Sen. Nick Frentz

Maddy summarySF 723 appropriates $5.6 million in state bond funds to improve intersections along U.S. Highway 14 in Byron, Minnesota. The funds will support environmental analysis, design, and eventual construction of grade-separated interchanges at key intersections (including those with County Highways 3 and 5) to replace at-grade traffic signals. The money, drawn from the state transportation fund, will be provided as grants to the city of Byron and Olmsted County for their share of project costs. This includes acquiring right-of-way and building the new interchanges and associated infrastructure. The bill authorizes the state to issue up to $5.6 million in general obligation bonds to finance these improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10 million for fiscal year 2026 and $10 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Education for the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) Center. The funds will support an evidence-based program delivered to at least 40 qualifying schools, prioritizing geographic balance (urban, suburban, rural) and schools serving high concentrations of students in poverty or from underrepresented racial groups (including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities). The program must provide school coaching, professional development, and resources over three years to improve student social-emotional skills, academic achievement for marginalized students, teacher effectiveness, and high school graduation rates. The BARR Center must apply for the grants through the commissioner of education, with funds available until June 2028 (2026 appropriation) and June 2029 (2027 appropriation).

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota political subdivisions to grant property tax abatements (temporary tax reductions) specifically for land bank organizations. Land banks - defined as nonprofits or related LLCs managing vacant, blighted, foreclosed, or tax-forfeited properties for redevelopment - would qualify for these abatements under new provisions. The abatement period is limited to five years for land bank properties, and must align with public interest goals like redeveloping blighted areas or preserving tax bases. This directly affects land banks and the communities where they operate by reducing their tax burden during property rehabilitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the city of Mankato to issue a special on-sale liquor license to Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU), specifically for alcohol sales at events held in the Taylor Center. The license permits sales on all days of the week (within standard hours) to attendees of events at the Taylor Center, provided all sales occur within the university campus boundaries described in the license application. It does not override existing liquor laws but allows MSU to operate this specific license under its own campus rules, subject to standard restrictions and any reasonable conditions set by the city licensing authority. The license applies only to the Taylor Center venue, not general campus sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides supplemental funding for various state agencies, including those responsible for agriculture, commerce, energy, utilities, and environmental protection. It adjusts budget allocations for the Department of Agriculture and establishes new programs and rules related to broadband access, renewable energy development, and energy infrastructure permitting. The legislation also includes technical updates to existing laws and appropriates specific sums for these initiatives to ensure they have the necessary financial resources to operate.

Maddy summaryThis bill accelerates the normal retirement age for most teachers in the Teachers Retirement Association from 66 to 65, effective July 1, 2024, and reduces employee contribution rates for the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association for two years. It also extends the suspension of earnings limits for retired teachers returning to work, allows certain state college employees to join the teachers' pension plan, and implements changes to the volunteer firefighter retirement system based on state auditor recommendations. Additionally, the legislation modifies several other public pension plans by adjusting benefit formulas, contribution rates, and eligibility rules for various groups including correctional officers, firefighters, and workers on specific visas.