Sen. Aric Putnam

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide a grant to Lutheran Social Services' CORE program. The funds support home-delivered meals for Minnesota veterans outside Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, along with technical assistance, outreach, and volunteer recruitment for member programs. Unspent funds from 2026 carry over to 2027. The CORE program must submit annual reports by September 1st detailing fund usage and the number of veterans served.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota Statutes to ensure surviving spouses of veterans who died from military service can continue receiving state education benefits even if they remarry. It specifically updates the definition of "eligible spouse" in Section 197.791 to clarify that remarriage does not disqualify a surviving spouse from accessing these benefits. The policy directly affects surviving spouses who meet residency requirements and are enrolled in eligible Minnesota educational institutions. This change aligns with federal education benefits eligibility under Title 38, ensuring consistent access to state support regardless of marital status after the veteran's death.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies an existing 2023 funding appropriation to provide $5 million to CentraCare in St. Cloud for capital improvements. It specifically reallocates funds previously designated for a University of Minnesota Medical School campus on CentraCare's property, covering design, construction, renovation, and equipment. The change affects CentraCare Health System and the University of Minnesota Medical School, directly enabling their campus development project. This is a straightforward funding adjustment, not a new policy or procedural change.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $6 million for fiscal year 2026 and $6 million for fiscal year 2027 (totaling $12 million) from the renewable development account to fund research on green ammonia power generation. The funds are directed to the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents to lead research, development, and demonstration of energy systems that store and generate electricity using renewable-produced ammonia and hydrogen. The project focuses specifically on clean energy storage solutions derived from renewable resources. The funding is one-time and expires June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's state rental assistance program rules. It changes how funds are distributed to program administrators based on the number of eligible households in each county, using U.S. Census data. It also clarifies that households already receiving federal Section 8 housing assistance cannot qualify for state aid. Additionally, the bill prioritizes rental help for families with children under 18 and households earning up to 30% of the area median income.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes local governments, housing authorities, and counties to establish local housing trust funds using dedicated public revenue sources for housing purposes. It amends Minnesota Statutes to define key terms like "local housing trust fund" and clarifies that these funds must be created with dedicated public funding. The bill provides the legal framework for communities to create these funds but does not allocate specific funding or mandate their creation. It focuses on enabling local options rather than imposing new requirements.

Maddy summarySF 1831 allocates $1 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund county agricultural inspectors across Minnesota. It directly affects counties that employ inspectors meeting specific requirements, such as completing state training, compiling weed inspection reports, and coordinating with the Agriculture Commissioner. To receive funds, counties must submit annual applications, and the Agriculture Commissioner will distribute available money equally among eligible counties. The bill ensures funding supports inspectors' core duties like weed control coordination and annual reporting, with up to 3% of each year's funds allowed for administrative costs. This is a funding mechanism, not a policy change, focused on maintaining county-level agricultural inspection capacity.

Maddy summarySF 1077 creates a refundable sales and use tax exemption for materials and equipment purchased between January 2025 and January 2031 used in constructing or renovating the Stearns County Justice Center's jail, law enforcement center, and judicial center. It requires tax to be collected at standard rates but then refunded through the same process as other qualifying projects, with refunds beginning no earlier than July 1, 2025. The state treasury will fund these refunds using general fund appropriations. This bill directly affects Stearns County by reducing costs for its Justice Center construction project during the specified period.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million annually from the general fund to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for manufactured home park infrastructure grants and loans. It directly affects manufactured home park owners (including private, cooperative, and municipal operators) by providing funding for essential infrastructure improvements like roads, water, and sewer systems. The bill establishes a reporting requirement where the agency must annually detail funded projects, ownership types, loan amounts, and repayment usage to legislative committees. Funding begins in fiscal year 2026 and continues at $15 million per year thereafter.

Maddy summarySF 377 prohibits Minnesota public and private colleges and universities from giving preferential treatment in admissions based on a student's "legacy status" (family connection to an alumnus) or a family's relationship to donors. The bill directly affects all higher education institutions in Minnesota, including the University of Minnesota, by requiring them to stop considering these factors in admissions decisions. Key provisions define "legacy status" and explicitly ban any admissions advantage tied to familial alumni ties or donor connections. This policy change aims to make admissions processes more equitable by removing these specific preferences from consideration.