Rep. Bianca Virnig

Maddy summaryHF 1145 prohibits Minnesota legislators from acting as lobbyists for two years after leaving office. It directly affects former state legislators who would otherwise seek lobbying roles immediately following their service. The bill authorizes a civil penalty of up to $25,000 or the amount earned from violating the ban, whichever is lower. This law applies to legislators whose service ends on or after the effective date following final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 1928 requires Minnesota school districts to provide special education teachers who work with students having Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) with four dedicated contract days each school year to complete due process forms and procedures. Districts must negotiate staffing plans with teacher representatives for these days, and if agreement isn't reached, they must use state funds for substitute teachers. The bill establishes a state-funded "due process aid" program, calculating a per-student allowance based on average costs to reimburse districts for these additional days starting in fiscal year 2026. This directly affects special education teachers, school districts, and students relying on IEP/IFSP services, ensuring dedicated time for legal compliance without disrupting classroom instruction.

Maddy summaryHF 1866 modifies how Minnesota school library aid funds can be spent. The bill specifies that these funds must directly cover: salaries for library media specialists, electronic/computer equipment, IT infrastructure, digital resources, and library furniture/supplies. It updates Minnesota Statutes section 124D.992 to clarify these allowable uses, replacing previous language. The changes take effect for fiscal year 2026 and later.

Maddy summaryHF 1803 modifies Minnesota's individualized education program (IEP) requirements for students with disabilities by requiring the commissioner of education to amend state rules. Specifically, it directs the removal of "benchmarks or short-term objectives" from IEPs, keeping only "measurable annual goals" as a required component. This change directly affects school districts, special education teams, and students with disabilities across Minnesota. The rulemaking adjustment simplifies IEP documentation while maintaining core requirements for annual goals and student needs.

Maddy summaryHF 1946 modifies Minnesota's moratorium on new supportive housing beds by creating exceptions for specific facilities. It allows up to 226 new housing units in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington County to serve homeless adults with disabilities (including mental illness, substance abuse, or HIV/AIDS) who are transitioning from shelters, hospitals, or treatment programs. Additional exceptions include 80 beds for chronic inebriates in Hennepin County, 65 beds in Crow Wing County for substance use disorder, and expansions for existing facilities in St. Cloud and Hennepin County. These changes directly affect housing providers operating in those counties and the homeless individuals with disabilities who qualify for these new units.

Maddy summaryHF 1162 appropriates $21.475 million from state bond proceeds to fund capital improvements at the Minnesota Zoo. Specifically, $17.675 million will build a new animal hospital, and $3.8 million will preserve assets by replacing outdated buildings and upgrading trails/roads at the zoo. The funding comes from bonds sold under Minnesota law, administered by the commissioner of management and budget. This bill directly affects the Minnesota Zoological Board and the zoo's physical infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 1762 proposes adding a new constitutional amendment to Minnesota's state constitution. If approved by voters, it would guarantee all persons equal rights under state law and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, or sex - including protections for pregnancy decisions, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. The amendment would apply to all state actions and agencies, requiring any discriminatory state action to be the "least restrictive means" of achieving a "compelling governmental interest." The proposed amendment must be submitted to voters in the 2026 general election, with implementation starting January 1, 2027, if ratified.

Maddy summaryHF 1757 requires anyone who owns, possesses, or controls a firearm to report a loss or theft to local law enforcement within 48 hours. Failure to report can result in escalating penalties, starting with a minor offense for the first violation and increasing to a gross misdemeanor for repeated failures. The bill also provides immunity from prosecution for storage-related offenses if the report is made on time and mandates that law enforcement agencies report lost or stolen firearms to the state commissioner within seven days. Additionally, the bill appropriates $36,000 for a one-time implementation of a reporting system to support these requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1825 clarifies supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) in Minnesota. It requires supervising licensed pathologists to document at least one hour of consultative supervision per SLPA every 30 days, maintain specific credentials (including a clinical certificate and 10 hours of supervision training), and limit supervision to no more than two full-time SLPAs per pathologist. The bill also updates licensure fees for SLPAs to $493 for both initial licensure and renewal. These changes directly affect SLPAs, their supervising pathologists, and healthcare facilities employing them under Minnesota’s health occupation regulations.

Maddy summaryHF 1828 implements recommendations from the state auditor's fire relief association working group by requiring Minnesota firefighters' relief associations to prepare detailed annual financial statements. These statements must show all income, expenses, assets, and liabilities in a format set by the state auditor and be certified by an independent CPA with at least five years of public accounting experience (not affiliated with the association). The associations must submit these certified statements to the state auditor by June 30 each year, with the requirement effective January 1, 2026. The bill directly affects all firefighters' relief associations operating under Minnesota law.