Rep. Mike Wiener

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to research autonomous mower technology for use on state-owned properties like rest areas, highway rights-of-way, and other public spaces. It requires MnDOT to study safety, cost-benefit, worker impact, and commercial availability, with a focus on Minnesota-based companies for any equipment purchases. The bill appropriates $150,000 in fiscal year 2026 for this research and mandates a detailed report by February 15, 2027, covering pilot project plans, cost analyses, and safety evaluations. The research directly affects MnDOT operations and could influence future roadside maintenance practices.

Maddy summaryHF 1903 modifies Minnesota's "Safe Place for Newborns" law to clarify and expand where newborns can be safely left anonymously. The bill specifically adds detailed requirements for approved "newborn safety devices" (like secure boxes in hospitals or fire stations), including FDA approval, monthly alarm testing, and 24-hour staffing visibility. It also strengthens protections by stating safe places (hospitals, fire stations, or devices) cannot ask for the parent's identity, call police, or report the parent to authorities if the infant is unharmed. The law grants immunity from criminal or civil liability to staff who follow these procedures in good faith, including those who are mandated reporters under child welfare laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's wildlife commissioner to establish an annual open season for wolf hunting after wolves are delisted from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. It directly affects state wildlife managers, hunters, and livestock owners by creating a mandatory yearly process for setting hunting seasons. Key provisions include requiring the commissioner to consult with the agriculture commissioner and USDA's animal health agency before determining seasons, and to review data on wolf attacks on livestock and human conflicts. The bill mandates public comment opportunities for all proposed seasons, ensuring transparency in the annual decision-making process.

Maddy summaryHF 2302 amends Minnesota's tax code to allow 18-year-old children to qualify for the state child credit, expanding eligibility beyond the previous age limit. The bill removes the exclusion for individuals who turned 18 during the tax year by revising definitions in Minnesota Statutes sections 290.0661 and 290.0671. It directly affects 18-year-olds who meet other eligibility criteria for the credit, such as income and residency requirements. The change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHF 167 modifies Minnesota's individual income tax system by removing limits on subtracting Social Security benefits, allowing taxpayers to subtract all their Social Security income without phaseout thresholds or maximums. It also updates income tax brackets, raising the first tax bracket threshold to $47,620 for married couples filing jointly and $47,620 for single filers (from $38,770 and $26,520, respectively). The bill additionally modifies property tax refund rules, though specific changes aren't detailed in the provided text. These changes apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHF 23 amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.932 to strengthen whistleblower protections for public employees. It expands the list of protected disclosures to include reporting gross mismanagement or waste of public funds (subsection 7), clarifies protections for health care quality concerns (subsection 4), and adds specific scenarios like reporting truthful scientific studies (subsection 5) or classified service communications about state services (subsection 6). These changes directly affect state and local government employees who report violations of law, safety risks, or financial misconduct. The bill modifies existing anti-retaliation language to explicitly cover these new disclosure types while maintaining that protected disclosures cannot override other legal data protections.

Maddy summaryHF 1845 expands Minnesota's definition of "veteran" to include two specific groups: (1) Hmong veterans naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, and (2) individuals who served honorably with secret guerrilla units or irregular forces operating from Laos in support of U.S. forces between February 28, 1961, and May 14, 1975. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 197.447 to add these categories to the existing definition, ensuring these veterans qualify for state benefits. It also creates an advisory task force of veterans, experts, and community members to help determine eligibility under the new definition. This change directly affects Hmong veterans and Laotian-based veterans who previously may not have met Minnesota's veteran criteria.

Maddy summaryHF 2310 reenacts Minnesota's existing prohibition on weather modification within state boundaries, directly affecting individuals or entities attempting activities like cloud seeding. The bill defines "weather modification" as intentionally altering weather through chemical or apparatus dispersal in the atmosphere, and prohibits such actions within Minnesota's borders or airspace above them. Violations are classified as misdemeanors, with each day of continued violation considered a separate offense. This law aims to protect public safety, health, and the environment by preventing unauthorized weather-altering activities.

Maddy summaryHF 2069 creates new Minnesota license plates specifically for veterans of each U.S. military branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine). Eligible veterans who meet existing criteria (including having discharge papers) can apply for a free plate featuring "VETERAN" and their branch's emblem. The plates must be the same size as standard plates for the vehicle type (e.g., motorcycle) and can be transferred to another vehicle owned by the same veteran for a $5 fee. This bill, effective January 1, 2026, expands Minnesota’s existing veterans' plate program by adding branch-specific designs.

Maddy summaryHF 812 adjusts Minnesota's individual income tax brackets by updating the income thresholds for each tax rate, such as setting the 5.35% rate to apply to income up to $38,770 for married couples filing jointly. It requires annual inflation adjustments to these brackets starting in 2025 and includes a simplified tax calculation method using $100 income brackets for low-income taxpayers (referred to as the "zero bracket" provision in the bill title). This bill affects all Minnesota residents who file individual income tax returns, as the adjusted brackets change which tax rate applies to different income levels. The simplified calculation method does not alter tax rates but streamlines computation for low-income earners.