Rep. Alex Falconer

Maddy summaryHF 2501 bans lead ammunition for hunting statewide and prohibits lead fishing tackle, directly affecting hunters, anglers, and fishing tackle manufacturers. The bill requires shooting ranges and grant-funded facilities to use only nontoxic ammunition, mandates educational programs about lead toxicity and alternatives for 4H shooting sports, and establishes a voucher program to provide affordable nontoxic ammunition to hunters. It includes civil penalties of $500 for first offenses and up to $5,000 for repeat violations of the hunting ammo ban. The law applies to state parks, scientific areas, and all public hunting grounds after an effective date specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryHF 703 requires Minnesota health insurance plans to cover cancer imaging and clinical genetic testing for individuals with a personal or family history of cancer or determined to have an increased cancer risk by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. The bill mandates that these services - defined as evidence-based imaging scans and germline multigene genetic tests for inherited cancer mutations - be provided without cost-sharing (like deductibles or co-pays). An exception applies if covering these services before meeting a deductible would make an enrollee ineligible for health savings accounts or catastrophic health plans, in which case coverage begins after the deductible is met. The requirement takes effect January 1, 2026, for all health plans offered or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHF 2449 prohibits the sale or transfer of specific semiautomatic military-style assault weapons in Minnesota, including models like AK-47s, AR-15s, and Uzis, as well as firearms with certain features (e.g., folding stocks, pistol grips). The bill authorizes a state-funded buyback program for these weapons and appropriates money for implementation. It directly affects owners of the defined firearms, requiring them to stop selling or transferring these weapons and offering a process to return them for compensation. The law amends Minnesota Statutes to establish these prohibitions and buyback mechanisms, effective upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 2779 requires Minnesota health care entities - including hospitals, clinics, insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and provider organizations - to report ownership and control details to the commissioner of health annually. These entities must disclose information about their ownership structure, and the commissioner will publish a public report each year summarizing this data. The bill also establishes enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance, with funding appropriated to support these requirements. This law aims to increase transparency about who owns and controls health care organizations operating in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 255 establishes Minnesota's Patient-Centered Care program to improve health outcomes and lower costs for medical assistance and MinnesotaCare recipients. The bill shifts payments directly from the state to individual health care providers (not managed care networks) for services, drugs, and vaccines, while ending contracts with existing managed care plans. It also authorizes monthly care coordination fees for primary care providers and community health workers, with higher rates for clinics serving populations facing health disparities. Additionally, the bill funds community outreach through grants to hire staff who connect homeless, mentally ill, or underserved patients to care and help them enroll in health programs.

Maddy summaryHF 1080 appropriates $25 million from state bond proceeds to fund trail improvements across 52 miles of Hennepin County's regional trail system. The funds will be provided to the Three Rivers Park District to build 10.7 miles of new trails, repair 11.4 miles of existing trails, and extend the life of 30.2 miles of current trails. The bill authorizes the state to issue up to $25 million in bonds to cover these costs, following Minnesota's bond issuance procedures. This funding directly benefits Hennepin County residents who use the regional trail network and the Three Rivers Park District as the project recipient.

Maddy summaryHF 1012 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Natural Resources to evaluate decommissioning off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails or roads when presented with evidence of significant environmental harm, supported by a petition signed by at least 50 local residents or property owners. The bill prohibits new or expanded OHV trails within 200 feet of waters supporting aquatic life or 150 feet from other public waters, and mandates an environmental assessment worksheet before constructing or expanding such trails. It also protects land, water quality, aquatic life, and wildlife by restricting trail placement near sensitive areas and requiring updated rules for OHV trail management. These changes directly affect OHV trail users, land managers, and environmental resources across Minnesota's public lands.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota House resolution (HF 142) urges Congress to pass federal legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. It directly supports D.C. residents, who pay federal taxes but lack voting representation in Congress. The resolution cites D.C.'s population size (689,545 per 2020 census), its 86% referendum approval for statehood in 2016, and its status as the only U.S. capital without voting rights. Minnesota directs its Secretary of State to send copies of this resolution to federal officials and its congressional delegation. The resolution does not create new policy but advocates for Congress to advance existing statehood bills like H.R. 51/S. 51.

Maddy summaryHF 3317 is a symbolic resolution passed by the Minnesota legislature condemning federal executive orders that target immigrants. It does not create new laws but expresses the state's opposition to policies it views as inhumane, urging the president to stop such actions and calling on Minnesota's congressional delegation to oppose these policies. The resolution also recommends federal passage of the Neighbors Not Enemies Act to repeal an outdated law and affirms that all people in Minnesota, regardless of immigration status, deserve due process under U.S. and state constitutions. It directs the Secretary of State to send copies to federal officials as a formal statement of the legislature's position.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs $15 million from Minnesota's transportation advancement account to fund suicide prevention measures on Minneapolis's Washington Avenue Bridge. Specifically, it requires Hennepin County to award a grant to the University of Minnesota for designing and building physical barriers and providing suicide diversion resources on the bridge. The funds are allocated to address safety concerns at this specific location, where bridge-related suicide attempts have occurred. The measure changes how existing transportation funds are used, prioritizing mental health interventions at a high-risk location.