Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new state fund to provide grants and technical assistance to local governments in Minnesota for reducing risks from emergencies. Eligible recipients include counties, cities, towns, and school districts, which can use the money to develop hazard mitigation plans or fund projects that protect life and property. The program requires local governments to match at least 25 percent of project costs and mandates that projects align with approved federal mitigation plans. Additionally, the bill allows the state to use these funds to help cover local shares for federal disaster assistance programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state to issue up to $7,267,000 in bonds to fund waste management projects for the Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid Waste Authority, which serves five counties in western Minnesota. The funds will support the design and construction of an ash recovery and recycling plant that turns landfill ash into road construction material and recovers metals, as well as a waste transfer station to consolidate trash for regional processing. The money is allocated through a grant to Otter Tail County, which manages the joint powers board representing the participating counties. Once enacted, the state will sell the bonds to raise the necessary capital for these infrastructure improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Greenhouse Gas Pollution Superfund in Minnesota that would charge fossil fuel companies for emissions produced between 1995 and 2026. The program targets businesses that extracted or refined fossil fuels and are responsible for more than one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during that period. Money collected from these charges would be placed in a dedicated account to fund climate change adaptation projects for state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as disadvantaged communities. The state commissioner would determine how much each company must pay based on their emissions and distribute funds according to adopted rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes licensure for anesthesiologist assistants in Minnesota, creating a new regulatory chapter to oversee this allied health profession. It requires anesthesiologist assistants to work under the supervision of a physician and defines their role as individuals who perform delegated duties in anesthesia care. To obtain a license, applicants must graduate from an accredited program, pass a national certification exam, and meet state-specific requirements including a collaborative practice agreement with a supervising physician. The bill also creates a provisional license option for individuals who may not fully meet all standard requirements but can demonstrate sufficient remediation.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new provision to the Minnesota Constitution that would allow the state to take on debt specifically for purchasing, installing, maintaining, and upgrading digital infrastructure used by state government agencies and courts. If approved by voters at the 2026 general election, this change would enable the state to use general obligation debt to fund hardware and software systems owned or used by constitutional officers, executive agencies, the legislature, legislative agencies, and state courts. The amendment would be placed on the ballot with a yes or no question asking whether the state should be authorized to use debt for improving its digital infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds motorcycles to Minnesota's Digital Fair Repair Act, expanding the law to cover motorcycle repair. It requires manufacturers to provide independent repair shops (unaffiliated with the manufacturer) with diagnostic tools, parts, and documentation on "fair and reasonable terms," meaning at the same price and without restrictive conditions like mandatory registration or forcing shops to become authorized dealers. The law directly affects motorcycle owners and independent repair businesses by ensuring they have equal access to necessary repair resources as dealership shops. Key provisions prevent manufacturers from imposing unnecessary costs or restrictions on parts, tools, or documentation for motorcycles, aligning motorcycle repair with existing digital electronics coverage.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1690 establishes a stewardship program requiring manufacturers of covered circuit boards, batteries, and electrical products to fund collection, recycling, and disposal of these items. It directly affects electronics manufacturers and brands, who must pay into a new reimbursement system managed by a Covered Products Reimbursement Board (Section 3.17). Key provisions include prohibiting mercury in batteries (Section 3.4) and defining "covered products" to exclude medical devices and motor vehicles (Section 3.12). The bill amends multiple statutes to implement this system, effective January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies labeling requirements for soil amendments, plant amendments, and beneficial substances sold in Minnesota. It requires product labels to clearly list active ingredients, net weight, manufacturer information, usage directions, and guaranteed analysis, while exempting inert ingredients from mandatory disclosure. The legislation also mandates that registration applications include a certificate of composition detailing the amounts and formulas of inert ingredients and beneficial substances. These changes directly affect manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of agricultural products by standardizing how product information is presented to consumers.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's regulations on importing, stocking, and transferring fish eggs and aquatic life in aquaculture facilities. It directly affects licensed aquaculture operations, permit holders, and the commissioner of natural resources by updating disease testing and import requirements. The key changes allow certain fish species with specific diseases to be imported or transferred under approved treatment protocols and adjust disease-free history requirements based on facility type and disease status. The bill also clarifies rules for stocking private aquatic life into public waters and establishes conditions under which fish with particular pathogens may be moved between facilities or into areas where those diseases already exist.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new stewardship program for batteries in Minnesota and prohibits mercury in batteries, affecting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of battery products. The legislation creates specific definitions for terms like "covered battery," "brand," and "distribute" to clarify which products fall under the program and how sales are handled. It also modifies existing rules for lead acid batteries and rechargeable consumer products while authorizing the state agency to create implementing rules and appropriating funds for the program. The bill includes an effective date of January 1, 2030, for enforcement provisions and July 1, 2026, for certain definition changes, with some existing battery-related statutes being repealed or amended.