Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart

Maddy summarySF 2197 establishes a temporary financial assistance pilot program to help low-income Minnesotans aged 15-24 pay for driver's education and license requirements. The program, administered by the Department of Public Safety, provides grants of up to $2,000 per youth to cover eligible costs like driver's education courses, permit/license fees, and vehicle use for road tests. Eligibility includes homeless youth, foster care participants, those receiving family investment assistance, and individuals with documented financial hardship. The pilot must be implemented in at least one urban, rural, suburban, and Tribal community, with annual reports required on program outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1.5 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Metropolitan Council. The funds will be distributed as grants to agencies managing the Metropolitan Council's regional parks system to prevent, contain, control, and enforce measures against aquatic invasive species. These species include harmful plants and animals that threaten Minnesota's waterways and ecosystems. The appropriation is available until June 30, 2027, and directly affects regional park management agencies responsible for protecting local water bodies.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $500,000 from the general fund to study the viability of small nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Minnesota. The Pollution Control Agency must produce a report by January 15, 2026, covering environmental protections (water quality, waste management), infrastructure needs (grid integration, emergency response), economic impacts (costs, rate effects), and community benefit models. The report will inform potential future legislation but does not authorize SMR construction or operations. It directly affects state agencies conducting the study and future energy policy decisions.

Maddy summarySF 662 establishes a new civil cause of action for individuals who experience the nonconsensual removal of a condom during sexual activity. The bill allows victims to sue for damages, including up to $10,000 in civil penalties, attorney fees, and other remedies, if they did not consent to the condom's removal. It defines "sexual battery" in this context as contact involving a condom-removed sexual organ and an intimate part without verbal consent. The law applies to cases occurring on or after August 1, 2025, and requires courts to allow confidential filings to protect plaintiff privacy. This directly affects individuals who experience nonconsensual condom removal during sexual activity by providing a specific legal remedy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most health insurance plans in Minnesota to cover the management and treatment of obesity as a chronic disease. It mandates coverage for three specific treatments: intensive behavioral lifestyle programs, metabolic/bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved obesity medications. The law prohibits plans from applying stricter coverage rules for obesity than for other medical conditions, ensuring equal treatment for deductibles, co-pays, and coverage limits. The requirement takes effect for health plans on or after January 1, 2027, and for state medical assistance programs on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $400 million from state bonds to fund local infrastructure projects. Specifically, $250 million will support trunk highway corridor improvements, regional road construction, and county road safety projects on state-aid highways. An additional $150 million will fund bridge rehabilitation, construction, or reconstruction under state transportation programs. The funds will be raised through state general obligation bonds, as authorized by Minnesota law, and distributed to counties and the state transportation department for eligible projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Minnesota to issue up to $20 million in state bonds to fund park and trail improvements in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The funds will be used by the Metropolitan Council and local governments for capital projects like park upgrades, trail construction, and acquiring open-space lands - excluding easements. The money comes from bond sales, following standard state borrowing procedures outlined in Minnesota law. It directly affects regional park systems and local communities by providing dedicated funding for recreational infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends multiple Minnesota transportation statutes to update highway route descriptions, clarify intersection definitions, and modify traffic signal regulations. Specifically, it revises the boundaries for Highway 244 (between White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi) and Highway 246 (through Nerstrand and Northfield), updates the definition of "intersection" to address divided highways, and adjusts rules for yellow traffic signals and pedestrian crossing guidance. These changes affect how transportation routes are documented, how intersections are legally defined, and how traffic signals operate for drivers and pedestrians. The bill focuses on technical updates to existing statutes rather than introducing new policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how sales tax revenue from vehicle repair and replacement parts is distributed in Minnesota. Specifically, it allocates 43.5% of these tax proceeds annually to the highway user tax distribution fund, a gradually increasing percentage (from 3.5% to 56.5%) to the transportation advancement account over time, and the remainder to the general fund. The bill defines "motor vehicle repair and replacement parts" to include parts, tires, and fluids used in vehicle maintenance. This directly affects how tax revenue from auto repair shops and parts retailers is funded into state transportation and environmental programs. The changes apply to sales taxes collected on these items, beginning with taxes remitted after July 1, 2017.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded program to extend the design life of pavement on Minnesota's trunk highways from 20 years to at least 50 years for eligible projects. It directly affects the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), which must use the program to fund pavement design revisions for trunk highway projects already in the state's transportation plan with a proposed design life of 20 years or less. Key mechanisms require projects to meet a cost-effectiveness ratio of at least 2 (comparing baseline pavement costs to modified project costs over their design lifetimes) and limit program spending to $150 million, available until 2035. The program mandates public reporting of selected projects, pavement changes, and fund usage on MnDOT's website.