Rep. Kim Hicks

Maddy summaryHF 671 establishes two new grant programs to improve children's mental health services in Minnesota. It creates a competitive grant for training direct care staff in residential facilities and day treatment programs (via the "youth care professional grant"), requiring trauma-informed curricula and a registry for trained staff. It also launches a "high-fidelity wraparound grant" to fund comprehensive, family-driven mental health support for children with serious challenges, prioritizing evidence-based models. The bill modifies rates for certain children's mental health services, establishes a working group for psychiatric residential facilities, and appropriates funding for these initiatives. These changes primarily affect licensed residential facilities, day treatment programs, community service providers, and counties delivering children's mental health services.

Maddy summaryHF 2712 allocates $8.5 million from the state general fund for one-time improvements to the Capitol tunnel under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and east of the State Capitol. The funds will cover designing, constructing, and equipping the tunnel to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, directly benefiting people with disabilities who use Capitol facilities. The bill specifies that the funding is available until the project is completed or abandoned, with no ongoing annual appropriations. This is a straightforward infrastructure funding measure focused on accessibility compliance, not a policy change affecting broader legislation.

Maddy summaryHF 2459 appropriates $150,000 for the 2026 fiscal year and $150,000 for 2027 to the Metro Deaf School. The funding provides services specifically for young children with deafness, deafblindness, or hard-of-hearing disabilities who do not qualify for existing state funding under Minnesota Statutes §124E.11(h). This is a one-time appropriation, directly supporting the school's ability to serve this specific student population. The bill does not change eligibility rules but provides dedicated funding for an underserved group.

Maddy summaryHF 2732 establishes a new payment program to support rural child care providers in Minnesota. It provides financial assistance to eligible child care centers, family day care homes, and tribal programs located in communities with populations of 2,500 or fewer, aiming to improve access to early care and help providers recruit and retain staff. To receive funds, providers must apply each payment period, submit enrollment data, maintain detailed records of spending and staff compensation for six years, and use the money within six months. The bill also requires providers to avoid recent fraud findings or license suspensions and mandates strict record-keeping to ensure funds are properly used.

Maddy summaryHF 2699 legalizes personal cultivation, possession, transportation, and use of psilocybin for Minnesotans aged 21 or older, removing criminal penalties for these activities. The bill establishes a Psychedelic Medicine Board to oversee implementation, creates public education and harm reduction programs, and authorizes civil actions for related issues. It amends Minnesota’s controlled substances laws (specifically sections 152.021, 152.022, and 152.024) to exclude psilocybin from possession crime classifications for adults 21+. The legislation also appropriates funding for these programs and sets up rulemaking authority for the new framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's restrictions on lead and cadmium in consumer products by specifically removing the prohibition on artist paint containing cadmium. It amends the definition of "covered product" to exclude cadmium-containing paint and pastels from the ban, which previously applied to art supplies. The change directly affects manufacturers and sellers of art supplies, particularly those producing traditional cadmium-based paints used by artists. The bill maintains existing restrictions on cadmium and lead in other products like toys, jewelry, and children's items.

Maddy summaryHF 669 modifies Minnesota's children's mental health grant programs to expand services for students. It allows schools and providers to use funds for telehealth services, family support, school staff training, and student transportation to mental health appointments when school isn't in session. The bill requires grantees to seek third-party reimbursement (excluding public schools) but ensures services are available regardless of a student's insurance or ability to pay. It also clarifies rules for nonemergency medical transportation providers under Minnesota health care programs. The legislation appropriates state funds to support these expanded services for children and families.

Maddy summaryHF 1948 establishes Minnesota's Headwaters Community Food and Water Economic Resiliency Program to support sustainable local food systems. The program, administered by the commissioner of employment and economic development, directly assists urban and rural producers - especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color - engaged in regenerative food systems. Key provisions include providing financial and technical aid for infrastructure (like storage facilities, food commons, and weather-resilient water systems), operational support for food webs, training for new participants, and ensuring affordable fresh food access for all income levels. The bill also creates an advisory committee requiring diverse community representation to guide program implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state-funded programs from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities. It requires programs receiving state financial assistance to provide equal access and enjoyment of benefits, banning exclusion or unequal treatment due to disability. State agencies providing such funding must ensure compliance and create enforcement rules. The law remains in effect regardless of changes to federal disability protections.

Maddy summaryHF 2765 modifies Minnesota's optometry scope of practice by adding specific restrictions to the existing law. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists by prohibiting them from administering prescription medications via injection (except for anaphylaxis treatment), performing invasive surgeries (including laser procedures), prescribing certain strong oral medications (like Schedule II/III drugs or steroids), and extending the duration of some prescriptions (limiting oral antivirals to 10 days and oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors to 7 days). These changes clarify the boundaries of optometric practice under Minnesota Statutes 148.56. The bill does not alter optometrists' core duties like vision testing, lens prescribing, or diagnosing eye conditions.