Sen. Lindsey Port

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving childhood sexual abuse, allowing victims who were under 18 at the time of abuse to file or continue claims even if they were previously time-barred. It applies retroactively to cases pending or filed on or after August 1, 2025, including those dismissed before that date due to expired deadlines. The key mechanism is amending Minnesota law to explicitly permit retroactive application of the extended filing period for these specific claims. It directly affects individuals who experienced sexual abuse as minors and had previously lost their legal right to sue. The change takes effect on August 1, 2025, for all qualifying cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's campaign finance rules by clarifying what constitutes "expressly advocating" for or against a candidate (e.g., ads that clearly name a candidate or unambiguously push for their election). It adds specific requirements for digital campaign ads to include disclaimers identifying who paid for them, and refines definitions for "coordinated" spending (where groups work directly with candidates) versus "independent" spending. These changes directly affect political campaigns, advocacy groups, and digital advertisers who run election-related content. The bill aims to make disclosure rules clearer and more consistent across traditional and digital platforms.

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 summarySF 1752 requires health insurers and Minnesota medical assistance programs to cover all FDA-approved over-the-counter (OTC) contraceptive drugs, devices, and products without cost-sharing (like co-pays or deductibles). It mandates that plans cover all types of OTC contraceptives purchased at pharmacies at the point of sale, without restrictions on quantity, frequency, or brand. The bill also requires health plans to list covered contraceptives clearly for enrollees and prohibits referral requirements or delays for these services. This applies to health plans offered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 2021 requires Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to create and maintain a plain-language handbook about lobbying rules on its website. The handbook must clearly explain lobbyist registration requirements (including thresholds and government employee exemptions), which activities count toward those thresholds, and differences between lobbying the legislature, executive branch, or other entities. It directly affects registered lobbyists, government entities, and organizations engaging in lobbying activities. The board must update the handbook regularly and consult with diverse groups, including nonprofits and BIPOC-led organizations, when developing it. The handbook must be published by January 15, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 1906 modifies Minnesota's housing tax credit program to allow exceptions to income limits for qualifying workforce housing projects. It directly affects developers and housing organizations seeking funding through the Minnesota Housing Tax Credit Contribution Account program, particularly for projects targeting workforce housing. The bill creates an exception to standard income limits (as defined in section 462A.33, subdivision 5) for projects meeting specific criteria under section 462A.39, subdivision 4, paragraph (a). Additionally, it allows contributions to the housing tax credit account to count toward matching requirements for these projects, providing more flexibility in funding structures.

Maddy summarySF 2026 establishes new rules for drawing Minnesota's congressional and legislative districts. It prohibits redistricting plans from favoring or disfavoring specific candidates or incumbents, requires plans to proportionally reflect statewide partisan voter preferences, and mandates adherence to specific districting principles. Key provisions include requiring districts to have nearly equal population (within 3% deviation), protect minority representation opportunities, maintain contiguous territory, minimize division of communities of interest and political subdivisions, and avoid splitting tribal reservations. The bill directly affects how district maps are created for both state legislative and congressional seats in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million annually from the general fund to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for manufactured home park infrastructure grants and loans. It directly affects manufactured home park owners (including private, cooperative, and municipal operators) by providing funding for essential infrastructure improvements like roads, water, and sewer systems. The bill establishes a reporting requirement where the agency must annually detail funded projects, ownership types, loan amounts, and repayment usage to legislative committees. Funding begins in fiscal year 2026 and continues at $15 million per year thereafter.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $10 million grant program to fund infrastructure for manufactured housing cooperatives in Minnesota. Counties and cities can receive grants covering up to 50% of capital costs for infrastructure like sewers, water systems, and streets needed to support these housing developments, with a maximum of $60,000 per housing lot. Applicants must provide nonstate matching funds (cash or in-kind, including land value) and demonstrate the project will increase workforce housing and attract public/private investment. The program requires projects to proceed within five years, or grants must be repaid. The funds come from state bonds and are administered by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1597 eliminates fees for certified birth certificates for newborns under one year old. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 144.226 to require that parents not be charged any fees for certified birth records when the child is less than a year old. This directly affects new parents who need official birth certificates for their infants. The key provision removes financial barriers to obtaining these essential documents during a child's first year of life.