Rep. Matt Norris

Maddy summaryHF 3555 establishes rules for small, portable solar panels (under 1,200 watts) that homeowners can install to offset personal electricity use. The bill exempts these plug-in solar devices from requiring utility connection agreements, net metering rules, and additional fees or approvals. It also clarifies that utilities cannot be held liable for damage caused by these devices. This directly affects residential users seeking simple, low-barrier solar energy solutions without utility bureaucracy. The bill creates specific definitions and exemptions within Minnesota's energy code for these devices.

Maddy summarySF 2691 establishes clear standards for rent, utility charges, and fees in Minnesota manufactured home parks. It requires uniform rent rates (except for lot size/location or special services), prohibits fees based on household size, guests, home size, or occupancy, and mandates itemized billing for utilities. The bill also requires park owners to address safety hazards like dangerous trees within 14 days of resident notice and gives residents 60 days' written notice before rent increases. These changes directly affect manufactured home park residents and owners by increasing transparency and limiting arbitrary charges.

Maddy summaryHF 2799 appropriates $3 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to establish the Minnesota Age in Place Network through a grant to Age Well at Home. This funding directly supports low- to moderate-income older homeowners by covering home modifications and safety renovations (like grab bars or ramps) at their owner-occupied properties, with each project capped at $20,000. Up to 10% of the grant can cover administrative costs for the network’s setup and maintenance. The bill provides concrete funding for specific home safety improvements, targeting vulnerable older residents in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits banks and payment networks from charging interchange fees on state and local sales taxes or gratuities added to credit and debit card transactions. To qualify for this protection, merchants must clearly separate tax and tip amounts from the purchase price when processing payments or provide proof of these amounts within 180 days if they were initially included in the total. If a merchant submits the required documentation after the fact, the law mandates that any interchange fees wrongly charged on the tax or tip portion be refunded within 30 days. The legislation also prevents payment processors from manipulating fee calculations to increase charges on these specific transaction components.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill creates a $100 million relief program to help small businesses that experienced significant revenue declines between July 2024 and February 2026, which the bill attributes to federal enforcement activity. The program provides grants to operators of indoor retail or food market spaces with at least 25 small tenant businesses, requiring that most funds be used to offer rent forgiveness to existing tenants. To qualify, businesses must be Minnesota-based, have fewer than 50 employees, operate from a physical location, and show at least a 20 percent drop in revenue or sales during the specified period. Grant applications will be processed through a lottery system, with funds usable for payroll, rent, utilities, inventory, and other operational expenses, and the state must report on the program's outcomes by December 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 32 prohibits Minnesota health insurance companies from requiring co-payments for mental health services provided to children under 18. This applies to all standard health plans and includes a specific provision for high-deductible plans, which must limit co-payments to the minimum level needed to maintain tax-advantaged health savings account benefits. The law directly affects children receiving mental health care and their insurers, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for these services. It takes effect January 1, 2026, applying to health plans offered, issued, or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHF 3119 establishes minimum pay standards for Minnesota teachers and certain unlicensed school staff starting July 1, 2026. It sets teacher compensation thresholds at $60,000-$100,000 annually (based on education and experience) and a $25 hourly wage floor for unlicensed staff who regularly interact with students. The bill requires annual inflation adjustments using the Consumer Price Index, beginning in 2030, and creates state aid programs to help school districts cover these costs. School districts, charter schools, and other public education entities directly affected must meet these standards or receive state funding to do so.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HF 3556) is a naming resolution that commemorates Melissa Hortman by designating Minnesota's community solar garden program as the "Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program." It does not change any program rules, funding, or operations - it only adds a short title to Minnesota Statutes section 216B.1641. The bill directly honors Melissa Hortman, a former state legislator, through this naming. It is procedural and has no policy impact beyond the name change.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax in Minnesota that targets individuals and organizations convicted of fraud or those identified by the state revenue commissioner as having obtained money through deceitful means. The tax requires anyone who has successfully defrauded state programs to pay back 100 percent of the stolen amount, regardless of any existing fines or restitution already ordered by courts. The state revenue commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud, setting up a system to collect these payments, and ensuring the recovered funds are used specifically for income and property tax relief. The law applies retroactively to fraud cases determined after December 31, 2019, and also covers people who were paid to help commit the fraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires community pharmacies in Minnesota to receive reimbursement for prescription drugs that is at least equal to the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost or Wholesale Acquisition Cost, plus a professional dispensing fee adjusted for inflation and operational costs. It directly affects pharmacy benefit managers, managed care organizations, and community pharmacies by prohibiting below-cost reimbursements, banning negative adjustments like transaction fees, and ensuring PBM-owned pharmacies cannot receive higher rates than independent community pharmacies for the same prescriptions. The law also excludes federal 340B program participants from these reimbursement requirements, allowing them to follow existing federal and state rules instead.