Rep. Larry Kraft

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits banks and payment networks from charging interchange fees on state and local sales taxes or gratuities added to credit and debit card transactions. To qualify for this protection, merchants must clearly separate tax and tip amounts from the purchase price when processing payments or provide proof of these amounts within 180 days if they were initially included in the total. If a merchant submits the required documentation after the fact, the law mandates that any interchange fees wrongly charged on the tax or tip portion be refunded within 30 days. The legislation also prevents payment processors from manipulating fee calculations to increase charges on these specific transaction components.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the required heating period for landlords in Minnesota from October 1 to September 1, ensuring tenants have access to heat at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit until May 31. The change applies to all residential leases and licenses, requiring landlords to maintain this temperature in living areas, kitchens, and bathrooms unless a utility company mandates a reduction. Landlords cannot waive this obligation through their lease agreements, and the provision remains subject to utility company instructions regarding heat reduction.

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 summaryHF 3784 requires all high school and middle school athletic coaches and assistant coaches in Minnesota school districts or charter schools to complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training starting with the 2027-2028 school year. Coaches must maintain current training annually and complete refresher courses every two years, following nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. The bill also provides legal protection, shielding coaches from civil liability for good-faith CPR or AED use during athletic activities, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. This law directly affects school coaches and aims to improve emergency response for student athletes experiencing cardiac incidents.

Maddy summaryHF 32 prohibits Minnesota health insurance companies from requiring co-payments for mental health services provided to children under 18. This applies to all standard health plans and includes a specific provision for high-deductible plans, which must limit co-payments to the minimum level needed to maintain tax-advantaged health savings account benefits. The law directly affects children receiving mental health care and their insurers, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for these services. It takes effect January 1, 2026, applying to health plans offered, issued, or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HF 3556) is a naming resolution that commemorates Melissa Hortman by designating Minnesota's community solar garden program as the "Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program." It does not change any program rules, funding, or operations - it only adds a short title to Minnesota Statutes section 216B.1641. The bill directly honors Melissa Hortman, a former state legislator, through this naming. It is procedural and has no policy impact beyond the name change.

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 creates a new tax in Minnesota that targets individuals and organizations convicted of fraud or those identified by the state revenue commissioner as having obtained money through deceitful means. The tax requires anyone who has successfully defrauded state programs to pay back 100 percent of the stolen amount, regardless of any existing fines or restitution already ordered by courts. The state revenue commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud, setting up a system to collect these payments, and ensuring the recovered funds are used specifically for income and property tax relief. The law applies retroactively to fraud cases determined after December 31, 2019, and also covers people who were paid to help commit the fraud.

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.