Rep. Mike Howard

Maddy summaryHF 771 establishes a supplemental energy assistance grant program in Minnesota to provide additional support for low-income households that may not have received full federal energy assistance. It targets residents with household incomes below 60% of the state median income, offering crisis grants, primary heat assistance, emergency heating repairs, and outreach support. The bill appropriates a specific sum for fiscal year 2026 (with up to 10% for administration and 5% for outreach to underserved communities) and requires the commissioner to publish annual reports starting in 2026 detailing program participation, benefits, and demographic data by county. This program operates alongside federal LIHEAP funding but prioritizes expanding assistance to new households over increasing aid for existing recipients.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a grant program to support residential mental health treatment programs for people with physical disabilities in Minnesota. The commissioner of human services will award funds to qualified organizations that can build, renovate, or operate facilities, hire staff, and provide specialized training for treating mental health conditions alongside physical disabilities. Grant recipients must use the money for construction, facility maintenance, administrative costs, and staff training, and the commissioner must submit a detailed report by December 2027 on how the grants were distributed and used. A one-time appropriation from the general fund is authorized to finance these grants, though the specific dollar amount is not yet determined.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's local homeless prevention aid program by changing how unspent funds are handled and removing the program's expiration date. Counties and Tribal governments receiving aid must continue to use the money for family homeless prevention projects targeting families with children in housing crisis situations, unaccompanied youth, and those lacking stable housing. The legislation allows jurisdictions to return unspent funds to the state by December 31 of the following year, with those funds then redistributed to other eligible areas in the next distribution cycle. Additionally, the bill extends the program indefinitely by repealing its previous 2028 expiration and requires annual reporting on funded projects and outcomes starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1987, the Minnesota Starter Home Act, allows municipalities to permit more housing types in all residential zoning districts without requiring new zoning changes. It specifically authorizes single-family homes, duplexes, accessory dwelling units (in most cases), and townhouses on newly platted lots or vacant land. The bill exempts municipalities from needing comprehensive plan amendments for these housing types until December 2029. Additionally, it lowers the voting threshold for approving affordable housing developments from a two-thirds to a simple majority vote in local governing bodies.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies reserve funding requirements for common interest communities in Minnesota, such as condominiums and homeowners associations. It updates the rules for calculating annual reserve budgets to include sustainable energy-saving technology and compliance with energy performance standards, while exempting nonresidential communities from these requirements. The legislation also clarifies that surplus funds can be credited to owners or reserves at the board's discretion and specifies that these rules apply to fiscal years beginning before January 1, 2012.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers of emotional support dogs to provide written notice to buyers stating that the dog is not a service animal and does not have the special training required for service dogs. The notice must be printed in bold 12-point type and included on the purchase receipt or a separate document, informing buyers that the dog is not entitled to the legal rights and privileges granted to service animals. Additionally, the bill increases criminal penalties for intentionally misrepresenting an emotional support dog as a service dog, raising the offense from a petty misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor for repeat violations. These changes apply to all sales of emotional support dogs and take effect on August 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 3350 establishes a lifetime ban on firearm possession for individuals convicted of misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor domestic assault offenses in Minnesota. This law directly affects people convicted of these specific domestic violence crimes by permanently prohibiting them from owning, buying, or possessing firearms. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add this ban as a standard consequence of such convictions, replacing any prior provisions that might have allowed firearm access after sentencing. It creates a concrete policy change that restricts firearm access for this group for life, without exceptions for future conduct.

Maddy summaryHF 3752 temporarily allows Minnesota's commissioner of revenue to exclude certain delinquent businesses from liquor posting requirements. It applies to businesses (defined as "places of public accommodation") that are 10+ days late on specific taxes (like sales or liquor taxes) and have requested penalty abatement. The exemption is limited to taxpayers who filed formal requests to reduce penalties or interest under existing tax laws. This temporary authority expires December 31, 2026, and applies retroactively to taxes due after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 3483 modifies Minnesota's trespass law to require law enforcement to obtain a warrant signed by a judicial officer before entering property for civil immigration enforcement. It also prohibits local law enforcement from detaining individuals solely based on federal civil immigration detainers. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes § 609.605 to add a specific provision (subdivision 1, clause (6)) requiring a warrant with probable cause for immigration-related trespass entries. This directly affects local police and sheriff's departments by restricting their ability to act on federal immigration requests without judicial oversight. The law applies to all trespass offenses involving immigration enforcement activities on private property.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date for Hennepin and Ramsey Counties' deed and mortgage taxes from 2028 to 2036. It directly affects property owners and real estate transactions in these two counties, as it allows the existing taxes to remain in effect beyond the original deadline. The key provision amends two tax statutes to change the expiration date while setting July 1, 2026, as the effective date for the new timeline. The bill does not create new taxes or alter tax rates, only postpones when the current tax authority expires.