Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen

Maddy summarySF 55, the "Parent's Bill of Rights," is a proposed Minnesota law that outlines specific rights for parents of minor children (under 18). It requires state entities, schools, and health care providers to respect parental rights including directing education (public, private, or home), accessing school and medical records, giving written consent for health exams/interventions (except emergencies), and approving biometric or DNA record collection. The bill explicitly states it does not override child abuse laws, prohibit life-ending decisions, or create new reporting obligations for schools regarding student misconduct. It also prohibits school staff from coercing children to withhold information from parents or discriminating against parents for exercising these rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Minnesota natural gas utilities to issue "extraordinary event bonds" to cover significant costs from major disasters or unexpected events like storms, cyberattacks, or sudden gas price spikes. Utilities would recover these costs through a new, separate nonbypassable charge added to all customers' bills (excluding small users served by utilities with fewer than 350,000 customers), not included in regular rates. The bonds must be rated AA or higher, mature within 30 years, and repayment is tied specifically to the approved disaster-related costs, with oversight by the Public Utilities Commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Minnesota's electric-assisted bicycle rebate program (Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 289A.51). It removes a program that provided rebates of up to $1,500 for eligible residents purchasing new e-bikes and qualifying accessories, based on income thresholds (e.g., 75% rebate for incomes under $50,000 for joint filers). The repeal eliminates the entire program, including income-based rebate calculations and the requirement for applicants to submit adjusted gross income documentation. This affects residents who previously qualified under the program but no longer have access to this specific state financial incentive.

Maddy summarySF 253 appropriates $9.5 million from state bonds to fund capital improvements at Wright Technical Center in Buffalo, Minnesota. The funds will cover predesign, construction, renovation, and equipment for the center’s facilities, specifically targeting upgrades to mechanical, electrical, security systems, utility infrastructure, and site renovations. The bill authorizes the state to issue bonds up to $9.5 million under Minnesota Statutes for this purpose. It directly affects Wright Technical Center and its affiliated facilities by enabling critical infrastructure repairs and modernization.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires background checks for managers and owners of medical assistance vendors (such as clinics and healthcare providers receiving government payments) to ensure they aren't disqualified from working with vulnerable populations. It also mandates the Department of Human Services and Department of Children, Youth, and Families to create an automated fraud detection system that flags suspicious payments for investigation. Vendors must prove all required individuals pass background checks before receiving payments, and the departments must report annually on the system's effectiveness. The bill directly affects healthcare providers in Minnesota's Medicaid-like programs and state agencies managing these funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's tax credit for stillbirths, allowing eligible parents to claim a $2,000 credit against their state income tax for each stillbirth. It directly affects residents and certain nonresident spouses of military/UN personnel who experienced a stillbirth, defined as a birth requiring a fetal death report under state law. Key changes clarify eligibility (including out-of-state birth certificates), specify the credit applies only in the year of the stillbirth, and make the amendment retroactive to 2016. The bill also extends the deadline for claiming refunds for eligible past tax years (2016-2021) until January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 1482 requires applicants for a Minnesota driver's license or identification card to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 171.04, adding a new eligibility requirement that explicitly prohibits issuing licenses to applicants who fail to provide such proof. It directly affects all new applicants for driver's licenses or ID cards in Minnesota, including non-citizens who cannot verify lawful immigration status. The bill states its intent is to "enhance safety" and comply with federal law (U.S. Code Title 8, Section 1324), though it does not specify acceptable forms of proof.

Maddy summarySF 1528 bans social media platforms with over 1 million global users from using algorithms to target children under 18 in Minnesota with content created by other users. It requires these platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before minors under 18 can create new accounts in Minnesota. Exceptions include parental control tools, internal content filters, and educational content from schools or government. Violations could lead to liability for damages and up to $1,000 per violation (capped at $100,000 annually), effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota's utility commission to temporarily suspend or delay implementation of carbon-free energy standards for electric utilities under specific circumstances. It requires the commission to evaluate factors like customer cost impacts, environmental costs, grid reliability, and whether delays stem from issues beyond the utility's control (such as equipment shortages or transmission constraints). Utilities requesting a delay must submit a compliance plan, and the commission must grant a two-year delay if equipment or transmission issues are beyond the utility's control. The bill does not change the carbon-free standards themselves but provides a mechanism for temporary relief when implementation would cause significant rate hikes, reliability concerns, or other documented challenges.

Maddy summarySF 1267 repeals a state law that authorized the commissioner of commerce to apply for a federal waiver under the Affordable Care Act to establish a Minnesota public option health care plan. The bill removes the state agency’s authority to submit this waiver application and eliminates related funding, including $2.5 million for actuarial analyses and $21 million for implementation. This directly affects the Minnesota public option health care plan initiative, halting its federal approval path. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment, reducing state budget allocations tied to this specific policy approach.