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    MCF-Stillwater - Phased Closure

    Chapter 35, House File 2432, the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Omnibus bill, was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz May 23, 2025. The new law includes the directive for the phased closure of the Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF) – Stillwater. 

    The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) is now engaged in planning for the gradual closure of the facility in order to reach full closure of the facility by June 30, 2029.

    DOC leadership has taken steps to reduce the population and operational footprint at MCF-Stillwater over several months. Approximately half of the incarcerated population will be transferred to one of the DOC’s other nine male facilities, with several living units remaining at Stillwater during this period.

    Staffing will be reduced proportionally. The DOC is exploring various mechanisms to transfer staff to other positions, but a reduction in staffing is expected. The DOC is working closely with labor unions to ensure that the staff impact is as minimal as possible. 

    The DOC will also launch two critical studies:

    1. A management study to guide operations, staff logistics, and community considerations. The study will assess and provide recommendations for the operational processes involved in permanently vacating MCF-Stillwater. Key areas of focus will include labor management, logistics for transferring incarcerated individuals, community impacts, and an analysis of the states future need for prison bed space.
    2. A decommissioning study to plan the long-term future of the Stillwater site. This study will explore options for decommissioning the facility’s physical infrastructure and examine future opportunities for the site’s buildings and land.

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    Last Updated 07/10/2025

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