Rep. Cal Warwas

Maddy summaryHF 2318 updates Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) system. It increases pension adjustment revenue for school districts (e.g., setting St. Paul's rate at 3.25% for 2026+ and other districts at 2.0% for 2026+), raises employer contribution rates (e.g., requiring 9.5% for coordinated members and 13.5% for basic members by 2025), and provides unreduced retirement annuities for teachers who reach age 62 with 30 years of service. These changes directly affect public school districts (as employers) and TRA members (teachers). The bill appropriates funds to support these adjustments and amends specific sections of Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summaryHF 200 appropriates $35 million in state funds for Minnesota towns' road and bridge maintenance, with $25 million specifically for roads and $10 million for bridges. The funds will come from bonds issued by the state under Minnesota law, to be distributed by the commissioner of transportation according to existing rules (Minnesota Statutes §162.081). This bill directly affects Minnesota towns needing infrastructure repairs by providing dedicated funding for local road and bridge projects. The bond sales and fund distribution follow established procedures outlined in Minnesota Statutes and the state constitution.

Maddy summaryHF 2662 provides financial aid to Minnesota ambulance services with low emergency response density (30 or fewer responses per square mile). Eligible providers receive funding calculated in three parts: 20% equally distributed, 40% based on service area size (capped at 1,200 sq miles), and 40% based on a points system for emergency calls. The bill appropriates $15 million annually for 2026-2027, requiring recipients to spend funds within two years on local ambulance services and submit annual reports on usage. It excludes specialized life support responses from calculations and mandates reporting to the legislature on fund distribution. This directly affects rural ambulance providers with limited service area coverage.

Maddy summaryHF 2339 increases Minnesota's income threshold for the child tax credit, allowing more families to qualify for the full benefit before credits begin phasing out. The bill raises the phaseout threshold from $35,000 to $45,490 for married couples filing jointly and from $29,500 to $38,340 for other filers. This change directly affects Minnesota taxpayers with children who file individual income tax returns, as it prevents the credit from decreasing at lower income levels. The bill also requires future annual inflation adjustments to these thresholds starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 3151 prohibits health care providers in Minnesota from offering gender-affirming medical care (like hormone therapy or puberty blockers) or certain counseling to minors under 18. It directly affects minors seeking such care, their health care providers, and public health programs that could fund this care. Exceptions include treatment for precocious puberty or intersex conditions when medically necessary, and mental health counseling that doesn't affirm a gender identity differing from biological sex. Violations carry severe penalties, including $500,000 fines per violation, license revocation, up to 10 years in prison, and civil lawsuits by guardians. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 601 appropriates $125,000 for livestock depredation compensation and $125,000 for crop damage compensation under Minnesota law, directly affecting farmers who suffer wildlife-related losses. The livestock funding covers compensation for destroyed or crippled livestock and allows up to $5,000 for university educators to assess fair market values. The crop funding supports compensation for damaged crops, includes $10,000 for claim investigations, and allocates $40,000 for grants to protect stored crops from elk. Both funds are one-time appropriations available until June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public employees in Minnesota's police and fire retirement plan who are 55 years or older to receive their full retirement pay without reduction or suspension when they return to government employment. It amends retirement laws to require the retirement plan administrator to pay a normal retirement annuity without cutting it off due to reemployment, provided the retiree has reached age 55. The law also clarifies that continued employment does not change the annuity amount, and neither the member nor their employer must make additional retirement contributions. These changes take effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 433 appropriates $10.5 million from state bond proceeds to fund the Cloquet Area Fire District's project for acquiring land, demolishing old structures, and building one or more new fire stations. The bill directly affects the Cloquet Area Fire District and its residents by enabling the construction of updated fire facilities. Key provisions authorize the state to issue bonds up to $10.5 million, with funds managed by the commissioner of employment and economic development for site preparation, design, construction, and equipment. This is a capital investment bill focused solely on providing concrete funding for infrastructure, not on policy changes or services beyond the fire station project.

Maddy summaryHF 500 repeals Minnesota's Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board and related statutes (sections 181.211-181.217) that previously established requirements for nursing home staffing and worker protections. This bill directly affects nursing home employers in Minnesota by removing these specific regulatory standards. The key mechanism is the complete repeal of the board and its associated provisions, eliminating the legal framework that required nursing homes to comply with workforce standards and penalties for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryHF 2237 increases retirement benefits for Minnesota state employees covered under three plans: the General State Employees Retirement Plan, Legislators Retirement Plan, and Unclassified State Employees Retirement Program. The bill raises the annuity multiplier from 1.7% to 1.9% per year for retirement service after June 30, 2025, and increases the annual postretirement adjustment from 1.5% to 1.75% for recipients with over 12 months of benefits. These changes, effective July 1, 2025, will directly increase monthly retirement payments for eligible current and future retirees. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 352.115 and 356.415 to implement these specific percentage adjustments.