Rep. Larry Kraft

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the Minnesota Constitution to guarantee equal rights and prohibit discrimination for all people. It specifically protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, and sex, with the definition of sex explicitly including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation. If voters approve the amendment at the 2026 general election, the change will become effective on January 1, 2027. The text also establishes that any state action denying these rights must be the least restrictive way to achieve a very important government goal.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the Minnesota Constitution to guarantee equality under the law. The amendment would prohibit the state, its cities, counties, and other political subdivisions from denying or abridging rights based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry, or national origin. If approved by voters at the 2024 general election, the change would take effect on January 1, 2025. The measure is titled the "Equal Rights Amendment" and requires a simple yes or no vote from the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Violent Crime Enforcement Teams to submit an annual report detailing their gun trafficking investigations, the number of firearms seized, and how funding for violent crime reduction was utilized. It also updates the legal definition of a "trigger activator" to include devices that allow a firearm to fire multiple shots with a single trigger pull or without requiring a subsequent pull. Additionally, the legislation increases penalties for transferring firearms to individuals who are legally ineligible to possess them, raising the maximum prison sentence from two years to five years if the weapon is used in a violent felony within a year of the transfer.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Equal Access to Broadband Act in Minnesota and updates existing laws to clarify definitions and rules for broadband services and infrastructure. It defines specific terms like "underserved areas" and "last-mile infrastructure" to help identify regions lacking high-speed internet and to distinguish between different parts of the network. The legislation also grants local governments the authority to require broadband providers to obtain a franchise or municipal authorization before placing infrastructure in public rights-of-way. Under this new framework, cities and counties can charge fees to broadband providers to cover costs associated with occupying public space or to generate revenue. Additionally, the bill ensures that various utility companies, including those providing broadband, can continue to use public roads for construction and maintenance without interfering with public safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits individuals from using force against another person based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. It specifically removes the ability to claim self-defense or use of force authorization if the victim made an unwanted nonforcible romantic or sexual advance or if the two people had previously dated. The law applies to crimes committed on or after August 1, 2024, and does not alter existing rules regarding the use of force in other situations like arrests or property disputes.