Rep. Steve Jacob

Maddy summaryHF 2653 would require courts to award reasonable attorney fees and expenses to a winning party (not a municipality) in civil cases against a municipality when the municipality's legal position was not substantially justified. The bill defines "substantially justified" as having a reasonable basis in law and fact, based on all circumstances during litigation. To qualify, the winning party must submit an itemized fee request within 30 days of final judgment, and courts may reduce or deny the award if the winning party unnecessarily prolonged the case. This applies to most civil actions but excludes tort cases.

Maddy summaryHF 2684 appropriates $250,000 from state bonds to fund the design of a multiuse paved trail system and safe routes to school in Mazeppa, Minnesota. The funds, managed by the commissioner of employment and economic development, will improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, and other nonmotorized wheeled vehicle users. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds under Minnesota law to cover this specific infrastructure project in Mazeppa.

Maddy summaryHF 2661 amends Minnesota law to allow anglers to use up to three fishing lines in the Mississippi River and St. Croix River, increasing the current limit of two lines in those specific waterways. This change directly affects recreational fishers who regularly fish these rivers, providing a new option for their angling activities. The bill updates Minnesota Statutes section 97C.315 by adding a new provision (paragraph 4) explicitly permitting three lines in these two rivers. The amendment applies only to the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, leaving other river regulations unchanged.

Maddy summaryHF 2660 modifies how Minnesota funds soil and water conservation districts. It increases annual aid from $15 million (2023-2024, funded by the general state budget) to $20 million starting in 2025, shifting the funding source to the "general clean water fund" instead of the general fund. This bill directly affects local soil and water conservation districts across Minnesota, which use these funds for programs protecting land and water resources. The change takes effect for payments made in 2025 and later years.

Maddy summaryHF 452 appropriates funds from Minnesota's Clean Water Fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support a southeast regional groundwater protection and soil health initiative. The funding targets soil and water conservation districts in Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona counties. It enables these districts to provide grants for projects reducing nutrient leaching into groundwater, immobilizing nitrogen, and preventing erosion, including cover crop programs, alternative crops, and pasture enhancements. The initiative specifically aligns with existing requirements from the Olmsted County groundwater protection program.

Maddy summaryHF 67 repeals Minnesota's automatic voter registration system, which previously added eligible residents to voter rolls when they applied for or renewed a driver's license or state ID. The bill removes provisions requiring DMV staff to offer automatic registration and eliminates related requirements in statutes governing voter registration (Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 13.607 and 201.161). It also amends related laws to adjust processes for voter preregistration and application forms. This change directly affects voters who would have been automatically registered through DMV interactions, requiring them to proactively register instead.

Maddy summaryHF 4 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Minnesota to return budget surplus funds to taxpayers. If approved, it would create a "Minnesota tax relief account" funded by revenue exceeding 105% of projected spending, using those funds to refund or reduce property and income taxes. Taxpayers would receive direct refunds or tax reductions, but only up to the amount they owe in taxes, with the account funded annually from the state's general fund surplus. The amendment must be voted on by voters in the 2026 general election.

Maddy summaryHF 2405 requires Minnesota's Department of Transportation and county road authorities to publish detailed public reports before acquiring land for road projects on rural or suburban undivided roadways. These reports must explain why additional land beyond minimum design standards is needed (for safety, drainage, or state no reason exists), include project details, and be written in plain language on websites. Authorities must allow 30 days for public review and comment before proceeding. The law applies to projects starting August 1, 2025, and directly affects state and county entities managing road construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning.

Maddy summaryHF 23 amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.932 to strengthen whistleblower protections for public employees. It expands the list of protected disclosures to include reporting gross mismanagement or waste of public funds (subsection 7), clarifies protections for health care quality concerns (subsection 4), and adds specific scenarios like reporting truthful scientific studies (subsection 5) or classified service communications about state services (subsection 6). These changes directly affect state and local government employees who report violations of law, safety risks, or financial misconduct. The bill modifies existing anti-retaliation language to explicitly cover these new disclosure types while maintaining that protected disclosures cannot override other legal data protections.

Maddy summaryHF 2154 prohibits Minnesota law enforcement agencies from using traffic safety cameras (including speed and red-light cameras) for traffic enforcement. The bill cancels a $3.5 million appropriation for camera systems and repeals related statutes (Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 169.011, 169.06, 169.14, and 169.147) that previously allowed such camera use. This directly affects local police departments and municipalities that operated or planned to use traffic cameras for issuing citations. The bill takes effect after August 1, 2025, ending the use of these systems for enforcement purposes.