Rep. Peggy Scott

Maddy summaryHF 1434 requires commercial websites sharing material harmful to minors (defined as content with sexual depictions lacking artistic value for minors) to verify users are 18+ if 25% or more of the site’s pages contain such material. It mandates age verification using approved methods like commercial databases, prohibits retaining user identifying information, and creates a private right of action for parents to sue violators. The Minnesota Attorney General can enforce the law through civil actions, and commercial entities face $25,000 penalties per violation. This bill directly affects websites meeting the 25% harmful content threshold and targets operators of commercial platforms accessible to Minnesota residents.

Maddy summaryHF 2685 requires Minnesota schools to designate interscholastic, intramural, or club athletic teams as "males," "females," or "coed" based solely on students' biological sex at birth. The bill specifically mandates that teams designated for "females" must only include participants who were biologically female at birth. This amendment to Minnesota Statutes section 123B.49 directly affects all public and private school athletic programs in the state. The policy change replaces existing team designation practices with a requirement tied to sex assigned at birth, impacting transgender and intersex student-athletes seeking to participate on teams matching their gender identity.

Maddy summaryHF 2113 exempts small Minnesota employers with 50 or fewer employees from the state's paid leave requirement. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 268B.01, to explicitly exclude such employers from the paid leave mandate. Small businesses that currently meet the 50-employee threshold will no longer be required to provide paid leave under this law. Employers with 50 or fewer employees may still choose to opt into the paid leave program if they wish. The bill directly affects small business owners and their employees in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires drivers to stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus displaying flashing red lights while children are boarding or exiting. It directly affects all drivers approaching school buses on Minnesota roads, mandating they remain stopped until the red lights cease flashing. The bill also adds a new provision warning drivers that amber lights indicate red lights will soon activate, requiring them to prepare to stop. These changes aim to improve safety for children near school bus stops. The bill is currently pending passage after committee approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would exempt Minnesota local governments and school districts from complying with state mandates unless the state provides funding to cover the costs of compliance. The bill defines a state mandate as any requirement that affects daily operations, changes resource allocation, or alters spending priorities for these entities. If passed, it would allow local governments to formally refuse compliance through a resolution if they believe funding is insufficient, while also creating a process for agencies to contest these decisions through hearings. The amendment would be submitted to voters at the 2026 general election and would take effect on January 1, 2027, if approved.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Minnesota Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which requires businesses that make online products likely to be accessed by children to prioritize children's privacy and safety over commercial interests. The law defines "children" as anyone under 18 and mandates that companies consider different developmental stages when designing products, ensuring they do not cause harm or discriminate against minors. Businesses must conduct data protection impact assessments to evaluate how their products affect children's well-being, and the attorney general is authorized to enforce these requirements. The legislation applies to profit-making entities and their affiliates that develop online services where children are reasonably likely to access them.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes Minnesota's paid family and medical leave program optional for both employers and employees. It allows employers to opt out of the program by submitting a form to the state, with the option to change their decision once every 12 months. Employees of opting-out employers can still participate as self-employed individuals, while all employees retain the ability to opt out individually using a state form. The changes modify existing requirements in Minnesota Statutes chapter 268B to provide this flexibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's family law to strengthen parenting time guidelines in divorce and legal separation cases. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that children should spend approximately 50 percent of their time with each parent, unless specific exceptions apply. The law requires courts to document reasons when deviating from this presumption, such as parental mental illness, substance abuse issues, scheduling conflicts, distance between parents, or special needs of the child. Parents cannot be denied parenting time solely due to inability to pay child support, and the bill also mandates specific scheduling details and includes provisions for gradual parenting time increases in cases of estrangement or with infants.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's regulations on automated license plate readers to clarify how third-party service providers can be involved in collecting and managing law enforcement data. It defines third-party service providers as entities contracted by law enforcement agencies to handle their license plate reader data and establishes that agencies remain responsible for compliance even when using external vendors. The legislation requires independent biennial audits with full access to all records, including those held by third parties, and mandates that any external data queries receive written authorization from agency leadership. Additionally, the bill strengthens access controls by requiring documented reasons for data queries and implementing role-based access limits based on official duties and training.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's family law procedures to require courts to prioritize expedited hearings for temporary relief in specific situations. It directly affects parents involved in ongoing divorce or custody cases who face denial of parenting time or financial support. The key provision mandates that courts must schedule a priority hearing within 30 days when a party credibly alleges being denied parenting time for 14 consecutive days or more, or being unreasonably denied access to necessary financial resources. The amendment also clarifies that credible allegations of domestic abuse, substance abuse, maltreatment, or neglect can serve as a reasonable basis for denying parenting time, though priority hearings must still occur within 30 days when parenting time has been denied for 14 consecutive days. If temporary parenting time is granted, the court may also order temporary child support upon request.