Rep. Brion Curran

Maddy summaryThis bill reenacts and modifies existing Minnesota laws regarding firearms, specifically addressing binary trigger devices and transfers to ineligible individuals. It maintains a ban on binary trigger activators effective from January 1, 2025, and updates penalties for transferring firearms to people who are legally prohibited from owning them. Additionally, the bill removes a legal defense that previously allowed family or household members to claim they were forced to transfer a firearm due to threats of violence. These changes apply to crimes committed after the bill is enacted, with the binary trigger ban also applying retroactively to offenses occurring since January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill establishes rules for artificial intelligence chatbots, requiring companies to clearly inform users they are interacting with an AI system and prohibiting chatbots from providing advice on medical, mental health, or legal matters without proper licensing. The legislation creates a legal cause of action allowing users to sue chatbot owners for damages if the AI provides unlicensed professional advice or causes harm, particularly in cases where companion chatbots encourage or enable self-harm. Companies deploying chatbots in Minnesota must display clear warnings in the same language and font size as the chatbot interface, and those operating companion chatbots must take reasonable steps to prevent self-harm while providing crisis support resources when risks are detected. The law defines specific terms like "companion chatbot" and "human-like" interaction to clarify which AI systems fall under these new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes pilot projects to modernize Minnesota's human services information technology systems, directing funding to counties and Tribes to improve system efficiency and reduce errors. It creates an advisory group composed of county representatives, social services administrators, and state officials to oversee and approve these projects, which may include using artificial intelligence tools, expanding data access, and simplifying case processing. The legislation requires a report by January 2028 detailing the funded projects, their outcomes, and recommendations for future system improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's mortgage foreclosure process to allow for online sales and the use of private selling officers, directly affecting homeowners, lenders, and foreclosure professionals. It requires foreclosure notices to include specific details about online sale websites and private officer contact information, while also clarifying rules for calculating damages when notice requirements are not properly followed. The legislation updates statutory language to reflect these new sale methods and ensures foreclosure advice notices clearly inform homeowners about their options and available help resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $200,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to provide a grant to Helping Paws, Inc. for breeding, training, and placing service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, veterans and first responders with service-related PTSD, and professionals working in courthouse, educational, and mental health settings. The funding is designated as a one-time honorarium in memory of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. The commissioner of health may also accept private donations to supplement the state appropriation, with all such funds deposited in a dedicated account that expires on July 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHF 3436 requires drivers approaching a stopped school bus displaying flashing red lights to stop at least 20 feet away. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.444 to mandate this stop until the bus retracts its stop arm and turns off the red lights. It also adds a new provision requiring drivers to prepare to stop within 20 feet when a bus shows prewarning amber lights, signaling red lights are about to activate. This law directly affects all drivers operating vehicles near school buses in Minnesota, aiming to improve safety for children boarding or exiting buses. The bill takes effect the day after final enactment.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's HF 1269 requires health insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved medical services and prescription medications for treating dementia, including diagnostic tests to assess treatment effectiveness. It also prohibits health plans from using "step therapy" (requiring patients to try cheaper drugs first) for dementia treatments. The bill modifies prior authorization rules for certain medications, ensuring automatic 60-day coverage for brand-name mental health drugs when generics become available, and streamlines approval for oral liquid drugs used with feeding tubes. These changes apply to health plans offered in Minnesota starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 1316 requires companies and entities (payors) in Minnesota that hire independent contractors earning $600+ annually to report them to the state's centralized work reporting system. This affects businesses using independent contractors for services, including digital platform drivers or delivery workers, but excludes domestic workers in private homes. Payors must submit reports within 20 days of hiring using forms like W-9 or electronic methods, covering contractors who work or reside in Minnesota. The law, effective January 1, 2026, updates the system to help enforce child support payments by tracking contractor income.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates policies and training requirements for assisted living facilities in Minnesota, directly affecting facility operators and unlicensed staff members who work there. It mandates that facilities maintain updated policies covering staff training, emergency procedures, infection control, and supervision of unlicensed personnel performing delegated tasks. The legislation also strengthens penalties for violations by allowing commissioners to assess investigation-related costs and increase fines for serious injuries or deaths caused by egregious conduct. Additionally, the bill requires facilities to ensure emergency-trained personnel are available 24 hours a day and to provide residents with clear information about their rights and facility procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates funding from the state's general fund to the Academy for Sciences and Agriculture within the Minnesota Department of Education. The money is designated specifically for upgrading greenhouse equipment at the academy, which supports science and agriculture education programs. The appropriation is a one-time payment scheduled for the 2027 fiscal year. This legislation directly affects the academy's ability to maintain and improve its greenhouse facilities for educational purposes.