Rep. Liish Kozlowski

Maddy summaryHF 1507 appropriates $1,058,200 from the general fund for capital improvements at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth. The funding, provided as a one-time grant to the Lake Superior Center Authority, covers predesign, construction, and renovations including mechanical/electrical system replacements, utility upgrades, life-safety improvements, and exterior facility work. This bill directly affects the Great Lakes Aquarium's physical infrastructure and operations in Duluth. The appropriation is available until the project is completed or abandoned, effective immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a $5,000 annual income tax credit for Minnesota graduates of accredited aerospace or aviation educational programs during their first five years of full-time employment with qualifying employers. It also provides a tax credit for employers who reimburse tuition for these graduates during the same five-year period. The credit applies only to graduates with degrees, certificates, or FAA-recognized certifications from approved programs at eligible institutions. Both credits are limited to the taxpayer's annual income tax liability and expire after five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill gives renters in Minnesota the right to temporarily host a youth under age 25 in their rental unit for up to 60 days without landlord retaliation. Renters must notify landlords within 7 days of the youth's arrival, providing basic details like the youth's name and age (or full name and birthdate if 18+), but landlords cannot raise rent, evict, or require the youth to sign a lease during this period. The tenant remains responsible for rent, damages, and other lease obligations. Landlords who violate this law face dismissed eviction cases, liability for damages, and payment of tenant's legal costs.

Maddy summaryHF 1729 authorizes St. Louis County to sell two specific parcels of tax-forfeited land through private sale instead of public auction. The bill applies directly to these parcels: a 15-foot strip in West Duluth and a defined portion in Section 14, Township 54, Range 20. County officials must determine that returning these lands to private ownership best serves their land management interests. The sale requires attorney general approval, including corrections to land descriptions for accuracy.

Maddy summaryHF 1628 prohibits solitary confinement in Minnesota jails and prisons, defined as cell confinement depriving inmates of meaningful visual or auditory contact for more than 20 hours in a day or 45 hours in any three-day period. It directly affects all inmates in state and local adult correctional facilities, with special protections for vulnerable populations like minors, pregnant individuals, people with mental illness, or those with serious medical conditions. The bill requires facilities to document segregation placements, submit quarterly reports to the Corrections Commissioner, and adopt rules identifying vulnerable individuals. It also bans "unassigned idle" confinement exceeding 10 hours daily and mandates that segregated housing conditions approximate those in general population.

Maddy summaryHF 1006 allows Minnesota local governments to grant property tax abatements (temporary tax reductions) specifically for land bank organizations holding vacant, blighted, or foreclosed properties. It directly affects land banks - defined as nonprofits or affiliated LLCs managing such properties for future development - by adding "allowing the property to be held by a land bank organization for future development" as a valid reason for tax abatements under state law. The bill amends tax statutes to require that abatements for land bank properties last no longer than five years. This change aims to support land banks in stabilizing neighborhoods and preparing properties for redevelopment without long-term tax revenue loss for communities.

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 1549 requires Minnesota public school districts and charter schools to allow American Indian drumming at graduation ceremonies when requested by the school's American Indian parent committee or student organization. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 124D.792 to explicitly state that schools must not prohibit American Indian regalia or objects of cultural significance at graduations, and must permit drumming upon request. It directly affects public schools in Minnesota and impacts American Indian students, families, and cultural practices during graduation events. The key provision is a mandatory allowance of drumming upon formal request, not a general permission.

Maddy summaryHF 1390 appropriates $500,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the 1854 Treaty Authority to study bear populations in the ceded area from the 1854 treaty between the Lake Superior Chippewa and the U.S. government. The bill requires the Authority to complete a study assessing current bear populations, factors affecting them, and future population trends by December 31, 2026. The study results must be submitted to the chairs and ranking members of the relevant legislative environment policy committees. This funding directly supports the 1854 Treaty Authority's work on wildlife management within the treaty area.

Maddy summaryHF 1539 adjusts special education funding for Duluth's Independent School District No. 709. It increases the district's annual special education initial aid by $500,000 starting in fiscal year 2026 to account for changes not included in the 2016 funding base. The bill also creates a new $1 million annual supplemental special education aid for the district beginning in 2026. These funds are appropriated from the state general fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The bill directly affects Duluth School District No. 709's special education budget.