Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura

Maddy summaryHF 1817 increases the annual surcharge for all-electric vehicles from $75 to $100 (effective August 1, 2025), while adding a new $25 surcharge for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Both surcharges are adjusted every three years based on changes to Minnesota’s gasoline excise tax, rounded to the nearest $5 increment. Revenue from these surcharges must be deposited into the Transportation Impact Assessment and Mitigation Account. Additionally, if the account balance exceeds 50% of annual deposits, 90% of the excess must be transferred to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund starting in 2027.

Maddy summaryHF 1927 appropriates $250,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, a nonprofit organization. This one-time funding is specifically for evaluating potential sites and acquiring property to build a new facility providing services and supports. The bill directly affects the Council of Churches and future residents of the planned facility, as it enables site selection and property purchase. The funds are available until the project is completed or abandoned, per Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summaryHF 1757 requires anyone who owns, possesses, or controls a firearm to report a loss or theft to local law enforcement within 48 hours. Failure to report can result in escalating penalties, starting with a minor offense for the first violation and increasing to a gross misdemeanor for repeated failures. The bill also provides immunity from prosecution for storage-related offenses if the report is made on time and mandates that law enforcement agencies report lost or stolen firearms to the state commissioner within seven days. Additionally, the bill appropriates $36,000 for a one-time implementation of a reporting system to support these requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1812 establishes a state-run Minnesota Health Plan to guarantee comprehensive, affordable health care for every Minnesota resident. The plan covers all necessary medical, dental, vision, mental health, and long-term care services without co-pays, with premiums based on income. It creates new state entities including the Minnesota Health Board, Health Fund, Office of Health Quality and Planning, a patient advocacy ombudsman, and an auditor for the plan. The bill also requests a federal waiver under the Affordable Care Act to modify certain health insurance requirements and appropriates funding for implementation.

Maddy summaryHF 1685 requires Minnesota's IT Services agency to combine the state's transit assistance program (currently managed by Metro Transit) into the existing Minnesota Benefits Web Portal by December 31, 2025. The bill mandates coordination with transportation, human services, and children's agencies to ensure seamless integration while allowing Metro Transit to continue processing applications. It also appropriates $1.2 million from the general fund in fiscal year 2026 specifically for this integration work. This change directly affects state agencies managing benefits and Metro Transit, aiming to streamline access for Minnesotans using transit assistance programs.

Maddy summaryHF 1628 prohibits solitary confinement in Minnesota jails and prisons, defined as cell confinement depriving inmates of meaningful visual or auditory contact for more than 20 hours in a day or 45 hours in any three-day period. It directly affects all inmates in state and local adult correctional facilities, with special protections for vulnerable populations like minors, pregnant individuals, people with mental illness, or those with serious medical conditions. The bill requires facilities to document segregation placements, submit quarterly reports to the Corrections Commissioner, and adopt rules identifying vulnerable individuals. It also bans "unassigned idle" confinement exceeding 10 hours daily and mandates that segregated housing conditions approximate those in general population.

Maddy summaryHF 1408 establishes a $1 million annual grant program (for fiscal years 2026 and 2027) to support community literacy initiatives in Minnesota. It directly funds community organizations, schools, libraries, and families to develop and distribute literacy guides, family toolkits, and training on evidence-based reading practices aligned with the state's Read Act. Grant recipients must use funds for activities like creating grade-level reading guides, public awareness resources, and after-school pilot programs targeting students at risk of not meeting reading proficiency. The program requires competitive applications prioritizing proven literacy strategies and aims to enhance community-led literacy support for children and families.

Maddy summaryHF 678 establishes a two-year traffic calming program for Minnesota's largest cities (cities of the first class), appropriating $10 million for fiscal year 2026 and $10 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund. Funding is distributed equally between two methods: 50% based on each city's population share (using 2020 census data) and 50% based on cities' documented financial needs per state law. Eligible improvements include safety features like curb bump-outs, raised crosswalks, traffic islands, and other street modifications designed to slow vehicles and improve pedestrian safety. This is a one-time appropriation specifically for cities, not for general state road projects.

Maddy summaryHF 1424 modifies foster care rules for relatives in Minnesota. It expands the definition of "related" caregivers to include important friends with significant relationships to the child or family, requiring these relatives to obtain foster care licenses (unless they're parents or legal guardians). The bill also mandates that all foster care providers - both related and unrelated - complete annual training on preventing sudden infant death and abusive head trauma for children under five. Additionally, it updates background check procedures for domestic partners of relative caregivers and modifies the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) funding structure. These changes aim to strengthen safety standards while providing clearer pathways for relatives and trusted community members to care for children in foster care.

Maddy summaryHF 1142 prohibits landlords and tenant screening services from using software that sets rent based on nonpublic data from competing landlords, such as rent prices or occupancy rates. It also bans tenant screening software that discriminates against protected groups, including race, religion, or gender. Violations can lead to civil lawsuits seeking at least $1,000 per incident, and the law takes effect on August 1, 2025. The bill targets specific software practices while allowing standard rental tools like aggregate market reports.