Rep. Steve Gander

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the SAVE Minnesota Act, which requires voters to present a specific photo identification card to register to vote and to cast their ballots. To obtain this new voter identification card, applicants must provide proof of their U.S. citizenship and may receive certain vital records, such as birth certificates, without a fee. The legislation also creates a new voter identification card program, modifies existing driver's license requirements, and sets up a process for handling provisional ballots. Additionally, the bill includes funding provisions to support the administration of these new election procedures and establishes a children's trust fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the wage calculation framework for staff working in family residential services in Minnesota, directly affecting service providers and employees in this sector. It establishes specific formulas for determining base wages for various staff roles, such as supervisors, nurses, and direct care workers, by tying their pay to median wages for comparable occupations. The legislation also introduces a temporary lower wage rate for asleep-overnight staff that applies until 2027 or federal approval, while other staff categories receive wage calculations based on weighted percentages of median wages for related job classifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies safety requirements for shelters left on ice overnight in Minnesota, directly affecting anglers and ice fishing enthusiasts who use fish houses, dark houses, or similar structures. The key provision mandates that any shelter left on the ice overnight must be marked with reflective material on each side, covering a total area of at least 144 square inches per side. This change aims to improve visibility and safety for others on the ice by ensuring these structures are more easily seen during low-light conditions. The amendment updates Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.355, subdivision 7a, to reflect this new standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act to strengthen protections for children of color in the child welfare system. It requires social services agencies to make "active efforts" rather than just "reasonable efforts" to keep African American and disproportionately represented children in their homes, reunify them with families, and involve families in all service decisions. The law mandates that agencies consider cultural and social values when providing services, ensures community members from communities of color serve as court advocates, and requires ombudspersons to monitor compliance with these new standards. Additionally, the bill expands placement options to include relatives and community members before removing children from their homes.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a previous requirement that assumed a $250 million reduction in special education funding for the 2027-2028 biennium and subsequent years. Under the new provisions, the state commissioner of management and budget will no longer be required to forecast this specific funding cut when preparing revenue and expenditure forecasts. The legislation also removes the mandate that the legislature must identify enacted provisions from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education to offset the assumed funding reduction. If savings from those provisions fall short of $250 million, the commissioner of education would no longer be required to reduce the special education cross subsidy aid factor to make up the difference. The changes take effect the day following final enactment of the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's tax reduction authority for businesses located in designated border city enterprise zones. It allows local governments to approve various tax incentives, including sales tax exemptions for construction materials, income tax credits for hiring employees, property tax credits for new facilities, and reimbursement for land acquisition costs to prevent business relocation. The legislation also updates restrictions by removing certain exclusions for specific business types while maintaining prohibitions on tax benefits for recreational facilities, public utilities, financial institutions, and franchised retail food or beverage businesses. Additionally, the bill authorizes a $2 million allocation for additional tax reductions to border city zones and clarifies which cities can designate development zones and their size limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota law to clarify which healthcare professionals can serve as medical consultants for community health boards. It specifies that advanced practice nurses must be certified as clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners by a national organization acceptable to the Minnesota Board of Nursing. The change directly affects community health boards and the healthcare providers working with them, ensuring medical consultants meet defined credentialing standards. The bill modifies existing statute (145A.02, subd. 15) to add this clarity without expanding the list of eligible professions.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to issue up to $7,267,000 in bonds to fund a waste management project for the Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid Waste Authority, which serves five counties. The funds will be used to build an ash recovery and recycling plant that processes ash from landfills into road construction materials and recovers metals, as well as a waste transfer station to handle municipal and demolition waste. The money comes from the bond proceeds fund and will be distributed through the Pollution Control Agency to Otter Tail County, which manages the joint powers board for the authority. This legislation focuses on funding infrastructure improvements for regional waste management rather than changing existing regulations or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to use a lease-purchase agreement and the sale of certificates of participation to fund improvements or replacement of its MAXIS system. Under this plan, the state would lease the project from a vendor or financing source and pay for it in installments over a period of up to ten years. The legislation establishes specific rules for how the state must manage the funds, including requirements for insurance, liability, and financial reporting within a dedicated project fund. It also allows the state to transfer money from its general fund to cover expected costs before the financing proceeds are received.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota calculates registration taxes for passenger cars and hearses by lowering the tax rate based on the vehicle's manufacturer's suggested retail price. It changes the tax calculation for new vehicles registered on or after November 16, 2020, and reduces the percentage of the vehicle's value taxed for each subsequent year of ownership. The legislation also establishes a process to transfer money from the state's general fund to the highway user tax distribution fund to cover any revenue shortfall caused by these tax reductions.