[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today signed his first two bills since being sworn into office. He signed H.F. 861 to provide critical funding to the Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS) and H.F. 80 to fund pressing environmental and infrastructure projects across the state of Minnesota. These bills, which are the result of bipartisan cooperation led by the governor, tackle pressing challenges facing Minnesota.

“Minnesotans elected us to work across the aisle to better our state, and that’s exactly what we have done today,” Governor Walz said. “From tackling pressing environmental problems to making it easier to get license plates for your car, these bipartisan bills will improve the daily lives of Minnesotans. This legislation represents the first of much bipartisan compromise to come, and I look forward to continue working together to build One Minnesota where everyone has a chance to succeed.”

“These bills will make great progress on issues facing Minnesota communities,” Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan said. “I am heartened by the bipartisan work that went into passing this legislation, and we are committed to continuing this momentum through the rest of the session.”

H.F. 861 provides for $13.3 million to continue work on the driver and vehicle services components of MNLARS, to increase staffing at Driver and Vehicle Services to better serve Minnesotans, and to evaluate progress on system development. These funds ensure work on the system continues, while exploring options for continued development.

H.F. 80 provides $102.3 million in general obligation bonds for critical environmental and infrastructure projects across the state of Minnesota. Cities across the state have been anxiously awaiting the sale of these bonds for landfill cleanup, conservation projects, wastewater treatment upgrades, and improvements to parks and water quality.