Rep. Ben Bakeberg

Maddy summaryHF 1439 appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to the Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation. The funds support the "Carts to Careers" initiative, which provides job skills training, outreach, and scholarships for students pursuing careers in the food retail industry. The program aims to strengthen the workforce pipeline in Minnesota's food sector by covering training, certifications, and related development costs. This one-time appropriation directly benefits food industry workers and students seeking careers in grocery retail.

Maddy summaryHF 2029 allows Minnesota municipalities to charge developers a street impact fee based on a subdivision's net buildable acreage, transportation system impact, or the municipality's transportation plan. The fee must be paid into a special fund exclusively for street, road, intersection, and related transportation infrastructure projects. Property owners developing previously subdivided land with the same number of lots is exempt, while increased lot counts only trigger fees for the additional lots. The bill requires fees to have a clear connection to transportation needs and includes dispute resolution procedures for fee challenges.

Maddy summaryHF 261 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 to fund horse-assisted mental health therapy for eligible first responders in Minnesota. It directly affects active or retired peace officers, firefighters (full-time and volunteer), ambulance personnel, 911 telecommunicators, and correctional officers suffering from job-related trauma or PTSD. The funds will go to Abijah's on the Backside for therapy services, requiring two reports detailing program costs, participants, and outcomes by 2026 and 2028. This is a one-time appropriation to support existing mental health services for first responders, not a new statewide program.

Maddy summaryHF 1436 modifies Minnesota's student discipline laws to reduce exclusions, particularly for young children. It prohibits schools from dismissing students in preschool/prekindergarten or kindergarten through grade 3 (except for short-term removals or safety threats), and requires schools to first try non-exclusionary approaches before considering dismissal. School boards must establish clear policies emphasizing prevention, provide adequate alternative educational services for students during disciplinary periods, and ensure progress toward graduation standards. These changes, effective July 1, 2025, apply to all public schools and school districts in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 1582 modifies Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) benefits for educators. It allows teachers with 30 years of service to retire at age 60 without reduced annuity payments (previously requiring 35 years), adjusts early retirement penalties, and increases postretirement cost-of-living adjustments. The bill also raises employer contribution rates for school districts (from 13.3% to 17.3% for basic members) and increases pension adjustment revenue rates for school districts starting in 2026. These changes directly affect current and future TRA members, school districts funding retirement costs, and the state's retirement system budget.

Maddy summaryHF 11 delays the implementation of Minnesota's Paid Leave Law from 2026 to 2027, affecting employers, employees, and state agencies responsible for administering the program. The bill amends multiple statute sections to adjust key dates, including the start of employer premium payments (now January 1, 2027) and administrative requirements like public outreach and annual reporting. This one-year delay provides additional time for businesses to prepare for the new paid leave program without changing the law's core requirements. The law's substance - such as premium rates and fund management - remains unchanged, only the rollout timeline is extended.

Maddy summaryHF 2074 reinstates Minnesota's previous teaching standards of effective practice by voiding specific rule amendments. The bill directly affects public school teachers and administrators in Minnesota, reversing changes made to Minnesota Rules, part 8710.2000, which were published in the State Register (volume 47, page 988). The key mechanism is declaring those rule amendments "void and do not take effect." This bill restores the prior standards governing teaching practices without creating new requirements. It becomes effective the day after final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 984 requires Minnesota school districts to provide nonpublic school students (in private or religious schools) with the same elementary and secondary guidance and counseling services as public school students. It mandates districts to offer these services upon request, with funding based on the average per-pupil spending for similar services in public schools. The bill sets limits on district spending for these services, ensuring costs don’t exceed public school averages, and requires districts to provide transportation between schools if services are offered off-site. It applies to all nonpublic schools within a district and takes effect for state aid starting fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 1413 modifies Minnesota's education reporting requirements by adding a new definition for "consistent attendance" to school performance reports. The bill defines consistent attendance as a student attending more than 90% of school days while enrolled, requiring at least half an academic year of enrollment to be counted. Schools and districts must report this data annually, with the commissioner required to post it publicly by September 1 each year (starting September 1, 2025). This change directly affects all Minnesota public schools and districts that report to the state education department.

Maddy summaryHF 1967 provides a $2,026 payment to Independent School District No. 186 in Pequot Lakes to correct an underpayment of general education aid. The adjustment addresses a funding reduction that occurred in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 due to conflicting information about students enrolled in the Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. The Department of Education must calculate the exact amount of lost aid from PSEO enrollment rules and pay it to the school district in fiscal year 2026. This ensures the district receives the full funding it was entitled to under state education finance rules.