Sen. Bonnie Westlin

Maddy summaryThis resolution condemns Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry while reaffirming Minnesota's commitment to religious freedom and inclusion. It directly addresses the Hindu-American community, which has over four million members in the United States and contributes significantly to Minnesota's economy and culture. The bill calls on state agencies, educational institutions, and law enforcement to enhance their understanding of Hinduphobia and include the Hindu community in diversity initiatives and anti-bias training programs. It also directs state employees to enforce existing anti-discrimination laws and asks the Secretary of State to distribute copies of the resolution to relevant officials. This legislative action does not create new laws but serves as a formal statement of the Legislature's position on religious intolerance.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Minnesota law enforcement agencies from hiring or licensing individuals who were sworn officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Border Patrol on or after January 20, 2025. The measure applies to both current and future peace officer positions, preventing agencies from employing these federal agents and the state Peace Officer Standards and Training Board from issuing licenses to them. The law takes effect the day after final passage and specifically targets those seeking initial licensure or employment as peace officers on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's deferred compensation plan requirements to improve transparency and flexibility for public sector employees. It mandates that plan administrators or vendors annually disclose all fees and historical rates of return for investment funds in an easily understandable format, while removing the previous requirement to file these statements with the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. The legislation also updates matching contribution rules to allow employers to match employee deferrals on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to specified limits and permits matching contributions toward qualified student loan payments under the Secure 2.0 Act. These changes apply to employees of school districts, state agencies, and other governmental subdivisions, excluding those covered by the Higher Education Supplemental Retirement Plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how certain firearm permit data is handled in Minnesota. It makes specific information public, including permit revocations/suspensions and details when a permit holder dies by firearm suicide or during police use of force. Sheriffs must delete most permit records annually but must keep records of denied/revoked permits (for six years), voided permits due to legal prohibitions, and death-related cases (for six years after the event). These changes directly affect permit applicants, current permit holders, and law enforcement agencies managing firearm permit records. The bill focuses on data classification and retention rules, not new firearm restrictions.

Maddy summaryMinnesota bill SF 3996 requires all public K-12 schools and charter schools to develop evidence-based school safety plans by May 2028. The Minnesota School Safety Center will create a model plan based on research showing effectiveness, review local plans for compliance, and notify schools if their plans don't meet standards. Schools that fail to adopt approved plans must inform parents by August 2028 about the lack of a safety plan. The bill also mandates the center to employ at least two mental health professionals and post annual reports on school safety plan adoption. This law directly affects Minnesota's school districts, requiring concrete changes to safety planning processes.

Maddy summarySF 1580 appropriates $1 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to establish a violence prevention research center under the commissioner of public safety. The center must operate as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on reducing violence, with specific emphasis on gun violence, using data analysis to inform criminal justice policy and practice in Minnesota. It will directly affect the commissioner of public safety (who administers the funds) and the research center itself, which must be created to improve policy through evidence-based research. The bill’s key mechanism is the dedicated funding for this specific research center, requiring it to prioritize gun violence issues and produce actionable insights for state policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota firearm owners to maintain liability insurance covering at least $100,000 for accidental or unintentional discharges, with insurers obligated to offer policies or riders that include this coverage. The law applies to all firearm owners in the state starting October 1, 2026, and establishes penalties including fines for non-compliance, though first-time violations may have fines suspended if proof of insurance is provided within 30 days. Exemptions are available through court orders for individuals denied coverage by multiple insurers or those who cannot afford insurance but meet safety requirements like having a secure storage container. The bill also defines firearm ownership to include lost or stolen weapons until reported to law enforcement and sets forth procedures for obtaining exemption orders from district courts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes funding formulas for student support personnel aid in Minnesota schools, affecting independent, special, and charter school districts. It sets minimum funding thresholds of $40,000 for traditional districts and $20,000 for charter schools, with specific per-student allowance amounts that increase from $17.08 in 2025 to $34.32 in 2027 and beyond. The legislation also creates separate funding for cooperative units serving multiple districts and includes provisions for reserving funds in district balances.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires anyone who owns, possesses, or controls a firearm to report its loss or theft to local law enforcement within 48 hours of becoming aware of the incident. The law applies to all firearm owners in Minnesota and establishes escalating penalties, starting with a petty misdemeanor for a first violation and increasing to a gross misdemeanor for third or subsequent offenses. Additionally, the bill provides immunity from prosecution for firearm storage violations if the owner complies with the reporting requirement, and mandates that police chiefs and sheriffs forward these reports to the state commissioner of public safety within seven days. The legislation will take effect on August 1, 2026, and applies only to incidents occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide grants for forensic interview training scholarships. It directly supports professionals working with child maltreatment cases, including law enforcement, child protection workers, prosecutors, health professionals treating child abuse cases, and forensic interviewers at children's advocacy centers. The scholarships cover basic, advanced, and specialized forensic interview training through nationally recognized organizations. The funding enables these professionals to access certified training to improve interview techniques when handling child abuse cases. This is a funding measure, not a policy change affecting laws or regulations.