Rep. Matt Norris

Maddy summaryHF 2706 allocates $2 million from the housing development fund to Isuroon, a nonprofit organization, to provide rental assistance and eviction prevention services specifically for immigrant and refugee families in Minnesota. The funds cover direct rent payments to landlords for tenants with overdue rent, eviction mediation, and culturally responsive outreach and case management. Isuroon must submit annual reports by December 15 detailing the number of families served, total rent assistance distributed, and eviction prevention outcomes until 2027. This one-time appropriation, funded by a transfer from the general fund, aims to prevent housing instability for vulnerable immigrant and refugee households.

Maddy summaryHF 2593 appropriates $7 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund local road improvements in Blaine related to intersection construction along Trunk Highway 65. The funds, available until June 30, 2029, are intended for grants to the city of Blaine, Anoka County, or both, specifically for highway intersection work and temporary traffic mitigation during construction. This is a one-time appropriation with no ongoing funding mechanism. The bill directly affects Blaine city officials and Anoka County by providing dedicated funding for specific infrastructure projects.

Maddy summaryHF 2423 appropriates $5 million from the state fund for fiscal year 2026 to help a specific biomass energy plant in Shakopee purchase equipment for disposing of wood infested with emerald ash borers. The funding is directed through the Pollution Control Agency to support the plant's use of waste heat from electricity generation during malting to process infested wood. This bill directly affects the Shakopee biomass facility by providing targeted financial support for disposal equipment, without creating new regulations or broad policy changes. It is a funding measure focused solely on enabling a single facility to manage emerald ash borer-infested tree waste.

Maddy summaryHF 510 appropriates $2 million total ($1 million each for fiscal years 2026 and 2027) from the general fund to Enterprise Minnesota, Inc., to support small Minnesota manufacturers. The funding targets manufacturers with 250 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, providing services like business strategy, quality management, and peer advisory support through the "Made in Minnesota" program. Enterprise Minnesota must submit annual reports detailing funds distributed, estimated and actual financial impacts on recipient companies, and federal funds leveraged. This bill directly affects small manufacturing businesses in Minnesota by providing targeted growth support and requires transparency through mandated reporting.

Maddy summaryHF 1093 directs Minnesota's Commissioner of Human Services to create a centralized prescription drug purchasing program for medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees (who receive state-funded health coverage). The program requires the commissioner to negotiate lower drug prices, develop a preferred drug list, manage pharmacy participation, and coordinate prescription benefits. It mandates the commissioner to seek federal approval for implementation (effective January 2027) and submit expansion recommendations by December 2027 to include health plan companies administering drug benefits. The bill focuses on lowering costs for covered individuals through coordinated purchasing and price negotiations.

Maddy summaryHF 745 modifies how Minnesota school districts calculate compensatory revenue eligibility for low-income students, requiring districts to count children eligible through both direct certification (like SNAP benefits) and education benefits (such as school meal programs) as of October 1 each year. It adjusts spending rules, requiring at least 80% of compensatory revenue to be spent at individual school sites (with a temporary 40% allowance for 2026-2027 if meal program data is incomplete) and mandates reporting for adjustments due to enrollment changes. The bill establishes a Compensatory Revenue Task Force, composed of education officials, school board representatives, and parent advocates, to analyze the funding formula and make recommendations. It appropriates funds for these changes and takes effect for fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 1075 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurance plans to apply prescription drug rebates and other financial benefits directly to lower patients' out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter. Specifically, PBMs and health carriers must pass rebates to the covered person for each prescription, reducing their immediate payment - unless the patient's existing cost-sharing is already lower, in which case retained savings must lower future premiums. The bill also mandates annual reports starting March 1, 2026, to verify compliance with these requirements. This law affects all Minnesotans with prescription drug coverage under plans using PBMs.

Maddy summaryHF 1589 establishes a three-year pilot program (2026-2027 to 2028-2029) in six Minnesota school districts or charter schools to increase access to advanced coursework. It requires participating schools to automatically enroll students who meet state assessment benchmarks or earn top grades in language arts, math, or science into advanced courses (like AP, dual credit, or honors), while allowing parents to opt their child out. The bill appropriates funds to cover AP exam fees, teacher training, textbooks, tutoring, and bonuses for teachers based on student AP exam pass rates. Participating districts must collect and report disaggregated data on student enrollment, retention, and outcomes, with a final report due to lawmakers by January 2030.

Maddy summaryHF 2430 appropriates $2,000 per school district (or $40 per student, based on fall 2024 enrollment) from the general fund to compensate teachers for completing required Read Act training. This funding directly affects school districts, charter schools, and cooperative units providing direct instruction in Minnesota. Payments must be distributed by October 15, 2025, and are designated for fiscal year 2026. The bill mandates that districts use these funds to compensate eligible teachers as specified in existing law or through teacher union agreements.

Maddy summaryHF 2502 modifies Minnesota's child tax credit to reduce the "marriage penalty" by raising the income level at which the credit begins to phase out for married couples filing jointly. The bill increases the phaseout threshold from $35,000 to $63,900 for joint filers (while slightly raising the threshold for other filers to $31,950), meaning married couples will retain more of their child credit at lower income levels. This change directly affects married Minnesota taxpayers filing jointly who currently lose credit benefits at lower incomes than single filers. The adjustment takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and includes automatic inflation adjustments starting in 2025.