Rep. Bianca Virnig

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota school districts and charter schools to complete an annual health insurance survey and submit detailed reports to the Legislative Budget Office. The surveys must include information on employee counts, insurance premiums paid, plan details, prescription costs, and any compensation paid to insurance brokers or agents. The Legislative Budget Office will compile this data into a public report by December each year, making the information available online in a standardized format. The bill also includes provisions for legal action against schools that fail to submit the required information.

Maddy summaryHF 3652 adds epilepsy to Minnesota's list of chronic diseases that qualify for reduced cost-sharing on prescription drugs and medical supplies under health insurance plans. The bill amends existing law to define "chronic disease" as including diabetes, asthma, allergies requiring epinephrine, and now epilepsy. It ensures that cost-sharing (like co-pays and coinsurance) for epilepsy-related medications and supplies - such as seizure management drugs, medical devices, and related equipment - cannot exceed the same limits applied to other covered chronic conditions. This change would apply to health plans offered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHF 3169 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Transportation to study and develop suicide prevention methods for new bridge construction, focusing on barriers like nets or physical structures. The bill mandates a study completed by January 2026 to identify high-risk bridges, evaluate prevention methods, assess costs, and involve health, public safety, and nonprofit groups. Starting January 2026, the commissioner must incorporate these methods into major bridge projects and report annually on implementation. The bill appropriates $750,000 for the study and planning, with funds available through June 2028.

Maddy summaryHF 309 amends Minnesota Statutes §84.523 to tighten mining restrictions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and Rainy River headwaters. The bill requires the commissioner of natural resources to determine that proposed mining (for taconite, sand, gravel, or granite) in the Rainy River headwaters would not harm the BWCA before any permits are issued. This modifies existing law by adding this specific assessment step, directly affecting mining operations seeking approval in these areas. The change maintains the general prohibition on mining without legislative approval but adds a new administrative requirement for the commissioner to evaluate environmental impacts. The bill focuses on protecting the BWCA's wilderness character through stricter permitting conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to provide funding for student and staff safety improvements at schools. The Department of Public Safety's School Safety Center will distribute these grants to qualifying public, charter, and nonpublic schools. Each eligible school may receive up to $500,000 for authorized safety projects, provided they demonstrate additional funding sources. The legislation requires that at least half of the grants be awarded to schools located outside the seven-county metropolitan area. Funding is allocated from the state general fund for fiscal year 2027 and remains available until June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding in fiscal year 2027 to the Pollution Control Agency to conduct a study on critical materials found in Minnesota's waste stream. The study will estimate the volume of products containing these materials, measure how much is currently recovered through recycling, and assess the total amount present in waste. The commissioner must complete the research and submit the findings to legislative committees by October 1, 2028. "Critical materials" are defined as specific resources listed by the U.S. Department of Energy that are essential for national security and economic stability.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies eviction rules for residents of manufactured home parks in Minnesota to provide more time for them to vacate and protect their financial interests. It extends the period during which a court order to remove a home is paused from seven to 90 days, allowing residents to arrange for the home's removal or an in-park sale, while also ensuring they can stay in the home for ten days after the order is issued. The legislation requires park owners to include a specific notice in eviction paperwork explaining that residents are entitled to any leftover money from a future sale of their home after debts are paid. Additionally, it mandates that if a park owner takes title to a home and sells it, any surplus funds must be returned to the former resident within 30 days once contact information is provided. These changes aim to clarify procedures and ensure fair treatment for residents facing eviction proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.5 million from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the City of Minneapolis to create a public memorial honoring Renée Good and Alex Pretti. The memorial will feature statues, educational exhibits, and a space for community reflection, focusing on their deaths and the broader issues of civil rights and immigration enforcement. The project requires a collaborative planning process involving local residents, civil rights groups, artists, and historians, with oversight provided by a partnership including city officials and state legislators. While the state provides the initial funding, the city is permitted to seek additional private donations and partnerships to cover design, programming, and long-term maintenance costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes five specific Minnesota school districts to move money from their construction or reserve funds into their general operating budgets by June 30, 2026. The affected districts are Bloomington, Brainerd, Ivanhoe, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan, and Maple Lake, each permitted to transfer a set amount of funds without needing to reduce property taxes. The legislation allows these transfers only if the local school board gives approval, and it overrides existing state rules that typically restrict such movements.

Maddy summaryHF 3779 requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to cover doula services - providing emotional and physical support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum - without any deductibles, co-pays, or cost-sharing for enrollees. It prohibits health plans from imposing referral requirements, utilization reviews, or quantity limits on this coverage. Starting January 1, 2027, the commissioner of commerce will reimburse health plans for the costs of covering doula services, funded by annual state appropriations beginning in 2028. This bill directly affects health plan enrollees, particularly pregnant people seeking doula support, and health insurance companies that must now include this coverage.