SF5236

Purpose

• Create two new bodies to improve how the state handles civil unrest, polarization, and community collaboration.
• Increase capacity for dispute resolution and public guidance during times of social tension.
• Establish reporting requirements to inform the legislature and governor about progress, findings, and recommendations.
• Propose a civil health dashboard and related funding as part of the effort to monitor and respond to community needs.

Main Provisions

Advisory Council on Community Collaboration Stability and Preparedness (Section 1) - Purpose: Foster proactive collaboration between trusted community leaders and public officials; provide findings and recommendations to the legislature and governor on preparedness for civil unrest and political instability in Minnesota. - Membership: 14 members including representatives from counties, cities, public safety, law enforcement associations, state patrol, licensed behavioral health practitioners, mediation and conflict resolution practitioners, peace and diplomacy experts, violence prevention experts, community organizations addressing safety/deescalation, a public messaging expert, a civil liberties legal expert, and a multifaith community leader. The governor makes many appointments, with a requirement to ensure representation from greater Minnesota. - Support: The Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution provides meeting space and research support. - Leadership: The council elects a chair and vice-chair from among its members at the first meeting in each odd-numbered year. - Duties: Identify shared principles and best practices for collaboration during unrest, find gaps in statewide unrest preparedness, improve trust-building and communication between state/local officials, law enforcement, and communities, and develop toolkits for leaders on response, deescalation, and coordination. - Meetings: Public meetings (subject to Minnesota public meeting rules, chapter 13D). - Terms and Compensation: Set by Minnesota statute; standard terms, compensation, and removal apply. - Reporting: Must annually report to the legislature and governor by February 1 on findings, recommendations, activities, and accomplishments from the previous year. - Expiration: This section expires June 30, 2025 (per the version provided).

Minnesota Common Ground Task Force (Section 2) - Purpose: Develop policy recommendations to increase common ground and resilience to polarization; review and recommend how to support civility and bipartisanship in state governance. - Membership: 14 members total, including: - Two members from the House (one appointed by the Speaker, one by the House minority leader) - Two members from the Senate (one appointed by the Senate majority leader, one by the Senate minority leader) - One member representing the Association of Minnesota Counties - One member representing the League of Minnesota Cities - One member representing school districts (appointed by the governor) - Seven members representing organizations with expertise in civic education/youth leadership, bridging urban/rural divides, political bipartisanship, civil discourse, interfaith understanding, and media/storytelling - Appointments: All appointing authorities must submit their appointments by August 15, 2026. - Support: The Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution provides meeting space and administrative/research support; first meeting required by October 15, 2026. - Leadership: Task force members elect a chair and vice-chair from among members at the first meeting. - Duties: (1) Develop policy recommendations to increase common ground and resilience to polarization; (2) Review current legislative policies and practices and recommend ways to support civility and bipartisan co-governance. - Meetings: Public meetings; seek input from the public (per 13D). - Compensation/Removal: Per Minnesota Statutes section 15.059(6). - Reporting: By January 15, 2028, submit a report with the policy recommendations to the legislature and the governor. - Expiration: The task force expires January 16, 2028, or the day after it submits its required report, whichever comes first.

Administrative/Procedural Highlights - Both groups are intended to operate with transparency (public meetings) and public input. - The Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution is a central support office for space and research needs for both bodies. - The bill codifies these initiatives into Minnesota Statutes and ties participation and reporting to legislative oversight.

How this bill changes existing law

• Creates two new bodies (the Advisory Council on Community Collaboration Stability and Preparedness and the Minnesota Common Ground Task Force) to formalize statewide efforts in civil discourse, conflict resolution, and bipartisan governance.
• Establishes specific membership composition, appointment processes, and public-s engagement requirements for both bodies.
• Adds annual and milestone reporting requirements to inform the Legislature and Governor about progress, findings, and recommendations.
• Mandates public, transparent meetings under existing open meeting laws (chapter 13D) and requires public input.
• Integrates dispute resolution and collaboration support through the Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution, expanding its role to support these new bodies.
• Sets defined expiration dates for both groups, after which the entities dissolve unless extended or unless their reports are completed.

Timeline and key dates (as proposed)

• 2026: Appointments to the Minnesota Common Ground Task Force due by August 15; first meeting of the Task Force by October 15.
• 2027: Ongoing annual reporting by the Advisory Council due February 1.
• 2028: Task Force to submit final report by January 15; Task Force expires January 16, 2028 or upon completion of the final report, whichever comes first.
• Advisory Council: Annual reports due by February 1 each year (beginning in the year after its establishment).

Relevant notes - The bill emphasizes concepts like civil unrest preparedness, violence prevention, trust-building, deescalation, civil liberties, public messaging, misinformation, and bipartisan co-governance. - It explicitly aims to include broad representation (greater Minnesota, schools, counties, cities, faith perspectives, and diverse expertise) to address statewide concerns.

Relevant Terms advisory council on community collaboration stability and preparedness; Minnesota Common Ground Task Force; dispute resolution; civil unrest; political instability; shared principles; best practices; trust-building; deescalation; public messaging; misinformation; civil liberties; peace and diplomacy; violence prevention; bipartisanship; civility; common ground; bipartisan co-governance; civil discourse; urban-rural divides; public input; open meetings; Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution; greater Minnesota; appointments.