Rep. Erica Schwartz

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's sales tax exemption to include additional baby products, directly affecting parents and caregivers who purchase these items. It adds baby wipes, cribs and bassinets (including mattresses and sheets), changing tables and pads, strollers, car seats and bases, baby swings, bottle sterilizers, and infant eating utensils to the list of tax-exempt items. The exemption applies to sales and purchases made after June 30, 2025. This change removes sales tax from these specific baby products, aligning with the existing exemption for items like breast pumps and baby bottles.

Maddy summaryHF 1118 requires Minnesota law enforcement agencies to provide specific benefits to peace officers diagnosed with posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) resulting from work-related traumatic events. The bill mandates agencies pay for unreimbursed lost wages (up to one year) and unreimbursed medical expenses, including psychiatric care (up to one year), if an officer meets all three conditions: 1) suffers a debilitating psychological reaction to a traumatic event, 2) is diagnosed with PTSD by a mental health professional, and 3) cannot perform job duties without reassignment. It clarifies benefits apply regardless of physical injury and defines "traumatic event" to include lawful use of force causing death or serious injury, direct exposure to violence, or witnessing such events. The law affects all Minnesota peace officers covered under the statute and sets clear, time-limited benefit provisions.

Maddy summaryHF 543 appropriates state funds for county attorney offices to cover costs of attending anti-human trafficking training. The bill allocates money from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to reimburse all participating Minnesota county attorney offices equally for training expenses. This provides direct financial support to county prosecutors who handle human trafficking cases, ensuring consistent access to specialized training resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a provision in Minnesota law that previously barred charging individuals with attempting sexual extortion. It allows prosecutors to file attempt charges for sexual extortion attempts, which were previously unchargeable under Minnesota Statutes 609.3458, subdivision 3. The change applies to crimes committed on or after August 1, 2025, directly affecting individuals who make threats to coerce sexual acts without completing the act. This policy shift enables legal accountability for preparatory acts in sexual extortion cases.

Maddy summaryHF 48 prohibits social media platforms with over 1 million global users from using algorithms that target children under 18 in Minnesota with personalized content based on engagement metrics (like time spent or clicks). It requires these platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before minors under 18 can create new accounts. The law exempts parental control tools, educational content from schools/universities, and government content. Violations could result in $1,000 penalties per incident (capped at $100,000 annually), and the bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 190 requires the Metropolitan Council to publish monthly ridership data for all transit routes (including original funding projections) and quarterly crime statistics broken down by transit mode and crime type. The bill mandates that these reports be posted on the Council's website within 60 days of each month and quarter, with each report remaining accessible for at least five years. This directly affects the Council's reporting obligations and provides the public with transparent, regularly updated information on transit usage and safety. The law does not change transit operations or funding but standardizes data disclosure for accountability.

Maddy summaryHF 1132 appropriates $200,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $200,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to GreenSeam, a state agency, to provide grants for agriculture-related businesses. The grants support business retention, development, creation, talent attraction, and regional branding efforts. GreenSeam must report by December 1 each year on new businesses supported, jobs created, educational partnerships, and promotional activities. This is a one-time funding allocation with specific reporting requirements for the program's outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits local government officials (mayors, city councils, county boards, or chief law enforcement officers) from disarming peace officers who are in good standing and not under investigation or disciplinary action, unless another law specifically authorizes it. It directly affects peace officers and the local officials who manage their employment. The key provision amends Minnesota Statutes section 626.8452 to add this restriction, ensuring qualified officers cannot be disarmed without legal justification. The law takes effect the day after it is enacted.

Maddy summaryHF 1116 creates a formal process for prosecutors to maintain a "Brady-Giglio list" of Minnesota peace officers with documented credibility issues, such as untruthfulness, criminal convictions, or disciplinary problems. It requires prosecutors to adopt clear policies for adding officers to this list, including providing written notice to the officer before designation and allowing them to review relevant records and request reconsideration. The bill also prohibits law enforcement agencies from firing or disciplining an officer solely because prosecutors identified exculpatory evidence related to the officer. This directly affects peace officers whose credibility is under review and sets new procedural standards for prosecutors handling such cases.

Maddy summaryHF 1119 amends Minnesota law to establish a felony charge for drivers who flee or attempt to flee a peace officer while knowingly evading them and simultaneously violating specific traffic laws. It directly affects drivers who flee police and either fail to obey traffic signs/signals/markings (under MN Statutes 169.06, subdivisions 4, 4a, 4b, 5, 6, 7, or 8) or fail to stay on the proper side of the road (under 169.18). The key provision elevates this behavior to a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. The law takes effect August 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.