Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $680,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $680,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to Rethos, a Minnesota nonprofit. The funding supports Rethos in expanding the Main Street America - Minnesota program through outreach, training, education, and reducing financial barriers for local businesses. Specifically, $230,000 must be distributed as technical assistance grants to local Main Street America organizations using criteria developed by Rethos. The bill directly affects Rethos as the grant recipient and local Main Street organizations participating in the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's workforce development scholarship program to increase the maximum lifetime award from $7,500 to $8,500 per student. It provides up to $2,500 annually for credit-based programs at two-year colleges, $3,500 for four-year universities, and $1,500 for noncredit programs leading to industry certifications. The scholarship directly affects Minnesota students enrolled in high-demand fields like healthcare, IT, advanced manufacturing, or region-specific programs identified through job vacancy data. Key provisions include flexible funding for materials, certifications, and stackable credentials, with preference given to students in financial need.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to develop and provide a maternal mental health program for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Key provisions include mandating screenings during the perinatal period (based on ACOG guidelines), ensuring providers are reimbursed at cost for services, preventing unreasonable referral delays for mental health care, and providing resources to connect patients with specialists. The program applies to all health plans and medical assistance programs, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects pregnant and postpartum individuals by expanding access to mental health support during a critical health period.

Maddy summarySF 1621 appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to provide subsidies to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Minnesota. These centers, which serve underserved communities and provide primary care, directly benefit from the funding under Minnesota Statutes section 145.9269. The bill authorizes the commissioner of health to distribute these funds to eligible FQHCs to support their operations. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, with no additional requirements or program modifications specified.

Maddy summarySF 1623 amends Minnesota’s dental hygienist licensure requirements under Statute 150A.06, affecting applicants seeking to practice in Minnesota. The bill maintains the requirement for applicants to graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program (minimum two years) or hold a comparable international dental degree (D.D.S. or D.M.D.). It updates examination rules, requiring passage of both a national board exam and a clinical competency exam, with stricter limits on retaking the clinical exam after two failures. The changes clarify eligibility, exam procedures, and fee structures without altering the core education or testing standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Essential Community Supports program to expand access for older adults and those with dementia. It lowers the age requirement from 65 to 60 for eligibility, removes asset limits, and adds dementia as a qualifying condition. The bill also expands allowable services to include homemaker support, chores, and personal emergency response devices, while increasing funding for caregiver respite services grants by $2 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2027. These changes directly affect Minnesotans aged 60+ or with dementia who need community-based care to avoid nursing facility placement.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide student mental health services at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities campuses. The funds will be used by the Board of Trustees to contract with independent mental health organizations for on-campus services at up to five state colleges. It directly affects students at those institutions by expanding access to mental health support. The bill creates a specific funding mechanism to address campus mental health needs through external provider contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $3 million for fiscal year 2026 and $3 million for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families. The funds are designated for existing youth intervention programs under Minnesota Statutes section 142A.43, which focus on supporting at-risk youth. The appropriation adds to the base funding for these programs, making the total amount ongoing. It directly affects the state agency administering the programs and the youth served by those specific interventions.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies background check requirements for housing support providers in Minnesota. It adds a new requirement that providers must demonstrate (by July 1, 2017) that all individuals needing background checks (controlling individuals, managers, staff/volunteers with direct contact or unsupervised access) either have no disqualifications under state law or have a set-aside for disqualifications. The bill also specifically exempts supportive housing and emergency shelter providers from needing to conduct background studies under Chapter 245C. This directly affects housing support providers, particularly those operating supportive housing or emergency shelters, by altering their background check obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new funding mechanism called "general education disparity aid" to address funding gaps between Minnesota school districts. It calculates aid for districts with per-pupil funding below the 20th percentile of all districts, based on the difference between their actual funding and the 20th percentile benchmark. The aid amount equals 0.37 times this funding gap multiplied by the district's student enrollment (adjusted pupil units), starting in fiscal year 2026. The bill appropriates state funds for this program beginning in 2026, directly affecting school districts with lower per-pupil revenue compared to most others.