Sen. Paul Utke

Maddy summarySF 839 requires a parent or legal guardian to be present when a healthcare provider administers a vaccine to a minor. This directly affects minors seeking routine vaccinations and their parents or legal guardians. The bill includes an exception for vaccines where minors have consented under specific laws (sections 144.341, 144.342, or 144.3441). The law would take effect the day after final enactment.

Maddy summarySF 644 makes election judges' major political party affiliations public data in Minnesota. The bill amends state law to require appointing authorities to maintain and publish a list showing each election judge's party affiliation (or if they don't affiliate with a major party), which will be accessible to the public. This replaces a previous restriction that limited access to this information only among election judges for verifying party balance requirements. The change directly affects election judges by making their party affiliation part of public records, while repealing the prior rule that restricted its disclosure. The bill does not alter voting procedures or election outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill gives Minnesota residential property owners a legal process to request sheriff assistance in removing people occupying their property without permission. It directly affects property owners who need to evict unauthorized occupants (not tenants, family members, or those with valid lease agreements). The key mechanism requires owners to submit a verified written complaint to the sheriff confirming specific conditions, such as having asked the person to leave and verifying the property wasn't open to the public. The sheriff must then serve a notice to vacate and remove occupants, with owners liable for false claims under penalty of perjury.

Maddy summarySF 682 withdraws Minnesota from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement among states to award presidential electoral votes based on the national popular vote winner. The bill amends state election laws to remove Minnesota's participation in the compact and requires the governor to notify other states of the withdrawal. This change means Minnesota will no longer allocate its electoral votes based on the national popular vote but will continue using its current method, which awards electoral votes based on the state's popular vote results. The bill does not alter how presidential electors are nominated or elected within Minnesota.

Maddy summarySF 238 requires Minnesota's state land commissioner to obtain legislative approval before selling, transferring, or conveying state-owned land exceeding certain acreage thresholds. For properties over 100 acres, it mandates specific authorization by law; for properties over 1,000 acres, it requires a three-fifths vote in both legislative chambers. The bill clarifies that general authority laws (without specific property details) do not satisfy these requirements, and it explicitly excludes leases from the new rules. This directly affects state land transactions handled by the commissioner of natural resources and the legislature's approval process.

Maddy summarySF 590 would amend Minnesota Statutes section 624.714, subdivision 2, to lower the minimum age for applying for a permit to carry a pistol from 21 to 18 years old. This change would directly affect Minnesota residents aged 18 or older who meet other eligibility requirements, such as completing firearm safety training and passing background checks. The bill maintains existing requirements, including citizenship/residency status, prohibitions under specific criminal statutes, and not being listed in criminal gang databases. The key provision is solely the age reduction in the application criteria for permit-to-carry permits.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new tax subtraction for overtime pay in Minnesota's individual income tax code. It allows workers to subtract overtime earnings (wages, salaries, tips, or other compensation for hours over 40 in a workweek) from their taxable income. The provision directly affects Minnesota residents who earn overtime pay under state or federal wage laws. It becomes effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2024, reducing the taxable income for qualifying workers.

Maddy summarySF 731 prohibits health insurance companies in Minnesota from requiring prior authorization for any service, item, or treatment where the insurer's liability would be $100 or less if approved. This directly affects health plan companies and their members by eliminating administrative hurdles for low-cost services like minor procedures or routine care. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes §62M.07 by adding this new exception to the list of services already exempt from prior authorization (such as emergency care, mental health treatment, and cancer care). The provision takes effect January 1, 2026, applying to health benefit plans offered or renewed on or after that date. It aims to reduce unnecessary administrative delays for affordable healthcare services.

Maddy summarySF 715 authorizes Minnesota to establish a third-party testing program for driver's license knowledge, road, and skills exams. It allows deputy registrars to appoint private testers to administer these exams, setting maximum fees of $5 for knowledge tests and $30 for road/skills tests. The bill directly affects applicants seeking driver's licenses by expanding testing options beyond state-run locations, while maintaining existing content requirements for the exams (like traffic laws and vision tests).

Maddy summarySF 587 amends Minnesota's tax code to allow individuals to subtract gratuities (tips) received from employees when calculating their taxable income. This change directly affects Minnesota residents who earn tips as part of their income, such as servers or bartenders. The bill adds a new provision (subdivision 36) to Minnesota Statutes section 290.0132, defining "gratuities" per existing law and specifying they are deductible. The policy takes effect for taxable years starting after December 31, 2024. This is a concrete tax code adjustment, not a procedural change.