Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $7.5 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide operating assistance to transit systems in Greater Minnesota (rural and non-urban areas outside Minneapolis-St. Paul). It directly affects local transit agencies that receive state funding under Minnesota Statutes §174.24, specifically replacing shortfalls when local funding falls below required state-mandated percentages. The funds must cover operating costs for these systems and are available only until June 30, 2027, as a one-time appropriation. This is a direct funding mechanism to stabilize transit services in underserved regions, not a policy change to existing statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota property assessors to reduce the taxable value of land subject to certain conservation easements or restrictions. It directly affects landowners who hold qualifying conservation easements on their property, particularly in rural areas. The key provision requires that the easement must be for conservation purposes, recorded on the property, and the land must be used according to the easement terms. However, the reduction does not apply to easements covering riparian buffers, properties in counties with specific farmland protection programs, or properties with easements entered before May 2013. The change takes effect for property tax assessments starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new safety requirements for highway construction contracts and modifies provisional driver's license rules. For work zones, it requires contractors to include flagging hours in bids for projects where workers are near active traffic lanes (effective August 2025). For teen drivers, it adds a mandatory 30-minute online course on work zone safety and first responder protocols as a requirement to obtain a provisional driver's license (effective August 2026). These changes directly affect highway construction contractors and 16-year-olds applying for their first driver's license in Minnesota.

Maddy summarySF 925 appropriates $250,000 from the environment and natural resources trust fund for fiscal year 2026 to update Minnesota's aggregate resource inventory. The funds will support the commissioner of natural resources in revising the 2000 "Aggregate Resources Inventory of the Seven-County Metropolitan Area" to include projected future needs and estimated exhaustion timelines for sand, gravel, and crushed stone resources. This update specifically requires revising Information Circular 46 and fulfilling duties under Minnesota Statutes section 84.94. The bill directly affects state agencies managing natural resources and the geological survey, focusing on concrete data collection for resource planning.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes specific targets for Minnesota's pavement maintenance progress, directly affecting the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). It requires MnDOT to calculate and report an "asset sustainability ratio" (ASR) each year, measuring pavement maintenance as total mile years added divided by total system mileage. MnDOT must meet minimum ASR targets: at least 0.65 by 2027, 0.75 by 2029, and 0.85 by 2031 onward. These results must be included in MnDOT's annual transportation system performance report.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota local governments to protect sand, gravel, and stone resources in land use planning by incorporating safeguards for these materials into zoning and comprehensive plans. It mandates the Natural Resources Commissioner to develop permitting recommendations by 2026 to balance resource protection with responsible mining site reclamation. The bill appropriates $950,000 for mapping additional county aggregate resources (beyond the metro area) and $250,000 to update the state’s aggregate inventory, including projected depletion timelines. These provisions directly affect county/municipal planners, mining operations, and developers by shaping how land use decisions address critical natural resource availability.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $18 million in bond proceeds to fund reforestation and forest management on Minnesota's state forest lands. The funds will cover purchasing native seeds and seedlings, planting, site preparation, and protecting state forests, with $8 million specifically allocated for forest stand improvement and managing pests like emerald ash borer and spruce budworm. The state will sell $18 million in bonds to finance these projects, following established bond issuance procedures under Minnesota law. The commissioner of natural resources will administer the funding and projects directly affecting state forest management operations.

Maddy summarySF 2923 requires the commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry to develop specific building rules for straw bale construction and hempcrete construction under Minnesota's State Building Code. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add a new requirement (subdivision 4(o)) mandating these rules be created. The rules will directly affect builders, architects, and inspectors working with these alternative construction methods in Minnesota. The bill itself does not specify the rules' content but sets a process for their development.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates financial reporting requirements for the Metropolitan Council's transportation services. It requires the Council to submit detailed annual financial reviews by January 15 and updated reports by August 15, comparing budgeted vs. actual revenues and expenditures. The reports must break down funding sources (like federal funds, fares, and property taxes) and spending categories (including bus, light rail, and commuter rail services). These changes apply to the Metropolitan Council and the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's fourth-degree assault law to include transportation network company (TNC) drivers - like those for Uber or Lyft - as "transit operators" protected under the statute. It amends Minnesota Statutes section 609.2231, subdivision 11, to explicitly cover TNC drivers operating personal vehicles while providing rides. The law makes it a gross misdemeanor to assault these drivers or throw bodily fluids at them during work, with penalties of up to 364 days in jail or a $3,000 fine. The change takes effect August 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.