Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota public agencies to publicly disclose information about child fatalities and near fatalities when criminal charges are filed, a county attorney certifies charges would have occurred but for the person's death, or a child protection investigation finds maltreatment. The law mandates that these disclosures include details such as the cause and circumstances of the incident, the child's age and gender, prior maltreatment reports, investigation results, and actions taken by welfare agencies, while protecting confidential data, private records, and the identities of information providers. Additionally, the bill strengthens local child mortality review teams by requiring them to interview caseworkers without fear of retaliation and establishes timelines for completing joint and local reviews of critical incidents. Local review teams must also include at least one representative from the child's Tribe if the case involves an Indian child, and all review reports must be made available on the Department of Children, Youth, and Families website within 60 days.

Maddy summaryHF 3436 requires drivers approaching a stopped school bus displaying flashing red lights to stop at least 20 feet away. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.444 to mandate this stop until the bus retracts its stop arm and turns off the red lights. It also adds a new provision requiring drivers to prepare to stop within 20 feet when a bus shows prewarning amber lights, signaling red lights are about to activate. This law directly affects all drivers operating vehicles near school buses in Minnesota, aiming to improve safety for children boarding or exiting buses. The bill takes effect the day after final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 1829 modifies Minnesota's property tax rules for a specific type of resort property called "homestead resort properties." It affects owners of properties that qualify as both recreational resorts (with 3+ rental units, seasonal use, and recreational services) and homesteads (where the owner or a family member lives there). The bill changes how these properties are taxed by adjusting the tier limits: the first $500,000 of value would be taxed at a lower rate, while higher value portions would follow different rules. This amendment applies to properties abutting water or state trails that meet all the specified criteria for seasonal rental and homestead use.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund predesign and design work for a new community health and wellness center in western Duluth. The funds are specifically allocated to the Lake Superior Community Health Center to create a regional, multipurpose facility serving as a community hub for health programming and services. The appropriation is one-time and available until the project is completed or abandoned. It directly affects the Lake Superior Community Health Center and Duluth residents who will access the planned wellness center.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs $2 million from the state's general fund to the Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program for fiscal year 2027, providing additional funding to support loans for new business owners in Minnesota. The legislation allows the commissioner of employment and economic development to allocate up to four percent of these funds for administrative and monitoring costs. This is a one-time transfer intended to expand the program's capacity to offer financial assistance to entrepreneurs seeking to start or grow businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill stops annual payments from the Monticello nuclear plant to a state renewable energy fund and modifies how distributed solar energy standards are handled. It extends a sales tax exemption on residential natural gas and electricity to apply year-round instead of seasonally. Additionally, the bill exempts electric and natural gas facilities from paying the state commercial-industrial property tax. These changes directly affect the Monticello nuclear plant operator, solar energy developers, residential energy consumers, and utility companies operating gas and electric infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 3167 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to establish the University of Minnesota's Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence. The Center, created in partnership with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, directly affects nursing education and workforce development across Minnesota. Its key provisions include funding for nursing education pathways, innovations in training, simulation programs, addressing regional workforce equality gaps, and supporting the well-being of nursing students and professionals. This bill provides specific, targeted funding to address identified needs in Minnesota's nursing sector.

Maddy summaryHF 2689 modifies Minnesota's physical therapy practice rules, primarily affecting licensed physical therapists, their assistants, and students in physical therapy programs. The bill clarifies supervision requirements: physical therapists must have direct patient contact during at least every second treatment session when supervising student physical therapists or student physical therapist assistants, and telecommunications (except within a facility) cannot satisfy "on-site supervision" for students. It repeals outdated sections of the law (148.65, subd. 9 and 148.77) and updates definitions for "physical therapy" and student roles. The bill does not specify the nature of the new criminal penalties mentioned in its title.

Maddy summaryHF 2962 modifies Minnesota's paid leave program by clarifying who qualifies as an employee and employer under the law. It excludes seasonal hospitality workers (defined as those employed ≤150 days/year in hospitality with specific revenue patterns), self-employed individuals, and small employers unless they elect coverage. The bill also expands the definition of "family member" to include grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, and up to one annually designated non-family individual with a close personal relationship. These changes directly affect workers and employers covered by Minnesota's paid leave law, particularly in hospitality and small businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $958,000 in state funding to the Duluth North Shore Sanitary District to improve its sewer collection system. The money will be used for design, engineering, and construction projects such as sewer lining, pipe replacement, manhole rehabilitation, and flow monitoring to reduce sanitary sewer overflows and pollution in Lake Superior. The state will issue bonds to raise the necessary funds, which will come from the bond proceeds fund and be managed by the commissioner of employment and economic development. This legislation directly affects the sanitary district and the communities relying on its wastewater infrastructure.