Sen. Zach Duckworth

Maddy summarySF 2123 appropriates funds from the workforce development fund for teacher apprenticeship programs in Minnesota, directly affecting school districts and teacher training programs. It requires funded programs to include five key components: school district involvement, mentor-led on-the-job training, approved related instruction, wage increases tied to skill levels, and a path to a Tier 3 teaching license. School districts can partner with higher education institutions or other entities to develop these programs, and funding is a one-time appropriation for fiscal years 2026-2027. The commissioner of education must report to legislative committees on program implementation and recommend improvements by 2026.

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 creates a refundable sales tax exemption for construction materials used in a new public safety training facility in Lakeville. It applies to materials purchased between February 28, 2025, and September 1, 2026, with taxes collected being refunded to the buyer after June 30, 2025. The state appropriates funds from the general revenue fund to cover these refunds, which are effective retroactively from February 28, 2025. The exemption directly affects Lakeville's construction project and contractors purchasing materials during the specified period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to establish new road skills examination stations for class D driver's licenses in cities with populations over 70,000, specifically naming Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Lakeville, Maple Grove, and Woodbury. It appropriates funds from the driver and vehicle services account to develop these new stations and cover their operating costs, excluding existing stations. The requirement applies to stations opening on or after August 1, 2025. This directly affects drivers in those six cities who need to take road skills tests for their licenses. The bill mandates new station locations based on population data from the Minnesota State Demographic Center.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to fund student loan debt counseling services in Minnesota. The funds will be administered by the Office of Higher Education under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1788, to assist Minnesotans managing student loan debt. The bill includes a 3% cap on administrative costs for the program, meaning no more than $7,500 of each annual appropriation can cover program management. It directly supports students and borrowers seeking guidance on repayment options, with no new policy requirements beyond the funding allocation.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota Statutes to ensure surviving spouses of veterans who died from military service can continue receiving state education benefits even if they remarry. It specifically updates the definition of "eligible spouse" in Section 197.791 to clarify that remarriage does not disqualify a surviving spouse from accessing these benefits. The policy directly affects surviving spouses who meet residency requirements and are enrolled in eligible Minnesota educational institutions. This change aligns with federal education benefits eligibility under Title 38, ensuring consistent access to state support regardless of marital status after the veteran's death.

Maddy summarySF 1924, the "A+ Energy Act," amends Minnesota energy statutes to clarify definitions and require reporting from electric utilities. It defines "carbon-free" energy as electricity without carbon dioxide emissions and specifies eligible renewable sources like solar, wind, small-scale hydro, hydrogen, biomass, and nuclear. The bill mandates that electric utilities (including public, cooperative, and municipal providers) submit annual reports to the state commission detailing the financial impact of compliance efforts on rates, including how they reduce emissions while maintaining service reliability. These reports must cover wholesale and retail rate impacts and be updated as part of utility planning documents through 2040.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2 million from the general fund for a one-time grant to the Sanneh Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The funds will support the foundation's out-of-school and summer programs focused on mentoring and social-emotional learning for low-income students of color. The appropriation is available until spent in fiscal year 2026. It directly affects the Sanneh Foundation as the grant recipient and low-income students of color in Minnesota as the program beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state to issue up to $4.5 million in bonds to fund the planning, design, environmental review, engineering, and land acquisition for reconstructing the interchange between Interstate Highway 35 and Scott County State-Aid Highway 2 in Scott County. The funds will come from the trunk highway fund's bond proceeds account and must be used specifically for this interchange project. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will manage the project using these allocated funds. This directly affects Scott County residents and travelers using the I-35 corridor by improving a key transportation junction.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax deduction for licensed family child care providers in Minnesota. It allows them to subtract their business income from their taxable income when filing state taxes, directly benefiting providers operating under Minnesota's licensing rules (chapters 142B and 9502 of Minnesota Rules). The key provision adds "Family child care provider income" as a specific subtraction in the state tax code, reducing taxable income for qualifying providers. This change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.