Rep. Jeff Backer

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Minnesota's hospital construction moratorium, allowing hospitals to resume building new facilities or expanding existing ones without the restrictions previously imposed. It directly affects hospitals and hospital systems that had previously received exemptions from the moratorium, ensuring those exemptions remain in effect while removing the legal barriers that halted construction projects. The legislation amends state health statutes to eliminate specific sections that enforced the moratorium and updates inspection procedures, permitting the commissioner of health to verify compliance with construction standards while maintaining oversight through targeted validation inspections. Additionally, the bill clarifies that hospital licenses may be suspended or revoked if facilities fail to meet the conditions originally required for their construction exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota residents to deduct qualified overtime compensation from their state income tax, mirroring a federal tax provision. It directly affects workers who earn overtime pay and file Minnesota state income tax returns. The law adds a new subtraction category to state tax calculations, permitting this deduction for taxable years starting after December 31, 2024, with the provision remaining in effect through 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota's Department of Human Services to temporarily stop medical assistance payments to providers while investigating allegations of kickback fraud, without requiring prior notice or a hearing. It expands the state's definition of fraud to explicitly include illegal kickbacks and requires the department to update its rules to reflect this change. The legislation also mandates that providers receive written notice within five days of any payment suspension, explaining the general reasons while protecting ongoing investigation details, and outlines procedures for appealing the decision. Additionally, the bill authorizes the department to impose fines for incomplete documentation and requires forfeited payments to go to the state or managed care organizations when fraud is proven.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as Simon's Law, establishes procedures for providing life-sustaining treatment to unemancipated minors in Minnesota hospitals and health care facilities. It requires health care providers to notify at least one parent or legal guardian before instituting orders not to resuscitate or to withhold life-sustaining treatment, nutrition, or hydration, with a 48-hour waiting period after notification unless the situation is urgent. The law also outlines a transfer process allowing parents to request moving their child to another facility while ensuring continued life-sustaining care for up to 15 days during the decision-making period. These provisions aim to balance medical decision-making with parental involvement in critical care situations for minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the issuance of up to $35 million in state bonds to fund flood hazard mitigation projects in Minnesota's Red River Basin. The funds will be distributed through grants to three watershed districts for specific infrastructure improvements, including river rehabilitation and water retention projects. The legislation allows for a higher state contribution of up to 75 percent of project costs, which is an increase from the standard grant rate, and includes provisions for calculating local matching requirements based on household income levels. The bill takes effect immediately upon final enactment and directs the commissioner of natural resources to manage the distribution of these funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for pension income earned by volunteer firefighters in Minnesota, directly affecting individuals who serve as volunteer or on-call firefighters. The legislation defines volunteer firefighter pension income as annuity payments or lump-sum distributions from public retirement plans based on firefighting service. Starting with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, eligible recipients can subtract this income from their taxable income when filing state individual income tax returns. The bill amends existing Minnesota tax statutes to establish this new provision without changing how other retirement income is treated.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for firefighter pension income in Minnesota, allowing eligible individuals to reduce their taxable income by the amount of pensions received from firefighting service. It directly affects firefighters who receive annuity income or lump-sum payments from public retirement plans based on their firefighting work. The key provision adds a new subdivision to Minnesota tax law that defines firefighter pension income and establishes it as a deductible amount on individual income tax returns. The change will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, meaning firefighters will benefit from this tax relief starting in the 2026 tax year.

Maddy summaryHF 3375 modifies Minnesota's disability waiver payment system for certain home-based support services. It changes the calculation method for provider payments to include updated ratios for staffing, administration, and programming costs, and replaces daily hour limits with an annual cap of 2,190 hours per year for "individualized home supports with training" and "individualized home supports with family training." The bill clarifies these limits do not restrict other waiver services or apply to individuals receiving residential support services. It directly affects providers of these specific home support services and their clients, ensuring payment rates reflect current operational costs while setting new usage parameters. The changes take effect January 1, 2027, or upon federal approval.

Maddy summaryHF 2689 modifies Minnesota's physical therapy practice rules, primarily affecting licensed physical therapists, their assistants, and students in physical therapy programs. The bill clarifies supervision requirements: physical therapists must have direct patient contact during at least every second treatment session when supervising student physical therapists or student physical therapist assistants, and telecommunications (except within a facility) cannot satisfy "on-site supervision" for students. It repeals outdated sections of the law (148.65, subd. 9 and 148.77) and updates definitions for "physical therapy" and student roles. The bill does not specify the nature of the new criminal penalties mentioned in its title.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the time limit for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Minnesota from four years to two years, directly affecting patients seeking to sue healthcare providers for negligence. It also restricts how much money plaintiffs can collect from a provider's personal income or assets, allowing such collection only if the provider acted willfully or maliciously or failed to carry at least $1 million in insurance. Additionally, the bill caps noneconomic damages for pain and suffering at $500,000 and limits economic damages to the actual medical expenses paid or owed by the patient. These changes would take effect on August 1, 2025, and apply to cases filed on or after that date.