Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn

Maddy summaryHF 1918 updates Minnesota's child welfare and early childhood programs. It requires child welfare agencies to actively locate noncustodial parents and relatives before removing African American or disproportionately represented children from their homes, and mandates placement with these relatives when feasible. The bill also modifies data privacy rules for the Great Start compensation program and exempts the Department of Children, Youth, and Families from standard contract term limits for electronic benefits systems. These changes affect foster care placements, early childhood providers, and families receiving child welfare services.

Maddy summaryHF 2908 establishes Minnesota's MinneKIDS program, creating automatic savings accounts for children under 18 born on or after July 1, 2026, who are Minnesota residents. The state will open accounts within 90 days of receiving birth data, make an initial "seed deposit" (state contribution), and allow parents to opt their child out. Parents receive annual notifications about the account, including how to opt out, access balances, or link to separate college savings plans. The program requires the state commissioner to notify parents annually until the account closes, and it appropriates funds for implementation.

Maddy summaryHF 3074 creates legal rights for transportation network company (TNC) drivers in Minnesota to form and join labor organizations for collective bargaining. It directly affects "active drivers" who completed at least the median number of rides in the most recent two quarters, as defined by the bill. The law establishes a certification process where drivers can designate an exclusive representative (like a union) through the Bureau of Mediation Services, while prohibiting TNCs from controlling or dominating driver representation groups ("company unions"). Drivers gain the right to negotiate terms and conditions of work, including grievance procedures, with TNCs, and the bill defines "lockout" to prevent TNCs from restricting driver access to the platform during disputes.

Maddy summaryHF 2477 requires the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to add cricket to its list of sanctioned interscholastic sports by July 1, 2025. The bill mandates MSHSL to form a cricket advisory group, launch pilot programs in at least three schools during the 2025-2026 school year, and expand participation to more schools by 2026-2027. By the 2027-2028 school year, MSHSL must finalize rules and establish a regular cricket season, preferably in the spring. This directly affects Minnesota high schools and the MSHSL governing body, as it changes which sports the league officially recognizes and regulates.

Maddy summaryHF 2968 limits how Minnesota counties can collect property tax levies for certain assessment services. It requires counties with cities of the first class (like Minneapolis) to have city assessors handle property assessments within those cities, while county assessors retain only supervisory duties. The bill also restricts county levies for assessment services to specific duties listed in the law, primarily affecting counties with cities over 400,000 people and cities under 30,000 population. This change takes effect for property assessments starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 2387 amends Minnesota Statutes § 124D.118 to establish a program allowing schools to provide free half-pint milk to students who do not participate in the full school lunch program. This directly affects public and nonpublic schools in Minnesota, enabling students to receive milk without needing to take a complete lunch, thereby reducing food waste from uneaten meals. The bill authorizes state reimbursement of 20 cents per milk serving for kindergarten students and up to 50 cents (or USDA rate) for lunch milk, with funding appropriated for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Schools must follow commissioner-established guidelines to participate, focusing on daily milk access as a nutritional supplement.

Maddy summaryHF 470 appropriates $96.565 million from the general fund for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund Minnesota's early learning scholarships program under Minnesota Statutes section 142D.25. This funding directly supports families with young children by providing financial assistance for early learning services. The bill establishes a specific, dedicated funding stream for the program, adding it to the base budget. It does not change eligibility criteria or program rules, only providing the necessary state funding to operate the existing scholarship program.

Maddy summaryHF 2518 appropriates $8 million from the general fund for WomenVenture to support two specific groups: child care providers (through business training, shared services, and startup materials) and women food entrepreneurs (through business expansion, technical assistance, and supply chain development). The funds can be used for leasehold improvements, equipment, working capital, and other eligible business expenses, with up to 5% allocated for WomenVenture's administrative costs. By December 15, 2028, WomenVenture must report to the legislature on how the funds were distributed, including the number of entrepreneurs assisted, county breakdowns, and details on loans versus grants. This is a one-time appropriation available until June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryHF 2929 clarifies the eligibility requirements for Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), directly affecting low-income households applying for food assistance benefits. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to require county and Tribal agencies to verify that SNAP households have gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size. This change standardizes the income verification process for agencies administering SNAP, ensuring consistent application of existing eligibility rules. The policy update affects both applicants seeking food assistance and the agencies responsible for processing their applications.

Maddy summaryHF 2226 modifies Minnesota's background check process for child care providers. It requires the commissioner to submit requests every six months to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) seeking information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Law Enforcement Services Portal regarding background study subjects. This new information can now be used to disqualify providers from direct contact roles, and the commissioner may not disclose the specific reason for disqualification if it comes from this source. The bill directly affects licensed child care centers, family child care providers, and certified license-exempt centers by changing how background check results are reviewed and applied.