Sen. Erin Maye Quade

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the maximum lump-sum pension amount for firefighters' relief associations from $15,000 to $20,000 per year of credited service. It directly affects volunteer and on-call firefighters who receive lump-sum pensions through their relief associations, rather than monthly payments. The change modifies Minnesota Statutes to raise the cap on how much these associations can pay per year of service. The bill does not alter monthly pension limits ($100 per year) or require new municipal approval for existing pension calculations. It becomes effective upon final enactment.

Maddy summarySF 2191 appropriates $553,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $553,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support Minnesota's diaper distribution program. The funds will be granted to the Diaper Bank of Minnesota through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. This program provides diapers to low-income families across the state, directly aiding households facing financial barriers to essential hygiene products. The bill ensures continued funding for an existing service without creating new requirements or eligibility rules.

Maddy summarySF 2670 requires Minnesota's medical assistance program to individually price phototherapy lights (along with other specific medical equipment like customized tracheostomy tubes and electric patient lifts) instead of using bulk pricing. This change applies to providers billing under Minnesota's medical assistance program for services provided on or after July 1, 2015. The bill mandates that phototherapy lights be listed as individually priced items in reimbursement rates, excluding items covered under volume purchase contracts or specific programs like the preferred diabetic testing supply program. This directly affects medical suppliers and providers who bill for these items under Minnesota's health assistance programs. The requirement is part of an amendment to Minnesota Statutes section 256B.766, specifically under subdivision 9.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 2241 prohibits state and local government entities from sharing personally identifiable information (PII) with federal agencies unless the data is anonymized first. This directly affects all Minnesota government agencies, including state departments and local municipalities, that handle personal data. The bill requires anonymization before sharing but allows exceptions for compliance with state/federal law or court orders. The law aims to strengthen privacy protections for Minnesotans by limiting how personal data is shared with federal authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $11 million for fiscal year 2026 and $11 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support Minnesota's senior nutrition programs under Minnesota Statutes section 256.9752. It directly provides funding for existing meal services for older Minnesotans, including congregate and home-delivered meals. The funds will be managed by the commissioner of human services to maintain current program operations. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, ensuring continued support for seniors' nutrition needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as a one-time grant to Metro Deaf School. It directly provides funding for services to young children with deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing disabilities who are not eligible for existing state funding under Minnesota Statutes §124E.11(h). The funds will support the school's programs for this specific student group. The bill does not create new eligibility criteria or alter existing laws, only providing targeted financial support for an existing service.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota state government entities - including departments, counties, cities, and towns - to use federal standard time year-round starting in 2025, aligning with federal law. It modifies Minnesota Statutes to ensure all state laws reference federal standard time or advanced standard time (daylight saving time), prohibiting local time variations. The provision expires when federal law permits states to permanently adopt advanced standard time year-round. It directly affects how state operations and laws reference time, with no immediate cost or new authority for local governments.

Maddy summarySF 1890 establishes a $30 million reproductive health equity grant fund to expand access to abortion care in Minnesota. The fund provides one-time grants to abortion providers, government entities, and nonprofit organizations that facilitate abortion access, with specific focus on supporting staff retention, funding free or low-cost care for uninsured patients, enhancing facility security, and improving cultural competency training. Grants must be used to grow abortion care capacity, ensure affordability regardless of income, and secure physical/digital infrastructure for providers. The fund becomes operational by January 2026, with the commissioner required to award grants within 30 days of application.

Maddy summarySF 787 modifies Minnesota's open meeting law (Minnesota Statutes §13D.02) to remove the current annual limit of three remote participation instances for local government board members. The bill allows any member of a public body (like city councils or school boards) to participate remotely without restriction, provided they meet existing requirements: all participants must be able to see/hear each other, the public at physical locations must have full access to discussions, at least one member must be physically present, and votes must be by roll call. This change directly affects local government bodies by streamlining remote participation during meetings. The bill maintains other core open meeting principles but eliminates the previous three-time-per-year cap for remote attendance.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for state funding to school districts operating special education separate sites (facilities where students with disabilities attend 50%+ of their school day). Previously, only education cooperatives or districts under specific sections qualified; this bill explicitly adds school districts meeting the site definition to the eligible entities. It sets a funding rate of $1,689 per pupil unit for students served in qualifying programs, effective for fiscal year 2026 and later. The bill appropriates funds for FY2026-2027 to support this expanded funding.