Sen. Warren Limmer

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Minnesota's Department of Transportation from reducing travel lanes or building boulevards or land bridges on the marked Interstate Highway 94 corridor between Minneapolis and St. Paul. It bars the transportation commissioner from studying, proposing, or funding any boulevard or land bridge design for this highway segment, with exceptions only for routine maintenance, resurfacing, or emergency repairs. The law directly affects state transportation planning for this specific highway corridor and prevents design changes that could alter traffic flow or infrastructure. It amends Minnesota Statutes to enforce these restrictions as a permanent policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate concurrent resolution that honors Marv Johnson as he retires after 45 years as mayor of Independence, Minnesota. It recognizes his long service, including his receipt of the C.C. Ludwig Award and his work on various civic boards. The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare an official copy and send it to Mayor Johnson as a formal acknowledgment of his contributions.

Maddy summarySF 252 requires local governments and transportation agencies to conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis before selecting a transit guideway project. The analysis must compare the proposed guideway with alternatives like bus rapid transit, regular bus service, and road capacity expansion, including specific metrics such as ridership, vehicle traffic changes, maintenance costs, economic benefits, and environmental impacts. It applies to projects seeking state or federal funding in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties, excluding the Gold Line project. The findings must be publicly posted and submitted to state officials for transparency. This law aims to ensure decisions are based on comprehensive data about project costs, benefits, and alternatives.

Maddy summarySF 180 creates a new civil liability for intentionally obstructing public highways in Minnesota. It allows injured individuals to sue for damages, reasonable attorney fees, and costs if someone intentionally interferes with or makes a highway dangerous. The bill exempts law enforcement, emergency responders, and utility workers acting within their duties, and gives state agencies the choice between civil lawsuits or criminal prosecution for the same highway obstruction. This law takes effect August 1, 2025, and applies to incidents occurring on or after that date (Minnesota Statutes § 169.907).

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's gambling laws to clarify rules for advance deposit wagering, card playing, and pari-mutuel betting at licensed racetracks. It explicitly prohibits racetracks from offering historical horse racing, slot machines, video games of chance, or other gambling devices, ensuring these venues focus solely on live or simulcast horse racing and card games. Additionally, the legislation restricts the state racing commission's authority by preventing it from using rulemaking to expand gambling types or approve historical horse racing. The bill also sets specific limits on the number of card tables and the maximum amount a single wager can be.