Rep. Nolan West

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Minnesota's commissioner of health to award grants for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs and training that prepares high school students to serve as peer mentors. The program targets students in grades 9 through 12 and allows grants to go to school districts, charter schools, alternative schools, and nonprofit organizations. Funded programs must be research-based and supervised by qualified adults, with trained students engaging in supportive conversations, identifying warning signs of mental health crises, and referring peers to trusted adults when needed. The bill also requires training on recognizing suicide risk, active listening skills, and how to connect students with appropriate support resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how child care providers in Minnesota can challenge correction orders issued by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. It requires providers to submit written requests for reconsideration within 20 days of receiving an order, specifying which parts are in error, explaining why, and providing supporting documentation. The bill also adds a new process allowing providers to request interpretive guidance on ambiguous rules before challenging an order, and it requires the department to wait until after the reconsideration period ends before publicly posting correction orders online. Additionally, it allows licensed family child care providers to request expedited reviews if complying with an order would require significant financial costs or program changes, provided they describe alternative actions to ensure child safety. These changes take effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires child care centers in Minnesota to provide annual training on abusive head trauma prevention for directors, staff, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers. The training must last at least 30 minutes and cover shaking risks, prevention methods, and communication with parents, with a video presentation and informational poster also mandated. These requirements apply to all facilities caring for children under school age and will take effect on January 1, 2027. The training can count toward existing in-service training requirements if completed after orientation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota coroners and medical examiners to charge fees for specific services like cremation approval, report duplication, and administrative tasks to cover their reasonable expenses, with approval required from the county board. It also authorizes these officials to charge fees when individuals, facilities, or organizations refuse to act as medical certifiers and complete death records, covering costs for medical record reviews and related administrative work. The changes directly affect coroners, medical examiners, and the public or entities involved in death certification processes in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $20 million in state funding to the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame nonprofit to build a facility in Inver Grove Heights that will include a museum, ice rink, and event spaces. It also authorizes the state to issue up to $5 million in bonds to provide infrastructure improvements like roads, utilities, and sidewalks to support the project. The funding is designated for construction and development costs, with the money available until the project is finished or abandoned. Both sections of the bill take effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies income and asset requirements for households receiving SNAP benefits in Minnesota. It requires SNAP households to demonstrate that their gross income does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, while net income must still meet federal SNAP requirements. The legislation also changes how vehicles are counted toward asset limits, specifically requiring that vehicles with a trade-in value of $100,000 or more be included in personal property calculations rather than being excluded. These changes directly affect Minnesota residents applying for or receiving SNAP assistance by adjusting eligibility criteria for income and vehicle assets.

Maddy summaryHF 1915 requires licensed child care centers in Minnesota to install video security cameras monitoring infants and toddlers in all public and shared areas by January 1, 2026. The bill mandates specific technical standards (720p resolution, 15 frames per second), requires recordings to be kept for 90 days (with exceptions for law enforcement investigations), and prohibits sharing footage except under court orders or for parent reviews following injury reports. Centers must also create written camera policies detailing locations, usage times, and access rules, and notify parents about camera use during enrollment. The bill appropriates state funds to support this requirement for child care centers serving infants and toddlers.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's definition of "true party of interest" to explicitly exclude municipal cannabis stores from being classified as such. The change affects the regulatory framework for cannabis businesses by clarifying that city or county operators of municipal stores do not fall under the ownership and control restrictions applied to other cannabis business entities. By removing municipal cannabis stores from this definition, the legislation ensures these publicly operated locations are not subject to the same financial and ownership disclosure requirements as private cannabis businesses. The bill amends existing state statutes to update the legal language governing who qualifies as a true party of interest in cannabis business operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how cannabis business licenses are issued in Minnesota by setting specific limits and timelines for different license types. It establishes maximum numbers for social equity and general applicant licenses for cultivators, manufacturers, retailers, and mezzobusinesses before July 2026, while requiring the state office to determine future license counts based on established goals and ensuring social equity applicants receive equal or greater access. The legislation also changes application procedures by mandating advance announcements of licensing periods with specific details, allowing certain license types like wholesalers and transporters to be applied for at any time, and clarifying how applications are processed and rejected for missing information or unpaid fees. These changes directly affect cannabis businesses and applicants seeking to operate in Minnesota's regulated market.

Maddy summaryHF 3681 modifies Minnesota's rules for cannabis and hemp business licenses by raising the ownership threshold for individuals seeking multiple licenses. It changes the "true party of interest" standard from limiting individuals to 10% ownership across multiple licenses to allowing up to 35% ownership. This means business owners can now hold controlling interest (35% or less) in more than one cannabis or hemp business license application, easing previous restrictions. The bill directly affects applicants and license holders seeking to operate multiple licensed cannabis or hemp businesses. The changes amend Minnesota Statutes section 342.185, subdivisions 2 and 3.