Sen. Judy Seeberger

Maddy summaryHF 3709 allows Minnesota banks and credit unions to offer virtual-currency custody services, meaning they can safely hold customers' cryptocurrency or the keys to access it. The bill requires these institutions to follow strict safety rules - including cybersecurity measures, risk management policies, and asset segregation - to protect customer holdings separately from the institution's own assets. Financial institutions must also notify regulators 60 days before starting these services and comply with existing state and federal laws. This change directly affects banks, credit unions, and cryptocurrency users in Minnesota, enabling regulated custody options without altering how virtual currency is legally treated.

Maddy summaryHF 3741 modifies Minnesota's educational assistance program for veterans' families, providing an annual $750 stipend for eligible children and spouses of veterans. It affects children and spouses of deceased veterans (including those who died in service), prisoners of war, or missing in action personnel who meet residency requirements and maintain satisfactory academic progress at Minnesota public institutions. The bill specifies the stipend cannot be used by individuals who have already earned a bachelor's degree. It updates definitions to clarify eligibility criteria and repeals an outdated provision, ensuring funds are directed to qualifying family members pursuing higher education in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1943 prohibits pet shops (physical retail stores selling animals to the public) from selling or transferring ownership of cats and dogs, effective August 1, 2026. The bill allows pet shops to provide space for nonprofit animal shelters, humane societies, or 501(c)(3) rescue groups to offer animals for adoption, but pet shops cannot own the animals or charge fees for this space. It does not affect breeders, direct sales from breeders, or nonprofit adoption organizations themselves. The law aims to shift pet sales toward adoption-focused organizations while maintaining transparency requirements for pet dealers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all operators of electric-assisted bicycles under age 18 in Minnesota to wear a helmet approved by the public safety commissioner while riding. It directly affects minors aged 15-17 who currently operate e-bikes, adding this safety requirement to existing rules. The law amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.222 to include this helmet mandate, with violators facing a fine (amount unspecified in the bill text). The bill also prohibits anyone under age 15 from operating electric-assisted bicycles.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands survivor benefits for public safety officers in Minnesota by including deaths caused by exposure-related cancers as "killed in the line of duty." It directly affects families of public safety officers who develop specific cancers linked to carcinogens encountered during their work. The legislation defines exposure-related cancer to include 21 types such as lung, bladder, and leukemia cancers, and establishes criteria requiring exposure to occur while on duty, a minimum five-year service period before diagnosis, and a maximum 15-year window between last active service and cancer diagnosis. The bill also creates a legal presumption that these cancers directly resulted from occupational exposure unless medical evidence proves otherwise, and sets up a review process to update the list of covered cancers every three years.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the process for filling vacancies on Minnesota school boards by prioritizing the appointment of the candidate who received the most votes in the last election. If that top-voted candidate declines the seat, the board can appoint someone else, but this appointment can be overturned if at least five percent of eligible voters sign a petition within 30 days. The legislation also sets specific timelines for holding special elections, requiring them to occur by the next November unless the vacancy happens less than 90 days before the term ends. Additionally, it mandates a special election for vacancies caused by the removal of a board member, ensuring the public has a chance to vote on the replacement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires law enforcement officers to notify petitioners at least 24 hours before serving a harassment restraining order on a respondent, if the petitioner requests this notification. The law applies to temporary and permanent restraining orders issued under Minnesota's harassment statutes and allows officers to use texting, calling, or emailing to make reasonable notification efforts. This change directly affects petitioners who seek protection from harassment and law enforcement officers who serve restraining orders in Minnesota. The provision aims to improve communication between petitioners and law enforcement during the restraining order process.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new licensing and registration requirements for entities selling travel insurance in Minnesota. It requires "limited lines travel insurance producers" (such as managing general agents and travel administrators) and "travel retailers" (businesses that arrange travel and offer insurance) to be licensed, with producers maintaining a registry of authorized retailers. The bill mandates clear disclosure to customers about policy terms, claims processes, and the identities of insurers and producers. It defines travel insurance to cover trip interruption, baggage loss, medical emergencies during travel, and related services, while excluding long-term medical plans. The bill is currently pending in the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee after introduction on February 23, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1122) increases annual cost-of-living adjustments for retired public employees in Minnesota. It modifies the Public Employees Police and Fire Retirement Plan and State Patrol Retirement Plan to provide higher postretirement adjustments: for the police/fire plan, adjustments will now be 50% of the federal Social Security COLA (capped at 1.5%) instead of a flat 1%, and for the State Patrol plan, the base adjustment rises from 1% to 1.5% annually. The bill also shortens the waiting period before full adjustments apply - from 36 months to 12 months for most retirees. These changes affect retired police officers, firefighters, and State Patrol members receiving benefits under these specific plans, effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 3587 creates specific exceptions to Minnesota's hospital construction moratorium, which generally prohibits increasing bed capacity or building new hospitals. The bill allows certain projects to proceed, including pediatric bed consolidations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, additions of up to 35 beds in a Rice County psychiatric hospital serving out-of-state patients, and limited bed increases in specific counties (Beltrami, Otter Tail, Carver, Itasca). It directly affects hospitals meeting these narrow criteria, such as those with national referral status or existing approved projects. The key mechanism is listing qualifying projects that bypass the moratorium restrictions, ensuring they can expand or relocate beds without requiring a certificate of need.