Rep. Kari Rehrauer

Maddy summaryHF 1936 appropriates $1.25 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1.25 million for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to the Minnesota Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. The funds will support a statewide youth job skills and career development program focused on early access to education, work-based learning, STEM pathways, career exploration, and first job placement through community partnerships. The program must include career guidance and life skills components, and requires a 25% match from nonstate resources. This is a one-time funding appropriation for a specific youth workforce initiative.

Maddy summaryHF 1299 amends Minnesota law to allow emergency shelter facilities as a permitted use in zoning districts designated for multifamily housing, commercial, or industrial development. It defines an "emergency shelter facility" as one providing safe, sanitary shelter for homeless individuals or families, regardless of operating hours. The bill directly affects homeless shelters seeking to operate in these zoning areas by removing a barrier to their establishment where local zoning already permits such uses. It does not require new construction but ensures shelters can operate in specified zones without needing special permits. The change applies to existing zoning regulations in Minnesota communities.

Maddy summaryHF 2276 funds a triennial statewide homeless study in Minnesota. It appropriates $900,000 annually from the housing development fund to the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation for study activities, requiring disbursement by July 15 each year. The foundation must submit a detailed report of findings to relevant legislative committees by March 1, 2028, and every three years thereafter. This bill directly affects the foundation conducting the study and state legislators receiving the reports.

Maddy summaryHF 2226 modifies Minnesota's background check process for child care providers. It requires the commissioner to submit requests every six months to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) seeking information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Law Enforcement Services Portal regarding background study subjects. This new information can now be used to disqualify providers from direct contact roles, and the commissioner may not disclose the specific reason for disqualification if it comes from this source. The bill directly affects licensed child care centers, family child care providers, and certified license-exempt centers by changing how background check results are reviewed and applied.

Maddy summaryHF 1472 appropriates $1,995,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $2,071,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota Board on Aging. This funding creates specific staff positions to support aging services, including one role for federal compliance, one for Older Americans Act policy, two for Senior LinkAge Line operations, and 18 additional positions for area agencies on aging contact centers. The bill directly affects seniors in Minnesota and the service providers who deliver aging-related programs through the Senior LinkAge Line and area agencies. These concrete staffing additions aim to meet growing service demands and ensure compliance with federal requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1779 authorizes an unreduced early retirement annuity for probation agency employees in Minnesota who separate from service after reaching age 60 or with at least 35 years of service, meaning they receive their full pension amount without reduction starting January 1, 2028. It also increases the employee contribution rate for these workers, requiring a higher percentage of their salary toward retirement benefits beginning January 1, 2026. The bill defines "probation agency employees" as county or state employees who provide community supervision services or oversee probation programs, including probation officers, supervisory staff, and program managers. These changes specifically affect probation staff in Minnesota's county and state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $53.165 million for the Minnesota Attorney General’s office in fiscal year 2026 and $52.225 million in 2027 to fund consumer protection work. It establishes a **Consumer Protection Restitution Account** for undistributed funds from consumer enforcement cases, modifies the **Consumer Litigation Account** (capping its balance at $2 million), and creates a **Proceeds of Litigation or Settlement Account** to track recovered funds. The bill requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report by October 15 detailing account balances, disbursements, and recommendations for adjustments. These changes directly affect how the Attorney General’s office manages and reports consumer protection funds, ensuring transparency and proper handling of restitution for harmed consumers.

Maddy summaryHF 2148 establishes a locally controlled housing fund within Minnesota's housing development fund to finance affordable housing projects. The fund provides loans to eligible recipients - including cities, counties, tribes, community land trusts, and housing authorities - to acquire, rehabilitate, or build housing where local entities maintain at least 75% ownership control. Projects must include 30% of units for households earning ≤50% of area median income (AMI) and 30% for households earning 50-100% of AMI, with all housing meeting accessibility standards and avoiding income-based segregation. Repayments to the fund are reinvested to support additional affordable housing production in the recipient’s jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHF 515 increases Minnesota's annual funding for public schools by guaranteeing a minimum 3% raise to the general education basic formula allowance starting in fiscal year 2026. This directly affects all public school districts receiving state education funding, as it changes how their base funding amount is calculated each year. The bill requires the state education commissioner to calculate the allowance using either a 3% increase or the current inflation rate (whichever is higher), but never exceeding a 3% annual increase. The change ensures schools receive predictable, inflation-adjusted funding growth while maintaining a minimum 3% annual increase in state support.

Maddy summaryHF 2474 modifies Minnesota's absentee voting rules to clarify administrative responsibilities and enhance ballot processing procedures. It requires city or town clerks to obtain county auditor approval or provide written notice before administering absentee voting, and mandates they have technical capacity to access the statewide voter registration system after receiving state-approved training. The bill also adds specific counting checks during ballot processing: election workers must verify envelope and ballot counts at multiple stages and document discrepancies in an incident log. These changes directly affect local election officials (city clerks and county auditors) and apply to absentee voting procedures for all Minnesota elections held 85 days after the bill's effective date.