Rep. Liish Kozlowski

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the zoning authority of local governments in Minnesota by requiring them to allow certain housing types in specific areas. It applies primarily to municipalities with populations over 1,000 in the metropolitan area, while smaller communities are largely exempt. The law mandates that cities and towns permit mixed housing such as duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses in commercial districts and other zones that allow such development. Additionally, it requires municipalities to establish a standardized administrative review process for approving multifamily residential developments, ensuring consistent handling of housing requests across jurisdictions. These changes aim to increase housing options by reducing local restrictions on building types and streamlining approval procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's state grain designation to formally recognize wild rice, including its scientific names and both the English and Ojibwe terms for the plant. It amends state statutes to declare wild rice as the official state grain and establishes a policy recognizing the inherent right of uncultivated wild rice to exist and thrive in Minnesota. The legislation also allows a photograph of wild rice to be displayed in the Office of the Secretary of State. This change affects state government records and official symbols while honoring Indigenous language and cultural significance.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits operating motorized watercraft in uncultivated wild rice beds in Minnesota, directly affecting boaters and watercraft operators in affected waterways. The law requires that any watercraft entering these areas must be propelled by hand, such as a canoe or skiff, and bans operating at speeds greater than slow-no-wake within 150 feet of uncultivated wild rice beds. These restrictions aim to protect wild rice habitats from damage caused by boat motors and wake. The bill amends existing Minnesota statutes to add these specific protections for uncultivated wild rice beds.

Maddy summaryHF 3652 adds epilepsy to Minnesota's list of chronic diseases that qualify for reduced cost-sharing on prescription drugs and medical supplies under health insurance plans. The bill amends existing law to define "chronic disease" as including diabetes, asthma, allergies requiring epinephrine, and now epilepsy. It ensures that cost-sharing (like co-pays and coinsurance) for epilepsy-related medications and supplies - such as seizure management drugs, medical devices, and related equipment - cannot exceed the same limits applied to other covered chronic conditions. This change would apply to health plans offered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHF 309 amends Minnesota Statutes §84.523 to tighten mining restrictions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and Rainy River headwaters. The bill requires the commissioner of natural resources to determine that proposed mining (for taconite, sand, gravel, or granite) in the Rainy River headwaters would not harm the BWCA before any permits are issued. This modifies existing law by adding this specific assessment step, directly affecting mining operations seeking approval in these areas. The change maintains the general prohibition on mining without legislative approval but adds a new administrative requirement for the commissioner to evaluate environmental impacts. The bill focuses on protecting the BWCA's wilderness character through stricter permitting conditions.

Maddy summaryHF 3794 prohibits businesses from using automated systems to set individualized prices or wages based on surveillance data about consumers or workers. It directly affects companies that collect and analyze personal data like browsing history, location, biometrics, or purchase habits to adjust pricing or pay. The bill defines key terms (e.g., "surveillance data" includes inferred behaviors and biometrics) and allows exceptions for cost-based pricing, publicly available group discounts (like for veterans or seniors), and insurance risk assessments. It creates new legal standards to prevent discrimination tied to personal data collection, without banning all personalized pricing.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding in fiscal year 2027 to the Pollution Control Agency to conduct a study on critical materials found in Minnesota's waste stream. The study will estimate the volume of products containing these materials, measure how much is currently recovered through recycling, and assess the total amount present in waste. The commissioner must complete the research and submit the findings to legislative committees by October 1, 2028. "Critical materials" are defined as specific resources listed by the U.S. Department of Energy that are essential for national security and economic stability.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.5 million from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the City of Minneapolis to create a public memorial honoring Renée Good and Alex Pretti. The memorial will feature statues, educational exhibits, and a space for community reflection, focusing on their deaths and the broader issues of civil rights and immigration enforcement. The project requires a collaborative planning process involving local residents, civil rights groups, artists, and historians, with oversight provided by a partnership including city officials and state legislators. While the state provides the initial funding, the city is permitted to seek additional private donations and partnerships to cover design, programming, and long-term maintenance costs.

Maddy summaryHF 3642 prohibits the placement or operation of virtual currency kiosks in Minnesota, directly affecting businesses that provide physical kiosks for exchanging virtual currency (like Bitcoin) for cash or vice versa. The bill's key provision bans these kiosks outright, replacing prior regulations that had defined terms like "new customer" and set transaction limits. It repeals all existing statutes (53B.69 to 53B.75) that previously governed virtual currency kiosk operations, removing the legal framework that allowed such kiosks to function under specific conditions. As a result, no virtual currency kiosks may legally operate within the state under this law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Metropolitan Airports Commission to increase transparency regarding flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport that transport detained immigrants. Specifically, it mandates that the airport operator notify the commission whenever U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrives or departs with passengers being held in restraints. The legislation also requires the commission to install a live-streaming camera to record these flights and to submit monthly reports detailing the number of detained individuals, including minors, on each trip. These measures are designed to provide the public and state officials with real-time data and regular updates on immigration-related air traffic at the airport.