Rep. Erica Schwartz

Maddy summaryHF 2318 updates Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) system. It increases pension adjustment revenue for school districts (e.g., setting St. Paul's rate at 3.25% for 2026+ and other districts at 2.0% for 2026+), raises employer contribution rates (e.g., requiring 9.5% for coordinated members and 13.5% for basic members by 2025), and provides unreduced retirement annuities for teachers who reach age 62 with 30 years of service. These changes directly affect public school districts (as employers) and TRA members (teachers). The bill appropriates funds to support these adjustments and amends specific sections of Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summaryHF 382 modifies how Minnesota calculates wage rates for staff in disability waiver programs, directly affecting providers serving people with disabilities and their employees. The bill establishes new percentage-based formulas using median wages for specific job titles (e.g., 15% of home health aide wages + 30% of nursing assistant wages for residential direct care staff) instead of previous calculations. It affects 17 staff categories including residential care, employment support, and positive supports roles. The changes take effect January 1, 2026, or after federal approval, and amend Minnesota Statutes 256B.4914.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $6,442,000 from state bond proceeds to fund design, renovation, and equipment for classroom and lab spaces at South Central College's North Mankato campus. The funds specifically target facilities supporting agribusiness, architectural drafting, civil engineering technology, dental assisting, emergency medical services, and geographic information systems programs. The state will issue bonds up to this amount to cover the costs, as authorized under Minnesota bonding statutes. The bill directly affects South Central College students and faculty in these specific academic programs by upgrading their learning environments.

Maddy summaryHF 104 makes statements and documents created during restorative justice practices (like conferences or circles) inadmissible in court. It protects confidentiality for all participants - including those who caused harm, those harmed, and community members - and classifies their personal data as private. The bill prohibits using such statements or data in legal proceedings unless exceptions apply, such as preventing serious harm or crime. This directly affects individuals participating in Minnesota's restorative justice programs by ensuring their discussions remain confidential during the process.

Maddy summaryHF 733 removes restrictions on handheld electronic devices used for bingo and pull-tab games in Minnesota. The bill amends state law to allow these devices, which must meet specific requirements like a $0.25 minimum ticket price, a limit of 36 bingo faces per game, and no slot machine-style features (e.g., spinning reels or bonus screens). It also requires devices to support visually impaired players and maintain transaction records. This change directly affects bingo and pull-tab operators by enabling new electronic gameplay options while maintaining key safeguards.

Maddy summaryHF 2339 increases Minnesota's income threshold for the child tax credit, allowing more families to qualify for the full benefit before credits begin phasing out. The bill raises the phaseout threshold from $35,000 to $45,490 for married couples filing jointly and from $29,500 to $38,340 for other filers. This change directly affects Minnesota taxpayers with children who file individual income tax returns, as it prevents the credit from decreasing at lower income levels. The bill also requires future annual inflation adjustments to these thresholds starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $21.5 million from state bond proceeds to fund the rehabilitation and replacement of aging infrastructure at St. Peter’s water treatment facility. The funds will cover predesign, design, construction, and equipment for the project, directly benefiting the city of St. Peter and its residents. The state will issue bonds up to $21.5 million under Minnesota law to provide the funding, with the Public Facilities Authority administering the grant to the city. The project aims to address failing water infrastructure without specifying future water rates or environmental impacts.

Maddy summaryHF 3209 increases criminal penalties for "swatting" in Minnesota, which involves making false emergency calls to trigger police responses to someone's home. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes § 609.78 to impose harsher punishments: up to life imprisonment if someone dies, up to 15 years for great bodily harm, or up to 3 years for substantial bodily harm. It also adds specific penalties for swatting targeting officials (elected leaders, judges, prosecutors, correctional staff, or police officers), with sentences up to 10 years or $20,000 fines. The changes apply to offenses committed on or after August 1, 2025. This directly affects individuals who make false emergency calls, particularly those causing injury or targeting public officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public employees in Minnesota's police and fire retirement plan who are 55 years or older to receive their full retirement pay without reduction or suspension when they return to government employment. It amends retirement laws to require the retirement plan administrator to pay a normal retirement annuity without cutting it off due to reemployment, provided the retiree has reached age 55. The law also clarifies that continued employment does not change the annuity amount, and neither the member nor their employer must make additional retirement contributions. These changes take effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 859 creates a sales and use tax exemption for equipment used by food service businesses in Minnesota. It exempts equipment like ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and beverage dispensers - integral to preparing food or beverages - when purchased or leased for use in restaurants, mobile food units, or catering services. The exemption excludes items like linens, utensils, tables, chairs, and delivery vehicles. This change takes effect for purchases after June 30, 2025, reducing costs for qualifying businesses.