Rep. Leigh Finke

Maddy summaryHF 1884 requires Minnesota retailers selling mercury-containing skin-lightening products to display visible warning signs starting August 1, 2026. The signs must state that these products are illegal and warn users of health risks like skin damage, and must be placed where customers can easily see them while shopping. The signage must be developed jointly by state health and pollution agencies and displayed in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, French, Ethiopian, and Oromo languages. This bill directly affects retailers in Minnesota who sell such products.

Maddy summaryHF 2707 appropriates $11.125 million for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund to support sexually exploited youth or youth at risk of sexual exploitation under Minnesota Statutes §256K.47. At least $9 million annually must fund street outreach, emergency shelter, regional navigators, and housing services for these youth. The bill directly affects vulnerable youth in Minnesota by providing dedicated funding for critical safe harbor resources and housing support. It establishes concrete funding mechanisms without altering existing statutes or creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1412 appropriates $202,600 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Health for a one-time grant to the Division of Indian Work. The bill directs this funding to develop and pilot culturally specific suicide prevention curriculum for Native American youth in Minnesota. The curriculum must cover mental health, emotional intelligence, depression, and suicide, providing practical tools for students to support themselves and others. It specifically targets Native American youth and is not intended for general school use.

Maddy summaryHF 2459 appropriates $150,000 for the 2026 fiscal year and $150,000 for 2027 to the Metro Deaf School. The funding provides services specifically for young children with deafness, deafblindness, or hard-of-hearing disabilities who do not qualify for existing state funding under Minnesota Statutes §124E.11(h). This is a one-time appropriation, directly supporting the school's ability to serve this specific student population. The bill does not change eligibility rules but provides dedicated funding for an underserved group.

Maddy summaryHF 2547 appropriates $X from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide a grant to Interfaith Action, a nonprofit organization. The funds are specifically designated for shelter operations, case management, staffing, on-site support services, and programming aimed at helping families experiencing homelessness achieve stability and self-sufficiency. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2027. The bill directly affects Interfaith Action's ability to operate shelters and support services for homeless families in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 2545 appropriates unspecified funds from Minnesota's general budget for a grant to Interfaith Action to support workforce development programs. The bill directly affects individuals experiencing housing instability by funding job training, job placement assistance, and employer connections. Key provisions allow the grant to cover licensure/certification in high-demand healthcare fields, expand child care workforce training, and create employer partnerships for direct hiring pathways. The funding is administered through the commissioner of employment and economic development, with no specific dollar amount provided in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHF 775 requires Minnesota school districts to create written policies ensuring parents of children with disabilities can fully participate in their child's education. Specifically, districts must establish processes for providing free language assistance (like interpreters or translated documents) for non-English-speaking parents and reasonable accommodations (such as sign language interpreters or modified meeting formats) for parents with disabilities, without requiring health information disclosure. These policies must be posted in multiple languages on district websites, shared annually with parents, and kept confidential. The bill directly affects school districts and parents interacting with special education programs, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's HF 1150 requires the Pollution Control Agency to study AI's environmental impacts in the state and submit a report by January 1, 2027. The study must assess energy/water use across AI's full lifecycle (hardware mining, data centers, model development), potential local impacts like grid stress, and both positive (e.g., energy efficiency) and negative effects (e.g., rebound pollution). The bill appropriates funds from the general fund for this study and mandates stakeholder input during the process. The report will inform Minnesota's policymakers about AI's environmental footprint and potential mitigation strategies.

Maddy summaryHF 1186 appropriates $400,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide a grant to FilmNorth, a Minnesota film industry organization. The funds will support FilmNorth in developing statewide plans, programs, and resources to grow Minnesota's film industry. Key provisions focus on career-connected learning, workforce development, and business development, with specific emphasis on better supporting people from marginalized and rural communities. This bill directly affects FilmNorth and the broader Minnesota film industry workforce, particularly those in underserved areas.

Maddy summaryHF 2010 raises Minnesota's age of consent for criminal sexual conduct from 16 to 18 years old in cases where the offender is 22 or older. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 609.344 and 609.345 to remove consent as a defense and criminalize sexual contact between minors aged 16-17 and partners 22+ years old. It specifically targets situations where the age gap exceeds 36 months (3 years) and the offender holds authority over the minor. The law takes effect August 1, 2025, imposing criminal penalties for violations that previously might have been treated as consensual.