Sen. Jeff Howe

Maddy summarySF 2829 requires that any bill increasing residential construction or remodeling costs by $3,000 or more per unit must be referred to legislative committees with housing finance and policy jurisdiction, rather than other committees. This procedural rule applies directly to housing-related bills meeting the cost threshold, ensuring they receive specialized review. The bill does not change housing policy but alters the referral process for specific legislation. It amends Minnesota Statutes chapter 3 to establish this requirement. The bill is procedural and does not create new housing regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota residents to keep their vehicle license plates for life when purchasing a new car or renewing registration, provided the registration remains valid and isn't suspended. It removes the current seven-year requirement for replacing standard passenger vehicle plates, meaning owners can retain their plate numbers indefinitely. However, it does not apply to temporary plates, dealer plates, commercial fleet plates, rental vehicles, or plates for school driver education vehicles. The policy affects all Minnesota residents who register standard passenger vehicles and choose to opt for lifetime plate retention during eligible transactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's definition of "killed in the line of duty" for public safety officers, specifically adding three scenarios where deaths are presumed work-related: heart attacks/strokes during nonroutine stressful activities (like emergency responses), suicides linked to PTSD or traumatic events within 45 days, and deaths from infectious disease exposure during duty. It directly affects police officers, firefighters, EMTs, correctional staff, and other public safety personnel covered under the expanded definition in Minnesota Statutes §299A.41. The changes apply retroactively to November 1, 2022 (for most scenarios) and February 1, 2020 (for infectious disease cases). Additionally, the bill requires the commissioner of public safety to annually report federal changes affecting these benefits.

Maddy summarySF 339 establishes a property tax credit for licensed in-home child care providers in Minnesota. It provides a 50% credit on the net property tax owed for qualifying homes used to operate family day care programs (including the house, garage, and surrounding one acre of land), after subtracting other applicable credits. The credit applies to property taxes payable starting in 2026, with reimbursements paid to local taxing jurisdictions by the commissioner of revenue. This directly benefits licensed providers operating child care from their primary residence. The bill appropriates funds annually from the general fund to cover these tax credit payments.

Maddy summarySF 2585 allows Minnesota's tax commissioner to reduce the corporate franchise tax rate (currently 9.8%) by 0.312% each time two specific conditions are met: (1) the state has a budget surplus equal to or larger than the projected revenue reduction, and (2) over 70% of corporate franchise tax revenue is allocated to consumers per a required report. The rate reduction cannot exceed 8.24% total, and any change must be published by December 31 for implementation in the following tax year. This bill directly affects corporations paying Minnesota's franchise tax by creating a mechanism for potential rate decreases based on fiscal conditions. The provisions take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 2679 establishes a program connecting Minnesota educational institutions with private businesses that have specialized equipment needed for specific career training courses. It directly affects students in workforce programs, educational institutions (including high schools and colleges), and private businesses that provide equipment. The bill creates a tax credit for businesses equal to the private market rental cost of their equipment used for student training, with limits on the credit amount. Businesses must report participation, and the program requires annual reports to the legislature detailing student participation, courses, businesses involved, and tax credits used.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals the automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for existing child support and maintenance orders in Minnesota. It removes the provision requiring payments to increase annually based on inflation, meaning current payment amounts will remain fixed without future adjustments. The change directly affects parents who pay or receive child support, as their court-ordered payments will no longer automatically increase with inflation. The bill amends specific statutes (repealing Minn. Stat. § 518A.75) to eliminate this adjustment mechanism while leaving other support calculation methods unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a geographic restriction on deer hunting in Minnesota. It repeals the existing "shotgun use area" (which required hunters to use shotguns only in specific zones during the regular firearms season) and replaces it with a statewide rule allowing all legal firearms during that season. The change directly affects deer hunters across Minnesota who previously had to follow zone-specific firearm rules. The key provision removes the detailed boundary description for the shotgun zone, making all legal firearms permitted statewide during the regular deer hunting season.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 2665 amends Minnesota tax law to increase the shareholder limit for agricultural entities seeking homestead tax classification. It directly affects family farm corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies that own agricultural property and wish to qualify for reduced tax rates (class 1b or 2a). The bill raises the current cap on related shareholders, members, or partners (previously limited to 12) to allow larger family-owned agricultural entities to maintain tax benefits when a qualifying family member resides on and farms the land. This change applies to properties classified under homestead tax rules for agricultural use, effective for 2025 tax assessments.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates Minnesota's designated "shotgun zone" for deer hunting. It amends state law to allow all legal firearms statewide during the regular firearms deer season, replacing the previous system that restricted certain areas to shotguns only. The bill repeals the existing statute (97B.318) that defined the shotgun use area and all legal firearms use area. It also requires the commissioner of natural resources to report by December 1, 2028, on the impact of this change on deer hunting and populations. This directly affects deer hunters across Minnesota by removing geographic firearm restrictions during the regular season.