Sen. Cal Bahr

Maddy summarySF 1794 repeals a requirement that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, must complete 2,080 hours of supervised practice under a formal agreement with physicians in hospital or integrated clinical settings before obtaining or renewing their license. This bill directly affects APRNs seeking licensure in Minnesota by removing the mandatory collaborative practice rule. The repeal takes effect August 1, 2025, applying to all license applications submitted on or after that date. The change eliminates the need for APRNs to submit written evidence of this collaborative practice experience as part of their licensure process.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 427) requires children's service providers receiving funding from Minnesota's Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to conduct criminal background checks on all employees, volunteers, and contractors who work with children. It directly affects organizations that receive trust fund money and provide children's services, as defined in Minnesota Statute 299C.61. The key provision mandates that these providers certify to the commission that background checks are performed on all staff with child access. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2025, for all trust fund recipients receiving money on or after that date.

Maddy summarySF 2918 requires committees or private organizations sending mailings with absentee ballot applications or sample ballots to include a clear, visible statement explaining the mailing is not an official government communication, wasn't requested by officials, and sample ballots aren't valid for voting. It also prohibits pre-printing voter registration details like names or addresses on these applications. The bill mandates that such mailings use distinct envelope markings to differentiate them from official election mail. This directly affects private groups distributing ballot materials, aiming to prevent voter confusion about the source and validity of election-related mailings.

Maddy summarySF 2207 removes the requirement for a permit to operate certain special vehicles on designated roadways in Minnesota. Local governments (counties, cities, towns) can now authorize motorized golf carts, ATVs, utility task vehicles, and mini trucks on specific roads through ordinance, without requiring a separate permit for each vehicle. However, local ordinances must still designate approved roadways, require insurance, and set conditions like operating hours (sunrise to sunset), slow-moving vehicle emblems for golf carts, and specific equipment standards for mini trucks. This directly affects vehicle owners and local governments managing road access for these non-traditional vehicles.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate Bill 720 withdraws Minnesota from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), a multi-state agreement to award presidential electors based on the national popular vote. The bill repeals Minnesota laws (208.051 and 208.052) that implemented the compact, ending the state's participation in the agreement. As a result, Minnesota will no longer commit to awarding its electoral votes to the national popular vote winner; instead, presidential electors will be chosen based on the state's own popular vote outcome. This change affects how Minnesota's presidential electors are selected in future elections, reverting to the state's standard electoral process.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a product stewardship program for wind and solar energy infrastructure in Minnesota, requiring producers (like manufacturers and importers) to manage the end-of-life recycling of solar panels and wind turbine components. It imposes a fee on retail sales of this infrastructure to fund the program, which must include a plan for collecting, transporting, and processing discarded equipment for recycling. The bill also bans the disposal of wind and solar infrastructure in landfills and requires producers to submit their stewardship plans to the state by March 2026. These changes directly affect producers and retailers of renewable energy systems, aiming to reduce waste and support recycling.

Maddy summarySF 721 modifies Minnesota's resident tuition eligibility rules for certain non-immigrant students without legal U.S. work authorization. It adds specific documentation requirements: students must have attended Minnesota high school for three+ years, graduated or earned an equivalent, and provide proof of selective service registration (if applicable) plus federal immigration application documentation (if a process exists). This directly affects non-immigrant students seeking resident tuition rates at Minnesota state universities and colleges. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 135A.043 (residency for tuition) and 136A.101 (definition of "resident student") to include these new conditions.

Maddy summarySF 454 requires Minnesota's legislature to approve any extension of a declared emergency beyond five days. It also mandates that certain executive orders and rules must be enacted by the legislature to have legal force, rather than taking effect automatically. The bill directly affects governors, legislators, and citizens by limiting executive emergency powers and requiring legislative oversight. Key provisions include defining "public health emergency" and "bioterrorism" while adding a 5-day limit on emergency declarations without legislative approval. These changes aim to strengthen legislative checks on emergency authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Minnesota laws to have a single, clearly stated subject in their title and prohibiting amendments that change a bill's original purpose. It strengthens the existing "single subject" rule by mandating that all bill provisions must directly relate to that stated subject and that courts interpret both rules narrowly. The amendment also allows any Minnesota resident to sue if a law violates these rules - without needing to prove personal harm - and declares that unconstitutional laws are void in their entirety. This would directly affect legislators drafting bills, courts interpreting laws, and citizens challenging legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's teacher strike rules by adding new conditions for when strikes can occur. It establishes a "maximum increase available" for school district salary and benefit agreements, calculated using state GDP and local population growth data from the previous two years. School districts must notify teachers' unions of this cap before negotiations; if an agreement meets or stays within it, teachers cannot strike over it. The changes apply to collective bargaining agreements effective July 1, 2025, and require districts to inform residents if they exceed the cap.