Sen. Mary Kunesh-Podein

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 3611 limits immigration enforcement access to school sites. The bill requires school employees to refuse entry to federal, state, or local immigration officials without a judicial warrant, verify their identification, and only allow access to areas specified in the warrant. School staff must immediately notify school leadership and legal counsel when granting such entry. This applies to all public school districts and charter schools, but does not affect officials administering educational programs. The bill aims to prevent immigration enforcement actions on school property without court authorization.

Maddy summarySF 42 appropriates $2,026 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Health for a one-time grant to the Division of Indian Work. The funds will support developing and piloting a culturally specific suicide prevention curriculum for Native American youth. The curriculum must cover mental health, emotional intelligence, depression, and suicide prevention to help students understand mental wellness and learn practical support tools. This bill directly affects Native American youth in Minnesota through targeted educational programming.

Maddy summarySF 3915 amends Minnesota pesticide laws to specifically protect waters supporting wild rice. It defines "wild-rice water" as bodies of water identified by state agencies, near Indian country, or designated for uncultivated wild rice. The bill requires pesticide enforcement actions affecting these waters to be treated as serious violations (not minor), mandates state agencies to include wild-rice waters in pesticide impact assessments and management plans, and directs the state to prevent pesticides from flowing into these waters. These changes directly affect pesticide users, state agencies, and tribal governments responsible for protecting wild rice ecosystems.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 3916 requires state agencies to prepare a "wild rice risk justification" before approving any activity that could harm wild rice waters. This applies to projects like construction, dredging, or water management in areas identified as supporting wild rice - such as waters listed by state agencies, near tribal lands, or where wild rice naturally grows. The justification must detail potential risks to wild rice, assess the likelihood and severity of damage, and explain why the proposed activity outweighs those risks. Agencies must also seek public input for 30 days and consult with Minnesota Tribal governments before finalizing permits. The bill directly affects state agencies, developers, and projects near wild rice habitats, ensuring decisions prioritize protecting this ecologically and culturally significant resource.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax subtraction for Minnesota taxpayers who receive certain AmeriCorps-related benefits. It specifically allows individuals to subtract from their state taxable income: (1) AmeriCorps volunteer stipends, (2) National Civilian Community Corps living allowances, (3) AmeriCorps Seniors stipends, and (4) National Service Educational Awards. The provision applies to benefits received through federally approved AmeriCorps programs under U.S. Code sections referenced in the bill. This change takes effect for tax returns filed in 2026 for income earned in 2025.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 3914 allows school districts and charter schools to opt out of all statewide assessments (including English language proficiency tests) for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. This option is specifically permitted due to impacts from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities on students, staff, and school communities. School districts must notify the state education commissioner after deciding to opt out. The bill does not change assessment requirements for other years or circumstances.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a constitutional amendment to guarantee equal rights under Minnesota law and prohibit discrimination. It would protect individuals from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, and sex - including pregnancy decisions, gender identity, and sexual orientation. If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, the amendment would take effect January 1, 2027, and apply to all state agencies and political subdivisions. The amendment is self-executing and does not override existing anti-discrimination protections.

Maddy summarySF 3732 amends Minnesota Statutes section 216B.40 to exempt tribal lands from rules that grant electric utilities exclusive service areas. This means electric utilities cannot claim exclusive rights to serve customers on the exterior boundaries of Minnesota's 11 sovereign Indian nations (as listed in section 10.65, subdivision 2). The bill directly affects these tribes and utilities operating near tribal lands by allowing multiple utilities to provide service without requiring consent from the utility holding the exclusive area. The key provision removes the existing restriction preventing utilities from extending service on tribal lands, enabling more flexible utility access. This is a policy change focused on tribal sovereignty and utility service access, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 3771 modifies trespass laws to require law enforcement to obtain a warrant signed by a judicial officer and demonstrate probable cause before entering property for civil immigration enforcement. The bill directly affects Minnesota law enforcement officers and immigration enforcement activities conducted on private property. It prohibits detaining individuals solely based on federal immigration detainers issued by the U.S. government. These changes apply to trespass offenses involving property entry for immigration purposes, requiring judicial oversight instead of relying on federal requests. The bill aims to align state trespass enforcement with constitutional protections for individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota Statutes to update the official description of wild rice as the state grain. It adds the Ojibwe terms "psíŋ" and "manoomin" (replacing "manomin") to the statutory name, while also inserting a new policy statement recognizing wild rice's right to exist and thrive in Minnesota. The change directly affects how the state officially identifies and acknowledges wild rice, particularly honoring its cultural significance to Indigenous communities. The bill does not create new regulations but formally updates the state's legal description to reflect Indigenous language and ecological values.