Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar

Maddy summaryHF 23 amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.932 to strengthen whistleblower protections for public employees. It expands the list of protected disclosures to include reporting gross mismanagement or waste of public funds (subsection 7), clarifies protections for health care quality concerns (subsection 4), and adds specific scenarios like reporting truthful scientific studies (subsection 5) or classified service communications about state services (subsection 6). These changes directly affect state and local government employees who report violations of law, safety risks, or financial misconduct. The bill modifies existing anti-retaliation language to explicitly cover these new disclosure types while maintaining that protected disclosures cannot override other legal data protections.

Maddy summaryHF 1169 directs Minnesota's Commissioner of Children, Youth, and Families to create a plan by January 2026 to reduce paperwork in child protection cases. The plan must involve counties, local agencies, Tribal governments, and include specific changes, an implementation timeline, and ongoing input procedures to benefit foster care providers, tribes, counties, and child placement agencies. The bill also provides funding to improve the Social Services Information System and appropriates money for these efforts. This focuses on streamlining administrative processes without changing child protection standards.

Maddy summaryHF 1912 modifies Minnesota's rules for hospitals operating swing beds, which provide transitional care between hospital and nursing home settings. The bill requires hospitals to limit swing bed stays to 40 days (unless emergency approval is granted with specific documentation), restrict admissions to recently hospitalized or directly transferred patients, and submit annual reports on usage, charges, and patient data to the health commissioner. It specifically exempts Cook County critical access hospitals with attached nursing homes from the stay limits and admission rules, allowing them to use swing beds for nursing services without prior hospitalization. These changes directly affect hospitals seeking or maintaining swing bed licenses in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 75 modifies Minnesota's renewable energy standard to clarify which hydroelectric facilities qualify as "eligible energy technology." The bill specifies that hydroelectric projects must either have a capacity under 100 megawatts or, if 100+ megawatts, have been operational since February 8, 2023. This directly affects electric utilities generating hydroelectric power seeking to comply with the state's renewable energy requirements. The change maintains existing eligibility rules without altering the 100-megawatt threshold or operational date criteria. (Amends Minn. Stat. § 216B.1691, subd. 1.)

Maddy summaryHF 2306 appropriates $40,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to Lake County to plan a veterans memorial park honoring U.S. military veterans. The bill directly affects Lake County (as the grant recipient) and Minnesota veterans (as the honorees of the memorial). Key provisions include the specific funding amount, the purpose of planning the memorial park, and the requirement that funds be used solely to recognize and honor veterans of the U.S. armed forces. This is a straightforward funding allocation with no additional policy mechanisms beyond the grant.

Maddy summaryHF 25 establishes a state grant program administered by Minnesota's Department of Health to fund nonprofit women's pregnancy centers and maternity homes. The program provides financial support for services like housing, medical care, parenting education, and mental health resources to help pregnant women and new mothers - particularly those facing homelessness or crisis - carry pregnancies to term and care for their children. Eligible organizations must be nonprofits offering free or low-cost services without promoting abortion, providing abortion care, or referring women to abortion providers. Grant funds cannot be used for abortion-related activities, and strict privacy rules require written consent before sharing personal information about clients. The bill appropriates state funds for this program while reducing other health-related appropriations.

Maddy summaryHF 24 amends Minnesota Statutes section 145.423 to require that infants born alive during an abortion be immediately recognized as human persons under the law and receive medical care. The bill mandates that medical personnel take "all reasonable measures consistent with good medical practice" to preserve the life and health of such infants, including compiling appropriate medical records. It directly affects healthcare providers performing abortions in Minnesota by establishing specific medical care obligations for infants born alive. The proposed changes would have taken effect the day after enactment, though the bill was not passed.

Maddy summaryHF 630 extends the expiration date of Minnesota's short-call substitute teacher pilot program from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2027. The bill directly affects school districts, charter schools, and substitute teachers who qualify under the program by requiring an associate's degree or specific paraprofessional experience. Key provisions include mandating background checks, requiring districts to provide substitute training, and guaranteeing substitute teachers receive at least $200 per day or their regular pay rate. The extension allows the program to continue operating under its existing rules without changes to eligibility or requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 2363 grants residents of long-term care facilities in Minnesota the right to have one designated support person (such as a family member, partner, or close friend) physically present with them while receiving care. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 144.651 and 144G.91, requiring facilities to allow this support person unless restricted for medical reasons (like during surgery) or if the person poses a safety threat. Facilities must follow internal grievance procedures if a support person is denied. This directly affects long-term care residents and facilities, ensuring they can choose a comfort person without facility interference, except in specific safety or clinical circumstances.

Maddy summaryHF 2364 establishes "Donate Life" special license plates in Minnesota. Vehicle owners who pay a $25 annual contribution to the organ and tissue donation account (in addition to standard plate fees) can obtain these plates, which must display a standard donation logo and "Donate Life" inscription. Funds collected through this contribution are deposited into a dedicated account and used to cover administrative costs, with remaining funds distributed to LifeSource, a nonprofit focused on organ donation activities like registry maintenance and public education. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, for new plates issued on or after that date.