Sen. Heather Gustafson

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide grants to the Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council. The funds will support the Council's existing programs under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 41D. The bill directly affects the Council and the agricultural education initiatives it administers across Minnesota. It does not create new programs but provides dedicated funding for current activities. The appropriation is a straightforward budget allocation with no new policy provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects specific sales and use tax collections (from section 297A.94, paragraph m) to the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. The funds are designated solely for deferred maintenance costs at the National Sports Center in Blaine, as determined annually by the Department of Administration. If no maintenance costs are identified each year, the funds revert to the general fund. It modifies existing tax allocation rules without creating new taxes or broad policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases presumptive sentence lengths by 25% for certain criminal sexual conduct offenses under Minnesota Statutes (sections 609.342-609.3458) committed on or after August 1, 2025. It directly affects individuals convicted of these specific crimes, excluding cases where the offender held a position of authority over the victim (e.g., a supervisor or teacher). The Sentencing Guidelines Commission must implement this change in the 2025 sentencing grid, applying the longer sentences to new convictions after the effective date. The increase applies to all listed offenses except those involving authority figures, as specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $6 million from state bond proceeds to fund a 2.25-mile multiuse trail along Vadnais Lake in Vadnais Heights. The funds will support designing and building the trail, which aims to enhance safety, provide scenic access to natural areas, and improve regional connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists. The state will issue bonds up to $6 million under Minnesota law to cover the cost, with the Metropolitan Council administering the grant to the city. This directly affects Vadnais Heights residents and regional trail users by creating new recreational infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's law on fleeing police officers in vehicles by creating two new felony offenses. It adds a felony charge for drivers who flee recklessly endangering others (subdivision 3a) and another for fleeing while violating specific traffic laws like ignoring signs or staying on the wrong side of the road (subdivision 3b). Drivers convicted face increased penalties, including longer license revocations (up to 10 years for the most severe cases), and the bill also allows police to use tracking devices on fleeing vehicles. The changes apply to offenses committed on or after August 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 172 creates a small business sales tax allowance in Minnesota, directly affecting retailers with 15 or fewer employees. The bill allows these businesses to retain up to $500 of sales tax they collect, calculated as half a percent of the tax collected during a reporting period, provided they report and remit the remaining tax on time. This allowance reduces the amount they must pay to the state, but it cannot lower their total tax obligation below zero. The policy takes effect for sales taxes due after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 190) adds enhanced penalties for assaulting youth sports officials in Minnesota. It defines "sports official" broadly to include umpires, referees, scorekeepers, and similar roles in youth athletic activities. The law makes it a gross misdemeanor to assault an official causing physical injury or intentionally throw bodily fluids/feces at them due to their role. These penalties apply to offenses committed on or after August 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 186 creates a refundable income tax credit for eligible Minnesota teachers. It provides up to $15,000 for full-year teachers (teaching ≥150 days) earning under $60,000 annually, or $7,500 for part-year teachers (75-149 days) under $30,000, with a $2,000 minimum credit for those above thresholds. The credit is refundable, meaning teachers can receive money back even if they owe no tax, and amounts are adjusted annually for inflation. The bill takes effect for tax returns filed in 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers in Minnesota to accept United States currency, including Federal Reserve notes, as payment for goods and services. The rule applies to in-person transactions at locations where the seller takes cash, with specific exceptions for banks, credit unions, and certain security deposit scenarios. While businesses with multiple sales points must accept cash at at least one location, they are exempt from the requirement if they only use cash-to-card conversion devices that charge no fees, require no large deposits, provide receipts, and do not limit card usage. Violations of this requirement could result in a civil penalty of up to $250 for each transaction or attempted transaction.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Violent Crime Enforcement Teams to submit an annual report detailing their gun trafficking investigations, the number of firearms seized, and how funding for violent crime reduction was utilized. It also updates the legal definition of a "trigger activator" to include devices that allow a firearm to fire multiple shots with a single trigger pull or without requiring a subsequent pull. Additionally, the legislation increases penalties for transferring firearms to individuals who are legally ineligible to possess them, raising the maximum prison sentence from two years to five years if the weapon is used in a violent felony within a year of the transfer.