Sen. John Hoffman

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies enrollment and eligibility rules to give children in foster care priority access to community education programs, school readiness programs, early learning scholarships, and basic sliding fee child care assistance in Minnesota. It requires school districts operating before- and after-school programs to ensure foster children receive the highest enrollment priority and must include compliance with this rule in annual reports. The legislation also adjusts the Northstar foster care child care allowance calculation based on how many hours of care are needed due to work or training, with higher allowances for greater care needs, and mandates that licensing agencies provide prospective foster care license holders with information about child care costs and early childhood education options.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for unlawful firearm possession in Minnesota, primarily affecting individuals with prior violent crime convictions and those prohibited from owning certain weapons. It raises the maximum prison sentence for people convicted of violent crimes who possess firearms from 15 to 20 years, and increases penalties for prohibited persons possessing assault weapons or ammunition from five to 15 years in prison. The legislation also makes transferring firearms to prohibited individuals a felony with a maximum sentence of four years instead of two, and increases penalties for dealers and others who violate transfer laws. These changes apply to offenses committed on or after August 1, 2026, and include exceptions for individuals whose firearm rights have been legally restored.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires high-risk medical assistance providers in Minnesota to complete compliance training and establish specific internal policies. It mandates that license applicants and holders implement drug and alcohol policies for staff, create grievance procedures for clients, and designate authorized agents for communications with state officials. The legislation also requires providers to disclose consultant use when preparing license applications and establishes new teams for licensing oversight and provider support. These changes aim to strengthen oversight of medical assistance programs while streamlining application processes through updated reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers to remove all emergency vehicle equipment and insignia before selling or transferring public safety vehicles to the public. The law mandates that sellers and auction houses provide a certificate of compliance confirming the removal of lights, sirens, emblems, and other identifying features that could mislead people into thinking the vehicle is an official emergency vehicle. Public safety agencies must also issue this compliance certificate before completing any sale or transfer. Violators face civil penalties of up to $2,500 and may be held liable for damages caused by the vehicle's use in crimes. The bill exempts vehicles sold for collection or display purposes if they are registered as collector items and not used for general transportation.

Maddy summarySF 3957 modifies Minnesota's educational assistance program for children and spouses of veterans. It provides an annual $750 stipend for eligible children and spouses of deceased veterans (or veterans who were prisoners of war/missing in action), replacing a previous single payment. To qualify, recipients must be Minnesota residents enrolled in a public Minnesota institution of higher education, making satisfactory academic progress, and not yet holding a bachelor's degree. The bill updates eligibility definitions and repeals an outdated section of law, focusing specifically on children and surviving spouses rather than veterans themselves.

Maddy summarySF 3684 modifies Minnesota's Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grants Program to increase the maximum grant amount for library renovations, expansions, or new construction from $1 million to $2 million (or 50% of approved costs, whichever is less). It changes the required matching funds from "local" to "non-state" funds, allowing libraries to use broader non-state funding sources like private donations or local revenue. The bill appropriates $10 million in state bond proceeds to fund the program, with bonds authorized for sale to cover this cost. These changes will take effect for grants awarded after June 30, 2026, directly affecting public library jurisdictions statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially renames the Minnesota Senate Building in St. Paul to honor Kari Dziedzic, a state representative who passed away in 2024. It requires the state to update all official signage and legal references to reflect the new name while ensuring the cost of these changes comes from existing state funds rather than being passed to tenants. The legislation also directs state officials to update the Minnesota Statutes and Rules to include the new building name.

Maddy summaryThis bill adjusts the forecasted program budgets for Minnesota's Department of Human Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It modifies specific funding amounts for programs like General Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, Housing Support, MinnesotaCare, and Medical Assistance by adding or subtracting money from existing appropriations. The changes are drawn from the General Fund and the Health Care Access Fund, with some programs receiving increased funding while others see adjustments. The bill directly affects state budget planning and the financial resources available to these human services agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's human services licensing rules, primarily affecting child foster care and adult foster care providers. It clarifies when the state can issue new foster care licenses despite a moratorium on non-primary residence homes, allowing exceptions for homes serving older adults, replacing closed nursing facilities, or accommodating people transitioning from state-operated care. The legislation also updates requirements for assessors, case management, and early intervention services, while making technical corrections to existing statutes. Additionally, it establishes a state-level resource need determination process to guide where reduced licensing capacity will be applied and requires immediate notification when adult residents move out of certain foster settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the issuance of up to $4.3 million in state bonds to fund improvements at the intersection of Trunk Highway 65 and Bunker Lake Boulevard Northeast in Ham Lake, Minnesota. The funds will be used for engineering, environmental studies, design, land acquisition, and construction of the road interchange and associated frontage and backage roads. The project is specifically designated for the portion eligible to be funded with general obligation bond proceeds, and the state does not require a nonstate contribution. The commissioner of transportation will oversee the project, while the commissioner of management and budget will handle the bond sale and issuance process.