Rep. Heather Keeler

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Minnesota's Office of the Legislative Auditor to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the postsecondary enrollment options program and submit a report by January 15, 2027. The report will assess the educational benefits for participating students and analyze the financial impact on school districts. The legislation requires the auditor to present findings to the chairs and ranking minority members of education-related legislative committees. This measure is effective immediately upon final enactment and focuses on gathering data about an existing education program.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $150,000 from the state's general fund for fiscal year 2027 to hire a new full-time staff member for the University of Minnesota Extension. The funding is designated to support the farmer-lender mediation program, which helps resolve financial disputes between agricultural producers and their lenders. The money will be distributed through the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to create this new position. This legislative action directly affects the state budget and the operational capacity of the mediation program serving Minnesota's farming community.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota's Department of Education makes payments to postsecondary institutions and schools under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options program. It clarifies that payments will only be made for courses taken for secondary credit, not for postsecondary credit alone, and establishes rules for handling student withdrawals within the first ten business days of a term. The legislation also sets specific reimbursement rates for quarter and semester credit institutions and requires payments to be made within 45 days of receiving enrollment information. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hospitals in Minnesota to obtain approval from the Department of Health before making significant changes like closing parts of their facilities, moving services to other locations, or stopping specific care offerings such as operating rooms or pediatric overnight services. The law applies to acute care hospitals and aims to prevent abrupt service reductions that could impact patient care, except in cases of financial insolvency or natural disasters. Hospitals must follow a public interest review process similar to existing procedures for other hospital changes, and the Department of Health will enforce compliance using its regulatory authority. The measure takes effect immediately upon final passage and does not address financial outcomes or speculate on how hospitals will respond to these requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 3585 establishes an Interagency Council on Student Attendance to improve coordination among state agencies, counties, school districts, and charter schools in addressing student absenteeism. The council, composed of representatives from 16 state departments and education organizations (including the Department of Education and tribal groups), must develop solutions for chronic absenteeism and submit annual reports with recommendations starting in 2027. The bill appropriates $2,027 for fiscal year 2027 to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to support the council’s work, with future funding to be determined. The council will meet at least quarterly and has no expiration date.

Maddy summaryHF 3180 creates a special emergency fund within Minnesota's state treasury to support essential public health services if federal funding is unexpectedly reduced or eliminated. The fund, which receives a one-time transfer from the general fund, allows the Minnesota Department of Health (referred to as "commissioner of health") to continue critical services like disease outbreak response and waterborne disease prevention when federal support drops unexpectedly. Before using funds, the commissioner must notify legislative health committees and seek advisory review, and must submit an annual report detailing all expenditures and their justification. This bill directly affects the state health department's ability to maintain public health operations during federal funding disruptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's medical assistance and MinnesotaCare programs to cover the removal of intrauterine devices. It amends state statutes to mandate this coverage and directs the commissioner of human services to implement the change. The legislation also appropriates funding from the general fund and health care access fund to support these costs in fiscal years 2027 through 2029. Coverage becomes effective on January 1, 2027, or later if federal approval is required. The bill affects individuals enrolled in these health programs who need IUD removal services.

Maddy summaryHF 3634 expands the list of human services requiring electronic visit verification in Minnesota. It adds three new categories: services provided by "high-risk" providers (based on Medicare criteria), "high-risk" services designated by the commissioner, and any other program or service the commissioner designates. This affects home care and community-based service providers, requiring them to document service details (like time, location, and recipient) electronically through a system compliant with the 21st Century Cures Act. The change broadens verification requirements beyond current personal care, community first services, and home health services.

Maddy summaryHF 3146 prohibits all Minnesota state and local government entities, including law enforcement agencies, from acquiring, using, or contracting with private companies for facial recognition technology. The bill defines "face surveillance" as automated systems identifying individuals based on facial features and bans government entities from obtaining, retaining, or accessing such systems or data. Violations would make evidence from facial recognition inadmissible in court, require deletion of unlawfully collected data, and allow affected individuals to sue for $1,000 per violation or $100 per incident (whichever is greater), plus attorney fees. The law takes effect on August 1, 2025, and applies broadly across all government functions.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the legal authority for federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to make arrests under Minnesota state law. It directly affects these federal agencies by eliminating their ability to conduct warrantless arrests within the state, except when assisting local law enforcement. The change amends existing statutes to delete provisions that previously allowed these officers to arrest individuals for specific crimes like assault or felonies when on duty or with a warrant. This policy adjustment limits arrest powers to state-authorized peace officers and private citizens, while still permitting federal agents to aid in executing warrants when requested by local officers.