Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summarySF 3423 amends Minnesota's water permit rules to require applicants seeking groundwater use permits to conduct new aquifer tests at their own cost. These tests must assess potential impacts on nearby wells and water resources at the requested pumping rate. The bill also tightens timelines, requiring the commissioner to act on complete applications within 150 days (or 120 days after test results), and mandates written justifications for requiring new tests. This directly affects businesses, farms, or municipalities applying for groundwater permits by adding testing costs and streamlining review processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a rebate program for facilities that divert materials from landfills. Resource recovery and waste-to-energy facilities must report annually (by February 1) on tons of recyclable/compostable materials separated from waste streams and reused/recycled, or combustor ash utilized in construction. The commissioner of revenue will issue rebates of $30 per ton for materials in categories (1)-(3) and $20 per ton for categories (4)-(5) using tax revenues allocated under section 297H.13. The rebate program begins July 1, 2025, and is funded from the same tax revenues that support the environmental fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's definition of a "debt buyer" to clarify that businesses purchasing unpaid medical bills for collection purposes are considered debt buyers, while excluding nonprofits buying accounts for charitable reasons. It appropriates $5 million from the general fund for a one-time grant to Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization, to relieve medical debt for eligible Minnesotans who couldn't pay after hospitals completed reasonable collection efforts. The grant is available until June 30, 2028, and requires Undue Medical Debt to report recipient data to the Commerce Commissioner and Attorney General. The bill directly affects debt collection practices and provides targeted financial relief for residents burdened by unaffordable medical bills.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SF 1986, creates a new retirement benefit for Minnesota probation agency employees (including county/state probation officers, supervisors, and program managers) who separate after age 60 or with 35 years of service. It authorizes them to receive a full retirement annuity without any reduction for early retirement, effective January 1, 2028. The bill also specifies that these employees must contribute 6% of their salary to the retirement fund starting January 1, 2026 - matching the rate for other state employees - rather than increasing their contributions. The changes amend multiple sections of Minnesota’s retirement statutes to define eligibility and contribution requirements for this group.

Maddy summaryThis bill adjusts pension funding for Minnesota school districts under the Teachers Retirement Association (TRA). It increases the pension adjustment revenue rate for school districts (e.g., raising St. Paul's rate from 2.5% to 3.25% for 2026+ and other districts from 1.25% to 2.0%) and raises employer contribution rates for most school districts (from 8.55% to 9.5% for coordinated members and 12.55% to 13.5% for basic members, effective July 2025). These changes directly affect school districts and teachers covered by the TRA pension system. The bill also includes provisions for calculating retirement annuities and appropriates funds to support these adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota verifies eligibility for certain veteran assistance programs by allowing the Veterans Affairs Commissioner to electronically access the Human Services MAXIS database. It directly affects veterans applying for the State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, or the SSI/SSDI Outreach program. The key provision enables electronic data checks to confirm eligibility and connect veterans to all available state and federal benefits they qualify for. This change streamlines verification between Human Services and Veterans Affairs without altering the programs themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies funding for the Heartland State Trail in Minnesota. It allocates $2,950,000 total, with $550,000 specifically for constructing a trail segment between Detroit Lakes and Frazee, and $2,400,000 for environmental reviews, planning, and building a paved trail connecting Itasca State Park to the existing trail - including a tunnel under U.S. Highway 71. Any unspent funds after completing the primary projects become available to fund other trail segments, such as those between Becker County and Detroit Lakes. The bill directly affects the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and state trail maintenance projects.

Maddy summarySF 2322 establishes the Minnesota Health Care Workforce Advisory Council to address state-wide health workforce challenges. The council, composed of 16 members including legislative appointees, state agency representatives, and governor-appointed experts with diverse expertise, will provide objective research, advise on legislation, and recommend policies. It specifically focuses on health equity, rural workforce needs, and key areas like nursing, behavioral health, and workforce data analysis. The council must collaborate with existing entities like the governor’s Workforce Development Board and issue annual reports to the legislature, with no compensation for members beyond expense reimbursement.

Maddy summarySF 3149 establishes a county-administered rural medical assistance program (CARMA) in Minnesota, directly affecting rural counties and medical assistance recipients. The bill requires county boards to be actively involved in developing service contracts, ensuring proposals address local community needs and access to care, and setting local public health goals for health plans. It mandates the state commissioner to seek federal waivers and sets a deadline of January 1, 2027, for counties with existing programs to transition to this county-administered model. The law also creates a mediation process to resolve disputes between counties and the state over health plan selection or contract terms.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts property owned and operated by congressionally chartered veterans service organizations from Minnesota's property tax classification rates. It establishes a specific tax exemption for qualifying property under existing law, removing the standard 1.25% classification rate applied to similar properties. The exemption requires the commissioner of veterans affairs to provide an annual list of eligible organizations to the commissioner of revenue by January 1. The change takes effect for property assessments beginning in 2026.