Sen. Judy Seeberger

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $16.6 million from the state general fund to the Public Facilities Authority for the city of Hastings. The funds will directly support the predesign, construction, and equipping of three water treatment plants and associated water mains to remove harmful PFAS chemicals from city wells. It specifically targets water infrastructure upgrades to address PFAS contamination in Hastings' drinking water sources. The funding is allocated for fiscal year 2026 and will affect Hastings residents by improving their water treatment systems.

Maddy summarySF 1501 increases penalties for intentionally obstructing traffic on freeways or airport roadways by elevating the offense to a gross misdemeanor. It directly affects individuals who block traffic entering, exiting, or moving on these specific routes with the intent to disrupt flow, excluding law enforcement, emergency responders, airport authorities, and utility workers performing official duties. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes § 609.74 to clarify that such obstruction on "freeways" (divided highways with ramp access) or "airport property" constitutes a gross misdemeanor, effective August 1, 2025. This change specifically targets deliberate traffic disruptions at critical transportation access points.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $16.6 million from state bonds to fund three water treatment plants in Hastings. The funds will cover predesign, construction, and equipment for removing harmful chemicals (PFAS) from the city's wells. The money is authorized through state bond sales under Minnesota law, with the Public Facilities Authority managing the grant to Hastings. The project directly affects Hastings residents by improving municipal water quality.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's intensive comprehensive law enforcement education and training program for peace officer candidates. It requires the commissioner to develop a standardized 8-month training curriculum by December 2026, which must cover licensing requirements and can build on existing programs. The bill designates at least two state college campuses (and allows private nonprofits or University of Minnesota campuses) to deliver this training. It appropriates $5 million from the general fund for this program through 2029. The changes directly affect individuals seeking peace officer licensure in Minnesota.

Maddy summarySF 1905 modifies Minnesota's controlled substances laws to clarify that the weight of fluid used in water pipes is not counted when determining possession charges for drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, or fentanyl. This change directly affects individuals using water pipes to consume these substances, as it prevents minor amounts of fluid from triggering higher-level felony charges based on weight. The bill specifies that fluid weight exclusion applies unless the mixture contains four or more fluid ounces of fluid, in which case the fluid weight would count toward the threshold. This provision aims to align legal penalties with actual drug content rather than incidental fluid volume.

Maddy summarySF 1849 exempts certain farm workers from Minnesota's Paid Leave Law. It specifically excludes employees of farmers, family farms, or family farm corporations who work 28 days or fewer per year, or those employed by farms with five or fewer total employees. This change modifies the law's definition of "covered employment" and "employee" to remove these agricultural workers from the law's requirements. The bill directly affects small-scale agricultural employers and their seasonal workers, not impacting other covered workers or the law's general structure. The exemption applies automatically without requiring opt-in procedures.

Maddy summarySF 1815 authorizes Minnesota local jurisdictions (like cities and counties) to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections, such as mayoral or city council races. The bill establishes procedures for communities to implement the system, defines key terms like "active candidate" and "batch elimination," and allows electronic voting systems with reallocation features. It specifies that ranked choice voting requires voters to rank candidates by preference, with ballots transferring support to higher-ranked candidates if lower-ranked ones are eliminated. The bill applies only to local offices, not state or federal elections, and amends election statutes to incorporate these changes. Local governments would need to pass their own ordinances to adopt the system.

Maddy summarySF 1829 imposes civil penalties of up to $1,000 on individuals who intentionally disrupt youth athletic activities, such as entering the field, throwing objects onto the field, or physically interfering with officials, players, or coaches during events or on related premises. The bill applies to people causing disruptions during youth sports events covered under Minnesota law, excluding participants, medical personnel, and those addressing emergencies. Collected penalties fund youth officiating programs through a dedicated account, with notifications required for exclusions from sports events and a hearing process for those fined. The law takes effect July 1, 2028, and directly affects individuals disrupting youth sports while supporting program development for officials.

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 prohibits the use of seclusion for children from birth through grade 3 in Minnesota schools, effective September 1, 2024. It amends Minnesota Statutes to add seclusion as a banned restrictive procedure under section 125A.0942, subdivision 4, clause (11). The bill also requires schools to report any use of physical holding or seclusion by untrained staff to the Department of Education. Additionally, it mandates the commissioner to develop recommendations by February 1, 2024, for ending seclusion in schools, including specific timelines and resource needs. This directly affects early childhood and elementary students, school staff, and district policies regarding student behavior management.