Rep. Joe McDonald

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Quality Learning Center in Hennepin County as a historic place under Minnesota state law. It achieves this by amending Minnesota Statutes section 138.664 to add a new subdivision specifically naming the facility. The change is administrative and does not alter the center's operations or funding, but it formally recognizes the building's historical significance within the state's historic preservation framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires organizations that receive Minnesota legacy funds to add descriptive alternative text to their websites when displaying the legacy logo. The new requirement applies to recipients of money from the parks and trails fund, outdoor heritage fund, and clean water fund, ensuring that visually impaired users and screen readers can access information about the logo. When users hover over the logo image, the website must include alt text describing the logo, and the logo must link to a page with contact information and a connection to the Legislative Coordinating Commission website. The bill also updates existing accountability measures for legacy fund recipients, including requirements for measurable outcomes, diverse community outreach assessments, and public reporting of non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHF 495 creates a new tax subtraction for Minnesota individual income taxpayers who pay for licensed child care. It allows taxpayers to subtract day care costs paid to licensed programs (like centers or family child care) from their taxable income, but only for amounts exceeding any dependent care benefits they already excluded from federal income tax. This change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and directly affects Minnesota taxpayers with qualifying child care expenses. The bill does not change existing federal tax rules but adds a state-level benefit for eligible costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota public agencies to publicly disclose information about child fatalities and near fatalities when criminal charges are filed, a county attorney certifies charges would have occurred but for the person's death, or a child protection investigation finds maltreatment. The law mandates that these disclosures include details such as the cause and circumstances of the incident, the child's age and gender, prior maltreatment reports, investigation results, and actions taken by welfare agencies, while protecting confidential data, private records, and the identities of information providers. Additionally, the bill strengthens local child mortality review teams by requiring them to interview caseworkers without fear of retaliation and establishes timelines for completing joint and local reviews of critical incidents. Local review teams must also include at least one representative from the child's Tribe if the case involves an Indian child, and all review reports must be made available on the Department of Children, Youth, and Families website within 60 days.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for pension income earned by volunteer firefighters in Minnesota, directly affecting individuals who serve as volunteer or on-call firefighters. The legislation defines volunteer firefighter pension income as annuity payments or lump-sum distributions from public retirement plans based on firefighting service. Starting with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, eligible recipients can subtract this income from their taxable income when filing state individual income tax returns. The bill amends existing Minnesota tax statutes to establish this new provision without changing how other retirement income is treated.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for firefighter pension income in Minnesota, allowing eligible individuals to reduce their taxable income by the amount of pensions received from firefighting service. It directly affects firefighters who receive annuity income or lump-sum payments from public retirement plans based on their firefighting work. The key provision adds a new subdivision to Minnesota tax law that defines firefighter pension income and establishes it as a deductible amount on individual income tax returns. The change will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, meaning firefighters will benefit from this tax relief starting in the 2026 tax year.

Maddy summaryHF 2062 modifies Minnesota's sales tax payment rules for retailers. It requires large retailers (with $250,000+ annual tax liability) to pay 84.5% of estimated June tax by June 30 and the remainder by August 20, while smaller retailers pay monthly. The bill also creates a "vendor allowance," allowing retailers to retain a portion of collected sales tax (at least $10 or 1% of eligible taxes) to offset collection costs, provided taxes are reported and paid on time. This directly affects most Minnesota retailers, particularly construction material sellers (defined in the bill), and takes effect for sales after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows employees in Minnesota to choose not to participate in the state's paid family and medical leave program by submitting an opt-out form. The legislation requires the commissioner to create and provide both physical and online versions of this opt-out form for eligible workers. Once enacted, the change takes effect immediately, giving employees the option to decline participation in the benefit program. This policy adjustment directly impacts workers covered under Minnesota's paid leave system by adding an additional choice regarding their enrollment status.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1,650,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund in fiscal year 2027 to support the rehabilitation of the Salisbury Bridge in Meeker County. The funds will be distributed by the Minnesota Historical Society to Kingston Township, Forest City Township, or both, to plan and complete bridge repairs. The legislation directly affects the townships and the Minnesota Historical Society, which will administer the grants.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's social studies standards to include information about the dangers and perils of communism and socialism, specifically during the 2030-2031 review and revision of state academic standards. The legislation mandates that the state commissioner incorporate details about estimated lives lost and negative outcomes associated with these ideologies into the updated curriculum. It directly affects Minnesota public school systems by setting a specific requirement for future social studies education content. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not change current curriculum requirements but establishes a mandate for future revisions.