Rep. Spencer Igo

Maddy summaryHF 1987, the Minnesota Starter Home Act, allows municipalities to permit more housing types in all residential zoning districts without requiring new zoning changes. It specifically authorizes single-family homes, duplexes, accessory dwelling units (in most cases), and townhouses on newly platted lots or vacant land. The bill exempts municipalities from needing comprehensive plan amendments for these housing types until December 2029. Additionally, it lowers the voting threshold for approving affordable housing developments from a two-thirds to a simple majority vote in local governing bodies.

Maddy summaryHF 485 amends Minnesota law to allow the Public Utilities Commission to issue certificates of need for new nuclear power plants with a maximum capacity of 300 megawatts. This change permits the construction of smaller-scale nuclear facilities, which were previously prohibited under existing statute. The bill specifically modifies Minnesota Statutes section 216B.243 to add this exception while maintaining the ban on larger nuclear projects. It directly affects nuclear developers seeking to build these smaller plants and the commission responsible for reviewing such applications.

Maddy summaryHF 845 modifies Minnesota's net metering rules for small-scale renewable energy systems. It allows customers with systems under 40 kilowatts to choose between receiving compensation based on the utility's avoided costs or the average retail electricity rate. The bill clarifies key terms like "designated meter" and "contiguous property" to streamline billing for these systems. This directly affects residential and small business customers with solar panels or similar renewable installations who generate excess electricity for the grid.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the maximum amount of private activity bonds that can be allocated to qualifying residential rental projects in Minnesota. It directly affects developers and investors involved in residential rental real estate financing by changing how bond limits are calculated. The key change replaces the previous 55 percent limit with a new calculation based on either 30 percent of the project's expected value or the maximum supportable debt, whichever is higher, but capped at 40 percent of the project's value. These adjustments will take effect on January 1, 2027, potentially limiting the amount of tax-advantaged financing available for certain rental housing developments.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates iron ore as the official state mineral of Minnesota. It requires the Office of the Secretary of State to keep a photograph and a typical specimen of iron ore on file. The legislation adds a new section to the Minnesota Statutes to establish this designation.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's housing tax credit program by updating who can receive funding and removing a previous expiration date for the credit. It clarifies definitions for key terms like "Greater Minnesota" and "qualified project," while establishing rules that reserve a portion of tax credits for projects in rural areas based on population percentages. The legislation also strengthens anti-abuse provisions by defining disqualified individuals and businesses who cannot receive grants or loans if they or their associates have already contributed to the housing tax credit account. These changes take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, and aim to ensure fair distribution of housing development funds across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain workers in transportation occupations from Minnesota's Paid Leave Law. It directly affects employees working for motor freight transportation and warehousing companies, as well as individuals in roles regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for hours of service. The law adds these two categories to the list of excluded workers in the state's paid leave statute. By removing these workers from the program's coverage, they would not be eligible for paid leave benefits under this specific law. The bill also allows excluded entities to opt into the program if they choose to do so.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to create and maintain a website where the public can track the status of environmental permit applications. The tool will display specific details such as facility names, permit types, and dates when each step of the review process is completed. It directly affects applicants seeking permits and members of the public who want transparency into agency processing timelines. The commissioner must establish this system immediately after the bill is enacted and continue to improve it over time.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Minnesota housing tax credit program to require that 50 percent of available tax credits be reserved for housing projects located outside the metropolitan area, known as Greater Minnesota. It also updates the program's definitions to clarify terms like "Greater Minnesota" and "qualified project" and establishes rules for how taxpayers can direct their contributions toward specific projects. Additionally, the legislation strengthens anti-abuse provisions by expanding the list of disqualified individuals and businesses that cannot receive grants or loans if they or their related parties have previously contributed to the tax credit account. These changes are designed to ensure broader geographic distribution of housing development funding and prevent conflicts of interest between contributors and recipients. The provisions will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 3761 appropriates $2,216,000 from state bond proceeds to fund sanitary sewer improvements in Hibbing. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds up to this amount and directs the Public Facilities Authority to provide a grant to Hibbing for designing, constructing, and installing structural liners inside existing sewer mains to reduce inflow and infiltration. This funding directly affects the city of Hibbing, enabling critical upgrades to its aging sewer infrastructure. The bill establishes the financial mechanism (bond issuance and appropriation) but does not alter existing sewer regulations or impose new requirements on residents.