Rep. Keith Allen

Maddy summaryHF 423 establishes specific speed limits on a segment of Steele County State-Aid Highway 12 within the city of Medford, Minnesota. It sets a 45 mph limit between 6th Street Southeast and Steele County State-Aid Highway 1, and a 35 mph limit between 5th and 6th Streets Southeast. The bill requires the county engineer to install appropriate signage for these new limits. This change directly affects drivers traveling on that specific Highway 12 segment in Medford. The legislation amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.14 to implement these localized speed adjustments.

Maddy summaryHF 425 appropriates $8.9 million from state bond proceeds to fund sanitary sewer improvements in Waseca, Minnesota. The city of Waseca will receive a grant to design, construct, and engineer upgrades to its sewer system, including reducing inflow/infiltration, increasing capacity, and reconstructing the Nelson Lift Station. The funds also cover related street, roadway, and sidewalk reconstruction within project areas, with no requirement for local matching funds. The state will issue bonds up to $8.9 million to finance this appropriation, as authorized under Minnesota bonding laws. This bill directly affects Waseca's infrastructure projects and public health systems.

Maddy summaryHF 578 allocates $500,000 in state bond funds to the city of Faribault for a new environmental education center and outdoor improvements at the River Bend Nature Center. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds to cover this cost, with funds to be used for site preparation, design, construction, and equipment of a building and public spaces. This directly affects Faribault residents and visitors who will gain access to enhanced educational facilities and trails at the nature center. The key mechanism is using state bond proceeds to finance specific infrastructure projects under Minnesota's capital investment rules.

Maddy summaryHF 138 requires Minnesota's state agency (the commissioner) to gather and compile annual data on human trafficking within the state, replacing the previous biennial requirement. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 299A.785 to mandate yearly publication of this data, making it publicly available. The published report must include details on trafficking extent and nature, as well as other relevant information identified by the commissioner. This change directly affects how state agencies collect and share trafficking data, increasing the frequency of public reporting.

Maddy summaryHF 424 appropriates $1.5 million from state bond proceeds to fund the predesign and design of a new regional public safety facility in Owatonna. The facility will house Owatonna's fire and police departments, serve as Steele County's emergency operations center, and provide regional training for fire and law enforcement personnel. The state will issue bonds up to $1.5 million to cover this appropriation, following Minnesota's bond sale procedures. This bill directly affects Owatonna city officials, Steele County emergency services, and regional public safety staff who will use the facility.

Maddy summaryHF 631 modifies Minnesota's property tax exclusion for veterans with service-connected disabilities. It increases the exclusion amount from $150,000 to $300,000 for veterans with a 100% permanent disability (certified by the VA), calculated as 1.5 times the statewide median homestead value. The bill also extends this $300,000 exclusion to a surviving spouse who owns the homestead, resides there permanently, and meets VA certification requirements after the veteran's death. To qualify, veterans or spouses must apply annually by December 31 and notify assessors of ownership or residency changes. This directly affects veterans with 100% disability, their surviving spouses, and primary family caregivers of eligible veterans.

Maddy summaryHF 137 amends Minnesota law to broaden the definition of a "prior qualified human trafficking-related offense." It expands the definition to include any past conviction or adjudication for human trafficking-related violations committed at any point in a person's lifetime (not just within 10 years), as well as similar offenses from other states. This change directly affects individuals convicted of human trafficking crimes, as prior out-of-state or older Minnesota convictions will now count toward enhanced penalties under Minnesota Statutes section 609.321. The amendment applies to crimes committed on or after August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 642 permits Minnesotans to make small batches of distilled spirits at home for personal or family use, directly affecting residents who wish to produce alcohol without a license. The bill amends state law to allow home distillation under specific limits: no more than 100 gallons per year, with strict rules prohibiting sales and requiring clear public disclosure at any tastings (e.g., "homemade, not state-inspected"). It repeals a prior law that treated unauthorized stills as automatic evidence of illegal production. This change only applies to non-commercial, personal use and does not alter existing rules for commercial distillers or alcohol sales.

Maddy summaryHF 644 appropriates $44.8 million from state bond proceeds to fund a new regional wastewater treatment facility in Goodhue County. The funds will support the design, construction, and infrastructure connections for a facility serving the cities of Zumbrota, Goodhue, Pine Island, and Wanamingo, as well as connecting to the Prairie Island Indian Community's Elk Run settlement lands. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds up to $44.8 million under Minnesota's bond laws to cover these costs. This project aims to create a state-of-the-art regional wastewater facility that will replace outdated infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 317 creates an automatic refund program for Minnesota individual taxpayers when the state has a budget surplus. It allows qualifying taxpayers (individuals or married couples who filed Minnesota income tax returns by June 30 in an odd year and had tax liability) to receive a refund equal to their prior year's tax liability multiplied by a percentage calculated from the state's unrestricted budget balance. The refund is paid automatically by the commissioner of revenue by January 31 each odd year, without requiring taxpayers to file new claims or amended returns. Funds for these refunds are appropriated annually from the general fund by December 31 of each odd year, with refunds effective for those due by December 31, 2027.