Rep. Paul Torkelson

Maddy summaryHF 2809 establishes a new crime for protesting directly in front of or about a person's home (excluding homes used as businesses). It makes this a misdemeanor, escalating to a gross misdemeanor if the person has a prior conviction under this law or ignores court orders like protection orders. The bill specifically allows peaceful protests about community meetings or assemblies held at locations commonly used for public discussion. This law applies to residential properties only and takes effect August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1066 increases annual funding for soil and water conservation districts in Minnesota. It amends state law to raise the annual appropriation from $15 million (for 2023-2024) to $20 million starting in 2025, paid from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue. This funding directly supports local soil and water conservation districts that provide technical assistance and cost-share programs for landowners. The bill takes effect for payments made in 2025 and subsequent years.

Maddy summaryHF 3318 requires the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board to create a commemorative work honoring Minnesota's first recorded Italian immigrant on Capitol grounds, with design completion by December 2026 and installation by December 2027. The bill appropriates funds from the general fund for the project, allocating $ for the Board in fiscal year 2026 (available until June 2028) and similar funding for the Department of Administration. This procedural bill directly affects state agencies responsible for Capitol design and funding, recognizing Italian-American contributions through a physical memorial.

Maddy summaryHF 3277 creates tax exclusions for specific railroad property improvements in Minnesota, directly affecting railroad companies operating within the state. The bill adds three new valuation exclusions: one for public transit/light rail improvements (like track upgrades), one for safety improvements funded by state/federal programs (such as rail replacement), and one for environmental safety upgrades (like emission-reducing locomotives). To qualify, improvements must have occurred after 2016, require annual applications by December 31, and are applied proportionally across all railroad property. The bill also modifies how the state calculates property tax rates for railroads by requiring comparison with neighboring states' rates and setting a minimum rate. These exclusions apply retroactively to 2024 assessments and are effective for taxes payable in 2025 and beyond.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $342,000 from the general fund for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council. It directly provides funding to support the council's operations under Minnesota Statutes section 256.4835. The funding mechanism is a straightforward annual appropriation for the council's existing statutory purpose, with no new program requirements or eligibility changes. The bill affects the council and the rare disease community it serves by ensuring ongoing financial support for its advisory work.

Maddy summaryHF 3205 appropriates $235,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for the 2026 fiscal year to reinstall the Christopher Columbus statue on the State Capitol Mall. The funds are directed to the commissioner of administration, who must work with the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board to complete the reinstallation. This bill is procedural, allocating existing funds for a specific physical display without creating new laws or affecting citizens.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $75,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $75,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program. The funds are allocated to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to the Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation. The program directly assists agricultural leaders and rural communities in Minnesota through leadership development training. This is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes, solely providing financial support for an existing program.

Maddy summaryHF 1029 requires Minnesota's health commissioner to add metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) testing to the official list of required medical tests for detecting heritable or congenital disorders. The bill mandates periodic updates to this test list to reflect medical advancements, new testing methods, and factors like test accuracy, treatability of conditions, and disorder severity. This directly affects healthcare providers and patients in Minnesota who rely on these screenings for early detection. The commissioner must follow specific criteria when revising the list, including input from an advisory committee, but revisions are exempt from standard rulemaking procedures.

Maddy summaryHF 2642 modifies Minnesota's lobbying laws by adding a new definition for "lobbying contact" and adjusting the definition of "lobbyist." The bill defines a "lobbying contact" as any communication (written, oral, or electronic) made on behalf of a client to influence state legislation, rules, contracts, nominations, or local government actions. It also changes the "lobbyist" definition to require that individuals must be paid over $3,000 annually for lobbying services to be classified as lobbyists. This directly affects organizations and individuals engaging in lobbying activities, requiring them to register if they meet the new threshold. The bill clarifies what constitutes lobbying, aiming to better define who must comply with reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $100,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the city of New Ulm for reconstructing the platform, base, and supporting structure of the Hermann the German statue monument. It directly affects the city of New Ulm, which will use the funds to rebuild the statue's physical foundation and may demolish the existing structure. The bill provides specific funding for this historical monument's infrastructure, with no broader policy changes or citizen impacts. It is a procedural funding measure focused solely on the physical reconstruction of a local landmark.