Rep. Mike Freiberg

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in Minnesota who provide monetary parking benefits to employees to also offer an equivalent monetary benefit for using alternative transportation modes instead of driving personal vehicles. The law mandates that these transit options must be available as a direct alternative to the parking allowance, ensuring equal financial value for different commuting choices. Minnesota's commissioner of labor and industry is designated to enforce this new requirement, which applies to any employer currently offering parking subsidies to their workforce.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill creates a $100 million relief program to help small businesses that experienced significant revenue declines between July 2024 and February 2026, which the bill attributes to federal enforcement activity. The program provides grants to operators of indoor retail or food market spaces with at least 25 small tenant businesses, requiring that most funds be used to offer rent forgiveness to existing tenants. To qualify, businesses must be Minnesota-based, have fewer than 50 employees, operate from a physical location, and show at least a 20 percent drop in revenue or sales during the specified period. Grant applications will be processed through a lottery system, with funds usable for payroll, rent, utilities, inventory, and other operational expenses, and the state must report on the program's outcomes by December 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a one-time $10 million fund to reimburse Minnesota cities for costs related to federal immigration enforcement activities occurring between December 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. The money will be distributed to cities based on a pro-ratio of their verified expenses for public safety, emergency management, public works, and legal services during that period. Cities must submit detailed cost reports to the state auditor for review and certification before receiving their share of the aid. If a city receives federal reimbursement for the same expenses, it must return the lesser of the federal amount or the state aid received to the state treasury.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota election laws to formally recognize mobile voting technology and allow voters to use it in jurisdictions that have authorized it. Under the new rules, eligible voters could request their ballots, instructions, and eligibility certificates be sent to them via a secure app on a mobile device, which they would then use to submit their votes. The legislation defines mobile voting technology as an encrypted application on a mobile device and sets minimum security requirements, including multifactor authentication and encryption for data transmission. Additionally, the bill updates the legal definition of an electronic voting system to include mobile voting technology and clarifies how voting rules and instructions must be made available to voters using this method.

Maddy summaryHF 3419 removes the ability of most Minnesota entities - including businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, and foreign entities operating in Minnesota - to spend money on elections or ballot measures. The bill retracts this power for all entities except registered political committees that exist solely for political activity and claim no entity benefits (like limited liability). It also voids any organizational documents allowing political spending. This change does not affect regular business operations or charitable work, only political activity.

Maddy summaryHF 3363 prohibits Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board from publishing individual donors' street addresses on its website. It classifies these addresses as private data under state law, meaning they cannot be shared publicly or accessed without the donor's consent, though the Board may still use them for enforcement. The bill also requires the Board to remove existing addresses from its website and modifies rules for political material disclaimers and local campaign finance report content. These changes aim to limit public access to sensitive personal information while maintaining compliance oversight.

Maddy summaryHF 3351 repeals Minnesota's state preemption law that previously blocked local governments from regulating firearms. This bill removes barriers preventing cities and counties from creating their own firearm regulations, such as zoning rules for gun stores. It amends Minnesota Statutes to allow local governments to adopt "reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and nonarbitrary" ordinances regarding firearm sales locations. The bill also repeals specific sections (471.633, 471.634, 624.714, 624.717, and 624.7191) that enforced the preemption. Local governments will now have direct authority to regulate firearms within their jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHF 793 establishes a voluntary certification program for commercial salt applicators (businesses that apply deicers for hire on private property) in Minnesota. To become certified, applicators must complete approved training on water-friendly snow/ice removal practices, pass an exam, and renew every decade. Certified applicators gain limited liability protection if they follow approved best practices and avoid gross negligence, but must maintain detailed records of deicer use and submit annual reports to the Pollution Control Agency. The program aims to reduce environmental harm from excessive salt runoff while providing a clear standard for commercial snow removal services.

Maddy summaryHF 4883 is a comprehensive bill that establishes a code of ethics for Minnesota's legislative branch and modifies various state government procedures, including data practices and grant management. The legislation also requires rounding for cash transactions, clarifies that directing funds to a specific individual is not a valid mandate, and waives building permits for certain sites. Additionally, the bill appropriates funding for the Attorney General, Administration, Management and Budget, and Revenue departments, while mandating the return of unused funds related to tax-forfeited land settlements by June 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies water supply planning and reporting requirements for the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota by amending existing state statutes. It establishes two new advisory committees: a policy advisory committee with representatives from state agencies, local governments, and Tribal communities to guide regional water planning, and a technical advisory committee of engineering and scientific experts to provide specialized expertise. The policy committee will help develop a metropolitan water supply plan emphasizing conservation, cooperation, and sustainability, while the council must report its findings and recommendations to the legislature every five years. The bill also outlines specific planning activities the council must conduct, including water demand projections, sustainability analyses, and recommendations for funding and streamlining decision-making processes.