Rep. Steve Elkins

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local jurisdictions in Minnesota to choose ranked choice voting for their local elections, where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. It establishes specific rules for how these elections would be conducted, including procedures for counting votes and handling ballots where a candidate is eliminated based on the rankings. The legislation also permits local areas to use electronic voting machines that can automatically reallocate votes to remaining candidates after an initial winner is determined. However, the bill did not pass during the 2024 legislative session and therefore will not become law.

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 updates Minnesota's rules for licensing doctors who graduated from medical schools outside the United States. It requires these applicants to prove their school is equivalent to U.S. or Canadian institutions, pass specific medical exams, and demonstrate proficiency in English. A key provision creates a new "limited license" for foreign-trained physicians who have at least five years of work experience abroad and are willing to practice in rural or underserved urban areas. This limited license waives the usual one-year clinical training requirement and mandates that employers pay these doctors a salary comparable to a medical resident.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new program in Minnesota to collect and recycle electronic waste from households and small businesses. It defines specific items that must be recycled, such as computers, monitors, and gaming consoles, while excluding devices like cameras, telephones, and household appliances. The legislation creates a system where an approved organization, known as a clearinghouse, will manage the collection, transport, and recycling of these covered devices. Additionally, the bill sets up new state accounts to fund the program and requires the state agency to submit a report on its progress.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows cities in Minnesota to create special districts that reassign property taxes based on land value rather than improvements like buildings. To establish such a district, a city must hold a public hearing and mail notices to all affected property owners before passing an ordinance. The tax reallocation must use specific formulas that focus on the value of the land itself, excluding the value of structures or improvements made after a certain date. These new tax rules would first apply to property taxes payable in 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill regulates how pharmacy benefit managers operate in Minnesota by establishing clearer rules for reimbursement and pricing. It directly affects pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies, and health insurance plans by requiring fair dealing and prohibiting deceptive practices. Key provisions ban charging pharmacies fees for processing claims, forbid paying pharmacies less than the rates given to the manager's own affiliates, and explicitly outlaw the use of spread pricing. Additionally, the law mandates that managers provide transparent pricing data to pharmacies and update these lists frequently when drug costs rise significantly.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires pharmacy benefit managers and health carriers in Minnesota to include lower-cost generic and biosimilar drugs on their drug lists whenever a more expensive brand-name version is covered. It mandates that these plans structure their coverage tiers to prioritize medications that result in the lowest out-of-pocket costs for patients, such as co-pays and coinsurance. Additionally, the law forces plans to immediately add new generic or biosimilar drugs to their lists if they are cheaper than existing options and removes barriers like prior authorization for the lowest-cost alternatives. These changes directly affect health insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers by altering how they select and organize covered medications to reduce expenses for individuals.