Rep. Kristin Robbins

Maddy summaryHF 2197 modifies Minnesota's individual income tax credits to better support families. It eliminates the "marriage penalty" by raising the income threshold at which the child credit phases out from $35,000 (married filing jointly) to $75,000, and from $29,500 to $37,500 for other filers. The bill also restricts the Working Family Credit to taxpayers with qualifying children and adjusts credit amounts based on earned income. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, with inflation adjustments starting in 2025. The bill directly affects Minnesota taxpayers with children who qualify for these credits.

Maddy summaryHF 2313 prohibits installing smartphone software that secretly tracks another person's location, microphone, camera, or text messages without their consent. It requires such apps to be clearly visible on a device and mandates two-factor authentication at installation and monthly to prevent unauthorized use. The bill directly affects individuals whose smartphones might be monitored without permission, while allowing exceptions for parents tracking minors, employers with written notice for business purposes, and law enforcement with proper authorization. Key provisions include requiring conspicuous app displays, mandatory identity verification for monitoring apps, and banning unauthorized collection of geolocation or device data.

Maddy summaryHF 2198 prohibits the vaporizing or smoking of medical cannabis (including cannabis flower and cannabinoid products) in multifamily housing buildings, such as apartment complexes, including balconies and patios. This bill directly affects medical cannabis patients living in apartment buildings and property managers responsible for enforcement. The key provision amends Minnesota Statutes section 342.56, adding multifamily housing as a prohibited location, with violations subject to a $250 civil fine. The law expands existing restrictions on cannabis consumption locations to specifically address apartment living environments.

Maddy summaryHF 2199 requires counties and local governments planning new transit guideways (like light rail or bus rapid transit) to conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis before selecting a project. This analysis must compare the proposed guideway to alternatives like bus rapid transit, regular bus service, or road expansions, covering specific metrics such as ridership, vehicle traffic changes, costs (capital and maintenance), revenue, environmental impact, and travel times. The responsible government unit must submit the analysis to the state transportation department and Metropolitan Council within 30 days, with both agencies posting it online. The bill applies to projects seeking state or federal funding in specific counties (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington), excluding the Gold Line project. It aims to provide transparent, standardized data for evaluating transit investment options.

Maddy summaryHF 1892 allows haulers of well-drilling equipment (like rigs used for drilling water or oil wells) to apply for a single annual oversize vehicle permit instead of paying for multiple single-trip permits. The bill updates Minnesota's transportation rules by adding "drilling machines" to the list of vehicles eligible for a $120 annual permit under section 169.86. This change directly affects companies transporting heavy well-drilling equipment, simplifying their permitting process for routine moves. The annual permit covers up to 12 months, replacing the previous requirement for individual $15 single-trip or $60 job permits for these specialized loads.

Maddy summaryHF 700 creates the "Minnesota Women's Bill of Rights" by establishing specific biological definitions for sex-related terms in all state statutes, rules, and agency policies. It defines "woman" as an adult human of female sex, "girl" as a female minor, and "sex" as biological sex assigned at birth (with only two sexes), explicitly stating gender identity cannot substitute for "sex." The bill requires state agencies, schools, and public entities to use these definitions when collecting data on sex, including in vital statistics and antidiscrimination compliance. It also prohibits using terms like "gender identity" as synonyms for "sex" in official contexts. This bill directly affects how Minnesota state government classifies individuals in all legal and administrative documents.

Maddy summaryHF 11 delays the implementation of Minnesota's Paid Leave Law from 2026 to 2027, affecting employers, employees, and state agencies responsible for administering the program. The bill amends multiple statute sections to adjust key dates, including the start of employer premium payments (now January 1, 2027) and administrative requirements like public outreach and annual reporting. This one-year delay provides additional time for businesses to prepare for the new paid leave program without changing the law's core requirements. The law's substance - such as premium rates and fund management - remains unchanged, only the rollout timeline is extended.

Maddy summaryHF 306 appropriates $1.392 million from state transportation bond funds to improve Greenfield Road in the city of Greenfield. The funding covers designing, engineering, constructing, and reconstructing Greenfield Road as a paved road from U.S. Highway 55 to County State-Aid Highway 10 (Woodland Trail), including stormwater upgrades. The state will issue bonds to cover this cost, with proceeds credited back to the transportation fund. The city of Greenfield is the direct beneficiary, and the bill specifies no local matching funds are required.

Maddy summaryHF 276 reduces the annual fishing license fee for Minnesota residents aged 65 and older from $25 to $15, directly affecting seniors who purchase fishing licenses. The bill requires the commissioner of natural resources to report annual license sales data for this age group to the commissioner of management and budget. Based on this data, the general fund must transfer money to the game and fish fund each year to cover the lost revenue from the reduced fee. This ensures the state fully offsets the cost of the fee reduction without impacting existing conservation funding. The change takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 3 requires Minnesota's legislative auditor to annually report to the legislature by February 1 on whether state agencies have implemented audit recommendations from the prior five years. The bill mandates that agencies' commissioners must also submit detailed reports by September 1 each year, specifically itemizing unaddressed recommendations and explaining why they weren't implemented. This directly affects all state agencies subject to legislative auditor reviews and their commissioners, who must now document progress on audit findings. The law creates a structured process for tracking accountability without altering agency funding or creating new programs.