Sen. Steve Green

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota counties and municipalities to delay compliance with certain state mandates that require new spending without providing funding. It specifically applies to mandates affecting daily operations, resource allocation, or spending priorities - meaning local governments can choose not to follow these requirements until the state provides dedicated funding. Exceptions require compliance if costs are minor relative to the budget, or if the mandate relates to safety, health, or financial audits. The law takes effect for mandates active after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota's wildlife commissioner to award bear hunting preference points to youth (minors under the hunting age) who cannot hunt bears yet. These points accumulate over time, so when the youth become eligible to hunt, they have priority in the selection process. The change modifies existing law (Minnesota Statutes 97B.405) to explicitly permit this point accumulation for young hunters. It directly affects minors interested in future bear hunting in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the commissioner of commerce as the sole overseer of two existing programs: the Commerce Fraud Bureau (focused on insurance and financial crimes) and the automobile theft prevention program. It requires the Commerce Fraud Bureau to dedicate at least 70% of its efforts to investigating insurance fraud as defined in state law. The commissioner will now have full authority over both programs' operations, personnel, and oversight, replacing prior arrangements. These changes clarify the commissioner's direct responsibility for these initiatives under Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summarySF 767 requires Minnesota's commissioner of natural resources to ensure unimpeded access to state forest roads for commercial minnow trappers, leech trappers, fur trappers, and loggers. The bill amends state law to mandate that if permits are required for road access, the commissioner must issue them to these specific groups. This policy change directly affects those commercial operators who rely on forest roads for their work. The key mechanism is a requirement for the commissioner to provide consistent, unobstructed access without unnecessary barriers for these four industries. The law does not alter existing access rules for non-commercial users or other forest activities.

Maddy summarySF 1437 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit Minnesota governors to two terms in office. If approved by voters, it would amend Article V, Section 2 of the Minnesota Constitution to state that "a person elected twice to the office of governor is no longer an eligible candidate." The amendment would be submitted to voters in the 2026 general election with a ballot question asking whether the constitution should be amended to limit governors to two terms. This change would apply to all future governors, though the bill specifies that elections prior to 2026 must also be considered under the new term limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers specific regulatory duties related to farmed deer and elk (cervidae) from the Commissioner of Natural Resources to the Board of Animal Health. It directly affects cervidae facility owners, who will now deal primarily with the Board for fence inspections, annual checks, and chronic wasting disease testing requirements. Key changes include shifting responsibility for enforcing fence standards (96-inch height, redundant gates), conducting annual facility inspections, and managing CWD testing and depopulation after disease detection. The Board will now handle all reporting, inspections, and enforcement actions previously shared with or handled by the Natural Resources Commissioner.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota employers to report certain applicant behaviors through a new fraud reporting portal managed by the unemployment commissioner. It directly affects employers who use unemployment benefits, requiring them to report three specific incidents: applicants who missed interviews, refused job offers, or couldn't be contacted for work. The portal must include these reporting elements, and employers can request access to applicant "no-show" and "refusal" records (including private data) from the commissioner. The law aims to help employers verify applicant reliability while maintaining existing privacy protections for applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's teacher strike rules by adding new conditions for when strikes can occur. It establishes a "maximum increase available" for school district salary and benefit agreements, calculated using state GDP and local population growth data from the previous two years. School districts must notify teachers' unions of this cap before negotiations; if an agreement meets or stays within it, teachers cannot strike over it. The changes apply to collective bargaining agreements effective July 1, 2025, and require districts to inform residents if they exceed the cap.

Maddy summarySF 1141 allows Minnesota school districts to temporarily avoid complying with certain state requirements (mandates) if the state hasn't provided funding for them. It specifically applies to mandates affecting daily school operations, school board authority, curriculum changes, or spending priorities. However, districts must still comply if funding is minor relative to their overall budget or if the requirement relates to student safety, health, financial audits, or life-safety rules. The bill takes effect for mandates in place after June 30, 2025. This directly affects all public school districts in Minnesota facing unfunded state mandates.

Maddy summarySF 1193 modifies Minnesota's wolf depredation compensation program for livestock owners and updates the elk-related crop/fence damage program. It sets a $100 minimum claim value and $20,000 maximum per livestock claim for wolf-related losses, requires site inspections with photographs by approved agents (like county sheriff's officers or USDA agents), and mandates written findings based on physical evidence. The bill also updates the process for elk damage claims by defining "approved agents" and requiring specific evidence (like elk tracks or sightings) to verify damage. Additionally, it repeals outdated sections of the law and requires the commissioner to periodically update wolf depredation prevention practices for livestock farms.