Sen. Gary Dahms

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the amount of property value that can be excluded from Minnesota estate tax calculations to $4 million for estates of people who die on or after January 1, 2026. The change directly affects individuals in Minnesota who own property located in the state and are required to file an estate tax return. The bill updates the filing threshold to $4 million and adjusts the tax rate schedule to reflect this higher exclusion amount. Additionally, it modifies the calculation for small business and farm property deductions to align with the new exclusion limit. These provisions aim to reduce the taxable estate for more families while maintaining the existing tax structure for larger estates.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $24.4 million in state bond funding for capital projects at Southwest Minnesota State University. The money will be used to renovate the Physical Education building, construct an indoor sports and recreation dome, and upgrade the gymnasium. The funds come from state bonds that the commissioner of management and budget will sell and issue according to existing state laws. This legislation directly affects the university's infrastructure and athletic facilities by providing specific construction and renovation budgets. The bill takes effect the day after it is officially passed by the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the expiration date for an exemption that allows Minnesota colleges and universities to avoid certain reporting and marketing rules when they contract with online program management companies. The exemption currently applies to contracts signed on or before July 1, 2023, that change the number of managed programs, and would have ended on July 1, 2028. By deleting the expiration date, the bill makes this exemption permanent for qualifying institutions. The change directly affects higher education institutions in Minnesota that use third-party companies to manage their online programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the City of Windom to impose a one percent local sales and use tax if approved by voters in a special election. The tax revenue would be used to fund a $7.5 million swimming pool project and $1.5 million for flood mitigation measures, with the remaining funds covering tax administration costs and bond issuance expenses. The city would be allowed to issue up to $9 million in bonds to help finance these projects without being subject to certain state debt limitations. The tax would automatically expire after 18 years or once the projects are fully funded, whichever comes first.

Maddy summarySF 1109 requires Minnesota insurance companies to accept an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security Number (SSN) on new insurance applications. This directly affects insurance companies operating in Minnesota and new customers who do not have an SSN but possess an ITIN, such as certain immigrants or non-citizens. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes by adding a provision stating that if an insurer requires an SSN, it must accept an ITIN and clearly indicate this on the application. The requirement takes effect January 1, 2026, applying to all new coverage offered, issued, or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota law to clarify the definition of "currently unavoidable use" for PFAS chemicals within the pesticide control chapter. It directly affects agricultural regulations and the classification of certain pesticide uses by providing a more specific legal standard for what constitutes unavoidable applications. The key provision updates the statutory language to specify that unavoidable use means applications essential for health, safety, or societal functioning where alternatives are not reasonably available, while allowing consideration of pest resistance and potential health and environmental impacts of alternative products. This change aims to create clearer guidelines for when pesticide use can be deemed necessary under state pesticide control regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies and the supreme court to share certain data with the Legislative Budget Office when requested, including information that is not normally public. The data must be provided promptly to help the office review the accuracy of fiscal notes on legislation and prepare new fiscal notes. The bill restricts how this non-public data can be used, allowing it only for fiscal note review and prohibiting its use or sharing with legislators or other government entities. It also establishes that the Legislative Budget Office cannot be charged for receiving this data and includes penalties for staff who misuse the information.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates state funds to expand a loan forgiveness program specifically for physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology who practice in designated rural areas of Minnesota. The funding, allocated for fiscal years 2027 and 2028, will be used to repay education loans for eligible OB/GYN doctors working in rural communities. If there are not enough qualified OB/GYN applicants to use all the funds, the remaining money will be transferred to other eligible medical professions for loan forgiveness. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and has been referred to the Health and Human Services committee for review.

Maddy summarySF 2917 exempts restaurants, bars, and hotels in Minnesota from the requirement to disclose mandatory fees (like service charges) in advertisements. Instead, these food and beverage establishments must clearly disclose the percentage of automatic and mandatory gratuities in their pricing. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325D.44, to create this specific exemption while maintaining the existing rule for gratuity transparency. This change simplifies advertising rules for qualifying businesses under state law.

Maddy summarySF 3225 exempts restaurants, hotels, bars, food concessions, grocery stores, and grocery delivery services from needing to include additional mandatory fee disclosures (like automatic gratuities) in advertisements for individual food and beverage items, provided they already clearly display the fee's amount and purpose on menus or displays meeting federal food labeling standards. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to remove the requirement for these businesses to comply with broader advertising disclosure rules, as long as their existing menu displays meet the clarity and explanation standards. This change applies specifically to direct sales of individual food or beverage items to consumers and does not affect other fee disclosure requirements.