Rep. Pete Johnson

Maddy summaryHF 1550 allows Minnesota school districts to renew expiring capital projects referendums through a school board resolution instead of holding a new voter election, under specific conditions. It directly affects school districts with referendums nearing expiration that meet all renewal requirements. Key provisions require the renewal amount to match the expiring referendum, the renewal term to be no longer than the original term, and the board to hold a public hearing with a recorded vote before adopting a written resolution. The resolution must be submitted to the commissioner and county auditor by September 1, and cannot be used if the referendum was previously renewed via board action. This streamlines renewal for districts with unchanged project funding needs.

Maddy summaryHF 1535 allocates $1.7 million from Minnesota's general fund for a one-time grant to the Duluth Children's Museum, a nonprofit organization. The funding is specifically for designing, constructing, furnishing, and equipping capital improvements to expand the museum's building in Duluth. This appropriation is available until the project is completed or abandoned, as outlined in Minnesota Statutes section 16A.642. The bill directly affects the Duluth Children's Museum by providing resources for physical infrastructure upgrades.

Maddy summaryHF 1537 appropriates $44 million from state bond proceeds to fund Minnesota's Port Development Assistance Program under Chapter 457A of state law. The funds must be used for publicly owned port infrastructure improvements, such as docks or equipment. The commissioner of management and budget will issue up to $44 million in state bonds to provide this funding, following established bond procedures. This bill directly affects Minnesota ports seeking capital improvements for public use.

Maddy summaryHF 1246 appropriates $2.25 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) in Minnesota. The funds support NDC's small business programs, including training, lending, business services, and real estate initiatives. Money may also assist organizations outside the seven-county metro area with technical assistance and grants, provide one-on-one entrepreneur support, and fund a cybersecurity center's operations and marketing. This is a one-time appropriation, with unspent funds carrying over to the second year.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.5 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support the Greater Minnesota business development public infrastructure grant program. The funds will be administered by the commissioner of employment and economic development under Minnesota Statutes § 116J.431. The program directly assists businesses located outside Minneapolis (referred to as "Greater Minnesota") by providing grants for public infrastructure improvements. This is a funding allocation, not a new policy, with no changes to program eligibility or requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1281 appropriates $750,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund a lake sturgeon project at the Great Lakes Aquarium. The funds will support rearing and stocking lake sturgeon, along with public education about their historical, cultural, and biological significance in the St. Louis River. This project is implemented in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bill directly affects these organizations by providing dedicated funding for conservation and educational activities focused on lake sturgeon recovery.

Maddy summaryHF 684 increases property tax relief for Minnesota veterans with service-connected disabilities. It raises the market value exclusion from $150,000 to $165,000 for veterans with a 70%+ disability rating, and from $300,000 to $330,000 for those with a 100% permanent disability. This directly benefits veterans meeting VA certification requirements, their surviving spouses (if the veteran died in service), and primary family caregivers approved by the VA. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 273.13, subdivision 34, to implement these specific dollar increases in tax relief.

Maddy summaryHF 1152 amends Minnesota Statutes to clarify and update the mission and operations of Explore Minnesota, the state tourism office. The bill modifies sections defining Explore Minnesota's purpose to explicitly include promoting "livability" and "workforce and economic opportunity" alongside tourism, and updates the director's duties to emphasize partnerships, efficiency, and data collection. It revises how the office manages promotional contracts, requiring the director to coordinate marketing strategies with other state agencies and expand international tourism programs. The changes directly affect Explore Minnesota's director, its divisions (Tourism, Business, Film), and local communities that partner with the office on marketing efforts. The bill focuses on streamlining operations and aligning promotional activities with broader economic development goals.

Maddy summaryHF 972 appropriates $21.2 million from state bond proceeds to fund capital improvements at Duluth's Lakewood water treatment plant. The city of Duluth will receive a grant to design and build repairs including rehabilitating the granular infiltration system, roof repairs, and upgrades to water reservoirs and pump stations. The funding is authorized through the sale of state bonds under Minnesota's bond law. This bill directly affects Duluth residents who rely on the Lakewood plant's water treatment services by ensuring infrastructure upgrades to support ongoing operations.

Maddy summaryHF 849 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to Duluth Public Schools for the Duluth Promise initiative. The funding directly supports high school students in Duluth and St. Louis County by creating career pathways in high-demand fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and business finance. Key provisions include establishing early college credit opportunities, employer partnerships, job skills training, and wraparound support services to reduce employment barriers. The money must be used for program expenses such as hiring staff, facility rentals, and student support services, with funds available until June 30, 2027.