Sen. Bonnie Westlin

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's motor vehicle accident reporting rules to allow local law enforcement to share specific crash data with contracted service providers who assist in generating accident reports. It defines "contracted service provider" as entities authorized by government to manage crash data under state law. The change affects law enforcement agencies that submit accident reports and the service providers they partner with, while maintaining existing restrictions on who can access accident reports (e.g., victims, insurers, or law enforcement). The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2588) requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Revenue to follow Tax Court interpretations of state tax laws until those interpretations are overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court. It directly affects the Commissioner of Revenue and taxpayers involved in tax disputes, as it mandates that the Commissioner must comply with the Tax Court's rulings on tax law. The key provision binds the Commissioner to these interpretations without needing additional approval, making the Tax Court's decisions final for enforcement purposes until the Supreme Court reviews them. The bill takes effect for Tax Court judgments issued after final enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $950,000 from state bond proceeds to fund the design, construction, and equipment of two security kiosks inside the Minnesota Senate Building. The commissioner of administration will manage the project, coordinating with the secretary of the senate on design, locations, and construction timing. The funds come from bonds authorized under Minnesota law, requiring the commissioner of management and budget to issue the bonds up to $950,000. The bill directly affects Senate Building operations and security protocols, with no broader policy changes beyond this specific infrastructure project.

Maddy summarySF 993 appropriates $250,000 for each of the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years to the Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation. The funds support the ProStart program in Minnesota high schools, which provides culinary and hospitality management education to address workforce shortages in the industry. The grant must be used for student curriculum, tools, skills training, professional development, and scholarships within hospitality. This is a one-time appropriation targeting high school students participating in the ProStart program.

Maddy summarySF 2562 modifies Minnesota's definitions of "lobbyist" and "metropolitan governmental unit" in campaign finance laws. It adds a new definition for "expert witness" as someone providing testimony based on professional expertise, and excludes paid expert witnesses from being classified as lobbyists when testifying at public meetings or making testimony publicly available. The bill also updates the lobbyist definition to clarify that certain government employees, political subdivision staff, and collective bargaining representatives are not considered lobbyists under specific conditions. These changes primarily affect individuals and organizations engaging in lobbying activities, requiring clearer reporting for those who do qualify as lobbyists under the revised rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $92,000 annually from the general fund for Hennepin County Sheriff's Office to provide educational and skills training to jail inmates. Specifically, $89,000 yearly funds instruction toward high school diplomas or GEDs, while $3,000 covers licensing fees for anger management, cognitive awareness, and parenting course materials. The sheriff must submit annual reports detailing fund usage, program accomplishments, and recommendations by June 30. The funding is set at $92,000 per year for fiscal years 2026-2027, with a base amount of $92,000 for 2028 and beyond. It directly affects Hennepin County jail inmates through structured educational programming.

Maddy summarySF 2387 modifies Minnesota school safety requirements to enhance prevention and reporting. It requires all public school districts and charter schools to provide annual, evidence-based violence prevention training for middle and high school students, covering warning signs, taking threats seriously, and using the state’s anonymous threat reporting system. The bill also mandates detailed electronic reporting of dangerous weapon incidents and active shooter threats to the commissioner of education and Minnesota Fusion Center, including incident descriptions, circumstances, costs, and school responses (while excluding names). Schools must use the state’s anonymous threat reporting system, and the Department of Public Safety and Education must jointly develop and publish a list of approved training programs by July 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota Statutes (sections 580.10, 580.225, 580.24, and others) to change how surplus funds from mortgage foreclosure sales are handled. It requires sheriffs to notify homeowners by mail if $100 or more remains after a sale, including contact information for the Minnesota Homeownership Center. Homeowners can request during their redemption period to apply the surplus toward buying back their property. The bill also clarifies that surplus funds under $100 may be paid directly to the homeowner and establishes procedures for resolving competing claims to surplus funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires businesses and entities that pay independent contractors in Minnesota to report those hires to the state's centralized work reporting system, which supports child support enforcement. Payors must report within 20 days of hiring an independent contractor who earns $600 or more annually, excluding domestic service in private homes. The system, managed by the commissioner of children, youth, and families, will track these hires to ensure accurate child support calculations. The requirement takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 2232 modifies Minnesota's election administration laws to improve accuracy and efficiency. It establishes detailed technology requirements for electronic rosters at polling places, requiring systems to verify voter eligibility, prevent duplicate voting, and provide clear instructions for election judges. The bill also changes absentee ballot application deadlines (allowing in-person submissions up to the day before an election but requiring mail applications to be received at least seven days prior) and mandates that nongovernment entities sending absentee materials include a specific notice. These changes apply directly to voters, election officials, and local election administrators across Minnesota.