Sen. Andrew Mathews

Maddy summaryThis bill requires utility companies in Minnesota to consider nuclear power as an option when planning their energy resources, though it does not mandate that they choose it. It also directs the state Department of Commerce to actively seek federal funding for nuclear power projects and report annually on these efforts to state legislators. Utilities that decide against selecting nuclear power must explain their reasoning in their resource plans, while the state must apply for eligible federal nuclear funding opportunities and document why it declines any projects it cannot participate in. The changes take effect immediately upon passage, with utility resource plans filed after September 1, 2026, being subject to the new nuclear inclusion requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, a state agency established to fund clean energy and environmental projects through grants, loans, and other financing tools. The legislation transfers any outstanding debt obligations from the authority to the commissioner of management and budget by June 30, 2026, and repeals the existing statute that created the authority. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment, with the repeal of the authority's enabling law occurring on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow Minnesota taxpayers to subtract firefighter pension income from their state individual income tax. It directly affects firefighters who receive annuity income or lump-sum payments from public retirement plans based on their firefighting service. The key provision adds a new subtraction category to the state tax code, defining firefighter pension income specifically as payments from public retirement plans tied to firefighting service. The change would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates state funds to commission a study evaluating the potential for building nuclear power plants in Minnesota. The study, to be conducted by the Great Plains Institute and completed by June 2027, will examine factors such as federal regulations, technological advances, small modular reactors, and siting issues including environmental impacts and community acceptance. It will also analyze nuclear waste management, economic benefits for host communities, and effects on public safety and emergency responders. The results will be submitted to state legislative committees in February 2027 to inform future energy policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for volunteer firefighter pension income in Minnesota, meaning eligible individuals would not pay state income tax on retirement benefits earned from volunteer firefighting service. It directly affects volunteer firefighters, paid on-call firefighters, and other designated volunteer fire service personnel who receive annuity income or lump-sum payments from public retirement plans based on their firefighting service. The legislation defines who qualifies as a volunteer firefighter by referencing existing state definitions and specifies that the tax benefit applies to pension income derived specifically from their volunteer service. The changes would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Minnesota State Fire Code to include mandatory security systems in schools to protect students from armed attacks. It directs the state fire commissioner to develop specific rules during a rulemaking process that would cover measures like bullet-resistant doors, ballistic wall panels, remote lock-down systems, and emergency access for first responders. The legislation also mandates training for school staff on emergency protocols and includes requirements for electronic access controls and classroom duress alarms. This change directly affects all public and private schools in Minnesota by establishing a comprehensive, multilayered security framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's certificate of need requirement for energy projects by adding new exemptions. It directly affects energy developers and utilities by removing approval requirements for specific projects, including energy storage systems, transmission lines connecting wind/solar facilities to the grid, and certain transmission line upgrades. Key provisions exempt projects like repowering wind/solar systems without increasing capacity, upgrading existing lines to 115 kilovolts using existing rights-of-way, and connecting renewable energy systems to transmission networks. The changes streamline approvals for smaller-scale renewable energy infrastructure and transmission modifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill would end the requirement for the Monticello nuclear generating plant to make annual payments to a state renewable development account, while maintaining similar payment obligations for the Prairie Island nuclear plant. The legislation also modifies Minnesota's distributed solar energy standard, extends a sales tax exemption on residential natural gas and electricity to apply year-round, and exempts electric and natural gas facilities from paying the state commercial-industrial property tax. These changes directly affect the Monticello nuclear plant operator, the state's energy regulatory framework, and residential and commercial utility customers in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies regulations related to data centers in Minnesota by adjusting water use evaluation requirements, providing certain tax and fee exemptions, and clarifying how data centers participate in clean energy programs. It directly affects data center operators, water resource managers, public utilities, and local communities by changing how water permits are assessed and how data centers are treated under solar energy standards and utility tariffs. Key provisions include establishing preapplication water evaluation processes for large data centers, exempting qualified large-scale data centers from specific clean energy tariff requirements and sales taxes, and defining criteria for what constitutes a qualified data center. The law also clarifies that certain data centers already in the permitting process or located in eligible communities are exempt from new regulatory requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program in Minnesota to help school districts and transportation providers purchase propane-fueled school buses. It directly affects public school districts, private transportation companies, and communities with high poverty rates or rural locations. The program requires applicants to submit detailed plans showing how they will use the buses, particularly in areas serving students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and gives priority funding to disadvantaged districts. The state Energy Department will manage the grants, provide technical support, and must aim to award at least 40 percent of available funds to prioritized school districts.