Rep. Joe McDonald

Maddy summaryHF 3031 appropriates $300,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to support the Upsala Area Historical Society. The funding directly supports the society's museum operations to preserve historical artifacts and the area's immigrant history. The bill provides concrete financial support for ongoing preservation efforts within the Upsala community. This is a direct funding allocation with no additional policy changes beyond the specified grant.

Maddy summaryHF 2961 expands Minnesota's sales tax exemption for certain restaurant meals and drinks. It adds two new exemptions: (1) complimentary meals and beverages (including alcohol) provided to customers at no cost, and (2) employee meals and non-alcoholic beverages purchased by restaurants. These exemptions apply to restaurants defined under Minnesota Statutes §157.15, subdivision 12. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, removing sales tax from these specific transactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1.8 million from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to support the Taste of Minnesota event. The funds will be provided to the Minneapolis Downtown Council to cover specific operational costs, including infrastructure setup, permits, waste management, staffing, security, equipment rentals, signage, and insurance. It directly affects the Minneapolis Downtown Council as the recipient of the grant and the Taste of Minnesota event as the beneficiary. The bill makes no policy changes beyond allocating existing state funds for this specific annual festival.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2,000,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. The funds will be granted to the event organizers to celebrate Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage during the Games, including designing and building a Special Olympics Cauldron. The bill directly affects the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games organizers by providing dedicated funding for cultural programming. The appropriation is specific to fiscal year 2026 and requires no new policy changes beyond the funding allocation.

Maddy summaryHF 2562 requires Minnesota's Clean Water Council to break down its annual recommendations for spending clean water funds by each fiscal year (not just the full biennium). This change, effective January 15 each odd-numbered year, mandates that the council's report to the legislature includes specific yearly spending plans along with proposed bill language. The bill directly affects the Clean Water Council, which must now provide more detailed budget guidance, and the legislature, which receives these structured recommendations. This amendment updates Minnesota Statutes section 114D.30, subdivision 7, to improve transparency in how clean water funds are allocated annually.

Maddy summaryHF 1168 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Revenue to create an online system for individuals to claim refunds on political contributions. It modifies the existing refund program to allow electronic data sharing between the Campaign Finance Board and the Department of Revenue, including contributor names, contribution amounts, and unique receipt validation numbers. All shared data is classified as nonpublic, protecting contributor privacy while enabling streamlined refund processing. This change affects political contributors seeking refunds, political parties/candidates issuing refund receipts, and the agencies managing campaign finance data, replacing paper-based processes with digital systems effective January 2027.

Maddy summaryHF 195 exempts property owned and operated by congressionally chartered veterans service organizations from Minnesota property taxes. The bill removes the standard property tax classification rate for this specific property and establishes a direct tax exemption. It requires the commissioner of veterans affairs to annually provide a list of qualifying organizations to the commissioner of revenue by January 1. The exemption takes effect for property assessments beginning in 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 944 amends Minnesota's trespass law to allow landowners to use purple paint markings as a legal alternative to traditional "no trespassing" signs for restricting outdoor recreation on their property. The bill specifies that purple markings must be vertical lines (at least 8 inches long, 1 inch wide) placed 3-5 feet from the ground, spaced no more than 100 feet apart on forest land or 1,000 feet apart elsewhere. This directly affects landowners seeking to manage recreational access and users who might enter marked areas without permission. The change provides a standardized, visible method for landowners to communicate trespass restrictions without requiring physical signs.

Maddy summaryThis bill recognizes Minnesota's historic state flag (described as a blue flag with a central emblem featuring 19 stars, the word "MINNESOTA," and scenes from the Great Seal) and grants all Minnesotans the right to display it. It requires the lieutenant governor to set standards for its display on state property, mandating it be shown during specified holidays and on Capitol grounds during legislative sessions. The bill also allows the historic flag to be displayed on other public property for ceremonial purposes, while requiring it to be placed beneath the official state flag when both are displayed together. It directly affects all Minnesotans who display the flag and government entities managing public property.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $150,000 in state funding for the city of Delano to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026. The money, drawn from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund, is specifically designated for Delano's sesquicentennial events and programming. It directly supports the city in organizing cultural activities like art exhibits, music performances, and heritage events to mark this milestone. The funding is a one-time appropriation for the city's anniversary celebrations.