Sen. Rich Draheim

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $8.4 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide grants to school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and school bus service companies. The funds are specifically for purchasing and installing camera systems that capture vehicles passing stopped school buses with flashing lights. The commissioner of public safety must distribute these grants following existing requirements from 2021 legislation, and the one-time appropriation expires June 30, 2027. The policy directly affects school transportation safety by funding technology to enforce stop-signal laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state grant program to help cities with high property tax burdens cover half the cost of demolishing unsafe, vacant properties. It specifically targets "tax-stressed cities" (those with a net tax capacity rate over 125%) and requires properties to be vacant for at least one year, pose a public safety risk, and not be historic. The state will appropriate $2.25 million annually for two years to fund 50% of eligible demolition costs, with cities responsible for the remaining 50% from non-state funds. Applicants must prove financial need and demonstrate the safety threat posed by the vacant structures. The program requires annual reports to the legislature on fund usage.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate Bill 477 modifies supervision requirements for mental health case managers, behavioral aides, and rehabilitation workers. It allows case managers without a bachelor's degree to qualify through experience (e.g., 3+ years as a case manager associate) instead of education, reduces annual supervision hours from 40 to 38, and permits secure electronic messaging for case management contacts. The bill also exempts certain residential treatment providers from client rights requirements and adjusts critical incident reporting timelines for mental health residential programs. These changes directly affect mental health service providers and their staff who deliver care to adults with serious mental illness.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million annually from the general fund to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for manufactured home park infrastructure grants and loans. It directly affects manufactured home park owners (including private, cooperative, and municipal operators) by providing funding for essential infrastructure improvements like roads, water, and sewer systems. The bill establishes a reporting requirement where the agency must annually detail funded projects, ownership types, loan amounts, and repayment usage to legislative committees. Funding begins in fiscal year 2026 and continues at $15 million per year thereafter.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state to issue up to $14.153 million in bonds to fund a new water treatment facility in Eagle Lake. The funds will be granted to the city via the Public Facilities Authority to construct and equip the facility, specifically addressing water quality issues like high manganese levels in drinking water. The bill directs the state commissioner of management and budget to sell the bonds following Minnesota's bond laws and constitutional requirements. It directly affects Eagle Lake residents by providing funding for improved water infrastructure. The appropriation becomes effective upon final enactment.

Maddy summarySF 1849 exempts certain farm workers from Minnesota's Paid Leave Law. It specifically excludes employees of farmers, family farms, or family farm corporations who work 28 days or fewer per year, or those employed by farms with five or fewer total employees. This change modifies the law's definition of "covered employment" and "employee" to remove these agricultural workers from the law's requirements. The bill directly affects small-scale agricultural employers and their seasonal workers, not impacting other covered workers or the law's general structure. The exemption applies automatically without requiring opt-in procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes body camera footage public in specific cases involving elected officials. It requires that footage documenting use of force by police resulting in death or serious injury becomes public, and mandates that bodycam data related to elected officials charged with a felony must be released to the public within 14 days of a criminal complaint being filed. The bill allows limited redaction only for sensitive information or to protect ongoing investigations, and establishes a court process for public requests to access otherwise restricted footage. It directly affects police agencies, elected officials facing felony charges, and the public seeking transparency in law enforcement interactions.

Maddy summarySF 1586, the Minnesota Elections Integrity Act, requires photo identification for both voter registration and voting in Minnesota. It creates a state-issued voter identification card (available without fee for those needing it for voting) and establishes provisional ballots for voters without ID. The bill also mandates ID verification for individuals assisting voters at polling places or acting as agents for absentee voters, while increasing criminal penalties for certain election-related violations. These provisions apply directly to all Minnesota voters participating in elections. The bill takes effect June 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows small employers (100 or fewer employees) to request refunds of special assessments they paid into Minnesota's workforce development fund. Refunded money must be used exclusively for training current Minnesota employees to upskill, advance careers, or increase salaries with their employer. The bill requires the workforce development commissioner to report annually on fund balances, collected assessments, and refunded amounts to the legislature starting in 2026. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 1699 adds "hasenpfeffer" to Minnesota's list of card games permitted in social skill tournaments under existing gambling law. This expands the current authorized games - like bridge and euchre - to include hasenpfeffer, allowing tournaments featuring this game to operate legally. To remain compliant, tournaments must not provide direct financial benefit to organizers, limit prizes to under $200, and follow other existing rules for authorized games. The bill does not alter requirements for other games or create new gambling regulations.