Rep. Peter Fischer

Maddy summaryHF 157 creates special tax increment financing (TIF) rules for Maplewood’s "3M Renovation and Retention Project Area" (parcel 362922240002). It waives standard TIF requirements like the 90% rule and expenditures outside district rule, extends the project timeline from five to ten years, and defines specific geographic boundaries for development. The bill directly affects Maplewood’s city government and its economic development authority, enabling them to use future tax revenue from the project area for redevelopment without standard restrictions. It expires December 31, 2018, unless Maplewood complies with state administrative procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides supplemental funding for Minnesota's human services programs, including support for people with disabilities, the elderly, and those struggling with substance use disorders. It establishes several new oversight bodies and task forces to improve service delivery and creates a specific account for emergency responses within the human services system. The legislation also updates rules regarding how private data is shared between state agencies to better coordinate benefits and services while protecting individual privacy.

Maddy summaryThis law establishes new standards to protect African American children and those from other disproportionately represented groups within Minnesota's child welfare system. It requires social services agencies to make continuous, rigorous efforts to keep families together and prevent unnecessary removal of children from their homes. The act defines a higher level of care called "active efforts," which mandates that agencies involve families in planning services and respect their cultural values. Additionally, the legislation sets specific criteria for what constitutes a permanent adoptive placement and ensures that these protections apply alongside existing laws for Native American children.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands access to essential government documents for individuals in Minnesota who are eligible for medical assistance and have been treated for a substance use disorder within the last 12 months. It allows these individuals to apply for certified birth records and identification cards or driver's licenses with waived fees, provided they submit a verification statement from a public-funded treatment provider confirming their eligibility and treatment history. The legislation also establishes specific data privacy rules for the personal information shared during this verification process. By removing financial barriers and streamlining the application requirements, the bill aims to ensure that people recovering from substance use disorders can obtain critical identification without incurring costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a resolution from the Minnesota Legislature that formally asks Congress to overturn the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC. It requests that Congress propose a constitutional amendment to clarify that only natural persons, not corporations or other artificial entities, possess rights under the Constitution. The proposed amendment would also state that spending money to influence elections is not protected speech and would allow governments to regulate or limit campaign contributions to ensure equal political access. Additionally, the bill mandates that all permissible campaign spending must be publicly disclosed. Ultimately, the resolution directs state officials to send copies of the text to federal leaders and Minnesota's congressional representatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission from issuing permits to build pipelines designed to transport carbon dioxide. It directly affects energy companies and regulators by legally barring the approval of any new carbon dioxide pipeline routes in the state. The law takes effect immediately upon final passage, ensuring that no such permits can be granted under the current statute.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local jurisdictions in Minnesota to choose ranked choice voting for their local elections, where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. It establishes specific rules for how these elections would be conducted, including procedures for counting votes and handling ballots where a candidate is eliminated based on the rankings. The legislation also permits local areas to use electronic voting machines that can automatically reallocate votes to remaining candidates after an initial winner is determined. However, the bill did not pass during the 2024 legislative session and therefore will not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines and regulates advance deposit wagering, card playing, and pari-mutuel betting at licensed racetracks in Minnesota while explicitly prohibiting the authorization of historical horse racing and other games. It clarifies that historical horse racing refers to races that have already occurred with final results and bans its use alongside traditional betting systems or on slot machines. The legislation also restricts the state commission's authority to rulemaking, preventing it from expanding gambling options or approving historical horse racing through administrative actions. Additionally, the bill sets specific limits on the number of card tables and the maximum amount of individual wagers allowed at card clubs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, which has been signed into law, updates Minnesota's human services regulations to improve safety and operational clarity for disability, aging, and substance use disorder programs. It exempts small residential facilities with six or fewer residents from certain local rental licensing rules while maintaining zoning allowances for these programs. Additionally, the bill mandates that providers complete specific health and safety assessments within 45 days of a client's service start date to better address individual needs. These changes aim to modernize existing statutes and remove outdated language to better support service delivery across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies, public universities, charter schools, and local municipalities from banning or removing rainbow flags and other rainbow displays from their property. While it protects these symbols, it includes an exception for public meeting rooms or spaces where general rules already restrict the display of any banners or posters. The law applies immediately upon enactment and ensures that government entities cannot enforce policies that specifically target rainbow imagery.