Rep. Ben Davis

Maddy summaryHF 3537 repeals Minnesota's estate tax, ending the state tax on inherited property. This directly affects individuals who inherit assets from deceased relatives, particularly those with estates exceeding the exemption threshold. The bill removes references to the estate tax from multiple tax statutes (including sections on income tax, tribal tax agreements, and return requirements) and sets an effective date of January 1, 2026, for estates of decedents dying after December 31, 2025. The changes ensure other tax laws no longer reference the repealed estate tax.

Maddy summaryHF 3565 allocates $500,000 from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for fiscal year 2027 to replace the Sullivan Lake Dam in Morrison County. The bill directly affects the dam project by providing specific funding to the Commissioner of Natural Resources. It is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond the financial allocation. The bill was introduced on February 23, 2026, and referred to the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy committee.

Maddy summaryHF 1 establishes a centralized Office of Inspector General (OIG) for Minnesota state government, replacing existing agency-specific inspector general offices. The OIG will oversee state spending, require agencies to halt payments when fraud is suspected, and mandate a fraud reporting hotline for employees and contractors. It directly affects all state agencies and recipients of state funds (such as contractors and organizations administering state programs) by requiring them to report suspected fraud and prohibiting retaliation against whistleblowers. The bill also specifies the OIG must coordinate with the legislative auditor and amends statutes related to fraud detection, waste prevention, and oversight.

Maddy summaryHF 3538 prohibits public school instruction about gender identity for students in kindergarten through grade 8, effective for the 2026-2027 school year. It requires schools to notify parents or guardians about changes to a student's health, well-being, or services, and mandates parental written consent before administering certain health screenings to K-8 students. The bill also establishes a grant program to fund firearms safety, archery, hunting, and angling activities in school physical education courses. These provisions directly affect Minnesota public schools, students, and parents, with all major sections taking effect in the 2026-2027 school year.

Maddy summaryHF 3539 establishes a grant program for Minnesota school districts to integrate firearms safety, trap shooting, archery, hunting, and angling into physical education courses. School districts can apply for funding to cover curriculum development, staff training, equipment, and student licenses, with $1 million appropriated for fiscal year 2027. The program requires schools to align activities with existing PE standards and mandates a 2027 report to the legislature on outcomes and participation. This affects public and tribal schools seeking to expand outdoor skills education within required physical education frameworks.

Maddy summaryHF 3533 prohibits public school teachers from discussing gender identity in classrooms for students in kindergarten through grade 8, effective for the 2026-2027 school year. The bill requires schools to notify parents about changes in a student's health, well-being, or school environment, and mandates written parental permission before administering well-being questionnaires to K-8 students. It also requires schools to obtain parental consent for health services and ensures parents can access their child's health records. These provisions directly affect K-8 public school students, teachers, and school administrators in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 2517 restricts MinnesotaCare (the state's Medicaid program) from using public funds to cover abortions, except in three specific cases: when the pregnancy endangers the patient's life, causes substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, or results from rape or incest. This directly affects MinnesotaCare enrollees who might seek abortion coverage, limiting public funding to those narrow exceptions. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes § 256L.03 to clarify that public funds cannot cover abortions outside these circumstances. The change applies to all MinnesotaCare-covered health services, excluding the listed exceptions.

Maddy summaryHF 29 suspends the scheduled 2030-2031 review of Minnesota's social studies academic standards and repeals requirements for schools to include ethnic studies content in their curriculum. It also cancels funding allocated for ethnic studies programs. The bill modifies existing education statutes by removing mandates for schools to integrate ethnic studies or Indigenous education into social studies standards, effectively eliminating these curriculum components. This directly affects Minnesota public schools and students by removing specific educational content requirements and associated funding. The changes take effect upon final enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 1 would repeal the provision allowing undocumented adults to enroll in MinnesotaCare, ending their current eligibility for this state health coverage program. The bill directly affects undocumented adults in Minnesota who currently receive health coverage through MinnesotaCare. Its key mechanism is removing the specific language that permits this coverage, effectively ending their access to the program. This is a repeal of an existing policy, not a new benefit.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires underground telecommunications installers working near existing utilities to be "safety-qualified" starting in 2025. It mandates that certified installers must perform utility location checks (via hand/hydro-excavation) and monitor directional drilling operations, with at least two certified installers present during drilling. Installers must complete a 40-hour training course covering utility safety, incident response, and equipment use, pass an exam, and take 4-hour refresher courses every three years to maintain certification. The rule applies to all installations within 10 feet of existing utilities or crossing them, beginning July 1, 2025, in the seven-county metro area and January 1, 2026, statewide - excluding private property installations under 36 inches deep.