Sen. Erin Maye Quade

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 3899) renames the state office building at 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in St. Paul as the "Melissa Hortman State Office Building." It directly affects the building's official designation and all state documents referencing it. The bill requires the revisor of statutes to update "State Office Building" to "Melissa Hortman State Office Building" throughout Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes rules for artificial intelligence chatbots used by people in Minnesota, specifically targeting companies that own or operate these systems. It requires chatbots to clearly inform users that they are interacting with an AI rather than a human and prohibits the technology from giving advice on medical, mental health, or legal matters without a professional license. The legislation also mandates that chatbots designed to simulate relationships must actively prevent users from self-harm and provide crisis contact information if such risks are detected. If a chatbot violates these safety or disclosure rules, the company could be held financially responsible for any resulting harm to users.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's senior nutrition programs to better support older adults' physical and mental health by expanding funding and service options. It establishes a new food delivery support account to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for transporting home-delivered meals, groceries, and purchased food to older adults with limited mobility, disabilities, or resources. The legislation allows area agencies on aging to use funds for a broader range of services including transportation to grocery stores, medically tailored meals, nutrition counseling, and partnerships with community partners like schools and hospitals. Additionally, the bill permits unused nutrition support funds to be transferred to congregate dining and home-delivered meal programs, ensuring flexible use of resources to address local needs.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 281 enhances penalties for coercion crimes that cause great bodily harm or death. It amends Minnesota Statutes §609.27 to classify such offenses as felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison or a $30,000 fine, instead of standard misdemeanor penalties. The bill also requires the commissioner of public safety and education to conduct a public awareness campaign about this law, starting by September 15, 2025, and repeating every two years. This directly affects individuals convicted of coercion causing severe harm or death, and educates the public - especially students - about the legal consequences. The changes take effect August 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySF 3969 establishes a new rule requiring schools to ensure no school employee, independent contractor, or volunteer is ever alone with a student during any field trip, including overnight trips. It also amends teacher licensing laws to automatically revoke a teaching license if a licensed educator is convicted of "grooming" (inappropriate behavior to gain a minor's trust), adding this offense to the list of automatic license revocations. The policy takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies directly to all K-12 schools and educators in Minnesota who lead or supervise student field trips. The bill connects field trip safety requirements with stricter licensing consequences for certain offenses involving minors.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1961 requires most health insurance plans covering maternity benefits to provide comprehensive coverage for infertility diagnosis, treatment, and standard fertility preservation services (like egg freezing before cancer treatment). It mandates that cost-sharing (copays, deductibles) for these services cannot exceed the level applied to maternity coverage, and prohibits limits on coverage duration or services. The bill applies to MinnesotaCare and medical assistance programs, with the state reimbursing health plans for the additional costs starting January 1, 2026. This directly affects individuals seeking infertility care or fertility preservation, ensuring they face no greater out-of-pocket costs than for maternity services.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state of Minnesota to use lease-purchase agreements and certificates of participation to fund improvements or a replacement of its MAXIS system. It allows the state commissioner to enter into contracts with vendors or third-party financiers to cover project costs, with repayment terms limited to the project's useful life or ten years, whichever is shorter. The legislation establishes rules for how funds are managed, including requirements for maintaining insurance, assuming liability, and handling default situations, while also permitting the transfer of initial funds from the general treasury to cover expected proceeds.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $800,000 from existing state funds to create a memorial statue of Melissa Hortman on the State Office Building site. The money will be used to design and cast a statue that honors Hortman's contributions to Minnesota, and the funds may also cover additional landscaping for a memorial garden. The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board must select the artist through a competitive process and work with Hortman's family throughout the project, with the statue design required to include likenesses of her deceased family members. Any remaining funds after the statue is cast can be used for further landscaping elements, and the money is available until June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota state procurement rules to include small businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, or nonbinary individuals as "targeted group businesses." It requires the commissioner of administration to designate these businesses for state purchasing if there is a statistical disparity in their participation compared to their availability in the state. The law also allows for individual businesses to be included if discrimination based on race, gender, or disability has hindered their ability to serve public agencies. Additionally, the bill clarifies that these designations are administrative decisions rather than formal rules subject to standard rulemaking procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding to support a study on lead exposure within Dakota County. The funds will be provided to Dakota County Public Health to investigate sources of lead emissions and assess their impact on residents, including children and pregnant women. The study is authorized to examine air and water quality standards and recommend steps to reduce health risks from lead exposure. Additionally, the state health commissioner may share de-identified health data to assist the county in conducting this research.