Sen. Grant Hauschild

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new funding mechanism called "general education disparity aid" to address funding gaps between Minnesota school districts. It calculates aid for districts with per-pupil funding below the 20th percentile of all districts, based on the difference between their actual funding and the 20th percentile benchmark. The aid amount equals 0.37 times this funding gap multiplied by the district's student enrollment (adjusted pupil units), starting in fiscal year 2026. The bill appropriates state funds for this program beginning in 2026, directly affecting school districts with lower per-pupil revenue compared to most others.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the commissioner of natural resources. The funds are specifically for a grant to "Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat" to promote youth shooting sports and host a youth shooting day. It directly affects youth participants in shooting sports programs through this grant-funded initiative. The bill creates no new requirements or regulations, only providing dedicated funding for an existing program.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1640) creates tax and fee exemptions for volunteer firefighters' vehicles in Minnesota. It allows volunteer firefighters who provide documentation from their fire department chief to be exempt from registration taxes, administrative fees, filing fees, and plate/sticker fees on eligible vehicles (passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles). The exemption applies to up to two vehicles registered jointly with a spouse or domestic partner, but does not cover personalized plate fees or special plate donations. It directly affects volunteer firefighters by reducing their vehicle ownership costs under Minnesota Statutes. The exemption takes effect for registration periods starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 1983 extends an existing appropriation for the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency to build a regional hub building in Minnesota's Arrowhead region. The bill modifies a 2024 law to extend the timeframe for using $12,207,000 allocated for this specific project, which will provide workforce development services. It does not create new funding but ensures existing resources can be used to complete the hub construction and services. The regional hub will serve local residents and businesses through workforce training and support programs in the Arrowhead area.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Northeast Deer Management Task Force by October 1, 2025, to develop recommendations for increasing deer populations in northeastern Minnesota. The task force must include hunters, wildlife managers, Tribal members, and other stakeholders, and must submit a final report to the commissioner and relevant legislative committees by August 1, 2027. The commissioner must collaborate with the task force and meet with it at least three times yearly. The bill directly affects deer management policies in northeastern Minnesota, targeting efforts to address declining deer populations through collaborative recommendations.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) benefits and funding. It allows teachers with 30 years of service to retire at age 60 with a full annuity (previously required age 62), reduces early retirement penalties, and increases postretirement adjustments. It also raises employer contribution rates: for most districts, the rate increases to 9.5% for coordinated members and 13.5% for basic members starting July 1, 2025. School districts receive adjusted pension revenue funding based on new rates (e.g., 3.25% for St. Paul districts starting 2026), effective for fiscal years 2026 and later. The bill directly affects public school teachers and school districts participating in the TRA.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires tire collectors who need a permit under Minnesota law to maintain a $150,000 surety bond before receiving or renewing their permit. The bond, held by the state commissioner, ensures tire collectors comply with existing waste management rules (sections 115A.90-115A.914) and provides financial recourse if they fail to meet requirements. The bond must remain active until canceled with 30 days' written notice to both the collector and the commissioner. It directly affects businesses collecting tires that operate under a state permit, ensuring accountability for environmental and public safety standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates dollar limits on tax credits for Minnesota agricultural landowners who sell or rent property to beginning farmers. Currently, credits are capped at $50,000 for land sales and $7,000 annually for cash rent; the bill removes these maximums. It directly affects agricultural property owners and beginning farmers by allowing credits to scale with transaction value without annual caps. The change applies to credits under Minnesota Statutes sections 41B.0391 and 290.06, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summarySF 1916 establishes a three-year pilot program to create a web-based single system for managing nonemergency medical transportation under Minnesota's medical assistance and MinnesotaCare programs. It requires the Human Services commissioner to implement one or two pilot programs (each in at least two non-metropolitan counties) by January 2026, featuring a system that enables real-time scheduling, eligibility checks, two-way communication between insurers and transport providers, expedited payments, and feedback collection. The program directly affects participating counties, transportation providers, and beneficiaries using these services. By February 2027 and annually thereafter, the commissioner must submit reports on the pilot's progress to relevant legislative committees.

Maddy summarySF 2116 modifies how Minnesota towns calculate their state aid by changing the formula used to determine each town's share. It updates the "town aid factor" calculation to combine agricultural property, town area, and population factors, while increasing the annual state funding limit for town aid from $10 million (for 2015-2025) to $11.5 million (starting in 2026). This bill directly affects all Minnesota towns receiving state aid under this program, which includes rural communities relying on this funding for local services. The changes take effect for aid paid in 2026 and later, based on the most recent available data as of January 1 each year.