Sen. Andrew Mathews

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1221) modifies Minnesota law to allow lawful firearm carry and possession at the State Fairgrounds. It amends statutes so that the State Agricultural Society (which operates the fairgrounds) cannot prohibit firearms in fairgrounds bylaws, as long as the prohibition aligns with Section 624.714. The key mechanism requires any private establishment (like the fairgrounds) to follow strict posting rules - using a specific sign at every entrance - to legally restrict firearms; otherwise, firearm possession remains permitted. The law applies specifically to the State Fairgrounds and takes effect August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes political parties, candidates, or local officials to appoint voters as "challengers" to observe early and absentee voting locations. For partisan elections, each major party can appoint one challenger per precinct; for nonpartisan races, each candidate can appoint one. Challengers must be Minnesota residents (proving residency via state ID), cannot use undeliverable mail lists to challenge voters, and are barred from interfering with voting or handling voter records. The bill updates election law to explicitly include early/absentee voting locations under existing challenger rules.

Maddy summarySF 1003 would abolish Minnesota's motor fuel taxes by repealing all tax-related statutes in the motor fuel tax law. It directly affects fuel distributors, special fuel dealers, and bulk purchasers who currently handle taxed fuel. The bill removes all tax collection requirements and licensing obligations tied to motor fuel taxes, amending statutes to eliminate references to tax payments, returns, and fees. Key provisions include repealing sections governing tax payments (like 296A.07 and 296A.08) and modifying license rules to reflect that no tax is due. This would end the state's collection of motor fuel taxes for all affected entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 from state bonds to fund an accessible parking lot at Cedar Creek Conservation Area in Anoka County, specifically in Oak Grove near the Remember Them veterans memorial. It authorizes the state to sell bonds up to $250,000 to cover this cost, with no requirement for Anoka County to contribute additional funds. The parking lot will provide direct access to the veterans memorial within the conservation area. The funding is intended to improve accessibility for visitors, including veterans and people with mobility needs.

Maddy summarySF 997 amends Minnesota law to require that subscribers to community solar gardens must reside in the same county as the solar facility, removing the previous allowance for subscribers in contiguous counties. This change directly affects potential subscribers who currently live in neighboring counties but would no longer qualify under the new requirement. The bill modifies Minnesota Statutes section 216B.1641, specifically changing the residency rule from "same county or contiguous county" to "same county" for all community solar garden subscriptions. The policy change applies to all new and existing community solar programs under this statute, limiting participation to residents within the facility's immediate county. This is a straightforward geographic eligibility adjustment with no other changes to subscription size, ownership limits, or program structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $25 million from state bonds to fund upgrades at Big Lake's wastewater treatment plant. The funds will cover design, construction, and equipment to modernize the facility, ensuring it meets current regulations and can handle future population growth. The Public Facilities Authority will provide a grant to the City of Big Lake for these improvements. The money comes from bonds authorized under Minnesota law, in addition to prior funding. This directly affects Big Lake residents and its municipal infrastructure.

Maddy summarySF 886, introduced in the Minnesota Senate on February 3, 2025, amends Minnesota Statutes section 645.451 by adding specific definitions for terms like "female," "male," "girl," "boy," "father," "mother," "gender," and "sex." The bill defines "female" as an individual with a natural reproductive system producing eggs and "male" as an individual with a natural reproductive system producing sperm, excluding those with developmental or genetic anomalies. It explicitly states that "gender" is not synonymous with gender identity, and clarifies that "sex" refers to biological sex, not gender identity, in legal contexts. This bill directly affects how these terms are interpreted in Minnesota law, particularly in statutes, administrative rules, and guidelines.

Maddy summarySF 753 requires Minnesota public school districts to obtain written consent from a parent or guardian before providing sexual education to minor students. This bill directly affects school districts, parents/guardians of minors, and minor students in public schools. The key provision mandates that written consent must be secured for sexual education curriculum, which was not previously required by law. School districts must now implement a process to collect this consent, while existing parental review processes for other curriculum remain unchanged. The bill does not alter requirements for alternative instruction or other instructional materials.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 840) modifies Minnesota's water permit rules for the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer. It requires new permits for drinking water use from this aquifer to include a demonstration that no other water sources are feasible, a water conservation plan using modern technology, and compliance with other water laws. For non-drinking water use (like industrial processes), permits are only allowed outside metropolitan counties and must meet the same three requirements. The bill directly affects water users, developers, and municipalities seeking new permits from this specific aquifer. It creates concrete new conditions for obtaining permits but does not change existing water rights.

Maddy summarySF 704, the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act, requires manufacturers and sellers of internet-enabled devices (like smartphones and computers) to include default filters that block websites known to facilitate human trafficking, prostitution, or display harmful content to minors. The law defines "obscene" material to include sites promoting trafficking, escort services, or depicting sadomasochistic abuse or revenge pornography without consent. It directly affects device manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by mandating these default blocking capabilities for personal devices sold in Minnesota. The bill also requires reports on implementation and establishes new rules under Minnesota Statutes chapter 609, focusing on preventing online exploitation without broadly restricting internet access.