Rep. Jeff Witte

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a previous requirement that assumed a $250 million reduction in special education funding for the 2027-2028 biennium and subsequent years. Under the new provisions, the state commissioner of management and budget will no longer be required to forecast this specific funding cut when preparing revenue and expenditure forecasts. The legislation also removes the mandate that the legislature must identify enacted provisions from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education to offset the assumed funding reduction. If savings from those provisions fall short of $250 million, the commissioner of education would no longer be required to reduce the special education cross subsidy aid factor to make up the difference. The changes take effect the day following final enactment of the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands survivor benefits in Minnesota to include public safety officers who die from exposure-related cancers linked to their work. It defines specific cancers covered, such as lung, breast, and leukemia, and establishes criteria requiring exposure to occur during duty with a minimum five-year service period before diagnosis and a maximum 15-year window after leaving active service. The legislation creates a legal presumption that such deaths result from line-of-duty exposure unless medical evidence proves otherwise, while also defining carcinogens based on international research classifications. These changes directly affect public safety officers and their families by broadening eligibility for benefits under existing state statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.75 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to help develop and implement a unified 911 center awareness platform. The money will be given to the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board to create a system that enables 911 centers to communicate and coordinate emergency responses across different jurisdictional boundaries in real time. The grant also covers two years of maintenance costs for the platform. This legislation directly affects public safety officials and emergency response centers by providing funding for improved communication infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHF 168 creates an advance homestead credit for qualifying seniors in Minnesota, allowing them to receive 50% of their prior year's homestead tax refund upfront. Seniors who already qualified for the standard homestead credit can apply for this advance, which is applied directly to their first-half property tax payment each year. The state reimburses counties and school districts for the tax reductions by October 31 (for non-school districts) or through the Department of Education (for school districts). This policy, effective for 2027 property taxes, aims to ease annual tax burdens for eligible seniors by providing earlier access to their refund amount.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax in Minnesota that targets individuals and organizations convicted of fraud or those identified by the state revenue commissioner as having obtained money through deceitful means. The tax requires anyone who has successfully defrauded state programs to pay back 100 percent of the stolen amount, regardless of any existing fines or restitution already ordered by courts. The state revenue commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud, setting up a system to collect these payments, and ensuring the recovered funds are used specifically for income and property tax relief. The law applies retroactively to fraud cases determined after December 31, 2019, and also covers people who were paid to help commit the fraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs $2 million annually from electronic pull-tab gambling revenue to support the Minnesota-bred Thoroughbred industry starting in fiscal year 2027. The funds will be given to the Minnesota Racing Commission to help pay race purses and provide financial assistance to breeders and owners. Additionally, the legislation maintains existing rules that allocate a portion of general gambling revenue to problem gambling treatment and awareness programs. The law requires the state to report these financial allocations to relevant legislative committees and the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota calculates registration taxes for passenger cars and hearses by lowering the tax rate based on the vehicle's manufacturer's suggested retail price. It changes the tax calculation for new vehicles registered on or after November 16, 2020, and reduces the percentage of the vehicle's value taxed for each subsequent year of ownership. The legislation also establishes a process to transfer money from the state's general fund to the highway user tax distribution fund to cover any revenue shortfall caused by these tax reductions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1,000,000 from the state's general fund to hire eight additional school safety specialists at the Minnesota School Safety Center for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The funding is designated as a one-time appropriation that can be used until fully spent, with no restrictions on how the money is distributed among the new positions. This legislation directly affects the Minnesota School Safety Center and the public safety system by increasing the number of available safety personnel. The bill takes effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.

Maddy summaryHF 412 requires members of Minnesota's education policy and finance legislative committees to observe a teacher or administrator for at least 12 hours over a two-year period. Committee members must submit detailed reports - including date, school, and grade levels observed - to legislative leadership, with all reports published online by the Legislative Reference Library. The House and Senate are also required to adopt rules to implement these requirements. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1669 increases the annual funding limit for Minnesota's tax credit supporting sustainable aviation fuel producers. It raises the allocation cap from $2.1 million to $10 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2029. This change directly affects businesses producing or using sustainable aviation fuel within Minnesota by expanding the available tax credit. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 41A.30 to adjust these funding limits, allowing more financial support for this clean energy initiative. The credit remains available until fiscal year 2030, with unallocated funds expiring after that date.