Sen. Carla Nelson

Maddy summarySF 723 appropriates $5.6 million in state bond funds to improve intersections along U.S. Highway 14 in Byron, Minnesota. The funds will support environmental analysis, design, and eventual construction of grade-separated interchanges at key intersections (including those with County Highways 3 and 5) to replace at-grade traffic signals. The money, drawn from the state transportation fund, will be provided as grants to the city of Byron and Olmsted County for their share of project costs. This includes acquiring right-of-way and building the new interchanges and associated infrastructure. The bill authorizes the state to issue up to $5.6 million in general obligation bonds to finance these improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands who is ineligible for earned incentive release credit under Minnesota's Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act. It amends statutes to add individuals serving sentences for second-degree murder (Minn. Stat. 609.19), third-degree murder (609.195), first-degree manslaughter (609.20), or second-degree manslaughter (609.205) to the existing list of ineligible persons. The key mechanism adds these specific violent crime categories to Section 244.45, which defines ineligibility, while Section 244.46's applicability exemptions are updated to reflect the expansion. This directly affects incarcerated individuals convicted of these specific offenses who would otherwise qualify for the credit.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits Minnesota's ability to assess additional taxes when taxpayers rely on written erroneous advice from the tax department. It protects taxpayers who received specific written guidance from department employees that was reasonably relied upon and not due to the taxpayer's failure to provide accurate information. The commissioner cannot impose extra tax if the advice remained valid (no legal changes or court decisions altered it) and no new written notice corrected the guidance. The provision applies to tax periods starting after the erroneous advice was given, effective June 30, 2025. It directly affects individuals and businesses subject to income, corporate franchise, and sales tax assessments.

Maddy summarySF 33 modifies Minnesota's requirements for properties classified as "class 4d(1)" low-income rental housing. It updates the criteria for qualifying properties, requiring at least 20% of units to meet specific federal or state housing assistance standards (like Section 8 contracts or income-restricted tax credit projects). The bill also mandates that property owners use tax savings from this classification for eligible purposes only - such as maintenance, security, improvements, rent stabilization, or replacement reserves - and must annually certify this usage to the Housing Finance Agency. This change affects owners of qualifying low-income rental properties, effective for 2026 property assessments.

Maddy summarySF 375 modifies rules for local sales taxes in Minnesota. It requires local governments to first obtain legislative approval before seeking voter approval for new sales taxes. The bill restricts these taxes to specific capital projects (like infrastructure) that provide clear regional benefits beyond the local area, and prohibits using tax revenue for general local services. It also mandates that tax revenues be dedicated solely to approved projects, with automatic termination once funding is complete. This affects cities and counties seeking to fund projects through local sales taxes.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 395 creates special veterans' license plates for each branch of the U.S. armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine). It allows eligible veterans who do not qualify for existing veteran plates to obtain free plates displaying "VETERAN" and their branch's emblem, provided they pay standard registration fees and meet ownership criteria for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, or specific trucks. The plates must be designed in consultation with veterans' organizations and can be transferred to another qualifying vehicle owned by the same person. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to provide grants to Bridges to Healthcare. The funds will support career training and support services for low-income parents, non-native English speakers, and other hard-to-train individuals seeking jobs in healthcare fields. The grant covers program expenses like hiring instructors, space rental, and participant support - including childcare, transportation, and housing assistance - to help participants complete training and address healthcare worker shortages. Up to 5% of the grant may cover administrative costs for the organization.

Maddy summarySF 455 creates a sales tax exemption for items purchased by qualified nonprofit outpatient rehabilitation clinics in Minnesota, directly affecting clinics that meet specific criteria. To qualify, clinics must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing physical, occupational, or speech therapy, serve at least 50% of patients through medical assistance or MinnesotaCare, and provide over 10,000 encounters for uninsured or state-covered patients annually. The exemption applies to purchases used for delivering rehabilitation services, excluding certain items like building materials or prepared food. This policy change removes sales tax on clinic-operating expenses for eligible facilities, aligning with existing tax exemptions for hospitals and other healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10 million in bond proceeds to fund Minnesota's Safe Routes to School grant program, which helps communities improve walking and biking infrastructure around schools. The funds will be distributed by the commissioner of transportation to support projects like safer crosswalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian pathways near schools. It directly affects students, families, and school districts by making it easier and safer for children to travel to school on foot or by bike. The bill authorizes the state to issue up to $10 million in bonds to finance these grants under existing law (Minnesota Statutes § 174.40).

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $11.8 million from state bonds to fund a community reuse and recycling facility in Olmsted County. The funds will be used to design, construct, and equip the facility on Olmsted County's existing resource recovery campus. The state will issue bonds up to $11.8 million to cover the costs, with the money flowing to Olmsted County via a grant administered by the Pollution Control Agency. The facility will directly serve Olmsted County residents and support local waste management infrastructure.