Sen. Bonnie Westlin

Maddy summarySF 2021 requires Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to create and maintain a plain-language handbook about lobbying rules on its website. The handbook must clearly explain lobbyist registration requirements (including thresholds and government employee exemptions), which activities count toward those thresholds, and differences between lobbying the legislature, executive branch, or other entities. It directly affects registered lobbyists, government entities, and organizations engaging in lobbying activities. The board must update the handbook regularly and consult with diverse groups, including nonprofits and BIPOC-led organizations, when developing it. The handbook must be published by January 15, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 1855 prohibits businesses from requiring consumers to engage in political activity (like signing petitions or providing contact details to contact officials) as a condition to access services through apps or websites. It requires businesses to provide a clear opt-out option so consumers can use the service without participating in political activity. This bill directly affects app and website providers that might have required political engagement for access, and protects consumers from being pressured into political actions. The proposed law, if passed, would make any terms forcing political activity void and unenforceable under Minnesota Statutes. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been enacted.

Maddy summarySF 2026 establishes new rules for drawing Minnesota's congressional and legislative districts. It prohibits redistricting plans from favoring or disfavoring specific candidates or incumbents, requires plans to proportionally reflect statewide partisan voter preferences, and mandates adherence to specific districting principles. Key provisions include requiring districts to have nearly equal population (within 3% deviation), protect minority representation opportunities, maintain contiguous territory, minimize division of communities of interest and political subdivisions, and avoid splitting tribal reservations. The bill directly affects how district maps are created for both state legislative and congressional seats in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota prosecuting agencies (like county attorneys) to create written policies for managing "Brady-Giglio lists," which track police officers with documented misconduct like untruthfulness, bias, criminal convictions, or abuse of authority. It mandates that agencies notify officers in writing before adding them to the list, give officers a chance to provide input, and allow requests for reconsideration within 10 business days. The policy must also specify how officers can submit evidence and how agencies will handle appeals. These rules directly affect police officers whose records are included, prosecutors who maintain the lists, and the agencies that employ officers.

Maddy summarySF 734 appropriates state funds for supplemental security grants to nonprofit organizations that have already been approved for federal nonprofit security grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The bill allows eligible nonprofits to receive up to $75,000 total from both federal and state programs without submitting new applications, using their existing federal grant applications as their state application. Grants are awarded in the same order as the federal program, with the state program funding only after federal recipients are announced. This ensures nonprofits don't face duplicate application processes while preventing total funding from exceeding $75,000 per organization.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for the Minnesota Family Resiliency Partnership by reallocating existing fee revenues. Specifically, it raises the amount from divorce court fees (dissolution actions) going to the Partnership from $30 to $60 per fee, and increases the portion from marriage license fees from $25 to $55 per license. These reallocated funds - previously designated for general state funds - will now directly support the Partnership's programs. The Partnership, which focuses on family stability and support services, benefits directly from this policy change in fee distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers $2.5 million from the general fund to Minnesota's Voting Operations, Technology, and Election Resources Account for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The funds are designated to support election-related technology, equipment, and operational resources under Minnesota Statutes §5.305. The transfer directly affects election administration by providing dedicated funding for voting system maintenance and election resource management. It does not create new spending but reallocates existing state funds to a specific election account. The bill is currently referred to the Elections Committee for further review.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1665) amends Minnesota law to explicitly authorize law enforcement agencies to use unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) during the lawful pursuit of a suspect who is fleeing or at risk of fleeing. It adds this specific scenario as a permitted use under Minnesota Statutes § 626.19, subdivision 3, alongside existing authorized drone uses like emergency response, disaster recovery, and public safety events. The provision requires that drone use during suspect pursuits must align with lawful police procedures. This change directly affects police departments and their operational protocols when tracking fleeing individuals. The bill does not alter the legal standard for pursuing suspects but clarifies that drones may be used as a tool in such situations.

Maddy summarySF 276 requires Minnesota's medical assistance programs (like Medicaid) to cover violence prevention services starting January 1, 2026. It directly affects individuals who have experienced community violence (e.g., injury or trauma symptoms) and certified violence prevention providers, including those offering counseling, peer support, conflict mediation, and care coordination. The bill establishes provider certification standards through the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, sets a minimum $25 per 15-minute service payment rate, and defines eligible services that must prevent future violence or improve health outcomes. This policy change expands coverage for trauma-informed violence prevention services within existing healthcare frameworks.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines what constitutes a "major decision" involving public funds by non-elected local officials for campaign finance purposes. It specifies that attempting to influence decisions about budgets, grant funding, or tax incentives for private development counts as lobbying, while routine grant applications or administrative communications do not. The law explicitly excludes routine purchases, labor negotiations, and litigation discussions from this definition. It directly affects local government officials and entities seeking to influence their financial decisions, clarifying lobbying rules under Minnesota Statutes.