Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega

Maddy summaryHF 111 appropriates $2 million from the state general fund to the Sanneh Foundation, a nonprofit organization, for one-time funding of out-of-school and summer programs. The bill directs these programs to provide mentoring, behavioral, social, and emotional learning support, and enrichment activities specifically for low-income students of color. The funds are available until spent in fiscal year 2026 and are intended to support youth development initiatives. This legislation directly affects the Sanneh Foundation as the recipient and the targeted student population in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 208 allocates $10 million in state bond proceeds to fund the construction and equipment of the Minnesota Latino Museum in St. Paul. The city of St. Paul will receive this grant to acquire property, design, build, and furnish the museum at 85 West Water Street on Harriet Island. The state will issue up to $10 million in bonds to cover this cost, following established bond procedures under Minnesota law. This bill specifically funds the physical museum facility, not ongoing operations or programming.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for ticket sales in Minnesota to increase transparency and prevent deceptive practices. It requires ticket sellers and online marketplaces to clearly display the total price, including all fees, and to provide buyers with proof of purchase and refund policies within 24 hours. The legislation also prohibits specific behaviors such as selling duplicate tickets, using unauthorized domain names, or bypassing online security measures to buy multiple tickets. The commissioner of commerce is given the authority to request data on how violations occur and to enforce these rules, with the law taking effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis law establishes new standards to protect African American children and those from other disproportionately represented groups within Minnesota's child welfare system. It requires social services agencies to make continuous, rigorous efforts to keep families together and prevent unnecessary removal of children from their homes. The act defines a higher level of care called "active efforts," which mandates that agencies involve families in planning services and respect their cultural values. Additionally, the legislation sets specific criteria for what constitutes a permanent adoptive placement and ensures that these protections apply alongside existing laws for Native American children.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local jurisdictions in Minnesota to choose ranked choice voting for their local elections, where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. It establishes specific rules for how these elections would be conducted, including procedures for counting votes and handling ballots where a candidate is eliminated based on the rankings. The legislation also permits local areas to use electronic voting machines that can automatically reallocate votes to remaining candidates after an initial winner is determined. However, the bill did not pass during the 2024 legislative session and therefore will not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the Minnesota Constitution to guarantee equal rights and prohibit discrimination for all people. It specifically protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, and sex, with the definition of sex explicitly including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation. If voters approve the amendment at the 2026 general election, the change will become effective on January 1, 2027. The text also establishes that any state action denying these rights must be the least restrictive way to achieve a very important government goal.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the Minnesota Constitution to guarantee equality under the law. The amendment would prohibit the state, its cities, counties, and other political subdivisions from denying or abridging rights based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry, or national origin. If approved by voters at the 2024 general election, the change would take effect on January 1, 2025. The measure is titled the "Equal Rights Amendment" and requires a simple yes or no vote from the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies, public universities, charter schools, and local municipalities from banning or removing rainbow flags and other rainbow displays from their property. While it protects these symbols, it includes an exception for public meeting rooms or spaces where general rules already restrict the display of any banners or posters. The law applies immediately upon enactment and ensures that government entities cannot enforce policies that specifically target rainbow imagery.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act to protect African American children and families from unnecessary removal from their homes. It creates a new advisory council and requires social services agencies to make "active efforts," which is a higher standard than usual, to keep these children safely with their families while respecting their cultural values. The legislation also mandates specific reports on how well these new protections are working and sets a future effective date of July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's unemployment insurance rules to clarify eligibility for workers who stop working due to a labor dispute at their workplace. It states that applicants involved in such disputes are not considered to have quit or been fired, nor are they on leave, which preserves their potential claim for benefits. The law specifies that eligibility depends on whether the worker is directly participating in the dispute or if the dispute involves a conflict between different labor organizations. Additionally, the bill clarifies that quitting or being fired while a dispute is active does not end the worker's participation in the dispute for benefit purposes.