Sen. Erin Maye Quade

Maddy summarySF 2353 establishes a $1 million annual grant program (2026-2027) to fund community literacy initiatives in Minnesota. The bill provides funding for community organizations, schools, and libraries to develop and distribute literacy guides, family toolkits, and public awareness resources focused on reading development. Grants require recipients to use evidence-based practices aligned with Minnesota's Read Act, including training for educators and support for students at risk of not meeting reading proficiency. The program prioritizes initiatives that help families engage in children's literacy development and supports after-school pilot programs with specific eligibility criteria.

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 prohibits health insurance plans in Minnesota from charging cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for office visits to infants, children, and adolescents that meet two specific criteria: (1) the visit is for evidence-based preventive care or screenings recommended by the Health Resources and Services Administration, and (2) the visit lasts 15 minutes or less. It directly affects health insurance companies, healthcare providers, and families of children under 18 who rely on preventive care. The law requires insurers to allow providers to bill separately for these preventive services without cost-sharing, ensuring access to routine check-ups. This amends Minnesota Statutes to add a new provision under health insurance coverage rules.

Maddy summarySF 2230 requires Minnesota-licensed homeowner's insurance companies to disclose two specific financial details in all advertisements (print, TV, radio, electronic). The bill mandates that ads include the insurer's total advertising and marketing spending from the previous calendar year, and for publicly traded companies, the change in their stock price during that same period. This applies to all companies offering homeowner's coverage as defined under Minnesota law. The law directly affects insurers advertising in Minnesota, aiming to provide transparency about their marketing costs and financial performance. It creates a new requirement under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 72A, without altering insurance coverage terms.

Maddy summarySF 554 establishes a $8.9 million grant program to expand Minnesota's community care hub model, which connects health care providers with community organizations addressing basic needs like food insecurity, housing instability, and transportation access. The grant supports eligible community care hubs (nonprofits with federal recognition and health plan contracts) to organize social care services, centralize administrative operations (like contracting and referrals), and create sustainable funding for these services. The program requires grantees to report outcomes and includes $1 million for evaluation, with funds available until 2030. This bill directly affects community-based organizations, health care providers, and Minnesotans facing health-related social needs.

Maddy summarySF 1783 prohibits websites, apps, software, or programs from allowing users to access, download, or use "nudification technology" that alters images or videos to reveal intimate body parts of identifiable individuals or creates realistic depictions of such parts. The bill directly affects platform owners and operators who host such technology, banning them from enabling this process. Key provisions include civil penalties of at least $500,000 per violation, plus triple damages for victims, and allow injured individuals to sue for mental anguish, attorney fees, and injunctions. The law takes effect August 1, 2025, applying to violations occurring on or after that date.

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 appropriates $1 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to increase payments to critical access nursing facilities. The funds are specifically designated for rate adjustments under Minnesota Statutes section 256R.47, directly affecting nursing facilities that serve rural communities and provide essential long-term care. The key mechanism is a fixed annual funding increase to support facility operations without requiring new legislative action for each adjustment. This is a straightforward budget allocation with no additional requirements or changes to facility eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $17,057,000 annually from the general fund and $255,000 annually from the natural resources fund (funded by specific environmental revenue) to the Minnesota Zoological Board for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It provides direct funding for the operations and maintenance of the Minnesota Zoo. The bill does not change zoo policies or regulations but allocates specific state funds for the facility's budget. The funding is directed to the Minnesota Zoological Board, which manages the zoo. This is a straightforward funding measure with no substantive policy changes.

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.