Sen. Julia Coleman

Maddy summarySF 3926 amends Minnesota law to protect hospital and clinic security officers by adding them to the list of individuals who are legally shielded from physical assault. The bill makes assaulting a security officer working in a hospital or clinic a gross misdemeanor, and if the assault causes demonstrable bodily harm, it becomes a felony punishable by up to three years in prison or a $6,000 fine. This directly affects security personnel in these facilities, extending the same legal protections previously granted to firefighters, emergency medical staff, and health care workers in emergency departments. The law will take effect on August 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 3920 modifies Minnesota's child welfare laws to redefine "active efforts" as "reasonable efforts" specifically for African American children and children disproportionately represented in foster care. The bill requires social services agencies to collaboratively engage families, consider their cultural and economic needs, and develop safety plans - before seeking court-ordered removal - to keep children with their families and prevent unnecessary out-of-home placements. Key provisions include mandatory family group meetings, culturally appropriate service referrals, and safety plans addressing specific risks (like neglect), while exempting cases involving severe abuse or parental unavailability. This law directly affects African American families and child welfare agencies across Minnesota, aiming to reduce racial disparities in foster care through concrete procedural changes.

Maddy summarySF 3923 modifies Minnesota's motor vehicle registration tax for passenger cars and hearses. It lowers the tax rate from 1.54% to 1.145% for vehicles initially registered in Minnesota before November 16, 2020, and from 1.575% to 1.18% for newer vehicles registered on or after that date. The tax calculation uses a tiered system where the percentage of the vehicle's price decreases each year (e.g., 100% in year one, 95% in year two), dropping to a flat $20 annual tax after 10 years of registration. This change applies to taxes payable for registration periods starting January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the City of Chaska to extend its tax increment financing (TIF) collection period for TIF District No. 23 from the standard term to up to 35 years. It directly affects Chaska's Economic Development Authority, which will collect additional tax revenue generated from property value increases within the designated district over this extended period. The key provision modifies Minnesota Statutes to override a standard 30-year limit for TIF collections in this specific district. The bill becomes effective only after Chaska, Carver County, and School District No. 112 comply with required statutory procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's school meal program by restricting state-paid free lunches to families with incomes at or below 500% of the federal poverty level. It increases state funding for school safety initiatives and adds new local optional aid for schools. The bill creates an "enhanced school meals program" for schools serving high concentrations of low-income students, requiring written policies to prevent "lunch shaming" and guarantee all students receive meals regardless of payment status. These changes take effect for fiscal year 2027 and later.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 3921) requires Minnesota's transportation commissioner to wait at least 180 days after awarding a contract before starting certain trunk highway construction work. It directly affects the state Department of Transportation, which must now establish a construction start date no sooner than 180 days after contract award for most projects. The key provision adds this mandatory waiting period to Minnesota Statutes, ensuring projects cannot begin immediately after contracts are signed. The change applies to all trunk highway construction contracts and takes effect for bids advertised on or after October 1, 2026. This is a procedural adjustment to project timelines, not a policy change affecting public services or funding.

Maddy summarySF 3736 allows school districts, school bus companies, and service cooperatives to conduct third-party road tests for school bus drivers. The bill adds "third-party testing of school bus drivers" as a new service that service cooperatives can offer under Minnesota law. It establishes that designated school districts or companies can enter agreements to administer tests for other entities, with approval from the commissioner. Additionally, the commissioner may designate service cooperatives to test drivers for member school districts that own or operate school buses.

Maddy summarySF 3927 reduces Minnesota's watercraft licensing fees across multiple categories, directly affecting boat owners, renters, dealers, and nonprofits. Key changes include lowering the standard fee for small watercraft (19 feet or less) from $59 to $27, cutting personal watercraft fees from $85 to $37.50, and reducing fees for sailboats ($23 to $10.50) and larger commercial vessels. The bill repeals a definition of "other commercial operation" and takes effect July 1, 2026, lowering costs for all license holders under the revised fee structure.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill (SF 3922) creates a new process for the state legislature to remove certain executive branch officials for misconduct. It defines "inferior officers" as heads, deputies, or division directors within state agencies or departments. The bill allows legislators to file formal complaints alleging specific misconduct (malfeasance, like wrongful acts, or nonfeasance, like willful failure to act), triggering public hearings where clear evidence must be presented before removal. The process requires legislative committees to review complaints, hold public proceedings, and make decisions based on evidence, directly affecting agency and department leadership.

Maddy summarySF 3924 creates a tax credit for Minnesota farmers who donate food to food shelves, directly affecting eligible farmers who meet federal farming definitions. The credit equals 85% of the value of qualifying food donations (based on federal tax rules), but cannot exceed 50% of the farmer's real property taxes for the year. Unused credit can be carried forward for up to five years, and the credit cannot be combined with other state tax deductions or credits for the same donation. This policy aims to incentivize food donations to food shelves while providing a concrete tax benefit for participating farmers.