HF3561 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Ely; water infrastructure improvements funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
Related bill: SF3765
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
The bill provides funding to improve water infrastructure in the city of Ely by using state bonds. It aims to upgrade and replace key water system components and related facilities to ensure reliable water service.
Main provisions
- Appropriation of funds: $3,919,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the Public Facilities Authority to grant to the city of Ely for design, construction, and equipment upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure.
- Specific project scope: The funding covers:
- Replacement of the raw water intake and pump house on Burntside Lake
- Rehabilitation and replacement of water mains across the city
- Installation of new pumps, automated controls, and remote monitoring systems
- Replacement of deteriorated bridge crossings associated with the water system
- Major improvements at the Ely water treatment plant, including roof replacement, HVAC upgrades, and installation of solar energy infrastructure
- Bond sale authorization: The commissioner of management and budget is directed to sell and issue state bonds up to $3,919,000 using the process and rules defined in Minnesota law and constitutional provisions (Minnesota Statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675 and Minnesota Constitution Article XI sections 4 to 7).
Significance and impact
- Financing mechanism: The bill uses the bond proceeds fund to finance the project through state bonds, creating a mechanism to fund large-scale infrastructure upgrades without immediate tax increases.
- Administration: The Public Facilities Authority will administer the grant to Ely, meaning a state agency will manage the funding and oversight for the project.
- Scope of modernization: The project targets multiple components of Ely’s water system—from intake and treatment facilities to distribution mains, monitoring technology, and energy efficiency (solar) upgrades—aiming to improve reliability and resilience of water services.
Significant changes to existing law
- Adds a new appropriation and bond sale authorization specific to Ely’s water infrastructure, expanding state-funded capital investment for this city. It ties the funds and project to existing statutory and constitutional bonding processes without altering those statutes themselves.
Terminology and concepts needed to understand the bill
- Bond proceeds fund
- Public Facilities Authority
- grant to the city of Ely
- design, construct, and equip upgrades
- water infrastructure upgrades
- raw water intake and pump house
- Burntside Lake
- water main infrastructure
- pumps, automated controls, and remote monitoring systems
- bridge crossings
- Ely water treatment plant
- roof replacement
- HVAC upgrades
- solar energy infrastructure
- bond sale
- Commissioner of Management and Budget
- Minnesota Statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675
- Minnesota Constitution Article XI sections 4 to 7
Relevant Terms bond proceeds fund Public Facilities Authority grant Ely water infrastructure raw water intake pump house Burntside Lake water mains pumps automated controls remote monitoring bridge crossings Ely water treatment plant roof replacement HVAC solar energy infrastructure bond sale Commissioner of Management and Budget Minnesota Statutes 16A.631-16A.675 Minnesota Constitution Article XI, sections 4-7
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 23, 2026 | House | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Capital Investment |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill references Minnesota Statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675 as the governing framework for the sale and terms of state bonds to finance the Ely water infrastructure improvements.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "16A.631 to 16A.675",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee