Sen. Keri Heintzeman

Maddy summarySF 5068 requires the Minnesota commissioner of natural resources to grant a permanent 33-foot-wide easement across specific state-owned land in Crow Wing County. This easement is intended to provide access and utility rights for a neighboring private property, defined by precise legal descriptions of the land parcels involved. The bill mandates that the state land be used to support ingress, egress, and utilities for the adjacent land, ensuring a clear path for travel and services between the two properties.

Maddy summarySF 1529 prohibits discrimination against individuals who refuse specific medical interventions (such as vaccines, pharmaceuticals, gene editing, or RNA/DNA-based products) for reasons of conscience or religious belief. It directly affects adults (18+ or emancipated minors) and bars businesses, employers, health care providers, government entities, and educational institutions from denying employment, services, access to commerce, or treating such individuals differently. The bill allows affected individuals to seek court-ordered relief or file civil lawsuits for damages, including triple damages or $200, plus attorney fees if they win. It also states this law overrides conflicting state laws unless specific exemptions exist.

Maddy summarySF 1707, titled "Parent's Bill of Rights establishment," proposes a law in Minnesota that formally recognizes specific parental rights regarding minor children (under 18). The bill requires schools, health care providers, and government entities to obtain written parental consent before certain actions - such as medical treatments, biometric scans, DNA collection, or sharing records - unless an emergency exists. It also guarantees parents the right to direct their child's education, access all school and medical records, oversee moral/religious training, and receive prompt notification if a child is suspected of being a victim of a crime. The bill explicitly states it does not override child abuse laws or eliminate existing legal obligations for schools to address student misconduct. This proposed law would directly affect parents, schools, and health care providers in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota law to clarify how property taxes are collected on undivided interests in real estate, such as those held by mortgage lenders or lessees. It allows these individuals to pay taxes specifically on their portion of the property and receive official receipts for that payment. The update ensures that once taxes are paid for a specific interest, that portion is protected from enforcement actions related to unpaid taxes on the rest of the property. The changes apply immediately upon the bill's final enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the SAVE Minnesota Act, requires voters in Minnesota to present a photo identification card to register to vote and to cast a ballot at the polls. To obtain this new voter identification card, applicants must provide proof of citizenship, and the state will issue a specific card for this purpose. The legislation also establishes a new trust fund to support child abuse prevention efforts and waives fees for obtaining vital records needed to apply for the voter ID card. Additionally, the bill creates a system for provisional ballots and modifies existing rules regarding absentee voting for certain program participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to designate the Quality Learning Center in Hennepin County as a historic place within Minnesota state law. It achieves this by amending an existing statute to add a new section that specifically names and recognizes the facility. The change is administrative in nature, as it updates the legal record to reflect the building's status without altering its operations or ownership.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota calculates transition aid for local governments that host electric generating plants powered by coal, nuclear, or natural gas. It changes the criteria for qualifying jurisdictions to receive financial assistance when these power plants retire or switch fuel sources, with new rules taking effect for aid payments in 2027 and later. The legislation updates how aid amounts are calculated based on tax capacity changes and introduces stricter thresholds for continuing to receive aid, including a provision that eliminates aid if a jurisdiction's overall tax capacity grows beyond certain limits. Local governments, public utilities, and the state Department of Revenue are the primary entities affected by these changes to the existing aid program.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota law to exempt elk from a prohibition on importing live deer and related animals from areas where chronic wasting disease has been detected. It requires that all other live cervids, such as deer and moose, come from herds with the highest disease certification status or test negative for the disease before entry. The legislation also maintains existing rules allowing zoo transfers between accredited facilities and permits for orphaned animals or reindeer under specific conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks Congress to call a constitutional convention specifically to limit how many terms members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate can serve. Minnesota is submitting this request under Article V of the Constitution, which allows state legislatures to apply for such a convention when two-thirds of states agree on the same topic. The resolution states that Minnesota's application will be combined with similar applications from other states but not with requests for different constitutional changes. If enough states submit matching applications, Congress would be required to convene a limited convention focused solely on term limits for federal legislators. The Minnesota Secretary of State is instructed to send copies of this resolution to federal officials and other state legislatures to coordinate the process.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the licensing fee for nonmotorized watercraft such as canoes, kayaks, sailboards, paddleboards, paddleboats, and rowing shells that are over ten feet in length. It directly affects Minnesota residents and visitors who own or use these types of watercraft for recreation. The key provision removes the $23 fee that was previously required for these specific watercraft, while maintaining fees for motorized boats and other licensed watercraft. The bill also adjusts related surcharges for aquatic invasive species control to reflect the removal of the nonmotorized watercraft fee. This change applies to all watercraft licensed under the relevant Minnesota statutes.