Sen. Gene Dornink

Maddy summarySF 674 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota Commissioner of Veterans Affairs. The funds are designated for a grant to Hometown Hero Outdoors, a Stillwater-based nonprofit, to provide outdoor recreational activities combined with mental health services. This program directly supports currently serving military personnel and veterans across Minnesota, aiming to improve mental health outcomes and quality of life through structured outdoor engagement. The bill focuses on funding a specific existing nonprofit's services rather than creating new state programs or regulations.

Maddy summarySF 2315 requires Minnesota's Department of Agriculture to transfer excess funds from the grain indemnity account to the agricultural emergency account. Specifically, if the account balance exceeds $15 million on June 30 and no claims were paid in the previous 24 months, the commissioner must transfer the surplus. This applies to Minnesota's grain indemnity program, which collects premiums from agricultural producers. The transferred funds would then be available for agricultural emergency response efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates dollar limits on tax credits for Minnesota agricultural landowners who sell or rent property to beginning farmers. Currently, credits are capped at $50,000 for land sales and $7,000 annually for cash rent; the bill removes these maximums. It directly affects agricultural property owners and beginning farmers by allowing credits to scale with transaction value without annual caps. The change applies to credits under Minnesota Statutes sections 41B.0391 and 290.06, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's livestock investment grant program to change how grant amounts are calculated. Instead of offering 10% of the first $500,000 in eligible costs, it now provides 50% of the first $20,000 plus 20% of the next $220,000 in qualifying expenditures. The program supports Minnesota livestock producers raising animals listed in the bill (including cattle, swine, poultry, and bison) who make eligible investments in farm facilities, pasture improvements, or equipment. To qualify, applicants must be Minnesota residents or tribal government representatives operating farms that meet specific registration and documentation requirements. The changes aim to adjust financial incentives for livestock operations under the existing grant framework.

Maddy summarySF 2123 appropriates funds from the workforce development fund for teacher apprenticeship programs in Minnesota, directly affecting school districts and teacher training programs. It requires funded programs to include five key components: school district involvement, mentor-led on-the-job training, approved related instruction, wage increases tied to skill levels, and a path to a Tier 3 teaching license. School districts can partner with higher education institutions or other entities to develop these programs, and funding is a one-time appropriation for fiscal years 2026-2027. The commissioner of education must report to legislative committees on program implementation and recommend improvements by 2026.

Maddy summarySF 2111 repeals Minnesota Statutes section 626.892, which established a specific process for selecting neutral arbitrators in disputes between peace officers and their employers over disciplinary actions. This bill directly affects peace officers and their law enforcement employers by eliminating the requirement to use a roster of six pre-approved arbitrators appointed by the Bureau of Mediation Services. The key mechanism is removing the detailed rules for creating the arbitrator roster, including qualifications related to cultural competency and the three-year term structure. The repeal means future grievance arbitrations for peace officers will no longer follow this mandated selection procedure.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1974 (ESA-4-MSA) establishes Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for eligible Minnesota students. It provides state-funded accounts to parents of students from households earning up to four times the income threshold for reduced-price school meals, allowing funds to cover qualifying expenses like tuition at eligible schools, tutoring, curriculum materials, and approved educational services. The program limits participation to 5% of public school enrollment in its first year, increasing by 3% annually, with priority given to kindergarten students, those who attended public school full-time, and siblings already in the program. Funds cannot cover home instruction time or after-school child care, and accounts are managed by the Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's net metering rules for small-scale renewable energy systems. It directly affects residential and small business customers with solar panels or similar installations under 40 kilowatts (kW) capacity. Key changes include allowing these customers to choose compensation based on the utility's average retail energy rate (instead of avoided costs) for excess power sent back to the grid, and clarifying definitions like "aggregated meter" for multi-property systems. The bill ensures utilities can recover fixed costs through reasonable fees while maintaining non-discriminatory billing practices for small generators.

Maddy summarySF 1831 allocates $1 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund county agricultural inspectors across Minnesota. It directly affects counties that employ inspectors meeting specific requirements, such as completing state training, compiling weed inspection reports, and coordinating with the Agriculture Commissioner. To receive funds, counties must submit annual applications, and the Agriculture Commissioner will distribute available money equally among eligible counties. The bill ensures funding supports inspectors' core duties like weed control coordination and annual reporting, with up to 3% of each year's funds allowed for administrative costs. This is a funding mechanism, not a policy change, focused on maintaining county-level agricultural inspection capacity.

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.