Rep. Patty Mueller

Maddy summaryHF 3550 allows Minnesota school districts to develop their own health education standards instead of using statewide requirements. Currently, districts must follow state-mandated health standards, but this bill gives them the option to create local standards that meet their community's needs. When statewide health standards become available (expected after 2025), districts must choose between adopting the state standards or continuing with their locally developed ones. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies to all public school districts in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 3645 modifies Minnesota's Read Act to strengthen reading interventions for students not reading at grade level by the end of third grade. It requires school districts to provide ongoing reading intervention until students reach grade level, including mandatory personal learning plans developed with parents and evidence-based strategies. The bill prohibits grade retention solely for literacy delays and mandates that all interventions after 2025-2026 must be evidence-based. Starting in 2026-2027, unlicensed staff providing Tier 2 reading help must be supervised by teachers trained in evidence-based reading instruction. This directly affects Minnesota public and charter schools, third-grade students, and their families.

Maddy summaryHF 3596 authorizes the city of Austin to impose a 0.5% local sales and use tax with voter approval, specifically to fund a law enforcement center. The tax revenues must cover project costs including land purchase, site work, design, construction, and maintenance, capped at $28.4 million plus associated bonding costs. The tax would expire after 20 years or once the project costs are fully covered, whichever comes first. This bill directly affects Austin taxpayers and the city’s budget for public safety infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 3495 expands eligibility for school safety grants to include nonpublic schools and Tribal contract schools in Minnesota, previously only allowing public school districts and charter schools to apply. The bill appropriates $24.3 million for 2024 (with additional funds for 2026) to fund security-related facility improvements, cybersecurity insurance premiums, and associated costs for eligible schools. It amends existing law to explicitly include these school types in the grant program and allocates up to $100,000 for grant administration. This one-time appropriation is available until June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryHF 3492 authorizes Minnesota's commissioner of education to award school safety facility grants of up to $500,000 per school for security improvements like updated entry systems or safety equipment. It directly affects public, charter, tribal, and nonpublic schools statewide, with at least half the grants prioritized for schools outside the seven-county metro area. The bill appropriates $25 million from the general fund for these grants and cancels $25 million previously allocated to the Northern Lights Express rail project to fund this initiative. Grants require applications detailing other funding sources and cannot be disbursed until construction bids are secured.

Maddy summaryHF 3491 authorizes Minnesota to participate in a federal tax credit program that allows scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) to provide scholarships to students. These SGOs must be tax-exempt nonprofits that spend at least 90% of funds on scholarships, verify household income, prioritize returning students and siblings, and avoid earmarking funds for specific students. The bill requires SGOs to annually report compliance to the Minnesota Department of Education, which must then post a list of qualified organizations online. The law explicitly states it does not grant schools or districts additional control over nonpublic schools or students.

Maddy summaryHF 1435 modifies Minnesota's education innovation framework by updating requirements for school districts offering experiential learning programs and P-TECH schools. It requires districts to publicly adopt and regularly review plans for innovation programs (like work-based learning or project-based schools), including student outcome assessments. The bill also revises the P-TECH school approval process to mandate specific application details, such as written agreements with colleges/businesses, economic development alignment, and budget plans. These changes affect Minnesota school districts seeking to implement innovation programs or P-TECH schools, focusing on transparency and program structure. The bill recodifies related education innovation statutes without altering core program eligibility.

Maddy summaryHF 1157 clarifies that direct primary care service agreements - where patients pay a flat fee directly to a primary care provider instead of using insurance - are not considered health insurance. This means primary care providers operating under such agreements (like doctors charging monthly fees for services) do not need insurance licenses or comply with insurance regulations. The bill directly affects primary care providers who use this model and their patients who choose direct payment over insurance. It removes these arrangements from Minnesota's insurance oversight, defining terms like "direct fee" and "direct patient" to ensure clarity. The law amends Minnesota Statutes to explicitly exclude these agreements from insurance rules.

Maddy summaryHF 2318 updates Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) system. It increases pension adjustment revenue for school districts (e.g., setting St. Paul's rate at 3.25% for 2026+ and other districts at 2.0% for 2026+), raises employer contribution rates (e.g., requiring 9.5% for coordinated members and 13.5% for basic members by 2025), and provides unreduced retirement annuities for teachers who reach age 62 with 30 years of service. These changes directly affect public school districts (as employers) and TRA members (teachers). The bill appropriates funds to support these adjustments and amends specific sections of Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summaryHF 3132 encourages Minnesota school districts to observe Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May. The bill directs districts to optionally provide instruction or school programs teaching students about the cultures, traditions, achievements, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to U.S. history and culture. School districts may partner with community groups to promote these observances. The bill does not require specific actions but offers guidance for voluntary commemoration.