Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the city of Blaine to impose special taxes on restaurants, lodging, and entertainment venues within a designated redevelopment area. The legislation allows the city to levy up to 3% taxes on restaurant food and beverage sales, hotel stays at properties with more than 50 rooms, and admission fees for amusement venues and events. All collected revenue must be used exclusively to fund capital improvements and infrastructure projects within the specified area, and the city may issue bonds to finance these projects without counting toward existing debt limits. The taxes cannot be terminated before January 1, 2055, and the city council may adjust tax rates as needed to ensure sufficient funding for development goals.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies location requirements for small assisted living facilities in Minnesota, specifically those licensed to hold six or fewer residents, and adjusts rules for licensed residential programs. It prevents new facilities from being located within 650 feet of existing small facilities unless special exceptions are met, such as when the site is in a hospital, has zoning approval, or receives a certificate of need from the commissioner. The legislation also requires the commissioner to notify local municipalities within ten days of issuing a new license for these facilities and allows the commissioner to delegate inspection authority to county agencies and local governments. Additionally, the bill updates how the commissioner evaluates applications by considering an applicant's compliance history and proximity to other similar facilities before granting licenses.
Maddy summaryThis bill redefines the powers that business organizations and other legal entities in Minnesota can exercise, specifically by removing their ability to engage in political spending. It directly affects corporations, nonprofits, and other entities operating under state law by clarifying that their authorized powers are limited to those necessary for their lawful business or organizational purposes. The bill explicitly prohibits legal entities from using money to support or oppose candidates, political parties, or ballot measures, while allowing them to distribute news and editorial content through media outlets. If an entity violates these rules, the attorney general can seek administrative dissolution, and any political spending acts by the entity are automatically void and unenforceable. The legislation also establishes civil penalties and provides a process for reinstating entities that have been dissolved for violations.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal framework for regulating traditional and gestational surrogacy arrangements in Minnesota, primarily affecting intended parents, surrogates, and surrogacy agents. It creates specific definitions for key terms like gestational surrogacy, intended parents, and surrogacy agents, while proposing a new crime for operating a for-profit surrogacy agency. The legislation requires medical and mental health evaluations for participants and sets standards for written agreements between parties involved in surrogacy arrangements.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a one-time emergency rental assistance fund for counties and Tribal governments in Minnesota to help low-income households facing financial hardship after August 31, 2025. The program provides financial support for up to two months of prospective rent and utilities, as well as past-due rent and utility bills, with a maximum cap of five times the median rent per household. Funds are distributed to counties based on population and to Tribal governments equally, with priority given to households including minors, and unspent money must be returned to the state within a specified timeframe.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Office of the Legislative Auditor and the state auditor to access and review expunged criminal records when evaluating final candidates for employment. The change directly affects these two state auditing agencies by permitting them to consider prior convictions that have been legally sealed or expunged during their hiring processes. Under the new provisions, auditors may disqualify candidates based on these records without needing a separate court order, provided the conviction is directly related to the job position. The legislation amends existing state statutes to create this specific exception to expungement protections for these particular government hiring roles.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the expiration date for Minnesota's pass-through entity tax provision, which allows certain business owners to pay state income tax at the entity level instead of individually. It directly affects qualifying owners (residents or nonresidents) of pass-through entities like partnerships, LLCs taxed as partnerships, and S corporations. The bill amends specific tax code sections to adjust when this tax option expires, without changing the tax rate or calculation method. This change ensures the existing tax mechanism remains available for affected businesses beyond its current expiration date.
Maddy summarySF 3980 modifies debt financing rules for Minnesota school districts, counties, and port authorities. School districts can now issue bonds for facilities without counting toward debt limits (with public notice of bond amounts and current debt required). Counties gain streamlined bond issuance (no election needed) but must include projects in capital improvement plans and provide public notice 10-28 days before hearings. Port authorities must set bond maturity so the first payment is due within three years and the last within 30 years. These changes aim to simplify local government borrowing while maintaining transparency and planning requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires cannabis business license applications in Minnesota to be available in both English and Spanish, making the application process more accessible to Spanish-speaking applicants. The law amends existing statutes to mandate that all required application forms and supporting documents be translated into Spanish, ensuring non-English speakers can fully understand and complete the licensing requirements. The provision takes effect on January 1, 2027, and applies to all new and renewing cannabis business license applications. The bill does not change the substantive requirements for obtaining a license but focuses on language accessibility in the application process.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's grants management rules by expanding the commissioner's duties to create statewide policies, oversee agency compliance, and maintain a central contact point for reporting issues. It allows agencies to let specific grant recipients spend funds up to 60 days before official accounting records are updated, provided there is an approved work plan and budget. The legislation also broadens the definition of who counts as a grant recipient for criminal conviction clauses to include key personnel and anyone with fiduciary responsibility over grant funds. These changes aim to improve oversight, streamline administrative processes, and clarify accountability across state grant programs.