Maddy summaryHF 2590 establishes a new licensure requirement for clinical art therapists in Minnesota, requiring them to meet specific education and training standards to practice. The bill modifies the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy by adding five licensed clinical art therapists to its 18-member board and sets annual fees for licensure, with civil penalties for violations. It also appropriates funding to support the board's operations and includes definitions for clinical art therapy, which uses art-based techniques to address mental health needs like trauma, emotional disorders, and cognitive challenges. This bill directly affects clinical art therapists seeking licensure, the board overseeing the profession, and their clients who receive these services.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHF 3562 modifies Minnesota's motor vehicle registration tax for passenger cars and hearses. It reduces the tax rate from 1.54-1.575% to 1.25-1.285% of a vehicle's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), depending on whether the vehicle was first registered in Minnesota before or on/after November 16, 2020. The tax amount decreases each year based on the vehicle's age (e.g., 100% of MSRP in year one, dropping to 10% in year ten), then becomes a flat $20 annually after the 10th year. This bill directly affects Minnesota vehicle owners paying registration fees for passenger cars and hearses, effective for registrations starting January 1, 2027.
Maddy summaryHF 3669 reduces Minnesota's watercraft licensing fees for most boat owners and operators. It cuts standard watercraft fees from $59 to $27, rental boat fees from $14 to $9, personal watercraft fees from $85 to $37.50, and dealer license fees from $142 to $67.50, among other reductions. The bill affects recreational boaters, rental businesses, nonprofit safety programs, and boat dealers by lowering their annual licensing costs. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, and repeal an outdated definition of "other commercial operation" in the statutes.
Maddy summaryHF 400 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Commerce to pay health insurance companies to offset costs when new state-mandated health benefits increase premiums for consumers. This applies to health plans sold in individual, small group, and large group markets. The Commissioner must make these payments within 60 days of receiving a cost statement from the company, using the federal process for cost calculation to ensure accurate measurements. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, for all new mandated health benefit proposals enacted after that date.
Maddy summaryHF 7 modifies multiple public safety laws in Minnesota. It requires law enforcement agencies to make bail/bond information public and mandates county attorneys to publicly report reasons for dismissing charges. The bill establishes mandatory minimum sentences for certain sex trafficking offenses and requires individuals subject to stays in sexual conduct cases to register as predatory offenders. It also increases penalties for assaulting police officers, obstructing highway/airport traffic, and expands law enforcement's use of tracking devices on fleeing vehicles. These changes apply directly to law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and individuals involved in criminal cases.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's "Read Act" to require literacy instruction based on "science of reading" research, emphasizing evidence-based methods like phonics and decoding while explicitly excluding the three-cueing system. It establishes a new Office of Achievement and Innovation within the Department of Education to support literacy implementation and creates a statewide school performance reporting system. The bill also allows school boards to opt out of complying with certain recently enacted state education laws or rules and authorizes fund transfers for education programs through fiscal year 2029. These changes directly affect all Minnesota public school districts, educators, and students by reshaping literacy instruction requirements and school accountability systems.
Maddy summaryHF 3703 modifies the process for firefighter relief associations to terminate their retirement plans. It requires boards to precisely calculate assets, liabilities, and administrative costs before termination, and mandates that all retirement benefits be distributed within 210 days of termination. The bill also changes how any remaining surplus funds after benefit payments are allocated between the association and the affiliated municipality, requiring the municipality to receive a portion of the surplus or negotiate a shared allocation. This directly affects firefighter relief associations, their current and retired members, and the cities or towns that fund these plans. The changes aim to clarify financial accountability and ensure timely benefit distribution during plan termination.
Maddy summaryHF 21 would require a three-fifths supermajority vote in both the Minnesota House and Senate to extend a peacetime emergency declaration beyond 14 days. Currently, such extensions beyond 14 days could be approved by the Executive Council, but this bill would shift that authority to the legislature. The bill directly affects governors seeking to prolong emergency powers and the legislative process for reviewing those requests. It does not change the initial 14-day emergency declaration period or the governor's authority to declare emergencies under existing criteria. Note: This bill was introduced but not passed during the 2025 legislative session.
Maddy summaryHF 3765 appropriates $6.5 million to fund smart monitored automated external defibrillator (AED) cabinets for Minnesota school districts. The bill provides grants to purchase, install, and maintain up to 1,400 cabinets - each costing $4,500 - which include AEDs, bleeding kits, naloxone, and 4 years of monitoring. School districts receiving funds must place cabinets in publicly accessible locations, cover maintenance for four years without additional state funds, and comply with Minnesota's public access AED requirements. The Minnesota State High School League will administer the program and report to legislators by October 2027 on grant allocations and cabinet installations.
Maddy summaryHF 2946, the Minnesota Bitcoin Act, allows the state to accept cryptocurrency payments for services and authorizes the State Board of Investment to allocate state funds into cryptocurrency investments under specific rules. The bill sets a 35% cap on cryptocurrency investments relative to a fund's market value, requires at least four unrelated investors per investment vehicle, and limits the state board's participation to 20% per vehicle. It also defines "cryptocurrency" and mandates public disclosure of basic investment details like market value and return, while keeping other financial data nonpublic to protect competitive interests. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.