasted appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, adds the listed education and district-specific provisions in A26-0180, and increases Metropolitan Council special transportation services funding as noted. The committee completed its work and adjourned without any further amendments or actions scheduled in that session.