Sen. John Jasinski

Maddy summarySF 2679 establishes a program connecting Minnesota educational institutions with private businesses that have specialized equipment needed for specific career training courses. It directly affects students in workforce programs, educational institutions (including high schools and colleges), and private businesses that provide equipment. The bill creates a tax credit for businesses equal to the private market rental cost of their equipment used for student training, with limits on the credit amount. Businesses must report participation, and the program requires annual reports to the legislature detailing student participation, courses, businesses involved, and tax credits used.

Maddy summarySF 2615 creates a property tax exemption for specific natural gas-powered electric generation facilities in Minnesota. The exemption applies only to facilities with 40-50 megawatts of capacity that are owned by municipal power agencies, located outside the metro area, near existing natural gas pipelines, and approved by local governments. Facilities must also meet resource deficiency requirements in an approved energy plan and begin construction between 2026 and 2028. The exemption covers the facility's personal property (not transmission lines) and applies to property taxes payable in 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $275,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $275,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to provide a grant to Workforce Development, Inc. (Southeast Minnesota Workforce Development Area #8). The grant supports career planning, training, and wraparound services - including childcare, transportation, and housing assistance - for individuals with employment barriers in Steele County, aiming to build career pathways and address local workforce shortages in Owatonna. Funds may cover program expenses like instructor salaries and participant support, with up to 5% for administrative costs. The grant requires the commissioner to report annually on fund usage to the legislature by January 15 each year.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $15 million in transportation tax revenue specifically for designing and constructing suicide prevention barriers on the Washington Avenue Pedestrian Bridge at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. The funds, redirected from the Metropolitan Council's active transportation budget, will replace the existing pedestrian enclosure and barriers to prevent suicides. The University of Minnesota Board of Regents must consult with suicide prevention organizations, experts, and individuals affected by suicide when planning the project. The bill modifies standard funding allocation rules to prioritize this safety project.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $680,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $680,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to Rethos, a Minnesota nonprofit. The funding supports Rethos in expanding the Main Street America - Minnesota program through outreach, training, education, and reducing financial barriers for local businesses. Specifically, $230,000 must be distributed as technical assistance grants to local Main Street America organizations using criteria developed by Rethos. The bill directly affects Rethos as the grant recipient and local Main Street organizations participating in the program.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally congratulates the Owatonna High School girls gymnastics team for winning the 2025 State High School Class AA girls gymnastics championship. The document recognizes the team's specific achievements, noting their first-place finishes on uneven bars and vault which led to an overall victory with a score of 146.825. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to create an official copy of the resolution and send it to the school principal as a gesture of appreciation for the athletes' skill and sportsmanship.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the deadline for using bond proceeds and appropriations for the U.S. Highway 8 reconstruction project in Chisago County, pushing the expiration date to December 31, 2029. It directly affects Chisago County by allowing continued funding for reconstructing Highway 8 from Karmel Avenue to I-35, including potential lane expansions, frontage roads, and pedestrian/bike trails. The bill redirects funds originally planned for resurfacing (per MnDOT's 2020-2029 plan) to support this reconstruction project. It modifies an existing 2020 law to extend the authorization period without changing the project's scope or funding amount.

Maddy summarySF 2355 extends the deadline for using existing funds allocated to reconstruct U.S. Highway 8 in Chisago County. The bill amends a 2023 law to allow the project to use bond proceeds until December 31, 2029 - instead of the original 2024 deadline. This directly affects the Chisago County highway reconstruction project, which includes work from Karmel Avenue to Interstate 35, such as potential lane expansions and pedestrian/bike trail improvements. The change only modifies the timeline for spending previously approved funds; it does not alter the project scope or funding amount.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's transportation project assessment rules to align with new greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) targets. It requires transportation entities to assess projects against statewide emissions and VMT reduction goals before inclusion in improvement programs, directly affecting state and regional transportation agencies. If projects fail to meet targets, agencies must either modify the project, interlink sufficient mitigation activities (like transit expansions or active transportation infrastructure), or halt development. The bill also sets a 2027 effective date for shifting to portfolio-level assessments instead of project-by-project reviews.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's unintentional murder statute to include violations of protective orders from other jurisdictions as a factor in determining second-degree unintentional murder. It expands the definition of "order for protection" to cover orders from other U.S. states, federal courts, the District of Columbia, tribal lands, U.S. territories, Canada, and Canadian provinces. The change applies when someone violates such an order and unintentionally causes the death of a protected person. The amendment takes effect on August 1, 2025, and directly affects individuals who violate these expanded protective orders.