Sen. Steve Green

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's protections for calcareous fens - special wetland areas with unique ecological value - by requiring the Department of Natural Resources to define them through rulemaking and submit a detailed report by December 2025. It clarifies that filling, draining, or degrading these fens requires commissioner approval under a management plan, with temporary water use allowed seasonally under specific conditions. The bill also mandates that permit denials affecting fens must be accompanied by a report detailing the fen's ecological benefits and potential impacts. These changes directly affect land developers, landowners, and agencies handling permits near calcareous fens, while requiring the state to standardize protections and document ecological significance.

Maddy summarySF 886, introduced in the Minnesota Senate on February 3, 2025, amends Minnesota Statutes section 645.451 by adding specific definitions for terms like "female," "male," "girl," "boy," "father," "mother," "gender," and "sex." The bill defines "female" as an individual with a natural reproductive system producing eggs and "male" as an individual with a natural reproductive system producing sperm, excluding those with developmental or genetic anomalies. It explicitly states that "gender" is not synonymous with gender identity, and clarifies that "sex" refers to biological sex, not gender identity, in legal contexts. This bill directly affects how these terms are interpreted in Minnesota law, particularly in statutes, administrative rules, and guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's child care rules to be adjusted for centers outside major metro areas (including Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota, Washington, Carver, and Scott counties) and cities like Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Mankato. It would allow these smaller community child care centers to: keep one staff member for up to six infants, ten toddlers, fifteen preschoolers, or twenty school-aged children; and group children with a 60-month age range during regular hours if other safety rules are met. The change is directed through rulemaking by the commissioner of human services or children, youth, and families. This specifically affects child care providers in non-metro areas seeking more flexible staffing options.

Maddy summarySF 797 prohibits public school libraries from containing pornographic material and bans sexually explicit content in libraries of public elementary schools. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes by adding a new section requiring school libraries to remove such materials. It directly affects all public school libraries statewide, with stricter rules applying specifically to elementary school libraries. The law focuses on defined material categories rather than broader book restrictions.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate Bill 744 prohibits licensed health care providers from performing or assisting with surgical procedures that alter sexual characteristics or prescribing puberty-blocking hormones or hormone antagonist therapies for minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The bill directly affects minors seeking gender-affirming medical care and their healthcare providers in Minnesota. It includes a temporary exception allowing existing prescriptions for minors already receiving puberty-blocking treatments before the law takes effect. The legislation aims to ban specific medical interventions for minors with gender dysphoria, effective upon final enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes procedures for Minnesota counties to adjust existing boundary lines and requires counties to assess and restore U.S. public land survey monuments. Counties must complete a survey marker assessment by December 2027 and restore destroyed or obscured markers by December 2028, following specific surveying standards. It creates a new court petition process for boundary changes when no dispute exists, requiring counties to handle all filing, costs, and documentation. These requirements apply to all Minnesota counties starting in 2025.

Maddy summarySF 238 requires Minnesota's state land commissioner to obtain legislative approval before selling, transferring, or conveying state-owned land exceeding certain acreage thresholds. For properties over 100 acres, it mandates specific authorization by law; for properties over 1,000 acres, it requires a three-fifths vote in both legislative chambers. The bill clarifies that general authority laws (without specific property details) do not satisfy these requirements, and it explicitly excludes leases from the new rules. This directly affects state land transactions handled by the commissioner of natural resources and the legislature's approval process.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows small farms with fewer than 12 animal units (e.g., one cow, five goats, or five sheep) to sell raw milk and raw milk products directly to consumers under specific conditions. To qualify, farms must register annually ($0 fee for sales under $5,000/year; $50 fee for up to $78,000/year), complete food safety training, provide disease test results for animals, and label products with farm details and a disclaimer that they are not state-inspected. Sales can occur from the farm home (per local rules) or at farmers' markets, exempting these producers from Minnesota's standard pasteurization requirements for milk. The bill amends state law to create this registration system while maintaining safety disclosures for consumers.

Maddy summarySF 435 requires Minnesota's Legislative Budget Office to create "business impact notes" for bills upon request by committee chairs. These notes must estimate the financial impact (like costs or savings) and regulatory burden (such as fees, training, or licensing requirements) on small businesses - defined as entities with fewer than 100 employees. The notes must detail assumptions, indicate if burdens increase or decrease, and suggest less costly alternatives if possible. The bill appropriates $ for the Legislative Budget Office to carry out this analysis.

Maddy summarySF 436 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring a three-fifths supermajority vote in both the Minnesota House and Senate to pass any law authorizing the sale of state land exceeding 640 acres for less than its market value. This bill directly affects state land transactions involving large parcels sold below market price, including potential sales for development, conservation, or other purposes. The key mechanism establishes a higher voting threshold (three-fifths of each chamber) for such conveyances, replacing the current simple majority requirement. The amendment must be approved by voters in the 2026 general election to take effect.