Rep. Kaohly Her

Maddy summaryHF 119 allocates $150,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to support the Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota. The funding covers museum programming, library services, and educational classes focused on Hmong Minnesotan history, culture, and folk arts. This directly benefits the Hmong community by preserving and sharing their heritage through public outreach. The Minnesota Humanities Center will administer these grants to the cultural center.

Maddy summaryHF 1761 appropriates $2 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund the Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for predesign, construction, and equipping a facility in St. Paul. The funds will directly support the development of a physical space dedicated to celebrating Hmong culture and promoting cross-cultural awareness through programming. This one-time appropriation is specifically for building-related costs and must be used in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642. The bill affects the Hmong Cultural Center nonprofit organization and the broader St. Paul community by enabling a dedicated cultural facility.

Maddy summaryHF 1565 designates July 6 as "Philando Castile Restoration Day" and July 7 as "Philando Castile Unity Day" each year to honor Philando Castile, a Saint Paul Public Schools nutrition supervisor killed by police in 2016. Restoration Day focuses on community connection, humility, and restoring relationships across differences, while Unity Day emphasizes collective remembrance of Castile and others lost to police violence. The bill requires the governor to issue annual proclamations for both observances. This measure directly affects Minnesotans by establishing formal annual commemorations centered on Castile’s legacy and community healing. It is a commemorative resolution with no new policy requirements beyond the designated dates and proclamations.

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 1764 appropriates $1.5 million from the state general fund for a one-time grant to the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. The funds will support outreach, training, technical assistance, peer networks, and direct financial help specifically for Asian Minnesotan women entrepreneurs and Asian-owned businesses. The grant is available until June 30, 2027, and must be used for these targeted support services. This bill directly affects Asian-owned businesses and women business owners in Minnesota by providing state-funded resources.

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 34, the "Fair Competition Act," regulates monopolies and monopsonies (when one buyer dominates a market) in Minnesota. It prohibits businesses from using monopoly or monopsony power to control prices, fix rates, or exclude competition, and bans price discrimination. The law applies to businesses operating in Minnesota or affecting Minnesota commerce, with civil penalties up to $5 million for large corporations per violation. Enforcement is provided through the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and criminal penalties apply for willful violations of price-fixing or collusion provisions. The bill amends existing antitrust statutes (Minnesota Statutes 325D.49-325D.66) to add these specific prohibitions and penalty structures.

Maddy summaryHF 1796 modifies Minnesota's Livestock Investment Grant Program to change how grants are calculated. Instead of awarding 10% of the first $500,000 in qualifying expenditures, the bill establishes a tiered system: 50% of the first $20,000 plus 20% of the next $220,000. The bill expands eligible expenses to include specific items like pasture development (fencing, watering systems), livestock housing equipment (freestall barns, milking parlors), and waste management facilities (digesters, manure storage). This directly affects Minnesota livestock producers raising eligible animals (beef cattle, dairy, swine, poultry, goats, etc.) who make qualifying capital investments in their operations.

Maddy summaryHF 1683 appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to fund The Redemption Project. The program provides justice-impacted individuals and inmates with virtue-based education, mentoring, support services, and employment assistance to reduce recidivism and support community reintegration. Funds are administered through the Commissioner of Corrections to cover these specific services. The bill directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals and those impacted by the justice system by creating access to structured transition programming.