Rep. Bianca Virnig

Maddy summaryHF 2488 creates a refundable tax exemption for construction materials used in qualifying research and development (R&D) campuses in Minnesota. It directly affects developers building campuses with at least 250,000 square feet of lab space and a $200 million construction cost within 32 months. The bill requires the state to collect sales tax on these materials initially but then refund the full amount, mirroring existing refund processes for other projects. This exemption applies to materials for campus construction or improvements and expires on March 1, 2028, with implementation effective after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1534 transfers Minnesota's Healthy Eating, Here at Home program from the Minnesota Humanities Center to the Department of Health. It establishes the Fresh Bucks pilot program, allowing SNAP and Summer EBT recipients to get a dollar-for-dollar match on fresh produce purchases (up to $20 daily/$80 monthly) at participating grocery stores and retailers. Both programs target low-income households using federal nutrition benefits, with the Healthy Eating program providing $10 vouchers for farmers' market purchases and Fresh Bucks focusing on fresh produce. The bill requires annual reports from administering nonprofits and appropriates funding for both initiatives. It amends Minnesota Statutes to clarify program administration, definitions, and reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1380 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Human Services to set a minimum $1,800 per day rate for Clay County's psychiatric residential treatment facility. It appropriates $1 million in fiscal year 2026 for Clay County to cover equipment and remodeling costs to convert a juvenile center into an 18-bed facility for youth under 21. The bill also allocates $1 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for 2027 to fund start-up and capacity-building grants for psychiatric residential treatment facilities statewide, with $200,000 specifically designated for Clay County's new facility. These are one-time appropriations, available until June 2029.

Maddy summaryHF 45 appropriates $1 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Outreach Program. This funding directly assists the commissioner of children, youth, and families in operating outreach efforts to help eligible Minnesotans access food assistance benefits. The bill provides specific, dedicated funding for the program under Minnesota Statutes, section 142F.12, without changing eligibility rules or benefit amounts. It ensures consistent financial support for outreach services that connect residents to existing nutrition assistance programs.

Maddy summaryHF 2331 exempts assisted living facilities licensed under Minnesota's Chapter 144G from existing rules requiring providers to allocate specific percentages (45-66%) of revenue toward direct care staff compensation. This change specifically applies to assisted living service providers, not other human services providers. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 256B.4914 by adding a new subsection (10d) that explicitly excludes these facilities from the compensation allocation requirements. The policy change removes a financial obligation for assisted living facilities regarding staff pay, without altering other funding or licensing standards.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's HF 1146 establishes the "Minnesota SNAP Step Up for Seniors" program, which provides a state-funded supplement to federal SNAP benefits for Minnesotans aged 55 or older. The bill ensures that seniors receiving SNAP benefits below $50 per month receive additional state funds to bring their total monthly benefit up to at least $50. The supplement is added to existing SNAP benefits and is not counted as income for other programs. The bill appropriates state funds for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to cover this supplemental benefit.

Maddy summaryHF 2043 appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Education for a three-year student attendance marketing campaign. The campaign must raise awareness about attendance importance and absenteeism consequences, address barriers to school attendance, and be inclusive for all public school students. The Department must issue a request for proposals, award contracts to organizations with proven outreach capacity, and require post-campaign reports detailing goals, strategies, outcomes, and fund usage. This one-time funding is available only for fiscal year 2026 and expires June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryHF 2181 expands eligibility for state funding for special education separate sites, which are facilities where students with disabilities attend for at least 50% of their school day. It allows school districts operating such sites to apply directly for funding, broadening previous eligibility that was limited to specific education cooperatives. The bill appropriates $1,689 per student for each kindergarten through grade 12 student with a disability served in these programs, effective starting fiscal year 2026. This funding supports operational costs for specialized educational settings serving students with disabilities.

Maddy summaryHF 2182 modifies Minnesota's human rights law regarding employment cases involving disparate impact. It requires employers defending practices causing statistically significant adverse impacts on protected groups (like race or gender) to specifically show the practice is "manifestly related to the job for the position in question," not just generally related to their business. This change applies directly to employers facing lawsuits under Minnesota Statutes section 363A.28. The bill clarifies the standard employers must meet to justify their practices, making the burden of proof more specific to the actual job role in question.

Maddy summaryHF 2032 establishes mental health case management and community support services specifically for adults with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). It directly affects individuals meeting defined C-PTSD criteria, including significant PTSD symptoms interfering with daily life due to intergenerational, racial, or historical trauma, plus documentation from a mental health professional. The bill requires providers of emergency, outpatient, or residential mental health services to refer eligible clients to case management upon consent, documenting these referrals. Key provisions include mandating culturally sensitive assessments and written professional opinions verifying eligibility and the need for ongoing support to prevent worsening symptoms.