Rep. Liish Kozlowski

Maddy summaryHF 116 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund to (Neo)Muralismos de Mexico. The funds will directly support expanding arts programming that celebrates Latino cultural heritage through workshops, artist support, and capacity building. Key provisions include providing professional development, networking opportunities, and presentation platforms for Latino artists and cultural organizations. This bill specifically targets funding for a single organization to strengthen community arts initiatives focused on Latino cultural expression.

Maddy summaryHF 262 prohibits employers from paying people with disabilities less than the state minimum wage, effective August 1, 2025 for new hires and August 1, 2027 for all current employees, ending the use of federal or state special certificates that allow subminimum wages. It requires providers of home and community-based services to report data on individuals currently paid subminimum wages by August 1, 2027, including personal details and employment metrics. The bill appropriates $38,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $75,000 in fiscal year 2027 to enhance the MnCHOICES system with employment-related resources. These changes directly affect employers, service providers, and people with disabilities working in supported employment programs across Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 37 proposes adding a new constitutional guarantee to Minnesota's state constitution, stating that "Elections shall be free, fair, and equal. No civil or military power shall, at any time, interfere with the free exercise of the right to vote." If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, this amendment would take effect January 1, 2027, directly affecting all Minnesotans participating in elections by establishing this fundamental principle. The bill specifies the exact wording for the constitutional amendment and the ballot question voters would see. It does not create new election procedures but enshrines this standard into the state constitution.

Maddy summaryHF 208 allocates $10 million in state bond proceeds to fund the construction and equipment of the Minnesota Latino Museum in St. Paul. The city of St. Paul will receive this grant to acquire property, design, build, and furnish the museum at 85 West Water Street on Harriet Island. The state will issue up to $10 million in bonds to cover this cost, following established bond procedures under Minnesota law. This bill specifically funds the physical museum facility, not ongoing operations or programming.

Maddy summaryThis law establishes new standards to protect African American children and those from other disproportionately represented groups within Minnesota's child welfare system. It requires social services agencies to make continuous, rigorous efforts to keep families together and prevent unnecessary removal of children from their homes. The act defines a higher level of care called "active efforts," which mandates that agencies involve families in planning services and respect their cultural values. Additionally, the legislation sets specific criteria for what constitutes a permanent adoptive placement and ensures that these protections apply alongside existing laws for Native American children.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the state of Minnesota to provide a one-time grant of $1,000,000 from the general fund to the Entrepreneur Fund. The money is intended to help the fund offer loans to for-profit businesses in northeast Minnesota that are starting new ventures, expanding existing operations, or changing ownership. These loans aim to fill gaps in financing that these businesses cannot meet through other sources. The legislation specifically authorizes the commissioner of employment and economic development to use these funds for this purpose in fiscal year 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's rules for licensing doctors who graduated from medical schools outside the United States. It requires these applicants to prove their school is equivalent to U.S. or Canadian institutions, pass specific medical exams, and demonstrate proficiency in English. A key provision creates a new "limited license" for foreign-trained physicians who have at least five years of work experience abroad and are willing to practice in rural or underserved urban areas. This limited license waives the usual one-year clinical training requirement and mandates that employers pay these doctors a salary comparable to a medical resident.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies, public universities, charter schools, and local municipalities from banning or removing rainbow flags and other rainbow displays from their property. While it protects these symbols, it includes an exception for public meeting rooms or spaces where general rules already restrict the display of any banners or posters. The law applies immediately upon enactment and ensures that government entities cannot enforce policies that specifically target rainbow imagery.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act to protect African American children and families from unnecessary removal from their homes. It creates a new advisory council and requires social services agencies to make "active efforts," which is a higher standard than usual, to keep these children safely with their families while respecting their cultural values. The legislation also mandates specific reports on how well these new protections are working and sets a future effective date of July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's unemployment insurance rules to clarify eligibility for workers who stop working due to a labor dispute at their workplace. It states that applicants involved in such disputes are not considered to have quit or been fired, nor are they on leave, which preserves their potential claim for benefits. The law specifies that eligibility depends on whether the worker is directly participating in the dispute or if the dispute involves a conflict between different labor organizations. Additionally, the bill clarifies that quitting or being fired while a dispute is active does not end the worker's participation in the dispute for benefit purposes.