Rep. Athena Hollins

Maddy summaryThis bill (HF 3556) is a naming resolution that commemorates Melissa Hortman by designating Minnesota's community solar garden program as the "Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program." It does not change any program rules, funding, or operations - it only adds a short title to Minnesota Statutes section 216B.1641. The bill directly honors Melissa Hortman, a former state legislator, through this naming. It is procedural and has no policy impact beyond the name change.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a one-time $10 million fund to reimburse Minnesota cities for costs related to federal immigration enforcement activities occurring between December 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. The money will be distributed to cities based on a pro-ratio of their verified expenses for public safety, emergency management, public works, and legal services during that period. Cities must submit detailed cost reports to the state auditor for review and certification before receiving their share of the aid. If a city receives federal reimbursement for the same expenses, it must return the lesser of the federal amount or the state aid received to the state treasury.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax in Minnesota that targets individuals and organizations convicted of fraud or those identified by the state revenue commissioner as having obtained money through deceitful means. The tax requires anyone who has successfully defrauded state programs to pay back 100 percent of the stolen amount, regardless of any existing fines or restitution already ordered by courts. The state revenue commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud, setting up a system to collect these payments, and ensuring the recovered funds are used specifically for income and property tax relief. The law applies retroactively to fraud cases determined after December 31, 2019, and also covers people who were paid to help commit the fraud.

Maddy summaryHF 793 establishes a voluntary certification program for commercial salt applicators (businesses that apply deicers for hire on private property) in Minnesota. To become certified, applicators must complete approved training on water-friendly snow/ice removal practices, pass an exam, and renew every decade. Certified applicators gain limited liability protection if they follow approved best practices and avoid gross negligence, but must maintain detailed records of deicer use and submit annual reports to the Pollution Control Agency. The program aims to reduce environmental harm from excessive salt runoff while providing a clear standard for commercial snow removal services.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Minnesota state and local government agencies, as well as law enforcement entities, from accepting military-grade weapons through the Pentagon's 1033 program. The legislation defines "military-grade weapons" to include combat vehicles, aircraft, and offensive arms while explicitly excluding non-weapon items like generators and medical equipment. By codifying this restriction in state law, the measure prevents these agencies from utilizing surplus military equipment intended for offensive purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission to establish rules and targets for the installation of energy storage systems by electric utilities. It requires utilities to install storage when upgrading power lines and mandates a statewide capacity goal of at least 3,000 megawatts by 2036. The legislation also clarifies how customer-owned solar and battery systems are measured for grid connection and creates a new compensation program to pay these customers for the energy they provide back to the grid. Additionally, the bill appropriates funds to support these initiatives and sets specific deadlines for the commission to issue necessary orders and tariffs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new state general levy specifically for residential homestead property in Minnesota, which will be collected starting with taxes payable in 2027. The legislation creates a formula where the amount levied on homeowners is calculated to ensure cities receive a specific level of state aid, replacing the previous method that excluded homesteads from this specific tax pool. Additionally, the bill modifies how state aid is distributed to cities by guaranteeing that each city receives an amount equal to its unmet need or its prior year's certified aid, whichever is greater. These changes aim to adjust the funding structure for local governments while introducing a dedicated tax source for residential properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for Minnesota's Independent Use of Force Investigations Unit by $550,000 for fiscal year 2027. The additional money will be used to hire two new special agents and one criminal intelligence analyst to investigate cases involving police use of force. The unit, which operates under the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, will receive these resources to expand its investigation capacity. The funding takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is drawn from the state's general fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health plans in Minnesota that offer maternity benefits to cover infertility treatment and standard fertility preservation services for their enrollees. It defines infertility based on medical criteria and specifies that coverage must match the cost-sharing terms applied to maternity care, including limits on oocyte retrievals but unlimited embryo transfers. The legislation also mandates that health plans cannot impose additional restrictions, waiting periods, or benefit maximums on these services beyond what applies to maternity coverage. Additionally, the state will reimburse health plans for the costs of providing these new benefits, but only for services that would not have been covered without this law.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Minnesota Business Recovery Loan Program to help businesses that have suffered financial losses due to increased immigration enforcement activities in the state. It appropriates $100 million in fiscal year 2026, with $18 million designated for zero-interest loans to businesses in greater Minnesota and $82 million for zero-interest loans to businesses in the seven-county metropolitan area through nonprofit lenders. To qualify, businesses must be located in Minnesota, owned by state residents, demonstrate a revenue loss of more than 30 percent between enactment and December 1, 2025, and show that losses resulted from staffing shortages, reduced customer access, or other immigration enforcement-related factors. The program provides loans ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 depending on business size and location, which must be used exclusively for business operations in Minnesota and cannot be used to repay prior debt or for real estate speculation.