Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's reimbursement program for volunteer ambulance attendants' education costs. It sets specific payment amounts ($1,200 for initial EMT training, $375 for continuing EMT, $600 for initial EMR, $200 for continuing EMR) and requires ambulance services to have handled 5,000 or fewer calls in the prior year to qualify. Attendants must also serve one year as active members after certification to qualify for reimbursement. The bill appropriates $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $100,000 for fiscal year 2027 to fund these reimbursements. It directly affects volunteer ambulance services and their attendants in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2704) authorizes Sibley County to privately sell a specific 0.35-acre parcel of tax-forfeited land bordering High Island Lake, instead of following standard public auction requirements. The land, precisely described in the bill, is located in Government Lot 3, Section 27, Township 114 North, Range 28 West. Sibley County must determine that returning this land to private ownership best serves its land management interests, and the sale must use an attorney general-approved deed. This is a targeted authorization for one specific parcel, not a broad policy change affecting multiple properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state grant program to help ambulance services train and staff emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Licensed ambulance services that maintained at least 50% EMT staffing in the prior year can apply for grants covering tuition for EMT training programs, certification exam fees, background checks, and wage costs during training (capped at $26/hour). The program allocates $750,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund. Grants must be used solely for these specified training and staffing costs, with applicants required to detail planned hires and training hours.

Maddy summaryHF 944 amends Minnesota's trespass law to allow landowners to use purple paint markings as a legal alternative to traditional "no trespassing" signs for restricting outdoor recreation on their property. The bill specifies that purple markings must be vertical lines (at least 8 inches long, 1 inch wide) placed 3-5 feet from the ground, spaced no more than 100 feet apart on forest land or 1,000 feet apart elsewhere. This directly affects landowners seeking to manage recreational access and users who might enter marked areas without permission. The change provides a standardized, visible method for landowners to communicate trespass restrictions without requiring physical signs.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 2605 modifies the state's earned sick and safe time law, primarily delaying penalties for initial employer violations until January 1, 2026. The bill clarifies that employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees must provide sick time at half the employee's hourly rate, while new businesses may choose to offer paid time off during their first year. It also refines who qualifies as an "employee" (excluding many part-time, seasonal, and farm workers) and expands the definition of "family member" for leave purposes. The core policy remains unchanged: employees accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30-40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours annually. This bill directly affects Minnesota employers and their covered employees, with the main new provision being the delayed enforcement of penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Minnesota public elementary and secondary schools to prominently display a 16x20 inch poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The display must use the exact text specified in the bill (including the full biblical wording), be legible from anywhere in the room, and cannot include additional content. Schools without compliant displays may accept private donations meeting these requirements or use public funds to replace non-compliant versions. The policy directly affects every public K-12 school in Minnesota, mandating a specific religious text in all classrooms.

Maddy summarySF 2604 requires Minnesota's education commissioner to commission an independent cost-benefit analysis of the state's special education system. The analysis must identify Minnesota-specific special education requirements that exceed federal standards and evaluate both their educational benefits and associated costs. The resulting report, due to legislative education committees by February 2026, will help lawmakers assess potential trade-offs between student outcomes and cost efficiencies. This bill directly affects Minnesota's K-12 special education system and the legislative process for education funding and policy decisions. It does not change existing laws but mandates a review to inform future budget and policy choices.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires solar project developers to obtain approval from all local governments and Minnesota Tribal governments with jurisdiction over the project site before proceeding. It mandates that applicants provide 30 days' notice to these entities, describing the project and allowing for feedback. The requirement applies to all solar projects, including those under 50 megawatts that previously did not need commission permits. This change directly affects solar developers by adding a mandatory local and Tribal approval step to the project process.

Maddy summaryThis bill reenacts a prior law prohibiting weather modification within Minnesota's boundaries and the airspace above it. It directly affects any person, organization, or government entity attempting to intentionally alter weather (such as through cloud seeding or chemical dispersal) within the state. The law makes such actions a misdemeanor, with each day of violation treated as a separate offense. The policy aims to protect public safety, health, and environmental welfare by preventing unauthorized weather modification activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill ends Minnesota's current renewable development account and sunsets the utility-run solar production incentive program by December 31, 2025. It establishes a new solar energy production incentive account to fund solar projects from 2026 through 2036, appropriating $5 million annually starting in 2026. The new account will support solar system owners (including low-income programs) while requiring utilities to transfer unspent funds from the old program to the new account. The bill directly affects utilities managing solar incentives, residential solar system owners, and low-income energy programs.