Rep. Kristin Robbins

Maddy summaryHF 124 allows living public safety officers (including police, firefighters, and emergency responders) to accept certain gifts, such as money, property, plaques, or services, when a fellow officer is killed in the line of duty. The bill requires that gifts be given within 24 months of the death, honor or commemorate the fallen officer, and support team morale. This applies to officers employed by the same agency or political subdivision as the deceased officer. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to permit these gifts without violating existing gift acceptance rules.

Maddy summaryHF 1689 appropriates $900,000 from the general fund for capital improvements at the Magnus Veterans Wellness Clinic in Dayton, Minnesota. The funding covers design, construction, renovation, equipment, and energy efficiency upgrades to reconfigure space, replace HVAC/plumbing/electrical systems, and support ongoing operations. This one-time appropriation directly affects the clinic's physical infrastructure and the veterans who use its services. The bill does not create new programs or alter eligibility but provides specific funding for facility upgrades.

Maddy summaryHF 932 requires Minnesota to place all Level III predatory offenders (those convicted of specific sex offenses under statutes like 609.342-609.3453) under electronic surveillance during their entire period of community supervision, such as parole or probation. The bill mandates this surveillance as a standard condition of release, replacing previous discretion, and includes requirements for proper setup at the offender's residence before monitoring begins. It also prohibits certain internet activities for these offenders, like maintaining social media accounts accessible to minors, and appropriates funding for implementation starting in fiscal year 2026. This policy directly affects individuals convicted of qualifying sex offenses who are under community supervision in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 733 removes restrictions on handheld electronic devices used for bingo and pull-tab games in Minnesota. The bill amends state law to allow these devices, which must meet specific requirements like a $0.25 minimum ticket price, a limit of 36 bingo faces per game, and no slot machine-style features (e.g., spinning reels or bonus screens). It also requires devices to support visually impaired players and maintain transaction records. This change directly affects bingo and pull-tab operators by enabling new electronic gameplay options while maintaining key safeguards.

Maddy summaryHF 500 repeals Minnesota's Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board and related statutes (sections 181.211-181.217) that previously established requirements for nursing home staffing and worker protections. This bill directly affects nursing home employers in Minnesota by removing these specific regulatory standards. The key mechanism is the complete repeal of the board and its associated provisions, eliminating the legal framework that required nursing homes to comply with workforce standards and penalties for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryHF 859 creates a sales and use tax exemption for equipment used by food service businesses in Minnesota. It exempts equipment like ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and beverage dispensers - integral to preparing food or beverages - when purchased or leased for use in restaurants, mobile food units, or catering services. The exemption excludes items like linens, utensils, tables, chairs, and delivery vehicles. This change takes effect for purchases after June 30, 2025, reducing costs for qualifying businesses.

Maddy summaryHF 1680 establishes a property tax exemption for agricultural riparian buffers (vegetation zones along waterways) on specific land classes (2a/2b) in Minnesota, directly affecting landowners who maintain these buffers. To qualify, landowners must apply through county assessors and comply with buffer requirements under section 103F.48, verified by soil and water conservation districts. The bill requires the state to reimburse local governments and school districts for lost property tax revenue caused by the exemption, calculated annually and paid in two installments. Reimbursements are funded from the state general fund, starting in 2026 for property tax exemptions and 2027 for school districts.

Maddy summaryHF 2057 requires hospitals participating in Minnesota's medical assistance program to pay an assessment based on their net inpatient and outpatient revenue (as reported in Medicare cost data). The funds collected must cover the nonfederal share of "directed payments" to these hospitals under the medical assistance program. The bill includes exemptions for critical access hospitals, children's hospitals, Indian Health Service facilities, and rural hospitals, plus a cap preventing any single hospital system from paying more than a specified percentage of total assessments. Assessments are due quarterly starting January 1, 2026, pending federal approval of the funding mechanism.

Maddy summaryHF 20 clarified which data maintained by Minnesota's Attorney General's Office must be treated as "private data" under state law. It specifically designated five categories as private: disciplinary records (excluding public hearings), non-final administrative communications, consumer complaint data (excluding confidential data), inactive investigative files, and detailed home protection hotline information (like mortgage details and income). This change directly affects the Attorney General's Office by requiring them to handle these specific data types with privacy protections. The bill was introduced in 2025 but was not passed by the legislature and was laid on the table.

Maddy summaryHF 130 establishes mandatory minimum prison sentences for individuals convicted of sex trafficking minors in Minnesota. It requires a minimum 10-year prison term (120 months) for first-degree sex trafficking involving victims under 18, and a 12-year term (144 months) when aggravating factors are present. These factors include prior trafficking offenses, victim bodily harm, extended debt bondage (over 180 days), or trafficking multiple victims. The bill directly affects offenders convicted under these specific sex trafficking provisions, replacing judicial discretion with fixed sentencing ranges for these crimes. It takes effect August 1, 2025.