Sen. Cal Bahr

Maddy summarySF 2534 allows cities and counties in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties to formally opt out of the Metropolitan Council's regulatory authority over local development and infrastructure. To do so, a local government must pass a resolution filing with the Council, after which it is exempt from metropolitan system plans and requirements starting January 1 following the filing. The bill also specifies that opting out does not exempt local governments from certain transit-related taxes in designated districts, and they may later opt back in after a four-year waiting period. This change directly affects local governments seeking greater autonomy over their own planning and development decisions within the metropolitan region.

Maddy summarySF 2399 exempts small local government employers with 50 or fewer employees from Minnesota's Paid Leave Law. This directly affects entities like cities, counties, school districts, townships, and local authorities (e.g., housing authorities, port commissions) that employ 50 or fewer workers. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to remove these small local government employers from the law's definitions of "covered employment" and "employer," meaning they would not be required to provide paid leave under this law. Entities excluded by this bill may choose to opt back into the law through a process determined by the commissioner. The bill does not change requirements for larger local governments or private employers.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's absentee voting procedures by shortening the voting window for absentee ballots from 46 to 28 days before elections (affecting all absentee voters) and moving the deadline for returning ballots from 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on election day. It amends sections 203B.06 (ballot delivery timelines), 203B.08 (return deadlines), and 203B.081 (voting period) to implement these changes. The provisions apply to all voters requesting absentee ballots, including those in correctional facilities and voters with disabilities who rely on specific delivery methods. These changes aim to streamline election administration while maintaining existing ballot return and delivery processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires county auditors, municipal clerks, and school district clerks to livestream all ballot board activities during absentee voting, election day, and the following day if processing absentee ballots. It mandates specific camera placements to show board members, ballots, and room doors while avoiding private data, covering key steps like envelope handling, ballot opening, and counting. The Commissioner of Information Technology must provide and retain these livestreams for 22 months on a public website at no cost to voters or local offices. Funding of $... is appropriated for implementation in fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summarySF 2182 establishes performance thresholds for Minnesota's Northstar Commuter Rail line, directly affecting the Metropolitan Council (which operates the service) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The bill requires the line to meet specific ridership targets (less than 450,000 riders in any six-month period or less than 900,000 annually) or maintain a farebox recovery ratio above 40% in any calendar year starting in 2026. If these thresholds are not met, the bill mandates the permanent termination of the rail service, including decommissioning stations, ending all related agreements, and returning assets to the state. The law applies to the Minneapolis-Big Lake corridor and requires the Metropolitan Council to seek federal waivers if performance targets are missed.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10.5 million from state bonds to connect East Bethel Elementary School and Cedar Creek Elementary School to the city's water and sewer systems. The funds cover planning, design, construction, and equipment for new infrastructure including a water tower, treatment facility, wells, and related pipelines. The city of East Bethel will receive a grant from the Public Facilities Authority to complete this project. The bill authorizes the sale of up to $10.5 million in state bonds to finance these specific infrastructure improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's requirements for providing cause of death information when a medical examiner or coroner declines jurisdiction over a natural death. It specifies that physicians present at death, those who provided medical treatment before death, or those with direct knowledge and access to medical records must provide the information. If no such physician exists, another physician has 72 hours to provide it after notification. If a physician refuses, the medical examiner or coroner may provide the information and recover costs from the refusing physician or their employer.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota school districts to use net proceeds from career and technical education (CTE) programs to fund postsecondary scholarships and grants for eligible students. It requires students to complete a qualifying CTE course, apply in their senior year, and graduate from a Minnesota high school to receive these funds. Scholarships cover tuition, certificate programs, or apprenticeships, while grants help students entering the workforce or military with career-related supplies. School districts must report program details to the Department of Education and may only use annual net proceeds (revenue exceeding program costs) to fund these awards. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $7 million from the general fund for one-time road improvements in Blaine, Minnesota. The funds are specifically for the city of Blaine (or Anoka County) to address local road work connected to intersection upgrades on Trunk Highway 65, including temporary traffic mitigation during construction. The appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, and must be used for projects directly related to the Highway 65 construction. It affects Blaine residents and local infrastructure by providing dedicated funding for road maintenance during a major highway project.

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.