Sen. Bonnie Westlin

Maddy summarySF 2025 establishes the Fair Competition Act to regulate market power in Minnesota. It prohibits businesses from using monopoly or monopsony power (where one seller or buyer dominates a market) to control prices, exclude competitors, or fix rates. The bill defines "monopsony" as a market with only one buyer and "monopsony power" as a buyer’s ability to influence prices. Businesses violating these provisions face civil penalties up to $5 million per violation, depending on annual revenue, with criminal penalties for willful violations. The law directly affects large businesses operating in Minnesota with significant market influence.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's housing law to extend full housing access rights to people training service dogs. It defines a "service dog in training" as a dog being trained by an accredited organization (like Assistance Dogs International) under supervision. The law requires landlords and homeowners associations to allow these dogs without charging extra fees, though trainers must provide written certification from the training organization and cover damage caused by the dog. The accommodation ends once the training is complete. This directly affects disabled individuals training service dogs and housing providers.

Maddy summarySF 662 establishes a new civil cause of action for individuals who experience the nonconsensual removal of a condom during sexual activity. The bill allows victims to sue for damages, including up to $10,000 in civil penalties, attorney fees, and other remedies, if they did not consent to the condom's removal. It defines "sexual battery" in this context as contact involving a condom-removed sexual organ and an intimate part without verbal consent. The law applies to cases occurring on or after August 1, 2025, and requires courts to allow confidential filings to protect plaintiff privacy. This directly affects individuals who experience nonconsensual condom removal during sexual activity by providing a specific legal remedy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's school finance law to adjust how local school districts calculate optional revenue from property taxes. It sets specific dollar amounts for first-tier ($300 in 2025-2026, rising to $550 in 2027) and second-tier ($424 in 2025-2027) local revenue allowances, based on student enrollment (adjusted pupil units). Districts can levy local taxes up to limits tied to property values per student, with equalizing factors increasing annually (e.g., $626,450 for second-tier in 2025). The changes take effect for fiscal year 2027, directly affecting all Minnesota public school districts receiving state education funding.

Maddy summarySF 2118 allocates $800,000 annually for 2026 and 2027 to fund economic and financial literacy education in Minnesota public schools. The bill provides grants to the Minnesota Council on Economic Education to support professional development for K-12 teachers implementing financial education standards, develop curriculum resources, and run student programs. It specifically targets teachers in grades 9-12 delivering personal finance instruction and requires annual reports detailing training participation, program content, and research on program effectiveness. The funding directly affects Minnesota teachers and students by expanding access to financial literacy education resources and teacher training.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $55 million from state bonds to reconstruct a section of Trunk Highway 55 in Hennepin County. It funds the project to convert Highway 55 into a four-lane divided highway between Medina (near Arrowhead Drive) and Loretto (near Highway 19). The funds cover right-of-way acquisition, engineering, and construction. The project directly affects residents and commuters along this specific corridor in Hennepin County.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2.5 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families. The funds are specifically designated for child care improvement grants under Minnesota Statutes section 142D.20, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (7). These grants will support child care providers in improving their services, with no funding allocated for administrative costs. The bill directly affects licensed child care providers in Minnesota who receive these grants to enhance their programs.

Maddy summarySF 1915 directs Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to study voluntary campaign spending limits. The Board must analyze participation in Minnesota's public subsidy program (by office), spending trends over ten years, and how other states set similar limits, including differences for highly contested races. By January 15, 2026, the Board must report findings and recommendations to legislative committees overseeing the Board. This study does not change current laws but aims to inform potential future policy decisions about campaign finance.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require Minnesota criminal justice officials (including courts, prosecutors, and jails) to collect standardized data on every criminal case, such as defendant demographics (race, age, language), charge details, bail conditions, case outcomes, and sentencing. The collected information would be sent to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Sentencing Guidelines Commission for annual analysis. The commission would then create a public dashboard displaying this data to increase transparency about how the criminal justice system operates. The bill aims to provide clear, accessible information on case processing without specifying how the data should be used or interpreted. It is currently a proposed bill (introduced February 2025) and not yet law.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota counties to create random pools of registered voters for election judge positions. County boards can direct county auditors to randomly select voters from the county's voter rolls, forming a pool from which counties and cities can assign judges to absentee ballot boards and polling places. Registered voters selected for the pool must serve if designated, provided they meet existing eligibility requirements. The bill prohibits excluding voters based on race, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status. It directly affects counties, cities, and registered voters who may be randomly selected to serve as election judges.