Sen. Liz Boldon

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's health insurance rules for Medicare-related coverage by repealing previous regulations and updating requirements for preexisting conditions, coverage suspensions, and enrollment protections. It directly affects health insurance carriers and individuals with Medicare Part B or disability-based coverage by changing how policies handle preexisting conditions, suspensions due to medical assistance eligibility, and denial of coverage based on health status. Key provisions include allowing preexisting condition coverage within six months of enrollment for those without recent diagnoses, permitting policy suspensions of up to 24 months when individuals qualify for medical assistance with automatic reinstatement upon eligibility loss, and extending six-month enrollment periods for individuals who lose or regain Medicare Part B eligibility due to disability status or age transitions. The changes take effect the day following final enactment, with specific sections also effective August 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 3613 modifies election and appointment procedures for Minnesota townships. It adjusts timelines for canvassing election results (e.g., requiring towns to declare results within two days after March elections), clarifies roles for town clerks (allowing them to notarize official documents), and updates rules for organizing new towns (requiring a 30-day window after election approval for the first meeting). The bill also specifies how town officers serve terms (e.g., clerks serve until the next odd-year election) and ensures deputies can temporarily fill vacancies in clerk/treasurer roles. These changes directly affect township governing bodies, clerks, and treasurers by streamlining administrative processes under existing statutes.

Maddy summarySF 3842 bans Minnesota state, county, and local government units - including sheriffs' offices - from entering new agreements with federal authorities that allow them to enforce civil immigration law. It also requires all existing agreements of this type to be terminated by the day after the bill becomes law. The bill defines "immigration enforcement agreements" broadly to include contracts, memorandums, or intergovernmental agreements that authorize local entities to enforce federal immigration rules. This directly affects all Minnesota local governments and their agencies that currently have or might seek such federal cooperation arrangements.

Maddy summarySF 4040 prohibits Minnesota employers from requiring a driver's license as a condition of employment, except for jobs where driving is an essential function. It directly affects employers statewide and job applicants who may lack a license due to cost, disability, or other barriers. The bill allows employers to accept alternative identification documents (like those used for USCIS verification) instead of a driver's license. Employers may still accept a license if voluntarily offered by an applicant, but cannot use this acceptance as evidence of a violation. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the zoning authority of local governments in Minnesota by requiring them to allow specific housing types in certain areas. It directly affects municipalities with populations over 1,000 in the metropolitan area and all municipalities for certain provisions, while excluding smaller towns with fewer than 5,000 residents. The law requires local governments to permit duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and multifamily developments in designated zones and apply standardized administrative review processes for these housing requests. Additionally, the bill defines key terms like accessory dwelling units and affordable housing to ensure consistent application of these requirements across different communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the required heating season for landlords in Minnesota from October 1 to September 1, requiring them to maintain a minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable spaces until May 31. The change directly affects residential landlords and tenants by lengthening the period during which landlords must provide adequate heat under state law. The provision applies to all residential leases and licenses and cannot be waived or modified by agreement between parties. Landlords must maintain this temperature unless a utility company specifically instructs them to reduce heat due to operational requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) from standard contract term limits in Minnesota. It allows the state health commissioner to enter into contracts for WIC electronic benefit transfer systems and related services with initial terms of up to five years, extendable to a maximum of ten years total. Additionally, the exemption applies to contracts for management information systems used to process WIC benefit redemptions. The legislation directly affects the state's ability to procure and maintain technology systems for WIC without being restricted by the usual contract duration requirements in Minnesota law.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's rules for Medicare supplement insurance policies to improve coverage protections for seniors and people with disabilities. It requires insurers to cover preexisting conditions during the first six months of enrollment and prevents them from denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on health status during specific enrollment periods. The legislation also mandates automatic reinstatement of policies when coverage is suspended due to qualifying for government medical assistance, ensuring no waiting periods apply upon regaining eligibility. Additionally, the bill restricts insurers from terminating coverage without prejudice to continuous losses and clarifies rules for reinstating policies when individuals lose Medicare Part B eligibility due to disability status changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's vital records laws to clarify how birth and death records are maintained, accessed, and issued. It directly affects the state registrar, local vital records offices, and individuals seeking certified copies of vital records. The bill strengthens the state registrar's authority to oversee vital records systems, allows for electronic data submission, and expands who can access certified records for purposes like adoption searches and estate administration. It also ensures free certified copies for veterans and their families and permits medical researchers to access restricted records under confidentiality agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's laws for registering delayed birth records and reporting fetal deaths. It allows delayed birth records to be registered for deceased individuals up to seven years after birth if sufficient evidence is provided, with the record marked as deceased. The bill also clarifies who must report fetal deaths, adding medical examiners and coroners to the list of responsible parties while maintaining the five-day reporting requirement for pregnancies of 20 weeks or more. These changes affect hospitals, medical professionals, parents, and vital records officials in Minnesota.