Rep. Bianca Virnig

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota school districts with six-member boards and 1,000 or fewer students to vote on reducing their board size to five members. Districts can propose this change at any school election, and if voters approve it, only two directors will be elected for a four-year term instead of the current three. The legislation also maintains existing provisions for districts to expand from five to six members or from six to seven members through voter approval. This change directly affects independent school districts in Minnesota that meet the enrollment and current board size requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota school districts and charter schools to keep counting students in their enrollment numbers for the rest of the 2025-2026 school year, even if those students haven't officially reenrolled. It applies only to students who were enrolled before January 1, 2026, and have not yet signed up for another Minnesota school. The law requires the state education commissioner to approve this continued enrollment count for the specified period and makes the change effective retroactively from January 1, 2026. This provision helps schools maintain their funding levels during a transition period when students may be temporarily unenrolled.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the issuance of up to $22 million in state bonds to fund the replacement of unsafe and undersized buildings and facilities at Dakota County regional parks. The funds will be used to upgrade infrastructure at Lebanon Hills Regional Park and Lake Byllesby Regional Park, including new swimming beach facilities with accessible restrooms and showers, improved campground lodges with storm shelters, and updated trails and amenities. The legislation directs the commissioner of employment and economic development to manage the grant process for designing and constructing these improvements, with the bond sale handled by the commissioner of management and budget.

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 modifies Minnesota teacher licensing rules by requiring schools to report specific employment actions to licensing boards within ten days, including discharges, suspensions, resignations, and criminal charges related to predatory offenses. It also mandates that licensing boards investigate these reports and share relevant district records, such as disciplinary files and investigative notes, upon request. Additionally, the bill classifies certain license denial orders as public data and requires licensing boards to report sexual misconduct cases involving minors to law enforcement authorities. These changes affect school boards, charter schools, and the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, with provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's secretary of state to create and distribute a voter information guide to every household with registered voters before each statewide general election. The guide must include voting eligibility requirements, registration deadlines, and forms for absentee ballots, while also being available in English and the three most common non-English languages spoken in the state. The legislation prohibits anyone from creating campaign materials that look deceptively similar to the official guide and authorizes the secretary of state to seek court orders or fines against violators.

Maddy summaryHF 3520 modifies Minnesota law to allow room and board services provided through intensive residential treatment and residential crisis services to be covered by the behavioral health fund. It specifically clarifies that individuals enrolled in medical assistance or MinnesotaCare are eligible for this coverage, expanding access to these services. The bill amends statutes to require license holders to complete detailed assessments and treatment plans within specific timeframes for clients in these programs. It does not change eligibility criteria for the behavioral health fund itself but specifies that room and board costs in these settings now qualify for payment. This policy change directly affects residential mental health providers and clients receiving intensive treatment services.

Maddy summaryHF 3401 modifies Minnesota law to clarify that firearms are generally prohibited on school property, even for individuals with permits, except for specific authorized groups like active law enforcement or military personnel on duty. The bill establishes new storage requirements for permitted carry, mandating that firearms must be unloaded, secured in a locked container or trunk, and out of plain sight when not actively on duty or participating in authorized activities. These rules apply to school buildings, grounds, buses, and event facilities with posted signs, but exclude active officers and military personnel. The law aims to balance permitted access with safety by ensuring firearms are secured during non-operational periods.

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 1911 provides $5 million in one-time funding for Minnesota counties to cover costs related to implementing the Department of Human Services' service delivery transformation IT initiatives. It also allocates $40 million for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to improve its social services information systems. The bill funds county IT modernization projects that connect with state systems and encourages collaboration between larger and smaller counties. Counties must apply for grants using a formula based on service population and other factors. This is a one-time appropriation for fiscal year 2026, with the DCF funding available until June 2027.