Rep. Bobbie Harder

Maddy summaryHF 3496 requires inmates to pay all court-ordered restitution before becoming eligible for "supervision abatement status," which allows them to transition off active supervision. This change directly affects individuals on supervised release or conditional release terms who have earned compliance credits through good behavior. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 244.46 to add that restitution payment is a mandatory prerequisite for eligibility, overriding previous rules that allowed placement based solely on earned credits and time served. It does not alter existing safety risk assessments but adds payment as a strict eligibility condition. The bill is currently in the introduction stage, having been referred to the Public Safety Finance and Policy committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the SAVE Minnesota Act, which requires voters to present a specific photo identification card to register to vote and to cast their ballots. To obtain this new voter identification card, applicants must provide proof of their U.S. citizenship and may receive certain vital records, such as birth certificates, without a fee. The legislation also creates a new voter identification card program, modifies existing driver's license requirements, and sets up a process for handling provisional ballots. Additionally, the bill includes funding provisions to support the administration of these new election procedures and establishes a children's trust fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a one-time special property tax refund for Minnesota property owners who paid taxes in 2026. It directly affects owners of specific property types, including residential homes, apartments, farms, and forests, by allowing them to apply for a share of a $4 billion fund. To receive money, owners must submit an application to the Department of Revenue between July 15 and September 15, 2026, and the refunds will be distributed by December 31, 2026. The legislation appropriates $4 billion from the state's general fund to finance these payments, with each eligible owner receiving a portion based on their individual tax contribution relative to the total taxes paid by all applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Minnesota School Safety Center to create and distribute evidence-based model safety plans for K-12 schools, requiring districts to adopt similar plans by May 2028. It establishes strict criteria for what counts as "evidence-based," mandating that safety strategies be backed by strong research or well-designed studies before they are implemented. The legislation also enables anonymous threat reporting systems in schools and requires the safety center to consult with licensed mental health professionals when developing these plans. Additionally, the bill modifies grant programs for school buildings and cybersecurity while increasing funding for safe schools initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution initiates the formal impeachment process against Keith Ellison, Minnesota's Attorney General, alleging corrupt conduct and crimes while in office. The bill directs the House to adopt six articles of impeachment that accuse Ellison of abusing his office to defend unlawful protest activity, undermining religious liberty protections, failing to enforce laws impartially, engaging in conflicts of interest, and soliciting political support in exchange for favorable treatment. If adopted, the resolution immediately bars Ellison from exercising his duties as Attorney General until the Senate conducts a trial and votes on his acquittal or conviction. The House Speaker must serve notice of the charges to Ellison, and the enrolled resolution must be transmitted to the Governor, Secretary of State, and Senate leadership to begin the constitutional impeachment proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act to strengthen protections for children of color in the child welfare system. It requires social services agencies to make "active efforts" rather than just "reasonable efforts" to keep African American and disproportionately represented children in their homes, reunify them with families, and involve families in all service decisions. The law mandates that agencies consider cultural and social values when providing services, ensures community members from communities of color serve as court advocates, and requires ombudspersons to monitor compliance with these new standards. Additionally, the bill expands placement options to include relatives and community members before removing children from their homes.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how evidence is handled in Minnesota Tax Court cases involving property tax valuations. It requires government officials to prove their property valuations are correct rather than assuming they are valid, and it allows comparable property sales and assessed valuations to be used as evidence in court. The changes apply to cases filed on or after January 1, 2027, and affect taxpayers, property assessors, and government units involved in property tax appeals.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.75 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to help develop and implement a unified 911 center awareness platform. The money will be given to the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board to create a system that enables 911 centers to communicate and coordinate emergency responses across different jurisdictional boundaries in real time. The grant also covers two years of maintenance costs for the platform. This legislation directly affects public safety officials and emergency response centers by providing funding for improved communication infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 168 creates an advance homestead credit for qualifying seniors in Minnesota, allowing them to receive 50% of their prior year's homestead tax refund upfront. Seniors who already qualified for the standard homestead credit can apply for this advance, which is applied directly to their first-half property tax payment each year. The state reimburses counties and school districts for the tax reductions by October 31 (for non-school districts) or through the Department of Education (for school districts). This policy, effective for 2027 property taxes, aims to ease annual tax burdens for eligible seniors by providing earlier access to their refund amount.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax in Minnesota that targets individuals and organizations convicted of fraud or those identified by the state revenue commissioner as having obtained money through deceitful means. The tax requires anyone who has successfully defrauded state programs to pay back 100 percent of the stolen amount, regardless of any existing fines or restitution already ordered by courts. The state revenue commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud, setting up a system to collect these payments, and ensuring the recovered funds are used specifically for income and property tax relief. The law applies retroactively to fraud cases determined after December 31, 2019, and also covers people who were paid to help commit the fraud.