Rep. Samantha Vang

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1 million from the arts and cultural heritage fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Minnesota Historical Society for a grant to the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. The funding will support documenting the history of Asian migration to Minnesota and the experiences of Asian Americans in the state through research, translation, community outreach, and educational materials. The Coalition may use the funds to provide additional grants to project partners working with specific Asian Minnesotan communities to preserve and share their stories. This legislation directly affects the Minnesota Historical Society, the Coalition of Asian American Leaders, and Asian Minnesotan communities whose histories will be documented.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota's cannabis gross receipts tax revenue is used by directing 10% of those funds to a new Cannabis Youth Grant Program starting in 2026. The program will provide grants to organizations offering youth development services, including after-school programs, mentorship initiatives, and restorative justice efforts that address past cannabis criminalization impacts. Eligible projects must focus on building skills like financial management and entrepreneurship, improving mental health, preventing substance use, and fostering community engagement, with priority given to communities disproportionately affected by cannabis enforcement. The commissioner must submit annual reports to the legislature detailing how grant money is awarded and used.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary fee waiver for duplicate driver's licenses and Minnesota identification cards issued to individuals who lost their credentials due to arrest or detention. It requires applicants to submit a declaration confirming their arrest or detention and loss of the credential to qualify for the exemption. Additionally, the bill mandates refunds for duplicate credentials issued between December 1, 2025, and October 1, 2026, funded through a one-time appropriation from the driver and vehicle services operating account. The fee waiver applies to the first duplicate credential issued to each eligible person between October 1, 2026, and February 1, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for Minnesota's Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program, raising the annual appropriation from $10.27 million to $45.27 million. The additional funds will be used to reduce homelessness risks and improve program effectiveness, with a portion designated for the housing development fund. The legislation also grants agencies flexibility in awarding grants to existing grantees and allows new grantees in certain areas to work with advisory committees or local care systems without meeting specific statutory requirements. These changes take effect immediately and establish a future funding base of $10.72 million starting in fiscal year 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota school districts and charter schools to keep counting students in their enrollment numbers for the rest of the 2025-2026 school year, even if those students haven't officially reenrolled. It applies only to students who were enrolled before January 1, 2026, and have not yet signed up for another Minnesota school. The law requires the state education commissioner to approve this continued enrollment count for the specified period and makes the change effective retroactively from January 1, 2026. This provision helps schools maintain their funding levels during a transition period when students may be temporarily unenrolled.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $130,000 from Minnesota's workforce development fund to provide a one-time grant to New Pathways, a program in Cambridge. The funding supports job readiness services for parents with children experiencing homelessness, including resume assistance, interview preparation, and connections to employers and training programs. The grant requires the program to use case management and community partnerships to help families achieve stable housing and self-sufficiency while overcoming employment barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program to provide social services and mental health support to victims of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation. The program will fund organizations that help affected individuals with basic needs like housing, food, and employment assistance, as well as mental health care. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, government agencies, tribal nations, and legal service providers, with priority given to areas most impacted by the operation. The bill appropriates unspecified funding from the state's general fund for one-time use through June 2029, requiring grantees to report on program participation and outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota distributes funding for agricultural research, education, and technology transfer projects. It requires the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council to submit grant recommendations to legislative committees instead of directly awarding funds, while also creating a new grant program focused on long-term agricultural productivity improvements. The legislation establishes an advisory panel with representatives from various agricultural stakeholders to consult on grant recommendations and creates specific accounts to manage the funding. Key provisions include prioritizing human infrastructure investments, expanding grant eligibility to include graduate debt forgiveness and high school programs, and setting a July 1, 2027 effective date for these changes.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill restricts state and local government participation in federal civil immigration enforcement efforts, prohibiting agencies from using resources to investigate, detain, or arrest individuals for immigration violations. It defines civil immigration enforcement to exclude criminal law enforcement and clarifies that cooperation with federal authorities on criminal matters remains permitted. The legislation also establishes a cause of action for constitutional rights violations related to immigration, prohibits denying education based on immigration status, and requires hospitals to create policies for interactions with law enforcement. Additionally, the bill appropriates funding to support these provisions and amends existing state statutes regarding immigration-related activities.

Maddy summaryHF 3619 requires Minnesota's Environmental Quality Board to conduct a generic environmental impact statement on sustainable aviation fuel production and use. It places a temporary moratorium on both tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel producers/blenders (under Minn. Stat. § 41A.30) and grants from the Department of Agriculture until this review is completed. The bill amends tax credit rules to state that credits can only be claimed after the Environmental Quality Board finishes the impact statement and the commissioner certifies the credit. This directly affects sustainable aviation fuel producers, blenders, and the state agencies responsible for administering tax credits and grants.