Rep. Joe Schomacker

Maddy summaryHF 1756 increases property tax exclusions for Minnesota veterans with service-connected disabilities and modifies benefits for surviving spouses. Veterans with a 70% or higher disability rating receive a $150,000 exclusion (doubling to $300,000 for 100% disability), with the base amount adjusted annually for inflation using a federal economic index. Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans or service members who died in active duty can continue the full $300,000 exclusion until they remarry or sell the home. The bill directly affects veterans, their spouses, and primary family caregivers who qualify under the existing program.

Maddy summaryHF 2476 modifies Minnesota's restrictions on over-the-counter sales of products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine (commonly found in some allergy medications and cold remedies, but primarily regulated due to their use in methamphetamine production). The bill limits single sales to no more than 6 grams of these substances (by weight), requires sales to occur behind a counter with a licensed pharmacist, mandates ID checks showing date of birth, and requires written records of each sale to be kept for three years. It also prohibits sales to anyone under 18 and caps total purchases at 7.2 grams within 30 days. These changes directly affect pharmacies selling such products and customers purchasing them.

Maddy summaryHF 794 establishes a state dementia services program under Minnesota's commissioner of health to coordinate existing Alzheimer's and dementia-related services. The program will link state agencies, Tribal Nations, community groups, and research organizations to improve public awareness, update Minnesota's Alzheimer's Disease State Plan, and integrate early detection strategies into public health efforts. The bill appropriates funding from the general fund for the program, starting with an unspecified amount in fiscal year 2026 and a base amount in 2027. This directly affects Minnesotans living with dementia, their caregivers, and the state agencies and community organizations providing related services.

Maddy summaryHF 2384 establishes a grant program to help counties clean up blighted properties and address environmental contamination on tax-forfeited or tax-foreclosed properties they own or hold in trust. The bill appropriates funds for fiscal years 2026-2027, allowing counties to apply for grants to cover remediation costs, testing, monitoring, and fixing unsafe conditions. Counties must submit detailed applications proving property ownership, contamination evidence, blight documentation, and a remediation plan. The Pollution Control Agency will award grants, prioritizing counties' ability to fund projects without grants and ensuring statewide distribution.

Maddy summaryHF 1678 expands access to essential community supports for older Minnesotans and people with dementia by lowering the age threshold from 65 to 60 and removing asset limits for eligibility. The bill increases annual funding for caregiver respite services grants by $2 million each year (fiscal years 2026-2027) and maintains a $400 monthly service cap. It directly affects individuals needing community-based care who don’t qualify for nursing facilities, allowing access to services like adult day care, homemaker support, and respite care. The changes require no asset assessment and mandate annual reassessment for continued eligibility.

Maddy summaryHF 2416 modifies how counties pay for mental health care in state facilities. Counties now pay 0% for the first 30 days of care, 20% for days 31 and beyond if clinically appropriate, and 100% when discharge is deemed appropriate. The bill temporarily (until June 30, 2025) exempts counties from paying for certain clients awaiting transfer to another facility under specific conditions. It also requires a public dashboard showing waitlist data for mental health services, including average wait times and referral metrics, to increase transparency. These changes affect counties, mental health facilities, and individuals receiving care in Minnesota's state-operated mental health programs.

Maddy summaryHF 1845 expands Minnesota's definition of "veteran" to include two specific groups: (1) Hmong veterans naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, and (2) individuals who served honorably with secret guerrilla units or irregular forces operating from Laos in support of U.S. forces between February 28, 1961, and May 14, 1975. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 197.447 to add these categories to the existing definition, ensuring these veterans qualify for state benefits. It also creates an advisory task force of veterans, experts, and community members to help determine eligibility under the new definition. This change directly affects Hmong veterans and Laotian-based veterans who previously may not have met Minnesota's veteran criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state grant program to support community care hubs that connect health care providers with organizations addressing basic needs like food insecurity, housing instability, and transportation access. It appropriates $8.9 million for the grant and $1 million for evaluation, requiring grantees to coordinate social care services, centralize administrative operations, and report outcomes. Eligible applicants must already be recognized federal community care hubs with contracts to provide services to health plan members. The program begins July 1, 2025, aiming to create sustainable pathways for addressing health-related social needs across Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 2159 corrects terminology in Minnesota statutes governing nursing facility payment rates. It amends sections 256R.38 and 256R.40 to clarify that performance-based incentive payments (for outcomes like resident discharge or quality improvements) must be included in facilities' external fixed costs payment rate. The bill also updates the calculation method for planned closure rate adjustments when facilities reduce beds, specifying how the $2,080 per-bed amount is applied over capacity days. This terminology correction directly affects nursing facilities receiving state payments and the Minnesota Department of Human Services administering these rates. The bill makes no new policy changes - only clarifies existing payment rate mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $3.9 million from Minnesota's Clean Water Fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Red Rock Rural Water System. The funds are specifically for acquiring land containing a groundwater aquifer in Cottonwood County. This purchase ensures the water system can maintain its ability to provide safe, high-quality water services to its community. The direct beneficiary is the Red Rock Rural Water System and the residents it serves.