Rep. Patty Mueller

Maddy summaryHF 3221 establishes a legislative study group to examine Minnesota's high school graduation credit requirements. The group, composed of eight legislators (four House, four Senate) appointed by leadership, must study current requirements, consider flexible pathways for student readiness, teacher licensure, and workforce alignment, and recommend changes by December 2026. The bill appropriates $64,000 for 2026 and $64,000 for 2027 to support the study group's work through the Legislative Coordinating Commission. The group must submit a preliminary report by December 2025 and a final report by December 2026, with the study group expiring after the final report is submitted or December 31, 2026. This bill directly affects how graduation requirements may be reviewed and potentially changed for Minnesota students.

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the age threshold for early retirement reductions in Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association from 62 to 60. It directly affects teachers who retire before normal retirement age but want to avoid reduced benefits. Specifically, members retiring before age 60 will now face the early retirement reduction, whereas previously the reduction applied only for retirement before age 62. The bill also clarifies procedures for delaying postretirement adjustments, though the exact mechanism isn't detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summaryHF 1124 allows Minnesota school districts to begin the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years before Labor Day, which is currently prohibited under state law. This temporary change applies only to those two specific school years and does not alter the standard start date requirement for other years. School districts choosing this option must report their start dates to the education commissioner, who will then compile and submit a list of participating districts to legislators by January 5, 2027. The bill directly affects public school districts in Minnesota for those two school years.

Maddy summaryHF 2065 increases annual state funding for library online databases by $2.9 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The bill appropriates these funds to the Department of Education to maintain statewide licenses for online research databases. These licenses directly benefit school media centers, public libraries, state government agency libraries, and college/university libraries across Minnesota. The funding ensures continued access to digital resources without requiring additional local spending.

Maddy summaryHF 2240 allows union members in Minnesota (both public and private sector) to direct a portion or all of their union dues to a local, state, or national organization of their choice, rather than solely to their union. The bill requires unions to inform members about this allocation option and mandates that dues deduction authorizations clearly include this choice. Employers must process payroll deductions as requested and remit funds within 30 days, with unions liable for errors in processing. This changes how dues are distributed but does not alter membership requirements or collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summaryHF 19 establishes education savings accounts (ESAs) for Minnesota students from low-income households, defined as families earning no more than four times the income threshold for free school meals. The bill allows parents to use state funds to pay for qualifying education expenses - including tuition at eligible nonpublic schools, tutoring, approved curriculum, and school supplies - at participating schools or providers. Participation is capped at 5% of public school enrollment in the first year, increasing by 3% annually, with priority given to kindergarten students and those who attended public school full-time the prior year. The program directly affects eligible students (ages 18 and under) and their families, with funds restricted to approved educational services and materials.

Maddy summaryHF 1128 requires all Minnesota public high school districts and charter schools to participate in the state's direct admissions program starting with the 2029-2030 school year. The law, effective July 1, 2025, mandates that schools must enroll students through this program rather than traditional application processes. It directly affects every public high school in Minnesota by changing how they admit students. The bill does not alter the program's existing structure but makes participation mandatory for all eligible schools.

Maddy summaryHF 2039 allocates $4,511,000 from the general fund for the Minnesota Youth Program during fiscal year 2026. This funding is available for either year of the biennium and is added to the program's base budget. The bill directly affects the Minnesota Youth Program by providing dedicated state funding for its operations. It is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes or new requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1392 establishes a dedicated "consumer protection restitution account" to handle unclaimed funds from consumer protection cases in Minnesota. It requires that 50% of money recovered by the Attorney General in consumer enforcement actions - where funds aren't specifically designated for victims - be deposited into this account instead of the general fund. The account is used to distribute restitution to eligible consumers (those directly harmed by unlawful practices) who cannot be located or to whom payments weren't redeemed within 120 days, prioritizing cases with the oldest final court orders. This ensures unclaimed restitution money directly benefits victims rather than flowing into general state funding.

Maddy summaryHF 1607 modifies Minnesota's requirements for school instruction hours. It specifies the minimum annual hours all public schools must provide: 425 hours for kindergarten, 935 for grades 1-6, and 1,020 for grades 7-12 (not including summer school), with additional requirements for all-day kindergarten and prekindergarten. The bill clarifies what counts as "hours of instruction" (e.g., must earn credit, be available to all students, and be supervised by a qualified teacher) and allows up to five days of online instruction during weather-related closures. This bill directly affects Minnesota public schools and their compliance with state education standards.