Sen. Steve Drazkowski

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 summarySenate Bill 1406 (SF 1406) adds permeable synthetic turf as an approved stormwater management practice in Minnesota’s official guidelines. It requires the Pollution Control Agency to include this turf in the Minnesota Stormwater Manual, provided it meets specific standards: 25+ inches of permeability per hour, no PFAS chemicals, passing flammability tests, and manufacturing requirements (UV stabilization, U.S. production). The bill explicitly excludes residential projects using rubber infill and indoor/outdoor carpeting. This directly affects developers and municipalities implementing stormwater controls for new construction or redevelopment projects.

Maddy summarySF 454 requires Minnesota's legislature to approve any extension of a declared emergency beyond five days. It also mandates that certain executive orders and rules must be enacted by the legislature to have legal force, rather than taking effect automatically. The bill directly affects governors, legislators, and citizens by limiting executive emergency powers and requiring legislative oversight. Key provisions include defining "public health emergency" and "bioterrorism" while adding a 5-day limit on emergency declarations without legislative approval. These changes aim to strengthen legislative checks on emergency authority.

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 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 97 amends Minnesota law to change how public schools can seek exemptions from rules prohibiting American Indian mascots. It requires schools to seek exemption approval only from American Indian tribes located in the same county as the school (or from the Tribal Nations Education Committee), rather than all 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota. If no tribe in the county objects by a specified deadline, the school is exempt. This directly affects public schools using American Indian mascots who must now follow a simplified tribal consultation process under the amended statute (Minnesota Statutes 121A.041, subd. 3).

Maddy summarySF 2624 would amend Minnesota law to permit anglers to use up to three fishing lines in the Mississippi River and St. Croix River, replacing the current two-line limit in those waterways. This change would directly affect recreational fishermen who fish in these rivers, allowing them to use an additional line without needing special permits. The amendment updates Minnesota Statutes section 97C.315 by adding a new exception for three lines in the specified rivers, while maintaining existing limits elsewhere. This is a straightforward policy adjustment to fishing regulations, not a broader environmental or conservation measure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's state wildlife agency to establish an open moose hunting season in any year that an open elk hunting season is permitted. It directly affects moose and elk hunters, as well as the state's wildlife management agency, by linking the two seasons. The key provision amends statute 97B.515 to eliminate a prior rule that prohibited an elk season if no moose season existed. Instead, the agency must now allow moose hunting whenever elk hunting is permitted, based on population management rules. This change ensures moose seasons align with elk seasons rather than being restricted independently.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2672) amends Minnesota Statutes 16A.41 and 609.455 to strengthen accountability for state employees and officials handling public funds. It requires officials to certify claims are valid before payment and mandates reporting suspected fraud before disbursing funds, with failure to do so violating anti-fraud law. Key changes include doubling the maximum fine for knowingly approving fraudulent claims from $10,000 to $20,000 and increasing potential prison time from five to seven years. The law directly affects state employees and officials with payment authority who process claims, grants, contracts, or direct appropriations.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases Minnesota's estate tax threshold to $6 million for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2025, meaning estates below this value won't owe state estate tax. It also raises the combined cap on deductions for qualified small business and farm property from $5 million to a higher amount (specified as $5 million in the current text, but the bill explicitly increases the cap). These changes directly affect Minnesota estates where the decedent owned qualifying small businesses or farmland, reducing their taxable estate value. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 289A.10 and 291.016 to implement these adjustments.