Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $238,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $238,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to support the Minnesota Helmets to Hardhats program. It directly provides funding to connect National Guard members, military reservists, active duty service members, and veterans with registered apprenticeships and career opportunities in the building and construction trades. The funds will cover program recruitment, selection, training, and employment services through a grant to Building Strong Communities. The program must operate without discrimination based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or veteran status.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2,365,000 from state bonds to fund the reconstruction of 13th Street in Barnesville, Minnesota, from Trunk Highway 34 to 9th Avenue Southeast. The funds will cover paving the street as a public road without requiring the city to contribute additional local funds. The state will issue bonds to cover the cost, following standard bond procedures under Minnesota law. This directly affects Barnesville residents and local infrastructure by improving a specific city street segment.

Maddy summarySF 1795 authorizes the state to issue up to $25.7 million in bonds to fund a new nonsecure juvenile detention facility in Moorhead, Clay County. The bill appropriates these bond proceeds directly to Clay County for designing, constructing, furnishing, and equipping the facility. This legislation provides state funding through bond sales (not new taxes) to replace or upgrade existing juvenile detention infrastructure in the county.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1084) changes the official title of "physician assistant" to "physician associate" for licensed professionals in Minnesota. It directly affects all current and future physician assistants licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 147A. The key provision clarifies that "physician associate" and "physician assistant" are synonymous terms with no change to scope of practice, and prohibits discrimination by healthcare facilities, insurers, employers, or government programs due to this title change. The bill requires state agencies and the revisor of statutes to update all relevant documents, forms, and rules to reflect the new title.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's definition of "public waters" to clarify which water bodies require public access or management. It adds specific criteria, such as watercourses over two square miles and designated trout streams, while explicitly stating that public waters aren't determined by land ownership or historical navigability. The bill also eliminates a $1 million annual appropriation for updating the public waters inventory map (previously funded through 2032), removing the dedicated funding stream for this process. These changes directly affect landowners, local governments, and state agencies managing water resources, as they redefine which water bodies fall under public management rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $20 million grant and forgivable loan program to help Minnesota dental assisting and hygiene education programs expand student capacity. It directly affects accredited higher education programs in these fields, allowing them to apply for funding to improve facilities, create scholarships, boost faculty salaries, or purchase equipment. The Minnesota Department of Health will award funds based on applications, prioritizing programs that maximize student enrollment growth. The appropriation is a one-time fiscal year 2026 allocation, available until June 30, 2028. Programs applying for accreditation but not yet approved are also eligible.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts sales tax on construction materials purchased for Moorhead City Hall's renovation, covering purchases made between February 28, 2025, and June 1, 2027. It requires the state to collect the tax initially and then refund it to the buyer, with refunds processed after June 30, 2025. The state appropriates funds from the general treasury to cover these refunds, effective retroactively from the start date. This directly affects contractors and vendors supplying materials for the City Hall project, ensuring they aren't burdened by sales tax on eligible purchases.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $96.565 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families for its Early Learning Scholarships program. The funding directly supports low-income families with young children by expanding access to subsidized early childhood education. It adds this amount to the program’s existing base funding, increasing resources available for scholarships under Minnesota Statutes section 142D.25. The bill does not change eligibility rules or program structure, only providing new funding for current operations.

Maddy summarySF 1689 increases funding for dementia support programs by appropriating $750,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 and another $750,000 for fiscal year 2027. The bill directs these funds to the Minnesota Board on Aging, which administers regional and local dementia grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.975, subdivision 11. This funding directly supports community-based dementia care services provided through local and regional programs. The bill makes a concrete policy change by securing specific annual funding levels for these existing grant programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $15 million grant program to expand capacity in Minnesota's accredited dental assisting and hygiene education programs. The grants fund specific projects like upgrading clinic facilities, creating new classrooms, offering student scholarships, improving faculty pay, and purchasing equipment. Higher education programs must apply for funding, with priority given to those that best increase student enrollment and workforce pipeline capacity. The funds are a one-time appropriation available until June 30, 2027, for programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.