This bill mandates that counties and cities in Minnesota establish and maintain written policies and procedures that are accessible to the public. Specifically, it requires these local governments to create comprehensive operations manuals that detail their duties, procedures, forms, deadlines, and payment requirements. These manuals must be available for public inspection at designated offices and may also be published online, with clear information on where hard copies can be found. Additionally, if the manuals include payment-related information, they must provide all necessary forms and instructions, as well as details on payment deadlines and consequences for late or nonpayment.

The bill also stipulates that any law enforcement procedures included in these manuals must receive approval from the chief law enforcement officer or, in their absence, from two other authorized officers. However, the requirement to maintain these manuals does not apply to home rule charter or statutory cities with populations of 10,000 or less, or counties with populations under 40,000. The bill introduces new definitions for terms related to the duties and operations of local governments, as well as clarifying what constitutes a fee or assessment.