Rep. Andrew Myers

Maddy summaryHF 791 designates Castoroides ohioensis, commonly known as the giant beaver, as Minnesota's official state fossil. The bill requires the commissioner of natural resources to approve a photograph of the giant beaver, which must be preserved and displayed in the Office of the Secretary of State. This is a procedural bill with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on citizens or regulations.

Maddy summaryHF 1845 expands Minnesota's definition of "veteran" to include two specific groups: (1) Hmong veterans naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, and (2) individuals who served honorably with secret guerrilla units or irregular forces operating from Laos in support of U.S. forces between February 28, 1961, and May 14, 1975. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 197.447 to add these categories to the existing definition, ensuring these veterans qualify for state benefits. It also creates an advisory task force of veterans, experts, and community members to help determine eligibility under the new definition. This change directly affects Hmong veterans and Laotian-based veterans who previously may not have met Minnesota's veteran criteria.

Maddy summaryHF 1172 designates Ursa Minor as Minnesota's official state constellation. The bill directly affects Minnesota's symbolic state identity by formally replacing the previous designation with Ursa Minor. It contains no funding, regulations, or policy changes - only a ceremonial update to the state's official symbols under Minnesota Statutes. This is a procedural resolution with no practical impact on residents or government operations.

Maddy summaryHF 2234 modifies how Minnesota's metropolitan counties (like Hennepin and Ramsey) must allocate state and regional transportation funds. It increases the required allocation for active transportation, safety studies, transit, and complete streets projects from 41.5% to 58.5%, while decreasing the share for road repairs to 41.5%. The bill also allows counties to use funds for specific mitigation projects and requires new allocations to "supplement, not supplant" existing funding sources. The changes take effect January 1, 2026, for funds received on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHF 177 creates a refundable tax exemption for construction materials used in new single-family homes purchased by first-time homebuyers. It exempts taxes on the first $460,000 of construction costs, provided the buyer owns and occupies the home. Buyers pay the tax upfront but receive a refund through the state's tax process. The exemption expires on July 1, 2033, and applies to construction costs incurred after June 30, 2025. This directly benefits first-time homebuyers seeking new single-family housing in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 1582 modifies Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) benefits for educators. It allows teachers with 30 years of service to retire at age 60 without reduced annuity payments (previously requiring 35 years), adjusts early retirement penalties, and increases postretirement cost-of-living adjustments. The bill also raises employer contribution rates for school districts (from 13.3% to 17.3% for basic members) and increases pension adjustment revenue rates for school districts starting in 2026. These changes directly affect current and future TRA members, school districts funding retirement costs, and the state's retirement system budget.

Maddy summaryHF 1221 exempts reported tip income from Minnesota's individual income tax and employer tax withholding requirements. The bill adds a new definition to state tax law specifying that "tips" include amounts workers report to employers under federal tax rules (IRC 6053(a)) or to the IRS as taxable wages (IRC 3121(q)). This means tipped workers, such as restaurant servers, will no longer have their reported tips counted toward their taxable income for Minnesota state taxes, and employers will not need to withhold state income tax on those amounts. The change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHF 1920 transfers $1.425 million annually from Minnesota's general fund to the Agriculture Best Management Practices Loan Program for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with the same amount continuing each year thereafter. This funding supports low-interest or no-interest loans for farmers to implement conservation practices like soil health improvements and water quality projects. The program directly assists Minnesota farmers seeking financial assistance for environmentally beneficial agricultural operations.

Maddy summaryHF 1919 provides a refundable sales and use tax exemption for construction materials used in building the Chanhassen Bluffs Sports Complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The exemption applies to materials purchased between October 31, 2025, and September 1, 2027, and covers construction, reconstruction, or renovation work on the facility. Tax collected on these purchases will be refunded by the state through the same process used for other qualifying projects under Minnesota law. This bill directly affects the city of Chanhassen and the developers or contractors working on the sports complex project during the specified period.

Maddy summaryHF 192 prevents local governments (cities, counties) from being required to pay for certain costs related to Minnesota's trunk highway projects. Specifically, it prohibits the state transportation commissioner from obligating local units to cover expenses incurred within the highway right-of-way that are directly caused by the project, such as utility relocations. The bill also appropriates funds from the general fund for fiscal years 2026-2027 to cover these non-trunk highway fund costs, available until June 2027. This applies to most projects starting after July 1, 2025, but excludes projects already in the state program before that date with 2025 construction. The law aims to clarify cost-sharing responsibilities between state and local entities for highway improvements.