Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen

Maddy summarySF 719 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to Minnesota's Constitution, protecting the right to keep and bear arms as part of Article I. If approved by voters, it would insert the text: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The bill requires submitting this amendment to voters in the 2026 general election with a specific yes/no question about adopting the change. This is a procedural proposal requiring voter approval, not an immediate law, and would directly affect all Minnesotans by potentially altering the state constitution.

Maddy summarySF 721 modifies Minnesota's resident tuition eligibility rules for certain non-immigrant students without legal U.S. work authorization. It adds specific documentation requirements: students must have attended Minnesota high school for three+ years, graduated or earned an equivalent, and provide proof of selective service registration (if applicable) plus federal immigration application documentation (if a process exists). This directly affects non-immigrant students seeking resident tuition rates at Minnesota state universities and colleges. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 135A.043 (residency for tuition) and 136A.101 (definition of "resident student") to include these new conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Minnesota State Board of Investment from investing in or contracting with companies that boycott mining, energy production, agriculture, or commercial lumber. It requires the state board to divest from such companies (called "listed companies") by July 1, 2030, and bans state agencies from entering contracts with these companies. The bill defines "boycott" as refusing business due to a company's lack of adherence to environmental standards beyond legal requirements. It also mandates annual reports detailing affected investments and includes limited provisions against financial discrimination based on subjective criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota employers to report certain applicant behaviors through a new fraud reporting portal managed by the unemployment commissioner. It directly affects employers who use unemployment benefits, requiring them to report three specific incidents: applicants who missed interviews, refused job offers, or couldn't be contacted for work. The portal must include these reporting elements, and employers can request access to applicant "no-show" and "refusal" records (including private data) from the commissioner. The law aims to help employers verify applicant reliability while maintaining existing privacy protections for applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's teacher strike rules by adding new conditions for when strikes can occur. It establishes a "maximum increase available" for school district salary and benefit agreements, calculated using state GDP and local population growth data from the previous two years. School districts must notify teachers' unions of this cap before negotiations; if an agreement meets or stays within it, teachers cannot strike over it. The changes apply to collective bargaining agreements effective July 1, 2025, and require districts to inform residents if they exceed the cap.

Maddy summarySF 2919 allows construction contractors who provide earned sick and safe time benefits to include the cost of those benefits in their prevailing wage calculations for government construction projects. This applies specifically to contractors who have not secured a collective bargaining agreement waiver for sick leave requirements under existing law. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to permit these costs to be counted toward labor expenses when bidding on state or local government construction contracts. It directly affects construction companies offering sick leave but lacking union agreements that waive the standard sick leave requirements. This change modifies how labor costs are calculated for bidding purposes on public works projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 718) would remove a current prohibition that prevents Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission from issuing a "certificate of need" for new nuclear power plants. If passed, it would directly affect nuclear energy developers and the commission by allowing them to approve new nuclear plant construction. The key change is amending Minnesota Statutes section 216B.243 to eliminate the specific ban on certifying new nuclear facilities. This does not address existing plants or spent fuel storage provisions, only the new construction prohibition. The bill focuses on enabling regulatory approval for potential future nuclear projects.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 311 modifies the state's self-defense laws by eliminating the legal requirement to retreat before using force outside one's home (e.g., in public spaces). It expands the definition of "dwelling" to include occupied vehicles and their immediate surroundings, creating a legal presumption that a person defending their vehicle against forced entry had a reasonable fear of harm. The bill codifies existing self-defense standards while clarifying that individuals may use force, including deadly force, without retreating when reasonably believing it is necessary to prevent serious harm or a forcible felony. These changes directly affect Minnesotans using force in self-defense scenarios, particularly in home or vehicle contexts, by adjusting the legal standards for justifying such actions under Minnesota Statutes § 609.065.

Maddy summarySF 608 prohibits municipalities from allowing new enterprise data centers (facilities over 800,000 sq ft for digital data storage/processing) in most zoning districts. It allows such data centers only as a conditional use within designated "industrial districts" where manufacturing facilities are permitted. This bill affects local governments in Minnesota, requiring them to adjust zoning rules by June 20, 2025, for new data center construction. The law directly impacts developers seeking to build large-scale data centers outside industrial zones. It does not apply to existing data centers or smaller facilities meeting the size threshold.

Maddy summarySF 1455 modifies Minnesota's definition of "large energy facility" in statute 216B.2421, subdivision 2. The key change raises the capacity threshold for electric power plants from 50,000 kilowatts to 100,000 kilowatts to qualify as a "large energy facility." This adjustment directly affects new or expanded power generation projects meeting the higher capacity standard. The bill updates the regulatory classification for such facilities without altering other provisions or creating new requirements.