Rep. Elliott Engen

Maddy summaryHF 1184 removes burial fees at Minnesota state veterans cemeteries for spouses and dependents of eligible veterans. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 190.19 (subd. 2a) and 197.236 (subd. 9) to eliminate the fee schedule for these individuals and direct funds from the "Support Our Troops" account to cover uncompensated burial costs. It appropriates unspecified funds for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to cover these costs, replacing the previous waiver process for indigent applicants. This policy change directly affects veterans' families seeking burial at state cemeteries.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's sales tax exemption to include additional baby products, directly affecting parents and caregivers who purchase these items. It adds baby wipes, cribs and bassinets (including mattresses and sheets), changing tables and pads, strollers, car seats and bases, baby swings, bottle sterilizers, and infant eating utensils to the list of tax-exempt items. The exemption applies to sales and purchases made after June 30, 2025. This change removes sales tax from these specific baby products, aligning with the existing exemption for items like breast pumps and baby bottles.

Maddy summaryHF 1054 requires Minnesota public schools to include student attendance data in their annual school performance reports. The bill amends existing law to add "student attendance data for the previous school year" as a mandatory reporting component alongside academic performance, safety, and other metrics already required in these reports. This applies directly to all Minnesota public schools and school districts, which must report this data starting with reports released for the 2025-2026 school year. The policy change simply adds attendance tracking to the existing set of standardized school performance metrics.

Maddy summaryHF 321 prohibits undocumented noncitizens who have been sentenced to prison from accessing early release programs and prosecutor-led sentence reductions. Specifically, it blocks eligibility for early supervised release, conditional medical release, earned incentive credits, and other programs that would shorten a prison term (Section 1). It also makes undocumented noncitizens ineligible for prosecutor-initiated sentence adjustments under Minnesota Statutes 609.133 (Section 2). This law directly affects individuals convicted of crimes and incarcerated in Minnesota who lack legal immigration status. The bill takes effect the day after final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 1466 expands the list of people ineligible for earned incentive release credit under Minnesota's Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act. It adds specific violent offenses to the existing ineligibility criteria, including second-degree murder (section 609.19), third-degree murder (609.195), first-degree manslaughter (609.20), and second-degree manslaughter (609.205). This means inmates serving sentences for these crimes will no longer qualify for the credit that can reduce their prison time based on good behavior. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 244.45 and 244.46 to reflect these changes.

Maddy summaryHF 1118 requires Minnesota law enforcement agencies to provide specific benefits to peace officers diagnosed with posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) resulting from work-related traumatic events. The bill mandates agencies pay for unreimbursed lost wages (up to one year) and unreimbursed medical expenses, including psychiatric care (up to one year), if an officer meets all three conditions: 1) suffers a debilitating psychological reaction to a traumatic event, 2) is diagnosed with PTSD by a mental health professional, and 3) cannot perform job duties without reassignment. It clarifies benefits apply regardless of physical injury and defines "traumatic event" to include lawful use of force causing death or serious injury, direct exposure to violence, or witnessing such events. The law affects all Minnesota peace officers covered under the statute and sets clear, time-limited benefit provisions.

Maddy summaryHF 1188 authorizes city attorneys to file juvenile delinquency petitions and prosecute certain felony and gross misdemeanor offenses when county attorneys decline to act. It also permits city attorneys to issue administrative subpoenas in specific cases. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes (sections 260B.141, 260B.163, and others) to clarify these procedures, ensuring city-level enforcement options remain available when county prosecutors decline. These provisions apply to cases where county attorneys refuse to pursue charges, effective August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1181 establishes a new special license plate design for Jewish war veterans in Minnesota. The bill amends state law to require that these plates display the inscription "JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF AMERICA" along with a designated emblem approved by the commissioners of veterans affairs and public safety. This plate category directly affects Jewish veterans who qualify under existing eligibility criteria for Minnesota's veteran license plates, such as those who served in specific conflicts or received certain military medals. The bill does not change eligibility requirements but adds this specific design to the state's existing suite of veteran-themed license plates.

Maddy summaryHF 2 requires state agency employees to immediately report suspected fraud to law enforcement and legislative committee leaders when they have reason to believe fraud exists in agency programs. It mandates that all state agencies post current organizational charts online with contact details for leadership and division heads. The bill strengthens grant management by requiring agencies to conduct unannounced monitoring visits before final payments for grants over $50,000 (and annually for grants over $250,000), perform financial reconciliations prior to disbursement, and withhold funds from grantees failing to submit required progress reports. Violating these grant management requirements constitutes a misdemeanor under the bill.

Maddy summaryHF 765 requires judges to impose longer prison sentences for repeat violent offenders in Minnesota. Specifically, it mandates aggravated sentences (up to the statutory maximum) for those convicted of a violent felony with two or more prior violent felony convictions and deemed a danger to public safety. The bill also requires consecutive sentencing for these offenders and prohibits probation, parole, work release, or early release until the full sentence is served - overriding several existing statutes. This applies only to violent offenders convicted of a felony on or after August 1, 2025, and excludes certain offenses like those under sections 152.023 or 152.024.