Rep. Liz Lee

Maddy summaryHF 2144 appropriates unspecified funds from the general fund for the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program under Minnesota Statutes § 462A.204, for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The bill directly affects families in Minnesota at risk of homelessness by providing funding for prevention and assistance services. Key provisions include directing the Housing Finance Agency to administer the program using these allocated funds. This is a funding bill with no new policy requirements, solely authorizing budget resources for an existing state program.

Maddy summaryHF 1658 appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 and another $2.5 million for fiscal year 2027 to provide subsidies to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Minnesota. These centers, which serve underserved communities with primary care, directly benefit from this funding under Minnesota Statutes section 145.9269. The bill establishes a specific annual funding amount to support FQHC operations and services. This is a straightforward funding allocation, not a policy change, with no additional eligibility or distribution details provided in the text.

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 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 1930 prohibits employers or others from taking economic action (like firing or threatening job loss) against individuals who refuse to communicate with public or local officials about government decisions. It directly affects residents and workers who may be pressured to discuss legislative or administrative actions with officials. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add this protection under section 10A.36, making such reprisals a gross misdemeanor, while allowing exceptions if political views are a legitimate job requirement. This law aims to protect free speech and refusal to engage with officials without fear of workplace retaliation.

Maddy summaryHF 1750 establishes the Minnesota Civic Fund program, replacing the existing political contribution refund program. It allows donors to receive credits toward future political contributions instead of cash refunds, with political committees required to report redeemed credits. The bill amends campaign finance laws (Minnesota Statutes, chapters 10A and 10B) to define "contribution" to include Civic Fund credits and mandates reporting on credit redemptions. This directly affects political committees, candidates, and donors participating in Minnesota's campaign finance system.

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 1359 increases funding for solid waste management by changing how fees collected from waste management are allocated. Starting in 2026, 7% of these fees will go to a resource management account (rising to 20% in 2027 and 30% after 2028), instead of the general fund. The funds must be distributed to counties for waste management programs under state law. This directly affects counties receiving these allocations and changes the percentage of fees dedicated to environmental resource management over time. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 1544 appropriates funds from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund to the City of St. Paul for a winter festival on Lake Phalen. The bill specifically allocates money for a festival featuring ice castles and community opportunities to carve and display ice sculptures. This funding directly supports St. Paul's local event planning and community engagement activities at Lake Phalen during fiscal year 2026.