Sen. Ron Latz

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $68,684,000 from state bonds to build a new Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) regional office and laboratory facility in Mankato, Minnesota. The funds will cover construction, furnishing, and equipping the building, which will serve law enforcement agencies across southern Minnesota. The bill authorizes the state to sell bonds to finance this capital project, with the facility expected to support criminal investigations and forensic services in the region.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2363) adds judicial review rights for drivers whose license revocation periods have been extended due to violating ignition interlock program guidelines. It amends Minnesota law to explicitly allow these individuals to file a petition for a court hearing in district court, similar to other license revocation cases. The key provision requires the court to review whether the extension of revocation is justified, with the petition needing to be filed within 180 days of the extension order. This change directly affects drivers who face extended license suspensions for ignition interlock violations, giving them a formal process to challenge the extension. The bill does not alter the ignition interlock program itself, only the review process for its enforcement-related extensions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota Statutes (sections 580.10, 580.225, 580.24, and others) to change how surplus funds from mortgage foreclosure sales are handled. It requires sheriffs to notify homeowners by mail if $100 or more remains after a sale, including contact information for the Minnesota Homeownership Center. Homeowners can request during their redemption period to apply the surplus toward buying back their property. The bill also clarifies that surplus funds under $100 may be paid directly to the homeowner and establishes procedures for resolving competing claims to surplus funds.

Maddy summarySF 1173 would amend Minnesota law to allow individuals on probation or parole to access certain mental health services that were previously excluded. Currently, contracts for mental health services cannot be provided to people on probation or parole (Minnesota Statutes 245.50, subd. 3). The bill would add a new exception to this rule, removing the prohibition and enabling these individuals to receive covered services. This change directly affects Minnesotans under community supervision for criminal offenses, potentially improving access to mental health care during their supervision period. The bill modifies existing statute language but does not create new funding or service requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's unintentional murder statute to include violations of protective orders from other jurisdictions as a factor in determining second-degree unintentional murder. It expands the definition of "order for protection" to cover orders from other U.S. states, federal courts, the District of Columbia, tribal lands, U.S. territories, Canada, and Canadian provinces. The change applies when someone violates such an order and unintentionally causes the death of a protected person. The amendment takes effect on August 1, 2025, and directly affects individuals who violate these expanded protective orders.

Maddy summarySF 749 exempts all school supplies from Minnesota's sales tax, effective after June 30, 2025. It directly affects students, families, and schools by removing sales tax on items like notebooks, pencils, binders, calculators, and book bags priced under $60. The bill defines "school supplies" broadly to include common classroom items but excludes non-school items like stationery, wrapping paper, or hiking backpacks. This change simplifies tax treatment for these purchases, ensuring no sales tax applies to qualifying items at the point of sale.

Maddy summarySF 2059 allows the city of St. Louis Park to issue a special liquor license for a food hall in the West End area. The license would authorize the main business (anchor tenant) to serve and sell alcohol, while permitting multiple food vendors within the food hall to share a common seating area. Customers could purchase food from any vendor in the hall and consume it with the alcohol sold by the licensed anchor tenant. This bill directly affects St. Louis Park's local government licensing process and businesses operating in the West End food hall.

Maddy summarySF 2039 classifies judicial officials' real property records as private data under Minnesota law, directly affecting judges and court staff who own property. The bill requires judicial officials to submit written notification to government entities to request privacy protection for their property records, with the request expiring after five years unless renewed. It limits public access to these records while specifying exceptions for news reporting, voluntary disclosures, and certain law enforcement or financial activities. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, and amends Minnesota Statutes sections 13.991 and 480.40.

Maddy summarySF 1913 creates a new "locally controlled housing fund" within Minnesota's housing development fund to support affordable housing projects. The fund provides financial assistance to eligible local entities (cities, counties, tribes, community land trusts, or housing authorities) for acquiring, rehabilitating, or building housing that meets specific affordability requirements. Key provisions require that 30% of units serve households earning ≤50% of area median income, 30% serve households earning 50-100% of area median income, and all housing must be accessible with no income-based segregation. Funds operate as a reusable revolving loan, with recipients retaining ownership stakes of at least 75% and agreeing to long-term affordability restrictions for tenants. This directly affects low-to-moderate-income households and local governments seeking to expand affordable housing stock.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends time limits for two specific tax increment financing (TIF) districts in Edina, Minnesota. For the "72nd & France 2" district, it extends the initial five-year period to ten years and the post-period use of tax increments to 11 years, while allowing a potential five-year extension. For the "70th & France" district, it similarly extends the initial period to ten years and post-period to 11 years, with an option for a ten-year extension. These changes directly affect Edina's ability to manage economic development funding through these districts, which use increased property tax revenue to finance public improvements. The extensions require compliance with specific state administrative procedures before taking effect.