Rep. Erica Schwartz

Maddy summaryHF 2665 amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.865 to add "soybean oil" to the list of "qualifying agricultural products" eligible for special farm products permits. This change directly affects farmers, processors, and transporters handling soybean oil who previously might not have qualified under the existing definition. The bill updates the statutory list, which already includes crops like corn and soybeans, livestock, milk, and other agricultural commodities. It does not change permit requirements or fees, only expands the scope of products covered under the existing permit program. The amendment is purely definitional, with no new requirements or restrictions added.

Maddy summaryHF 1396 expands Minnesota law enforcement's permitted uses of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles). It adds 10 specific scenarios where police may deploy drones, including conducting threat assessments before events, gathering evidence after serious traffic collisions, searching for missing persons, and collecting information with reasonable suspicion of crime. The bill modifies Minnesota Statutes section 626.19, subdivision 3, to authorize these uses while requiring written consent for private property use and written requests from other government entities. This directly affects all Minnesota law enforcement agencies operating drones under current statutes. The changes focus on operational safety, evidence preservation, and public safety during specific high-risk situations.

Maddy summaryHF 736 establishes a $750 monthly supplemental housing support rate (with inflation adjustments) for a specific long-term residential facility in Blue Earth County. The rate applies only to providers operating 20-bed facilities serving chemically dependent women and offering 24-hour supervision and support services. This supplemental rate, effective July 1, 2026, is in addition to existing rates and must be negotiated by the Blue Earth County agency. The bill directly affects the county agency, the designated housing provider, and the residents served by that facility.

Maddy summaryHF 2881 appropriates $4.9 million from the general fund for the Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with the same amount continuing annually thereafter. This funding directly supports the task force's operations, enabling it to investigate and combat human trafficking within Minnesota. The bill provides specific, concrete financial resources without altering existing laws or creating new obligations.

Maddy summaryHF 8 streamlines Minnesota's environmental permitting process to improve efficiency and transparency. It sets specific timeframes (90 days for simpler permits, 150 days for complex ones), requires the Pollution Control Agency to issue separate construction and operation permits for certain facilities, and mandates that petitioners for environmental assessments must live in affected or neighboring counties. The bill also eliminates preliminary environmental assessment steps for projects requiring full environmental impact statements and requires the agency to publish annual reports tracking permitting progress. These changes directly affect developers, landowners, and the Pollution Control Agency in processing environmental permits.

Maddy summaryHF 538 modifies Minnesota's law on when police may use deadly force, specifically preventing officers from using lethal force solely to stop a person from harming themselves (e.g., in a suicide situation). The bill requires that if an officer uses deadly force to protect someone from apparent death, they must instead reasonably believe the person poses an immediate threat of death or serious injury to others, meeting specific criteria like the threat being specific, likely to occur, and needing immediate action. This change directly affects Minnesota police officers and individuals in crisis, aiming to limit unnecessary lethal force while maintaining existing standards for protecting officers or the public from violence.

Maddy summaryHF 2891 requires state employees who handle grants management duties - such as awarding, monitoring, or closing grants - to complete training and obtain certification from the commissioner. This applies to all employees overseeing grant processes (e.g., reviewing applications, monitoring compliance, or distributing funds) across Minnesota’s executive agencies. Granting agencies must only assign these responsibilities to certified employees, with a temporary 30-day exception allowed if no certified staff are available. The commissioner also maintains a public list of grantees convicted of fund misuse, suspended, or repeatedly failing grant terms. The bill aims to standardize grant oversight through mandatory certification and transparency.

Maddy summaryHF 3048 appropriates $1.3 million from state bond proceeds to fund a playground in Gorman Park, St. Peter. The city of St. Peter will receive a grant to design, build, and equip the playground, including shade structures, sidewalks, and site improvements. The state will issue bonds to cover this cost, following Minnesota's bond procedures. This bill directly affects St. Peter residents who will use the new playground facility.

Maddy summaryHF 2936 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Corrections to seek legislative approval before implementing certain new or amended rules that would cost over $25,000 annually for any jail, lockup, or workhouse to comply with. If the commissioner determines compliance costs exceed this threshold, or if an administrative law judge disapproves that determination, the affected facility can request a temporary exemption until the legislature approves the rule. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add this requirement for legislative review prior to implementation of high-cost correctional rules. This directly affects local correctional facilities by delaying rule implementation until legislative approval is obtained.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota law to clarify and limit optometrists' authority to prescribe or administer certain drugs. It specifically sets new time limits: oral antivirals may not be prescribed for more than 10 days, oral steroids for more than 14 days (requiring physician consultation), and oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors for more than seven days. These changes apply directly to licensed optometrists in Minnesota who prescribe medications for eye conditions under the Board of Optometry's rules. The bill maintains existing restrictions on intravenous injections, invasive surgery, and Schedule II/III oral drugs.