Sen. Jim Abeler

Maddy summaryThis bill temporarily suspends a hospital surcharge and establishes a new base year for setting payment rates under Minnesota's medical assistance program, effective July 1, 2026. It also authorizes the state health commissioner to grant rule waivers to specific nonstate government teaching hospitals that have level I trauma centers and high utilization of public funds, provided there is a unanimous request from the hospital's governing board and nursing union. These waivers are intended to provide financial stabilization for eligible facilities, while the new base year and surcharge suspension aim to adjust how hospitals are reimbursed for their services. The legislation directly affects Minnesota hospitals, particularly those designated as teaching institutions with major trauma capabilities, and modifies existing statutes governing health care funding and administrative rules.

Maddy summarySF 2689 modifies Minnesota's Medicaid fraud laws to strengthen enforcement. It expands the attorney general's subpoena authority to obtain financial records, phone records, and other relevant data during fraud investigations. The bill also updates criminal penalties: fraud involving claims over $35,000 could result in up to 20 years in prison, while fraud between $5,000 and $35,000 carries up to 10 years. These changes directly affect Medicaid providers, fraud investigators, and the state's ability to prosecute false claims under Chapter 256B. The bill repeals Minnesota Statutes section 609.466 and amends related statutes to clarify enforcement procedures.

Maddy summarySF 3825 amends Minnesota law to require gun owners to store loaded firearms in locations where children *and* individuals prohibited from owning firearms (such as those with certain criminal records under section 624.713) cannot access them. The bill expands existing storage rules - previously focused only on children - to explicitly include prohibited persons, making it a gross misdemeanor to negligently leave a loaded firearm accessible to either group without proper security. Key provisions clarify that "loaded" includes firearms with ammunition in the chamber or magazine, and define the penalty for failure to secure firearms against access. This directly affects gun owners in households with children or individuals legally barred from firearm possession. The bill is currently in committee review after introduction on February 23, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's senior nutrition programs to better support older adults' physical and mental health by expanding funding and service options. It establishes a new food delivery support account to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for transporting home-delivered meals, groceries, and purchased food to older adults with limited mobility, disabilities, or resources. The legislation allows area agencies on aging to use funds for a broader range of services including transportation to grocery stores, medically tailored meals, nutrition counseling, and partnerships with community partners like schools and hospitals. Additionally, the bill permits unused nutrition support funds to be transferred to congregate dining and home-delivered meal programs, ensuring flexible use of resources to address local needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires food manufacturers and brand owners in Minnesota to test packaged food products for ortho-phthalates and report the results to the commissioner of agriculture. The law defines specific terms such as "brand owner," "food manufacturer," and "packaged food product," while excluding items like meat, cheese, bakery goods, and produce packaged at retail locations. Companies must submit a written notice containing product descriptions, barcode numbers, testing dates, and specific chemical findings no later than 30 days before selling the product in the state. These reporting requirements are set to take effect on July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a felony to force or coerce a pregnant girl under 18 into seeking or obtaining an abortion, defining coercion as a broad range of actions including threats, financial pressure, or exploiting vulnerabilities. It also requires hospitals and clinics to screen patients for signs of human trafficking involving minors and mandates that certain information be displayed at abortion facilities. Additionally, the law creates a new legal cause of action for wrongful death resulting from an abortion and directs the state health commissioner to create rules implementing these measures. The legislation directly affects healthcare providers, law enforcement, and families by establishing stricter penalties and reporting requirements related to minors and reproductive health.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes allocating $1 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to support early learning resources for new parents. The funds would be given to the commissioner of children, youth, and families, who would then grant the money to the organization Minnesota Rally to Read. The organization is authorized to distribute baby brain builder tool kits specifically to families with newborn children. The legislation has been introduced and referred to the Health and Human Services committee for review.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota laws governing manufactured home parks to improve transparency and fairness in rent, utility billing, and park management. It directly affects park owners and residents by establishing clearer rules for how fees and charges are calculated and disclosed. Key provisions require rent increases to be limited to one per year with a three percent cap, mandate itemized utility bills, and restrict fees based on family size or home characteristics. The legislation also sets standards for safety inspections, including tree hazard removal timelines, and clarifies the role of resident representatives in park purchases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires nonemergency medical transportation providers in Minnesota to equip their vehicles with global positioning systems and rear-facing cameras. The legislation mandates that these providers compile trip data and keep camera recordings for two years to improve oversight and safety. While the text includes broader updates to transportation regulations, this specific measure focuses on enhancing tracking and recording capabilities for vehicles serving healthcare program beneficiaries. The changes apply to private and public transportation companies but exempt publicly operated transit systems, volunteers, and not-for-hire vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2638) modifies Minnesota's water well regulations to create a new process for granting variances related to geothermal systems. It directly affects applicants installing submerged closed loop heat exchangers (used for heating/cooling buildings) who face challenges meeting standard well-spacing requirements. The bill requires the commissioner to consider variance requests if strict compliance would create an undue burden, specifically evaluating factors like optimal well spacing for thermal performance and minimizing piping to reduce energy loss. It does not change existing rules but adds this specific variance pathway for geothermal systems.