Rep. Kari Rehrauer

Maddy summaryHF 3405 requires Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to use its existing Use of Force Investigations Unit to investigate incidents involving federal agents. Specifically, it amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299C.80, to include "federal agents" (defined as those employed by DHS, ICE, CBP, or USCIS) under the unit's duty to investigate cases involving peace officers or federal agents. The bill expands the unit's current mandate - which already covers incidents with state/local officers - to now cover all incidents involving the specified federal agencies. This change directly affects federal law enforcement personnel from those agencies operating in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 3368 reenacts a 2024 ban on firearm parts known as "binary triggers," which allow semi-automatic guns to fire more rapidly. The law prohibits making, selling, or owning these parts and applies retroactively from January 1, 2025. It takes effect the day after enactment and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHF 3414 creates a new legal pathway for Minnesotans to sue government officials who violate their civil rights under the U.S. or Minnesota Constitution. It allows individuals harmed by such violations to seek damages, injunctions, and attorney fees within six years of the incident. The bill also requires state and local law enforcement agencies to obtain written agreements from federal partners before collaborating, ensuring federal officers follow both U.S. and Minnesota constitutional standards and can be held liable under this new law. This directly affects people experiencing civil rights violations and law enforcement agencies entering federal partnerships.

Maddy summaryHF 3451 provides one-time state grants to Minnesota public schools, charter schools, and tribal schools for anonymous threat reporting systems. Schools must contribute 50% of costs from non-state funds and agree to use grants for system development, operation, staff compensation, and threat response. Grants must be distributed across all geographic regions, with at least half going to schools outside the 11-county metro area. Recipients must report annually by February 15 on how funds were used, including system implementation details. The bill appropriates funds for this purpose with a deadline of June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryHF 3696 adds specific animal cruelty offenses under Minnesota Statute 343 to the state's definition of "crime of violence." This means convictions for these designated animal cruelty crimes will now be classified as violent offenses under existing law. The change directly affects individuals convicted of these specific animal cruelty offenses, impacting how their cases are categorized in criminal records and sentencing guidelines. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 624.712, subdivision 5.

Maddy summaryHF 3372 modifies disciplinary rules for students in early learning programs (preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten through grade 3) in Minnesota. The bill prohibits most school dismissals for these students, requiring schools to first use nonexclusionary discipline strategies like collaborating with families, creating support plans, or referring to community services. Only after exhausting these steps may schools consider suspensions, exclusions, or expulsions - strictly for ongoing serious safety threats. The law takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

Maddy summaryHF 954 requires Minnesota officials to confirm that similar nonferrous sulfide ore mining operations (like copper, nickel, or gold mines) have operated safely for at least 10 years without pollution before conducting environmental reviews or issuing permits. Applicants must prove a comparable mine in the same climate and water conditions operated without hazardous releases for a decade using similar reclamation methods. The bill mandates public comment periods and potential hearings if new evidence challenges proposed approvals. Existing permits for such projects must be renewed every 10 years with updated safety reviews. It explicitly excludes iron ore mining from these requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 2687 restricts corporate ownership of single-family homes in Minnesota by prohibiting corporate owners (including real estate investment trusts and corporations managing pooled investor funds) from owning 50 or more such homes. It increases the deed tax rate to 0.5% on transfers of single-family homes to corporate owners (up from the standard 0.0033%) and dedicates the state portion of this revenue to workforce and affordable homeownership programs. The bill also creates a statewide landlord database to track rental properties. These changes directly affect large corporate landlords and aim to increase housing affordability through targeted tax revenue.

Maddy summaryHF 1197 requires mining companies seeking permits for nonferrous sulfide ore projects in Minnesota to disclose all environmental violations, fines, or legal actions against them or their key personnel within the past 15 years. The bill prohibits state agencies from conducting environmental reviews or issuing permits to applicants who have been charged, convicted, or fined for environmental violations, bribery, or corruption in that timeframe. This directly affects companies applying for mining permits by blocking approval if they or their leadership have recent environmental compliance issues. The law aims to prevent entities with poor environmental records from obtaining permits for new mining projects.

Maddy summaryHF 3663 provides $1 million in state funding for competitive grants to help large municipalities (with populations over 50,000) streamline compliance with Minnesota's State Energy Code. The grants will support code enforcement officials through training, education, and technology tools, specifically focusing on performance-based energy standards for building efficiency. Municipalities must apply for these one-time grants, which are available until June 2029, and the commissioner must report on grant outcomes to lawmakers by December 2028. This bill directly affects city code enforcement teams in larger urban areas by reducing administrative barriers for energy-efficient building practices.