Sen. Judy Seeberger

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens penalties for transferring firearms to individuals who are legally prohibited from owning them, such as those with prior disqualifying convictions or permit denials. It increases the maximum prison sentence for such transfers from two to three years and establishes a mandatory minimum of three years for cases where the recipient uses the weapon within a year to commit a violent felony. The legislation also removes a legal defense that previously allowed defendants to claim they transferred a firearm under duress from a family member, making it harder for violators to avoid prosecution. These changes directly affect firearm owners, sellers, and law enforcement by tightening restrictions on gun transfers to ineligible persons.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota law to update how arbitrators are selected for peace officer grievance cases. It requires the state commissioner to appoint six qualified arbitrators in consultation with community and law enforcement stakeholders. The selection process will consider candidates' experience with labor law and the grievance process, along with their familiarity with cultural competency, racism, implicit bias, and community diversity. The appointed arbitrators will serve immediately upon filing with the secretary of state and will only handle peace officer grievance arbitrations.

Maddy summarySF 3957 modifies Minnesota's educational assistance program for children and spouses of veterans. It provides an annual $750 stipend for eligible children and spouses of deceased veterans (or veterans who were prisoners of war/missing in action), replacing a previous single payment. To qualify, recipients must be Minnesota residents enrolled in a public Minnesota institution of higher education, making satisfactory academic progress, and not yet holding a bachelor's degree. The bill updates eligibility definitions and repeals an outdated section of law, focusing specifically on children and surviving spouses rather than veterans themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Minnesota Secure Choice retirement program by updating definitions and operational requirements for employers and employees. It expands the program's annual reporting requirements to include details on financial performance, program expenses, participation statistics, and potential impacts on social safety net programs. The legislation clarifies which workers are excluded from automatic enrollment, such as those under 18, federal employees, and temporary workers hired for less than 180 days, while allowing some temporary workers to opt into the program. Additionally, the bill establishes specific enrollment windows for new employees and defines a 30-day waiting period for program participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the pension adjustment revenue for Independent School District No. 625 in St. Paul by raising the pension adjustment rate from 2.3 percent in 2023 to 5.95 percent for fiscal year 2027 and later. The legislation also adjusts employee contribution rates to the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, increasing them from 10 percent to 11.25 percent for the basic program and from 7.5 percent to 8.75 percent for the coordinated program starting July 1, 2026. Additionally, the bill sets limits on total state pension adjustment revenue for fiscal years 2025 and 2028 and later, requiring the commissioner to prorate payments when necessary to stay within those caps. These changes directly affect the St. Paul school district, its employees, and the retirement fund association by altering how much money flows into the pension system.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $10 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to support the Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) public safety radio system in Minnesota. The money will be distributed as grants to local governments, federally recognized Tribal entities, and state agencies to purchase or upgrade portable and mobile radios that can communicate with the existing ARMER Next system. Each eligible recipient can receive only one grant, and the program requires a minimum five percent match from nonstate funds, with 33 percent of the total amount reserved for local units within the metropolitan area. The Department of Public Safety's Emergency Communication Networks division will manage the grants, subject to approval by the Statewide Emergency Communications Board, and the funds are available until June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Paid Leave Law to expand the definition of "seasonal employee" from 150 days to 180 days within a 52-week period, specifically for workers in the hospitality industry. Under the new rules, employers must apply to the state department to classify employees as seasonal and must notify the department within five business days if an employee no longer meets the criteria. Workers classified as seasonal employees under these conditions would be ineligible for paid leave benefits during weeks they are employed as seasonal workers, though they would become eligible again if their employment extends beyond the 180-day threshold. The legislation applies to employers whose average receipts during any six months of the preceding year were not more than 33 percent of their average receipts for the other six months of that year.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5 million from the state's general fund to provide a one-time grant for capital improvements to the nursing home operated by the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. The funds are designated for fiscal year 2027 and will be administered by the commissioner of human services, with the money available until fully spent. This legislation directly affects the Red Lake Nation by allocating state resources to upgrade their nursing home facilities. The bill follows standard procedures for capital investment appropriations in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's agritourism liability laws to explicitly include off-road vehicle trails as a protected agritourism activity. The legislation defines agritourism activities to encompass off-road vehicle trails alongside existing activities like farming and winemaking, and clarifies that participants engaging in these trails are covered under the state's inherent risks immunity provisions. Key provisions establish that farms and ranches offering off-road vehicle trails are protected from liability for injuries resulting from natural hazards, animal behavior, or ordinary equipment dangers, provided participants understand these inherent risks. The changes apply to incidents occurring on or after August 1, 2026, and affect farms, ranches, and individuals participating in off-road vehicle trail activities in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's firefighters relief association retirement plans to include emergency medical providers and expand eligibility for certain volunteer and on-call firefighters. It allows emergency medical providers to join the public employees defined contribution plan if they are not already covered by another pension plan, while also permitting volunteer and paid on-call firefighters to participate in both the retirement plan and their relief association's plan. The legislation requires volunteer and on-call firefighters or emergency medical providers to contribute at least 7.5 percent of compensation received for emergency services, with employers matching that contribution when the municipality ratifies the election. Specific provisions update eligibility rules for various public safety personnel and define emergency medical providers within the statute.