Sen. Jim Abeler

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's paid leave laws to clarify that employers who report suspected fraud by employees or applicants are not considered to be retaliating against them. It applies to employers who report fraud to the state commissioner or law enforcement regarding paid leave benefits. The law protects employers who make good faith fraud reports from retaliation claims, but it treats intentionally false reports as retaliatory actions. This change takes effect immediately upon final passage of the legislation.

Maddy summarySF 3928 clarifies rules for "shared services" in Minnesota's Community First Services and Supports program, where one personal care assistant provides services to two or three eligible recipients simultaneously in the same setting (like a home or child care program). The bill defines shared services as voluntary arrangements based on recipient compatibility, care needs, and safety, requiring providers to offer recipients the choice between shared or one-on-one care. It mandates specific documentation on time sheets (including shared services details), training for assistants on each recipient, and quarterly monitoring by qualified professionals to ensure safety and appropriateness. This bill directly affects personal care assistants, providers, and recipients who may choose shared services over individual care.

Maddy summaryMinnesota bill SF 3996 requires all public K-12 schools and charter schools to develop evidence-based school safety plans by May 2028. The Minnesota School Safety Center will create a model plan based on research showing effectiveness, review local plans for compliance, and notify schools if their plans don't meet standards. Schools that fail to adopt approved plans must inform parents by August 2028 about the lack of a safety plan. The bill also mandates the center to employ at least two mental health professionals and post annual reports on school safety plan adoption. This law directly affects Minnesota's school districts, requiring concrete changes to safety planning processes.

Maddy summarySF 3484 amends Minnesota Statutes to expand the definition of "partnership policy" for the Minnesota Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. It adds long-term care insurance policies sold before July 1, 2015, with 1-3% annual inflation protection to the list of qualifying policies. This change directly affects Minnesotans who purchased such policies prior to 2015, allowing them to count toward the program’s requirements. The amendment takes effect January 1, 2027, or upon federal approval, whichever comes later.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires wage remediation for individual healthcare providers in Minnesota if federal approval of a state plan amendment includes a retroactive rate increase. It applies specifically to providers covered by the collective bargaining agreement between SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa and the state of Minnesota. If such retroactive increases are approved, the bill mandates that wage provisions from the agreement take effect retroactively from the same date as the rate increase, with the commissioner of human services responsible for issuing instructions to ensure all affected providers receive back pay for the period between federal approval and the effective date. The legislation takes effect the day after final enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies reimbursement rates for high-intensity residential substance use disorder services in Minnesota, affecting providers and programs that offer these treatments. Starting January 1, 2026, the state will pay 83 percent of a previously modeled rate for high-intensity residential services, while low-intensity services and treatment coordination will continue at 100 percent of that modeled rate. Beginning January 1, 2027, adolescent treatment programs providing high-intensity residential services will receive 130 percent of the base payment rate for those services. The changes apply to services delivered under Minnesota's substance use disorder treatment program and are based on rates established in a 2021 legislative report.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the state from issuing permits for new solid waste disposal facilities located within 1,320 feet of elementary or secondary schools. It directly affects waste management companies seeking to build new landfills and the communities where schools are located. The key provision requires the commissioner to deny any permit for a new disposal facility if the proposed site falls within the specified distance from a school. This measure aims to prevent new waste facilities from being built in close proximity to educational institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill delays the implementation of Minnesota's Waiver Reimagine program by one year, pushing the start date from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2028, or until federal approval is received, whichever comes later. The legislation directly affects the state Department of Human Services and individuals who currently receive home and community-based services through this waiver program, which provides funding for people who would otherwise need nursing home or hospital-level care. Key provisions include maintaining the existing waiver structure and individualized budget methodology, establishing a budget exception for specific home care nursing services, and requiring the creation of an online support planning and tracking tool by July 1, 2027. The bill also mandates that the program continue to allow people to live in their homes and community settings while preventing unintended service disruptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $250,000 from the state's general fund to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to support Minnesota's Rally to Read program in fiscal year 2026. The funding will be used to grant money to community reading coalitions that aim to improve reading proficiency and reduce educational inequities, with a specific focus on children from prenatal development through age three. Grant recipients must match every dollar of state funding with private money, and the program must prioritize delivering literacy resources to children who need them most while building on existing successful programs. This one-time appropriation is available until June 30, 2028, and may cover staffing, coalition facilitation, meeting expenses, data tracking, and program evaluation.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the ability of Minnesota school districts to use tax levies to pay for renting space needed for high school graduation ceremonies. It amends existing state law to explicitly include graduation ceremonies as an approved purpose for lease levies, ensuring districts can secure necessary facilities for their graduating classes. The legislation also requires the Department of Education to approve lease costs for graduation facilities in 2027, regardless of when the lease agreement was finalized, providing flexibility for districts planning graduation events.