Sen. Liz Boldon

Maddy summarySF 2027 establishes early childhood literacy pilot programs to improve reading readiness in young children. It requires the commissioner of education to convene an expert panel to review literacy research and recommend evidence-based practices for family engagement, curricula, and instruction. The commissioner must then implement these pilot programs in diverse settings like public pre-K, Head Start, and childcare centers, using funds available. An independent evaluation will measure the pilots' effectiveness in improving early literacy outcomes, with annual public reviews of results. The bill also updates kindergarten entry assessment requirements to better identify literacy readiness.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $X (amount unspecified in text) from the general fund for one-time grants in fiscal year 2026 to support transitional housing. It provides funding to eligible organizations to renovate existing facilities into transitional housing sites, renovate current sites, build new sites, or improve safety, sanitation, accessibility, and habitability of existing sites. The funds are specifically designated for use under Minnesota Statutes section 256K.48, targeting organizations operating transitional housing programs. The bill directly affects providers of temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, enabling facility improvements through state grants.

Maddy summarySF 1623 amends Minnesota’s dental hygienist licensure requirements under Statute 150A.06, affecting applicants seeking to practice in Minnesota. The bill maintains the requirement for applicants to graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program (minimum two years) or hold a comparable international dental degree (D.D.S. or D.M.D.). It updates examination rules, requiring passage of both a national board exam and a clinical competency exam, with stricter limits on retaking the clinical exam after two failures. The changes clarify eligibility, exam procedures, and fee structures without altering the core education or testing standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Essential Community Supports program to expand access for older adults and those with dementia. It lowers the age requirement from 65 to 60 for eligibility, removes asset limits, and adds dementia as a qualifying condition. The bill also expands allowable services to include homemaker support, chores, and personal emergency response devices, while increasing funding for caregiver respite services grants by $2 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2027. These changes directly affect Minnesotans aged 60+ or with dementia who need community-based care to avoid nursing facility placement.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $3 million for fiscal year 2026 and $3 million for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families. The funds are designated for existing youth intervention programs under Minnesota Statutes section 142A.43, which focus on supporting at-risk youth. The appropriation adds to the base funding for these programs, making the total amount ongoing. It directly affects the state agency administering the programs and the youth served by those specific interventions.

Maddy summarySF 830 appropriates $2.2 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.2 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund a statewide housing mediation program administered by Community Mediation Minnesota. The program provides dispute resolution services to renters and residential property owners, focusing on eviction prevention, mediation, and navigation assistance. It specifically aims to increase access for seniors, renters with disabilities, and culturally diverse communities while partnering with culturally specific organizations. The funds also support staff training, expanding mediator diversity, and connecting participants with legal and court resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health insurance companies in Minnesota from requiring prior authorization for antineoplastic cancer treatments that follow National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, directly affecting cancer patients and insurers. It specifically bans prior approval for non-medication cancer treatments (like certain therapies or procedures), while medications for these treatments still require prior authorization but must be processed under faster timelines. The change applies to health benefit plans offered, sold, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. This eliminates administrative delays for covered cancer treatments, streamlining access to care without altering coverage for medication-based treatments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Human Services to select a single state pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) through a competitive procurement process and enter into a master contract with that PBM. It directly affects medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees, as well as health plans and county-based purchasing organizations that provide their coverage. Key provisions include prohibiting the PBM from requiring specialty drugs from affiliated pharmacies, mandating full disclosure of conflicts of interest during selection, and requiring the PBM to process all pharmacy claims under managed care contracts. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to establish these requirements and ensures the PBM operates with transparency for state healthcare programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies background check requirements for housing support providers in Minnesota. It adds a new requirement that providers must demonstrate (by July 1, 2017) that all individuals needing background checks (controlling individuals, managers, staff/volunteers with direct contact or unsupervised access) either have no disqualifications under state law or have a set-aside for disqualifications. The bill also specifically exempts supportive housing and emergency shelter providers from needing to conduct background studies under Chapter 245C. This directly affects housing support providers, particularly those operating supportive housing or emergency shelters, by altering their background check obligations.

Maddy summarySF 1567 establishes Minnesota's Office of Patient Protection to directly assist residents facing healthcare access or quality issues, such as denied services or restricted provider choices. The office, led by a governor-appointed director, will collect and share health plan quality and satisfaction data on its website, help consumers navigate insurance or public program concerns, and annually report to the legislature with recommendations to simplify healthcare systems. It specifically does not provide healthcare or insurance but focuses on consumer advocacy and transparency. This bill directly affects Minnesotans interacting with health insurers or providers and requires health plans to be transparent about quality metrics. The office must submit its first annual report by February 15, 2026.