Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summarySF 3121 modifies Minnesota's pharmacy intern provisions by reducing the annual registration fee for pharmacy interns from $75 to $25, effective January 1, 2026. The bill also clarifies the definition of "pharmacist intern" to include foreign pharmacy graduates meeting specific certification requirements. These changes directly affect pharmacy interns in Minnesota who must pay the registration fee to gain practical experience toward licensure. The bill repeals outdated Minnesota Rules related to pharmacy intern provisions, updating the regulatory framework. The key mechanism is the fee reduction, lowering costs for interns while maintaining oversight requirements.

Maddy summarySF 2360 requires partnership businesses in Minnesota to annually report on worker misclassification (where employees are incorrectly classified as independent contractors) starting March 1, 2026. The reports must include estimates of affected workers, financial costs to those workers, impacts on fair competition, and industry-specific misclassification rates. The bill also appropriates general fund money for fiscal years 2026-2027 to fund analysis by state agencies (Labor, Revenue, Employment & Economic Development, Commerce, and the Attorney General) on how misclassification affects programs like unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and tax collections. This data will help guide enforcement priorities and assess fiscal impacts without changing existing labor laws.

Maddy summarySF 2753 would allow Minnesota state universities to offer cybersecurity as an applied doctoral degree. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add "cybersecurity" to the list of fields (currently including education, business, and nursing) where such degrees can be authorized. This change directly affects state universities seeking to establish new doctoral programs in cybersecurity, providing them with statutory permission to do so. The bill makes a specific policy adjustment to degree authorization rules without altering funding or other program requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $35 million from state bond proceeds to fund Minnesota town roads and bridges, directly affecting local town governments that maintain these infrastructure assets. It allocates $25 million specifically for town roads and $10 million for town bridges, to be distributed by the state transportation commissioner per existing law. The funding will be provided through the sale of up to $35 million in state bonds, following established bonding procedures under Minnesota statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes education benefits for dependents of disabled veterans in Minnesota. It provides tuition, fee, and book coverage at state-operated colleges or University of Minnesota institutions for dependent children of veterans with a 100% permanent disability or a 70%+ disability rating. The benefit covers 100% of costs (after subtracting other aid) for the highest disability tier and 50% for the 70%+ tier. Payments are processed through the Office of Higher Education upon institution verification of student eligibility and enrollment.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $75,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $75,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program. The funds will be provided as grants to the Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation, which administers the program. The bill directly affects the foundation and the program’s participants, including agricultural leaders and rural community members in Minnesota. It does not create new policies but provides specific annual funding to sustain existing program operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund grants supporting Minnesota organizations developing markets and supply chains for continuous living cover crops. It specifically targets early-stage commercial systems like Kernza perennial grain, winter camelina, elderberry, and regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, with grants requiring input from the agriculture commissioner. Grantees cannot receive duplicate funding for the same purpose from another agency in the same year. The commissioner must report by January 15, 2027, on how funds were used, including administrative costs. This is a one-time appropriation focused on advancing specific agricultural innovation.

Maddy summarySF 3047 appropriates $2.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.5 million for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to provide child care improvement grants. The funds will be distributed by the commissioner of children, youth, and families to eligible child care providers under Minnesota Statutes, section 142D.20, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (7). The bill explicitly prohibits using any funds for administrative costs, directing all $5 million directly toward the grants. This appropriation supports Minnesota's existing child care improvement program, which aims to enhance quality and accessibility for families.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's child care licensing rules to improve clarity and support for providers. It requires the commissioner to create standardized inspection timelines and conduct standards for child care centers and family child care providers, ensuring consistent processes and clear communication. The bill also updates the definition of "education" to include relevant postsecondary coursework for teachers and establishes a permanent background study liaison to speed up background checks. Additionally, it appropriates $50,000 for developing these standardized inspection procedures, effective by January 2026. The changes directly affect licensed child care providers, aiming to reduce confusion and streamline compliance.

Maddy summarySF 1575 establishes Minnesota's Biofertilizer Water Preservation Program to improve water quality by incentivizing farmers to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use. The program provides qualifying farmers with annual payments of at least $5 per acre for verified reductions of 15% or 30 pounds of commercial nitrogen fertilizer per acre (whichever is less) when using approved biofertilizers like soil amendments or nitrogen-fixing products. The commissioner of agriculture must develop the program, determine qualifying products, and administer the $5 million in fiscal year 2026 funding appropriated for this purpose. Farmers must submit crop nutrient management plans showing reduced fertilizer use to participate, with the program requiring biennial reviews to adjust reduction targets and expand eligible products.