Rep. Bobbie Harder

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens penalties for falsely impersonating a peace officer in Minnesota by upgrading the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony and adding new crimes for impersonating while possessing a firearm or using marked law enforcement vehicles. It also establishes enhanced sentencing when someone commits other crimes while pretending to be an officer, including extending maximum jail time for serious offenses. Additionally, the law requires law enforcement officers to clearly identify themselves by name, agency, and identification number when interacting with the public. These changes directly affect individuals who falsely claim to be police officers and law enforcement personnel who must follow new identification requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the time limit for prosecuting certain financial crimes in Minnesota, specifically targeting medical assistance fraud and theft of government funds. It directly affects prosecutors and law enforcement by extending the window in which they can file charges for these offenses. The key provision adds a 15-year statute of limitations for theft involving public money belonging to the state or local agencies, while also updating time limits for other financial crimes ranging from five to ten years depending on the specific offense. These changes apply to crimes committed on or after August 1, 2026, and to older crimes if the prosecution deadline has not yet passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as Harvey's Law, requires licensed child care centers in Minnesota to install video security cameras in public and shared areas under specific conditions. Centers must have cameras if they are required to post a maltreatment investigation memorandum, with compliance needed within six months and maintained for four years. Additionally, starting in 2027, centers receiving certain state child care funding must also install and maintain these cameras. The law applies to facilities with public access areas and aims to enhance safety oversight through video monitoring requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 12 restricts participation on female-designated sports teams in Minnesota K-12 schools to students identified as female at birth, based on specific medical criteria. It requires students in disputes about sex to provide a physician's statement confirming their sex using three factors: reproductive anatomy, natural testosterone levels, and chromosome analysis. The bill directly affects public and private schools offering girls' sports teams and students seeking to join them. It amends Minnesota education law to take effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 3127 modifies Minnesota's pass-through entity tax election process, allowing certain businesses (like partnerships and S corporations) to file a single tax return instead of requiring each owner to file individually. It specifies that qualifying entities must meet ownership thresholds (over 50% of qualifying owners) to elect this tax, and the election is irrevocable for the tax year. The bill clarifies that the tax amount equals each qualifying owner's income multiplied by Minnesota's highest individual tax rate, without allowing standard deductions. This directly affects pass-through business owners and entities filing under Minnesota Statutes 289A.08 and 290.06. The changes streamline tax filing for these entities while maintaining the tax calculation method.

Maddy summaryHF 2113 exempts small Minnesota employers with 50 or fewer employees from the state's paid leave requirement. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 268B.01, to explicitly exclude such employers from the paid leave mandate. Small businesses that currently meet the 50-employee threshold will no longer be required to provide paid leave under this law. Employers with 50 or fewer employees may still choose to opt into the paid leave program if they wish. The bill directly affects small business owners and their employees in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the standard four-year statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims related to gender-affirming care received by minors in Minnesota. It defines gender-affirming care as medical or surgical interventions such as hormone therapy, puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery intended to affirm an individual's perceived gender identity that differs from their biological sex. The change allows patients or former patients to file lawsuits against healthcare providers for alleged errors or failures in such care without being restricted by the usual time limit. The amendment applies specifically to cases involving minor children and does not alter the statute of limitations for other types of medical malpractice claims.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new taxpayer refund account in Minnesota to hold undesignated money returned to the state through restitution, fraud recovery, overpayment recovery, administrative fines, or other reimbursements. State agencies must transfer these recovered funds to the commissioner of management and budget within 60 days of receipt, and the funds must be used exclusively for issuing refunds to individual taxpayers who filed Minnesota income tax returns. The commissioner will distribute the accumulated funds as direct payments to eligible taxpayers once the account balance exceeds $300 million, with refunds issued within 120 days after the legislative session ends. The bill also requires the commissioner to create rules for administering the account and determining the refund distribution formula, with provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 3566 makes it a gross misdemeanor to intentionally place hard objects (like iron or steel) in growing crops with the intent to damage farm machinery used for harvesting, spraying, or planting. It also updates trespass laws to specifically protect agricultural land, making it a crime to enter locked or posted farmland without permission. The bill requires courts to order restitution for damaged equipment and defines "agricultural land" using existing law. This directly affects farmers (as property owners) and anyone entering fields without consent, imposing criminal penalties for intentional property damage or trespass.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's regulations for plant and soil amendments by clarifying labeling requirements and modifying registration rules. It requires companies selling these products to clearly list active ingredients, net weight, manufacturer information, usage directions, and guaranteed analysis on product labels, while exempting inert ingredients from mandatory disclosure. Additionally, the bill mandates that applicants registering soil and plant amendments must submit a certificate of composition detailing the amounts and formulas of each inert ingredient and beneficial substance included in the product. These changes aim to improve transparency and accuracy in product information for consumers and agricultural users across the state.