Sen. Aric Putnam

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates funds for a program that provides grants to organizations purchasing and distributing food within Minnesota communities. It requires grantees to source 100% of food from Minnesota, prioritize farmers with limited market access, and distribute food at no cost in areas with low supermarket access or high concentrations of vulnerable populations like seniors or people with disabilities. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, businesses, Tribal governments, and local governments. The program aims to support local agriculture while addressing food access challenges in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $450,000 for fiscal years 2026-2027 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 to fund employment support services for individuals with disabilities in Minnesota. It directs funds to Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI) for two specific programs: (1) grants to create inclusive employment opportunities, and (2) career skills training using virtual reality tools. MDI must report on participant demographics, program hours, employer outreach, and recommendations by January 2028. The funding is one-time and focuses on expanding accessible job training and placement services for people with disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the income limit for Minnesota's Senior Citizens' Property Tax Deferral Program from $96,000 to $110,000 annually for initial eligibility. It requires homeowners whose income exceeds $110,000 to submit written income certification by July 1 each year, and allows them to resume program benefits if their income later drops to $110,000 or below. The program continues to require applicants to be 65+ (or 62+ for spouses), own their home as a primary residence for at least two years, and meet lien and market value limits. These changes apply to tax deferrals for 2026 and later years. The bill modifies existing income thresholds and certification processes without altering the deferral amount calculation.

Maddy summarySF 2401 appropriates state funds to provide hospital, medical, and dental benefits to part-time or adjunct faculty at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities who teach six or more credits annually and currently lack such coverage. The bill requires the Board of Trustees to collect data on participation to estimate future costs and submit a report to legislators by November 2027. This is a one-time funding measure, not an ongoing benefit expansion, with no specified dollar amounts in the text. The policy directly affects eligible part-time faculty members and aims to address gaps in their benefits access.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Agriculture to prepare a report on agricultural land trends using a $750,000 one-time appropriation from the general fund. The report must include data on farmland sales (price, acreage, buyer type, financing), regional land use patterns, and legislative recommendations to maintain farmland availability for farmers. It mandates the report be submitted to relevant legislative committees by January 1, 2027, while ensuring no personally identifiable information is included. The bill directly affects state agencies (Agriculture, Revenue, University of Minnesota) coordinating the report, and informs future policy decisions about farmland preservation.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the maximum tax rate that housing and redevelopment authorities in Minnesota can levy on property within their districts. It increases the cap from 0.0185% to 0.037% of a property's estimated market value, effectively doubling the allowable tax rate. Property owners within these authority districts will be subject to this higher tax, which is collected alongside regular local property taxes by county auditors. The revenue generated must be deposited into a dedicated "housing and redevelopment project fund" and spent exclusively on projects authorized under Minnesota Statutes sections 469.001 to 469.047.

Maddy summarySF 2558 prohibits Minnesota municipalities from imposing local restrictions on residential construction materials, methods, architectural elements, building egress, durability, energy efficiency, or light access requirements - except where mandated by the State Building Code or other state/federal law. It directly affects local governments (cities and towns) and residential developers by limiting their ability to set aesthetic or design rules for new housing. The bill includes an exemption for properties in historic districts under Minnesota Statutes §138.73 and bans municipalities from using interim ordinances to bypass these restrictions. This bill aims to standardize development requirements, reducing local regulatory barriers to housing construction. (Effective upon final enactment.)

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5 million from the general fund for a one-time grant to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO) to build 70 workforce housing units in St. Cloud's Iskufilan Village. It requires at least 10% (7 units) to be affordable housing for households earning ≤60% of local median income, with the remaining units designated for middle-income households (60%-120% of median income). CAIRO will manage construction and housing allocation, prioritizing energy-efficient, family-friendly units, while the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency oversees funding compliance. The project directly benefits frontline workers and low-to-moderate-income families in St. Cloud seeking affordable housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases Minnesota's income threshold for the child tax credit, allowing more families to qualify for the full benefit. It raises the phaseout threshold to $45,490 for married couples filing jointly and $38,340 for other filers (up from $35,000 and $29,500, respectively), meaning families earning above these new levels will retain more of their credit. The bill also requires annual inflation adjustments to these thresholds starting in 2026, ensuring the credit remains accessible as costs rise. This directly affects low-to-moderate income families who claim the child tax credit but would have seen benefits reduced under the previous thresholds.

Maddy summarySF 2505 allocates $2 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund the Gateways2Growth Initiative, providing job training in information technology, transportation (including commercial driver's license training), and healthcare to help workers enter high-demand fields. Managed by the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO), the program must distribute funds equally between the Twin Cities metro area and other regions while prioritizing immigrants, refugees, rural residents, and workers displaced by economic changes. It requires partnerships with employers for job placements and includes annual reports tracking participants, employment outcomes, wage growth, and regional distribution to measure success. The initiative aims to address workforce shortages in key industries while ensuring equitable access for underserved communities.