Sen. Mary Kunesh-Podein

Maddy summaryThis bill makes the Aspiring Minnesota Teachers of Color Scholarship Pilot Program permanent, providing financial support to aspiring teachers from racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in Minnesota's teaching workforce. It establishes eligibility for undergraduate and graduate students in approved teacher preparation programs who identify as people of color or American Indian, meet academic standards, and demonstrate financial need. The program caps total scholarship awards at $30,000 per student, with annual limits of $5,000 per candidate and $10,000 maximum combined from overlapping grants. The bill also amends statutes to standardize grant administration for institutions supporting teacher candidates and appropriates state funds to sustain these programs.

Maddy summarySF 3273 appropriates $490,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from state funds to create two grant programs for agriculture-related institutions and nonprofits. The AGRI Works program provides one-time grants of up to $20,000, while the AGRI Support program offers grants between $20,000 and $200,000. Applicants must submit tax documents and complete a standard application form. These are one-time funding allocations with no ongoing policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million annually (2026-2027) from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the Indian Affairs Council for competitive grants supporting Native American culture, arts, and history programs. It allocates an additional $850,000 yearly for grants to Minnesota Tribal Nations to preserve Dakota and Ojibwe languages and support language education. Smaller amounts - $650,000, $600,000, $50,000, and $150,000 - fund language-immersion schools, language preservation services, a language working group, and compliance with federal Native American Graves Protection laws. These funds directly support tribal nations, language programs, and cultural institutions focused on Dakota and Ojibwe heritage.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $45,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $45,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support wolf-livestock conflict prevention grants. It directly affects Minnesota livestock producers facing wolf encounters by funding nonlethal prevention measures. The key provision allows the commissioner of agriculture to distribute these funds for projects like fencing or guard animals, and to support nonlethal work by federal wildlife services. The funds are specifically allocated under Minnesota Statutes section 3.737 for prevention, not compensation or wolf management.

Maddy summarySF 2435 modifies Minnesota's school safety requirements by making it mandatory for public school districts and schools to provide specific programs. The bill requires schools to teach students to identify and prevent prohibited conduct (like bullying), develop conflict resolution skills, and train student bystanders to report incidents. It also updates the state model policy to clarify how schools must address students with disabilities, prevent inappropriate special education referrals, and ensure equal access for all student groups. Schools must implement these changes by July 1, 2025, with the state providing resources and a complaint process for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the clean water fund to expand the River Watch program. The funds will support Friends of the Minnesota Valley in enhancing school-based water-quality monitoring in the Minnesota River basin and launching a similar program in the Cannon River basin through a partnership with Clean River Partners. The organization must submit a detailed report on fund usage by February 15, 2027, to the Pollution Control Agency and relevant legislative committees. This directly affects schools and communities in those river basins by increasing local environmental monitoring capacity.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's requirements for manufactured home park owners who receive unsolicited offers to sell their park. It mandates that owners must mail a specific notice to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and all park resident households. The notice must include the price range and key terms of the offer, allow resident representatives or nonprofits to submit counteroffers, and provide a monitored contact point for inquiries. Park owners aren't required to sell to resident groups but must follow these notice procedures, and the housing agency must share the notice with registered resident representatives and nonprofits within five days.

Maddy summarySF 3132 modifies Minnesota's individual income tax brackets and rates for 2025 and beyond. It increases the income thresholds for each tax rate bracket across all filing statuses: for example, the first tax bracket for married couples filing jointly rises from $38,770 to $47,620 before the 5.35% rate applies. The bill also requires annual inflation adjustments to these brackets starting in 2025, rounding amounts to the nearest $10. This change directly affects all Minnesota residents who file individual income tax returns, altering their tax liability based on updated income levels.

Maddy summarySF 2436 protects students and educators by prohibiting school districts from banning or restricting culturally relevant classroom materials solely based on viewpoint. It defines "culturally relevant resources" as noncurricular items reflecting student and community diversity, such as displays or books. Schools may still refuse materials for practical reasons (like space), pedagogical concerns (age-appropriateness), or legal compliance, but cannot target materials due to their message. The law applies to all public school districts and charter schools, taking effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 3166 amends Minnesota law to require the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to send manufactured home park owners a standardized annual notice letter. This letter must include specific details about the $15 annual assessment per licensed lot, an invoice, instructions for distributing notices to residents, and mandatory language stating the fee is required ("THIS IS NOT AN OPTIONAL FEE"). Park owners must distribute this notice to residents by September 15, with payment due October 31. The bill directly affects manufactured home park owners (who pay the assessment) and residents (who must pay the $15 fee if they live in the park).