Sen. Jim Abeler

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as a one-time grant to Metro Deaf School. It directly provides funding for services to young children with deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing disabilities who are not eligible for existing state funding under Minnesota Statutes §124E.11(h). The funds will support the school's programs for this specific student group. The bill does not create new eligibility criteria or alter existing laws, only providing targeted financial support for an existing service.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state to issue up to $350,000 in bonds to fund riverbank protection near Mississippi Crossings in Champlin. It appropriates these bond proceeds as a grant to the City of Champlin for constructing a jetty and stabilizing the riverbank upstream of the public dock system. The funds are specifically for physical infrastructure improvements to protect the riverbank and public access area. The bill does not create new regulations but provides dedicated funding through state bond financing for a defined local project.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $240 million from the general fund for one-time grants to replace lead service lines connecting water mains to homes. The funds, available until June 30, 2033, will be administered by the Public Facilities Authority under state law. It directly affects communities and homeowners with lead pipes, which pose health risks, by providing financial support for their replacement. The key mechanism is a state grant program targeting the physical infrastructure upgrade of aging water service lines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's education commissioner to update the state's school performance system (North Star) to stop counting students who opt out of state assessments in school or district achievement scores. It directly affects school districts, students who choose not to take standardized tests, and the state's accountability reporting. Key changes include mandating that districts no longer report scores for opted-out students and excluding these students from calculations used to determine school performance ratings. The policy changes take effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to develop and provide a maternal mental health program for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Key provisions include mandating screenings during the perinatal period (based on ACOG guidelines), ensuring providers are reimbursed at cost for services, preventing unreasonable referral delays for mental health care, and providing resources to connect patients with specialists. The program applies to all health plans and medical assistance programs, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects pregnant and postpartum individuals by expanding access to mental health support during a critical health period.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's fourth-degree assault law to protect healthcare workers more broadly. It adds a new provision (subd. 2b) making it a felony to physically assault and cause demonstrable bodily harm to physicians, nurses, or other healthcare providers in *any* setting - not just hospital emergency departments as currently protected. The law increases penalties for such assaults to a maximum of two years in prison or a $4,000 fine. It applies to all healthcare services provided by these professionals and takes effect August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Essential Community Supports program to expand access for older adults and those with dementia. It lowers the age requirement from 65 to 60 for eligibility, removes asset limits, and adds dementia as a qualifying condition. The bill also expands allowable services to include homemaker support, chores, and personal emergency response devices, while increasing funding for caregiver respite services grants by $2 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2027. These changes directly affect Minnesotans aged 60+ or with dementia who need community-based care to avoid nursing facility placement.

Maddy summarySF 830 appropriates $2.2 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.2 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund a statewide housing mediation program administered by Community Mediation Minnesota. The program provides dispute resolution services to renters and residential property owners, focusing on eviction prevention, mediation, and navigation assistance. It specifically aims to increase access for seniors, renters with disabilities, and culturally diverse communities while partnering with culturally specific organizations. The funds also support staff training, expanding mediator diversity, and connecting participants with legal and court resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Human Services to select a single state pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) through a competitive procurement process and enter into a master contract with that PBM. It directly affects medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees, as well as health plans and county-based purchasing organizations that provide their coverage. Key provisions include prohibiting the PBM from requiring specialty drugs from affiliated pharmacies, mandating full disclosure of conflicts of interest during selection, and requiring the PBM to process all pharmacy claims under managed care contracts. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to establish these requirements and ensures the PBM operates with transparency for state healthcare programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2324) grants Minnesota's attorney general new authority to enforce laws governing common interest communities, such as homeowners associations and condominiums. It specifically allows the attorney general to investigate and prosecute violations of Chapter 515B under Minnesota Statutes, Section 8.31. The law directly affects community associations and their governing bodies by providing a state-level enforcement mechanism for compliance. The provision becomes effective January 1, 2026, and creates a specific legal pathway for the attorney general to address violations of community governance laws.