Sen. Bonnie Westlin

Maddy summaryThis bill requires homeowner's insurance policies in Minnesota to cover damage caused by peace officers using chemical irritants, smoke screens, or diversionary devices when the homeowner is entitled to compensation from the government. Effective January 1, 2027, insurers cannot exclude coverage for this specific type of damage and must allow homeowners to select their own mitigation contractors and industrial hygienists to address the harm. The law also permits insurers to require homeowners to transfer their right to claim compensation to the insurance company, while maintaining the government's obligation to pay just compensation for such incidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's campaign finance laws to require lobbyists and their principals to report specific spending details and to include disclaimers in advertisements that urge the public to contact officials. Under the new rules, lobbyists must report total spending on lobbying activities rounded to the nearest $5,000, including costs for staff, advertising, research, and administrative overhead. Additionally, any paid advertisement encouraging public contact with officials must display a clear disclaimer identifying the responsible individual or group and providing a phone number, email, or website. The legislation sets specific formatting requirements for these disclaimers based on the medium, such as font size for print and minimum display time for video, and imposes a penalty of up to $3,000 for non-compliance.

Maddy summarySF 4067 adds a specific provision requiring the Minnesota State Patrol to provide security and protection to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, explicitly authorizing patrol members to act as peace officers for this purpose. It also adjusts base funding levels for Minnesota's judicial branches starting in fiscal year 2028, increasing the Supreme Court's base to $51,636,000, the Court of Appeals to $15,871,000, and the District Courts to $402,918,000. These funding changes are technical adjustments to existing base amounts, not new programs. The bill directly affects the judicial branch's budget and the State Patrol's duties regarding chief justice security.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a uniform process for handling firearm restrictions when individuals are subject to certain criminal convictions or judicial orders in Minnesota. It directly affects courts, law enforcement agencies, and individuals involved in domestic child abuse cases by standardizing how firearm prohibitions are imposed and monitored. Key provisions require courts to order abusing parties to transfer firearms to licensed dealers or law enforcement when issuing protection orders, mandate specific forms for child protection petitions that include firearm descriptions, and set clear timelines for firearm transfers. The legislation also clarifies that courts cannot dismiss child protection petitions simply because firearm information is missing, ensuring these safety measures are consistently applied across the state.

Maddy summarySF 4064 modifies several court procedures in Minnesota. It raises the mandatory arbitration threshold for small claims from $10,000 to $20,000 and increases conciliation court jurisdiction limits to $20,000 (or $4,000 for consumer credit cases). The bill also requires the Department of Revenue to share tax data with courts for jury lists and allows district courts to publish notices online. Additionally, it clarifies how driver's license data - including race/ethnicity - may be shared with the judicial branch for jury sourcing purposes. These changes primarily affect courts, plaintiffs, defendants in small claims, and jury administrators.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how members, officers, and employees of the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives can use legislative resources like email addresses, telephone numbers, and office space. It prohibits assigning legislative email addresses or phone numbers to anyone who is not a legislator, officer, or employee, and limits the use of assigned member phone numbers to the member and their authorized staff. The bill also requires written notification to caucus leaders before allowing contractors or non-employees to occupy legislative office space. Enforcement of these rules will be handled through legislative rules rather than court intervention, with no judicial authority to enforce or penalize violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's campaign finance and ethics laws by increasing reporting thresholds for certain political contributions and clarifying deadlines for filing financial disclosure statements. It directly affects public officials, local candidates, and campaign committees operating in the state, particularly those in the seven-county metropolitan area and cities with over 50,000 residents. Key provisions include extending the time for candidates to file statements of economic interest from 14 days to 60 days after election filing, requiring officials to disclose potential conflicts of interest in writing, and expanding the definition of metropolitan governmental units to include additional agencies. The legislation also makes technical adjustments to align local candidate reporting requirements with state-level standards and ensures consistent data handling procedures for election officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits homeowner's insurance policies in Minnesota from excluding coverage for property damage caused by peace officers using chemical irritants, smoke screens, or distraction devices. It applies to policies offered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, and requires insurers to provide coverage when homeowners are entitled to compensation from local governments under existing state law. The legislation does not change the government's obligation to pay compensation but prevents insurance companies from denying claims related to this specific type of damage.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill requires law enforcement agencies and local governments to disclose information about chemical irritants, smoke screens, and distraction devices used inside buildings during specific law enforcement activities. The disclosure must include the product names, numbers, and total quantities deployed when executing search warrants, apprehending suspects, or attempting to apprehend suspects. Upon request, this information must be provided to building owners, tenants, insurers, and cleaning or remediation service providers. The law applies to all buildings as defined in existing state statutes and overrides data classification rules that might otherwise keep such information confidential.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies tuberculosis screening requirements for inmates and employees in Minnesota correctional facilities, mandating that all detained individuals be screened within 14 days of intake and tested annually, while also establishing a legal process to compel testing if an inmate refuses. It expands access to mental health care by requiring the commissioner of corrections to operate at least one mental health unit in adult correctional institutions and allowing transfers to these units for short-term care or stabilization. Additionally, the bill clarifies that substance use disorder treatment programs in state facilities must comply with community-based treatment standards unless alternative equivalent standards are developed through an interagency agreement.