Rep. Nathan Coulter

Maddy summaryHF 2728 modifies Minnesota's Great Start Compensation Support Payments for child care programs. It changes how payments are calculated by basing them on full-time equivalent staff caring for children, with one full-time equivalent defined as 32 hours weekly. The bill adds a 10% payment increase for programs receiving child care assistance under specific statutes or located in designated "child care access equity areas" (defined as regions with low child care access, high poverty, unemployment, low homeownership, and low median income). These changes apply directly to licensed child care programs serving young children.

Maddy summaryHF 2140 requires certain Minnesota municipalities to create "mixed-use housing zones" by June 30, 2027. Covered cities include those in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington counties, plus any municipality with 10,000+ residents. These zones must permit residential developments with at least three units (within 0.5 miles of certain streets) or four units (within 0.25 miles), including duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. The bill defines "mixed-use development" as buildings where at least 50% of usable space is for residential units, and it exempts these zoning changes from requiring comprehensive plan amendments before 2029.

Maddy summaryHF 1309 prohibits Minnesota local governments (cities and counties) from requiring minimum parking spaces for new residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. The bill directly affects developers and property owners by removing a common zoning requirement that previously mandated a set number of parking spots. Key provisions state that political subdivisions cannot impose these minimums, though they may still require ADA-compliant disability parking or make non-binding parking space recommendations. This change aims to increase flexibility for development projects, potentially allowing more housing or commercial space without dedicated parking.

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 1128 requires all Minnesota public high school districts and charter schools to participate in the state's direct admissions program starting with the 2029-2030 school year. The law, effective July 1, 2025, mandates that schools must enroll students through this program rather than traditional application processes. It directly affects every public high school in Minnesota by changing how they admit students. The bill does not alter the program's existing structure but makes participation mandatory for all eligible schools.

Maddy summaryHF 2969 amends Minnesota law to exempt full-time graduate students employed by their educational institution under work-study programs or financial aid from being classified as "public employees." This specifically affects graduate students working in roles connected to their education, such as teaching assistantships or research positions funded through their program. The bill adds a new exemption (subdivision 14, clause 10) to Minnesota Statutes 179A.03, clarifying that these students are not considered public employees regardless of their weekly work hours. The change applies to students employed by schools (excluding the University of Minnesota Board of Regents) as part of their financial aid or work-study arrangements. This is a technical classification update, not a change to student employment conditions or benefits.

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 2705 modifies Minnesota's sales tax exemption for clothing, limiting the exemption to items priced at $150 or less per item. The bill defines "clothing" broadly to include standard apparel like jackets, shoes, diapers, and swimwear, but explicitly excludes accessories (e.g., handbags, jewelry), sports equipment (e.g., cleats, helmets), and protective gear (e.g., hard hats, safety glasses). It does not exempt items sold separately, such as belt buckles or costume masks, or materials that become part of clothing (e.g., zippers, fabric). The change takes effect for sales after September 30, 2025, directly affecting consumers purchasing clothing above the $150 price point and retailers applying the tax exemption.

Maddy summaryHF 264, the "Larry R. Hill Medical Reform Act," requires all licensed Minnesota correctional facilities (both public and private) to meet specific medical care standards. The bill amends state law to mandate facilities implement policies covering mental health screening, suicide prevention, medication verification, discharge planning with prescribed medications, telehealth use, and death reviews. These requirements directly affect incarcerated individuals by improving access to consistent medical and mental health care while holding facilities accountable through commissioner inspections. The law aims to standardize care practices without creating new programs, focusing on operational changes to enhance safety and treatment.

Maddy summaryHF 474 appropriates $200,000 from Minnesota's general fund to replace the existing statue of Henry Mower Rice in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall with a statue of Hubert H. Humphrey. The funds cover removing Rice's statue, transporting it to the Minnesota Historical Society, recasting Humphrey's statue (currently at the state capitol), and erecting the new statue. This one-time appropriation is specifically for the physical replacement project in the Capitol. The bill directly affects Minnesota's representation in the Statuary Hall collection.