Rep. Roger Skraba

Maddy summaryHF 1359 increases funding for solid waste management by changing how fees collected from waste management are allocated. Starting in 2026, 7% of these fees will go to a resource management account (rising to 20% in 2027 and 30% after 2028), instead of the general fund. The funds must be distributed to counties for waste management programs under state law. This directly affects counties receiving these allocations and changes the percentage of fees dedicated to environmental resource management over time. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1623 appropriates $1.525 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from Minnesota’s arts fund to provide grants for interactive exhibits and outreach programs at 12 specific children’s museums across the state. The bill allocates exact annual amounts to each museum, including $175,000 each year for The Works (Bloomington) and the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota (Mankato), among others. Eligible museums must meet IRS criteria for children’s museums under code A52. This funding directly supports hands-on learning experiences focused on arts and cultural heritage for young visitors at these facilities.

Maddy summaryHF 648 appropriates $200,000 from Minnesota's general fund for a grant to Veterans on the Lake, a nonprofit organization. The funds are specifically designated to repair a septic system at their facility in Ely, Minnesota, which serves disabled veterans. This bill directly affects the organization and the disabled veterans it supports by providing dedicated funding for essential facility maintenance. The appropriation is for fiscal year 2026 and requires the commissioner of veterans affairs to distribute the grant.

Maddy summaryHF 1554 modifies how Minnesota school districts and charter schools with declining enrollment can use state aid for student support staff. It allows these schools to use the funds to maintain *existing* positions for counselors, psychologists, nurses, and social workers - rather than only hiring new staff or increasing hours. A district qualifies as "declining enrollment" if its October 1 enrollment from the previous year is lower than enrollment two years prior. This maintenance option applies for four consecutive fiscal years after qualifying. The bill takes effect for funding starting in fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 1570 authorizes the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to sell or renew leases for boathouse sites at Soudan Underground Mine State Park. It allows current lessees to renew leases for life (with limited transfers to close family) or purchase the sites, capping lease rates at 50% of market value. The bill directly affects existing boathouse lessees at the park, modifying how they can maintain or transfer their sites under amended rules. Key provisions include lifetime lease terms, strict transfer restrictions to third-degree relatives, and annual market-rate adjustments. The bill amends existing law (Laws 2000, ch. 486, §4) to formalize these terms for the park's boathouse sites.

Maddy summaryHF 432 appropriates $8 million from the general fund for the Progress Parkway project in Eveleth, Minnesota, to be used by St. Louis County. The funds cover predesign, engineering, environmental work, land acquisition, construction, and realignment of the roadway to improve intersections and extend the route from U.S. Highway 53/County Highway 142 to Trunk Highway 37/Station 44 Road. This one-time appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, and supplements prior 2023 funding for the same project. The bill directly affects St. Louis County as the recipient of the funds for infrastructure upgrades in the city of Eveleth.

Maddy summaryHF 1390 appropriates $500,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the 1854 Treaty Authority to study bear populations in the ceded area from the 1854 treaty between the Lake Superior Chippewa and the U.S. government. The bill requires the Authority to complete a study assessing current bear populations, factors affecting them, and future population trends by December 31, 2026. The study results must be submitted to the chairs and ranking members of the relevant legislative environment policy committees. This funding directly supports the 1854 Treaty Authority's work on wildlife management within the treaty area.

Maddy summaryHF 1555 appropriates $1.5 million from state bond proceeds to fund accessibility and rehabilitation work on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail. The funds will directly support improvements between Gooseberry Falls State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, including the Flood Bay State Wayside. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds up to $1.5 million to cover this appropriation, following standard bond procedures under Minnesota law. This is a funding measure focused on physical trail upgrades, not new policy or regulations.

Maddy summaryHF 1557 exempts certain hot tubs from Minnesota's public pool regulations. It specifically applies to hot tubs on houseboats rented to the public and hot tubs in single-unit rental properties (like vacation homes) where the tub is for exclusive use by renters. The bill requires these hot tubs to display a clear notice stating: "NOTICE: This spa is exempt from state and local sanitary requirements... USE AT YOUR OWN RISK." This exempts these specific hot tubs from standard public pool sanitation and safety rules under Minnesota Statutes 144.1222, subdivision 2d.

Maddy summaryHF 1571 provides a refundable sales and use tax exemption for construction materials used in specific projects at Lake Superior School District (ISD 381) schools and facilities. It exempts purchases of materials for additions to Minnehaha Elementary and William Kelly Schools, improvements to Two Harbors High School and its bus garages, and athletic facility upgrades, with tax collected upfront but fully refunded later. The exemption applies to purchases made between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025, and refunds cannot be issued before January 1, 2026, funded from the state general fund. This directly affects the Lake Superior School District and contractors supplying materials for these listed projects.