Rep. Joe McDonald

Maddy summaryHF 21 would require a three-fifths supermajority vote in both the Minnesota House and Senate to extend a peacetime emergency declaration beyond 14 days. Currently, such extensions beyond 14 days could be approved by the Executive Council, but this bill would shift that authority to the legislature. The bill directly affects governors seeking to prolong emergency powers and the legislative process for reviewing those requests. It does not change the initial 14-day emergency declaration period or the governor's authority to declare emergencies under existing criteria. Note: This bill was introduced but not passed during the 2025 legislative session.

Maddy summaryHF 3724 prohibits all Minnesota counties, cities, townships, school districts, and other local governments from adopting or using ranked-choice voting for local elections. The bill defines ranked-choice voting as any system where voters rank candidates by preference, and bans its use for local offices like mayor or city council. It also explicitly prohibits this voting method for all federal and state offices. The law prevents local governments from establishing such systems through rules, resolutions, or ordinances.

Maddy summaryHF 3689 lowers the minimum age for candidates running for county, municipal, school district, and special district offices in Minnesota from 21 to 18 years old. The bill amends state law to require that candidates for these positions be at least 18 years old when they take office, while maintaining the 21-year-old requirement for other local offices. This change directly affects 18- to 20-year-olds who would now be eligible to run for these specific local elected positions. The legislation is currently under consideration by the Minnesota legislature.

Maddy summaryHF 2809 establishes a new crime for protesting directly in front of or about a person's home (excluding homes used as businesses). It makes this a misdemeanor, escalating to a gross misdemeanor if the person has a prior conviction under this law or ignores court orders like protection orders. The bill specifically allows peaceful protests about community meetings or assemblies held at locations commonly used for public discussion. This law applies to residential properties only and takes effect August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $25,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2027 to design and construct a statue of Charlie Kirk at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus. The statue is intended to commemorate Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah on September 10, 2025. The funds are directed to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents for this specific purpose.

Maddy summaryHF 3592 appropriates $2 million from state bond proceeds to fund capital improvements at Rockford's wastewater treatment facility. The city of Rockford directly benefits, receiving funds to design, construct, and equip upgrades including control systems, preliminary treatment infrastructure, and other operational support. The bill authorizes the state to issue up to $2 million in bonds to cover this appropriation, following standard bond procedures under Minnesota law. This funding supports the facility's ongoing operations through physical infrastructure enhancements.

Maddy summaryHF 1 establishes a centralized Office of Inspector General (OIG) for Minnesota state government, replacing existing agency-specific inspector general offices. The OIG will oversee state spending, require agencies to halt payments when fraud is suspected, and mandate a fraud reporting hotline for employees and contractors. It directly affects all state agencies and recipients of state funds (such as contractors and organizations administering state programs) by requiring them to report suspected fraud and prohibiting retaliation against whistleblowers. The bill also specifies the OIG must coordinate with the legislative auditor and amends statutes related to fraud detection, waste prevention, and oversight.

Maddy summaryHF 29 suspends the scheduled 2030-2031 review of Minnesota's social studies academic standards and repeals requirements for schools to include ethnic studies content in their curriculum. It also cancels funding allocated for ethnic studies programs. The bill modifies existing education statutes by removing mandates for schools to integrate ethnic studies or Indigenous education into social studies standards, effectively eliminating these curriculum components. This directly affects Minnesota public schools and students by removing specific educational content requirements and associated funding. The changes take effect upon final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 1784 requires government entities (such as state agencies or local municipalities) to pay the legal costs - including attorney fees - of individuals or organizations they sue and lose in court. If a government entity initiates a civil lawsuit against a person and does not win, the bill mandates that the government cover all defense-related expenses incurred by the losing party. This applies to actions filed on or after August 1, 2025, and does not limit other legal remedies available to defendants. The bill aims to discourage government entities from filing meritless lawsuits by making them financially responsible for opposing legal costs.

Maddy summaryHF 15, the "Safe Haven In Every Local District (SHIELD) Act," requires all Minnesota public school districts and charter schools to include specific student and staff safety measures in their long-term facility plans by August 2025. The bill creates new grants to fund comprehensive security systems, including features like bullet-resistant doors, emergency alert systems, and staff training, with priority given to schools serving the most students. School districts must apply for these grants through the Minnesota School Safety Center, which will rank applicants and provide lists of approved vendors. The law appropriates funds from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to support these security upgrades and plan updates.