Legislation prohibiting the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) from enforcing permitting requirements for mowing and baling along state highway rights-of-way has been introduced in the Minnesota Legislature. The bill, Senate File 1889, prohibits MnDOT from requiring, issuing, or enforcing permits until April 30, 2020.

“MnDOT’s permitting requirement disrupts farmers and landowners who have been mowing and baling – without problem – along state highway rights-of-way for decades,” said Senator Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls), the bill’s author. “This bill continues the moratorium on MnDOT’s enforcing of the permitting requirements so farmers and landowners, legislators, and the new governor’s administration can come together and find a permanent, bipartisan solution.”

The legislature passed similar moratoriums in 2017 and 2018 in response to a surprise policy shift from MnDOT, which began enforcing archaic permitting requirements for mowing and baling along state highway rights-of-way, prompting significant criticism from rural Minnesotans. Among other things, the agency’s policy requires farmers and landowners to apply for a state-issued permit before mowing and baling along highway rights-of-way.

The legislation awaits a hearing in the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee. Similar legislation in the House of Representatives also awaits a hearing.

“We have the opportunity to do the right thing in getting folks together to work this out,” Senator Dahms continued.

Senator Gary Dahms, of Redwood Falls, is in his third term representing District 16, which includes communities in Brown, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, and Yellow Medicine counties. Senator Dahms serves as chairman of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee and is an assistant majority leader.