Sen. Gary Dahms

Maddy summarySF 2487 appropriates $3.9 million from Minnesota's Clean Water Fund in fiscal year 2026 to the Red Rock Rural Water System for acquiring land containing a groundwater aquifer in Cottonwood County. This funding directly supports the water system's ability to maintain safe, high-quality water services for its community by protecting a critical groundwater source. The bill's key mechanism is a specific grant allocation to secure this land, ensuring long-term water supply reliability. It does not change water quality standards or regulations but provides targeted financial support for infrastructure protection.

Maddy summarySF 2376 authorizes the city of Springfield to issue on-sale liquor licenses for its city-owned Springfield Area Community Center, overriding any conflicting local laws or ordinances. The bill allows the city to obtain standard on-sale, wine/strong beer, or Sunday sales licenses for this facility, treating it as a municipal liquor store under Minnesota Statutes sections 340A.603 and 340A.604. The license becomes effective only after Springfield City Council approval and compliance with state statute 645.021. This bill directly affects the Springfield Area Community Center's ability to serve alcoholic beverages.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's requirements for farmed deer and elk (Cervidae) to strengthen chronic wasting disease (CWD) management. It requires annual vet verification of herds, 14-day reporting for animal movements, and mandatory CWD testing for all farmed Cervidae over six months old that die or are slaughtered. If CWD is detected, owners must depopulate within 30 days (after federal indemnification), maintain fencing for 10 years, post biohazard signs, and disclose the CWD history to future property buyers. The bill directly affects farmed Cervidae owners, property sellers, and buyers in affected areas. These changes aim to prevent CWD spread through stricter monitoring and post-outbreak protocols.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's commissioner of commerce to reimburse health plan companies for increased costs when state-mandated health benefits raise per-member monthly expenses. It applies specifically to companies offering coverage in individual, small group, and large group markets. The commissioner must pay affected companies within 60 days of receiving their cost statements, using funds from a designated state account. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, for all new mandated health benefit proposals enacted after that date.

Maddy summarySF 2315 requires Minnesota's Department of Agriculture to transfer excess funds from the grain indemnity account to the agricultural emergency account. Specifically, if the account balance exceeds $15 million on June 30 and no claims were paid in the previous 24 months, the commissioner must transfer the surplus. This applies to Minnesota's grain indemnity program, which collects premiums from agricultural producers. The transferred funds would then be available for agricultural emergency response efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.95 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.95 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund Minnesota's existing county feedlot program. The funds, coming from the general fund, will be distributed as grants to delegated counties through the Pollution Control Agency. This funding supports counties in administering feedlot regulations under Minnesota Statutes section 116.0711, specifically for managing manure and waste from livestock operations. Unused funds from 2026 can carry over to 2027. The bill does not create new regulations or alter program requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $300,000 per county (totaling $1.5 million) from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to five specific Minnesota counties - Rock, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Roseau, and Red Lake - to participate in the statewide ARMER public safety radio system. Each county must provide a 50% nonstate match ($150,000) to receive the grant, which must be used exclusively for purchasing or upgrading portable, mobile, or related radio equipment compatible with the ARMER system. The funding is a one-time appropriation, not renewable, and directly affects these counties’ emergency communication capabilities. It does not change existing law but provides targeted financial support for equipment upgrades.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates tax credits for businesses in Minnesota to support industrial development and infrastructure. It allows eligible businesses in qualifying locations (like rural counties, industrial parks, or near rail lines) to claim up to 10% of qualifying construction costs ($8 million max) or 50% of new rail infrastructure costs ($4 million max) against state taxes. Projects must apply for credit approval, and total annual credits are capped at $50 million. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years or transferred to other Minnesota taxpayers via written agreement.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota law to explicitly allow public water districts, sewer districts, and combined water/sewer districts to install pipelines in public road rights-of-way. It adds these entities to the existing list of utilities (like telephone and power companies) already permitted to use public roads for infrastructure under Minnesota Statutes 222.37. The key provision requires these districts to follow the same notice and permitting rules as other utilities - such as notifying local governments before major construction - and to avoid interfering with road safety. It directly affects public water/sewer districts and local governments managing road rights-of-way.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's net metering rules for small-scale renewable energy systems. It directly affects residential and small business customers with solar panels or similar installations under 40 kilowatts (kW) capacity. Key changes include allowing these customers to choose compensation based on the utility's average retail energy rate (instead of avoided costs) for excess power sent back to the grid, and clarifying definitions like "aggregated meter" for multi-property systems. The bill ensures utilities can recover fixed costs through reasonable fees while maintaining non-discriminatory billing practices for small generators.