Rep. Brad Tabke

Maddy summaryHF 1857 prohibits elective declawing of cats in Minnesota, meaning veterinarians cannot perform surgery to remove a cat's claws for cosmetic or convenience reasons. The bill allows exceptions only for medically necessary procedures addressing infections, injuries, or health issues. Violators face civil penalties: $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $2,500 for third or subsequent violations. This directly affects veterinarians performing the procedure and cat owners seeking it, while prioritizing animal welfare through enforceable standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.5 million from Minnesota's general fund to support the Somali Museum of Minnesota in building a new facility. The money will be used to design, construct, furnish, and equip the new building in Minneapolis to preserve Somali cultural heritage and display artifacts. This is a one-time appropriation available until the project is completed or abandoned, and the funds are managed by the commissioner of employment and economic development. The legislation directly affects the Somali Museum of Minnesota by providing financial resources for its expansion and preservation efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's horse racing laws by clarifying the definition of advance deposit wagering and establishing how the revenue from these wagers must be distributed. It requires racetracks to split source market fees from out-of-state wagers, with 28 percent going to standardbred tracks and 72 percent to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse tracks. For out-of-state races, at least half of the fees collected must support breeders awards and purses, while in-state race fees must be used primarily for purses. The legislation also ensures that if a racetrack loses its license, the owed fees are redirected to other licensed tracks rather than being lost.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $2 million in state funding for fiscal year 2027 to support Minnesota-bred Thoroughbred horses. The money will be managed by the Minnesota Racing Commission to supplement race purses and provide financial assistance like grants and loans to breeders and owners. These funds are intended to encourage breeding and racing of Thoroughbreds born in Minnesota, with the appropriation available until June 30, 2029. The legislation directly affects horse racing operations and participants within the state's thoroughbred industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens regulations on automated license plate readers in Minnesota by centralizing all collected data within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and restricting how law enforcement agencies can access and use it. It defines automated license plate readers to include devices used by private entities that share data with law enforcement, while excluding traffic safety cameras. The law requires that collected data be limited to license plate numbers, vehicle information, and images, and mandates that data not tied to active criminal investigations be destroyed within 48 hours unless preserved by request. Additionally, the bill establishes strict access controls requiring written authorization, role-based permissions, and audit trails for all data queries, while prohibiting sharing data outside Minnesota without a court order or warrant.

Maddy summaryHF 3572 provides $5.375 million in state funding to the city of Jordan for wastewater treatment improvements. The bill appropriates money from state bond proceeds to finance the design, construction, and equipment for new facilities, including a final clarifier and biosolids facilities. The state will issue bonds to cover this cost, following standard bond procedures under Minnesota law. This funding directly supports Jordan's infrastructure upgrades to modernize its wastewater treatment system.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for Minnesota's Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program, raising the annual appropriation from $10.27 million to $45.27 million. The additional funds will be used to reduce homelessness risks and improve program effectiveness, with a portion designated for the housing development fund. The legislation also grants agencies flexibility in awarding grants to existing grantees and allows new grantees in certain areas to work with advisory committees or local care systems without meeting specific statutory requirements. These changes take effect immediately and establish a future funding base of $10.72 million starting in fiscal year 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program to provide social services and mental health support to victims of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation. The program will fund organizations that help affected individuals with basic needs like housing, food, and employment assistance, as well as mental health care. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, government agencies, tribal nations, and legal service providers, with priority given to areas most impacted by the operation. The bill appropriates unspecified funding from the state's general fund for one-time use through June 2029, requiring grantees to report on program participation and outcomes.

Maddy summaryHF 3653 increases funding for school safety programs in Minnesota. It establishes new formulas: public school districts receive $100 per adjusted pupil unit for safe schools aid (starting 2027), plus a $36 per unit levy; charter schools get $100 per unit; and cooperative school units receive $35 per unit. The bill requires all funds to be used exclusively for specific safety purposes, including security upgrades, mental health services, drug prevention programs, violence prevention, and cybersecurity measures in schools. This affects all public school districts, charter schools, and cooperative school units statewide, with funding effective for fiscal year 2027 and later.

Maddy summaryHF 3739 names Minnesota's Trunk Highway 610 as the "Hortman Memorial Highway." This bill requires the state transportation commissioner to install signs identifying the highway by its new name, replacing or adding the name to existing route signage. It directly affects travelers on Highway 610 and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which must implement the signage changes. The bill does not alter highway maintenance, funding, or traffic rules - only the official name displayed on signs. This is a commemorative naming bill with no substantive policy changes beyond signage.