Sen. Liz Boldon

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as a one-time grant to Metro Deaf School. It directly provides funding for services to young children with deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing disabilities who are not eligible for existing state funding under Minnesota Statutes §124E.11(h). The funds will support the school's programs for this specific student group. The bill does not create new eligibility criteria or alter existing laws, only providing targeted financial support for an existing service.

Maddy summarySF 1890 establishes a $30 million reproductive health equity grant fund to expand access to abortion care in Minnesota. The fund provides one-time grants to abortion providers, government entities, and nonprofit organizations that facilitate abortion access, with specific focus on supporting staff retention, funding free or low-cost care for uninsured patients, enhancing facility security, and improving cultural competency training. Grants must be used to grow abortion care capacity, ensure affordability regardless of income, and secure physical/digital infrastructure for providers. The fund becomes operational by January 2026, with the commissioner required to award grants within 30 days of application.

Maddy summarySF 787 modifies Minnesota's open meeting law (Minnesota Statutes §13D.02) to remove the current annual limit of three remote participation instances for local government board members. The bill allows any member of a public body (like city councils or school boards) to participate remotely without restriction, provided they meet existing requirements: all participants must be able to see/hear each other, the public at physical locations must have full access to discussions, at least one member must be physically present, and votes must be by roll call. This change directly affects local government bodies by streamlining remote participation during meetings. The bill maintains other core open meeting principles but eliminates the previous three-time-per-year cap for remote attendance.

Maddy summarySF 1622 modifies how Minnesota reimburses Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics for medical services. It requires these providers to annually choose between two payment methods: the standard prospective payment system or an alternative method based on Medicare cost principles. This change applies to all claims for services provided on or after January 1, 2021, updating Minnesota's reimbursement process under state law. The bill directly affects FQHCs and rural health clinics operating in Minnesota that receive state medical assistance payments.

Maddy summaryThe Minnesota Starter Home Act (SF 2229) allows municipalities to permit single-family homes, duplexes, and accessory dwelling units in most residential zones without requiring new comprehensive plan amendments until 2029. It directly affects local governments (which must adopt these zoning changes), homeowners (who can build or rent these units), and developers (who can construct these housing types). Key provisions include exempting these housing types from complex planning processes, defining "affordable housing" as units with income restrictions for 10+ years, and requiring only a simple majority vote for affordable housing amendments. The bill aims to increase housing options by streamlining local zoning rules for starter homes.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's Children's Mental Health Act by establishing new standards for case managers and case manager associates who support children with severe emotional disturbances. It requires case managers to have specific education, training, or experience (including bachelor's degrees in behavioral fields or equivalent experience), and sets annual supervision and continuing education requirements. Case manager associates must meet age, education, or work-experience criteria and complete preservice training. These changes directly affect county human services departments, mental health providers, and the children/families receiving these services.

Maddy summarySF 2507 modifies Minnesota's licensing rules for child care and family service programs. It changes when licenses can be issued, specifically adding conditions that prevent licensing if an applicant, owner, or controlling individual was disqualified or had a license revoked within certain timeframes (e.g., revoked within 5 years). The bill also adds provisions allowing licenses to be issued for programs that operated in compliance with rules before, and clarifies that programs may continue operating during license appeal hearings under specific conditions. This directly affects child care centers, family service providers, and their staff seeking or renewing state licenses. The changes aim to strengthen oversight while providing limited pathways for program continuity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to develop and provide a maternal mental health program for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Key provisions include mandating screenings during the perinatal period (based on ACOG guidelines), ensuring providers are reimbursed at cost for services, preventing unreasonable referral delays for mental health care, and providing resources to connect patients with specialists. The program applies to all health plans and medical assistance programs, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects pregnant and postpartum individuals by expanding access to mental health support during a critical health period.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Minnesota's Constitution, specifically adding a new section stating: "Marriage is a fundamental right and shall not be restricted based on gender or race." If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, this amendment would make it unconstitutional for Minnesota to restrict marriage rights based on gender or race, affecting all Minnesotans seeking marriage licenses or facing marriage-related legal challenges. The amendment would take effect January 1, 2027, if ratified. The vote question would ask voters: "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to state that marriage is a fundamental right and shall not be restricted based on gender or race?"

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to cover power standing systems (devices that allow wheelchair users to stand) without imposing additional costs like deductibles or co-pays. It also mandates that MinnesotaCare and medical assistance programs cover these systems starting in 2026. Insurers must report costs to the Commerce Commissioner, who will reimburse them for coverage expenses not previously provided. The law applies to all health plans offered after January 1, 2026, directly affecting wheelchair users seeking this mobility aid and state-funded health programs.