Rep. Peggy Scott

Maddy summaryHF 392 requires Minnesota's Sentencing Guidelines Commission to obtain legislative approval for specific changes to sentencing rules before they take effect. The bill mandates that modifications affecting sentencing grids, severity levels, criminal history scores, or any change that could shorten sentences or allow early release must be submitted to the legislature by January 15 each year. These changes would then take effect on August 1 unless the legislature formally approves them. The commission must also submit annual reports detailing all modifications made or proposed to relevant legislative committees. This bill directly affects the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and the legislative process for criminal justice policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "correspondence" in Minnesota's government record retention laws to include written communications like emails, letters, and memos. It requires all state and local government entities (including counties, cities, school districts, and agencies) to retain such correspondence for a minimum of three years. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 15.17 and 138.17 to establish this definition and retention period. This change ensures consistent record-keeping for transparency and accountability across public offices.

Maddy summaryHF 394 limits how health data can be collected and used during communicable disease outbreaks in Minnesota. It requires health departments to destroy certain disease reporting data within 90 days (or 30 days after an investigation ends) and prohibits mandatory digital contact tracing by employers or government entities. The bill mandates that digital contact tracing can only occur with voluntary consent and bans the collection of location or proximity data from wireless devices for contact tracing purposes. It directly affects Minnesotans whose health data might be collected during disease investigations and sets clear rules for data handling by health authorities.

Maddy summaryHF 493 repeals a legal defense that allowed family or household members to avoid criminal charges for transferring firearms to ineligible people when claiming they were forced by threats of harm. The bill removes a specific exception requiring proof that the transfer occurred under compulsion (such as threats of serious injury or death) to excuse violations of firearm transfer rules. This change eliminates the ability to use past domestic abuse or threats as a defense for transferring firearms to individuals prohibited from owning them. The core prohibition on transferring firearms to ineligible persons remains unchanged, but the removed defense previously applied to family or household members in such cases.

Maddy summaryHF 395 modifies Minnesota's procedures for emergency orders issued during a peacetime emergency. It requires the governor to consult with affected organizations before issuing orders/rules 10+ days after an emergency declaration, provide at least 7 days of public notice before implementation (unless the Legislative Coordinating Commission approves an earlier date), and prohibits forcing private individuals or businesses to enforce orders without consent. Emergency orders expire after 30 days unless both legislative houses approve an extension, and they automatically end if the emergency concludes. This bill directly affects the governor's authority to issue emergency rules and the obligations of businesses and individuals subject to those rules.

Maddy summaryHF 398 requires Minnesota government entities handling non-public data to maintain detailed audit trails tracking all actions involving that data. Specifically, it mandates recording the date, identity of users, sources of received data, and recipients of shared data. The audit trails must match the data's classification level and be retained for at least ten years or until the underlying data is destroyed per records policies. This applies to all government entities creating, accessing, changing, or sharing non-public data, effective August 1, 2025. The bill does not override existing audit requirements for specific data types.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota law updates family court rules to ensure unmarried parents are treated the same as married couples when determining child custody and parenting time. The bill mandates that courts prioritize scheduling expedited hearings within 30 days if a parent is denied access to their child for 14 consecutive days or faces financial hardship during a legal dispute. It also establishes new rights and responsibilities regarding assisted reproduction and directs the state to modernize legal terminology used in family law statutes. These changes aim to support children's relationships with both parents while providing faster relief for urgent situations involving access or support.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires voters in Minnesota to present a government-issued photo identification card to register to vote and to cast a ballot in person. To support this requirement, the legislation creates a new state voter identification card and mandates that counties waive fees for certified vital records, such as birth certificates, when those documents are needed to obtain the ID. The bill also establishes a process for provisional ballots for voters who cannot produce the required ID on election day and directs the state to report on the number of records issued and the funds appropriated for this program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for small businesses in Minnesota that pay family leave benefits to their employees. It allows qualified employers, defined as those with 50 or fewer employees, to claim a credit against their state income and corporate franchise taxes for money spent directly on paid family leave or paid to an insurance provider for such benefits. The credit is capped at $3,000 per employee and applies to leave taken for serious health conditions, bonding with a new child, or addressing military-related exigencies. The legislation also specifies how the credit is calculated for nonresidents and how it is distributed among partners or shareholders in business entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Bail Abatement Nonprofit Exclusion (BANE) Act to prohibit nonprofit organizations from using their funds to pay bail on behalf of individuals arrested. Under the new law, nonprofits are barred from organizing or registering specifically to make payments to courts to satisfy bail conditions. The measure directly affects charitable groups and other nonprofit entities by restricting their ability to engage in bail-related financial activities.