Sen. Omar Fateh

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to support ethnic media organizations. It funds video content created in languages other than English, with recipients required to make this content available on public, educational, and government access television. The grant program is administered by the Minnesota Humanities Center Board of Directors. This directly affects ethnic media organizations producing non-English language content seeking funding for public access distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. The funds are specifically for planning, predesign, and design activities to build a new club location at the Nicollet Redevelopment site in south Minneapolis. This new facility will expand out-of-school-time programs and serve as the organization's administrative headquarters. The bill directly affects Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities by providing capital for facility development.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $500,000 from state bonds to fund the construction of a new environmental multicultural visitors center and related outdoor improvements at Faribault's River Bend Nature Center. The funds will cover site preparation, design, building construction, trail enhancements, and public facilities for educational and visitor use. The city of Faribault will receive the grant from the commissioner of natural resources, with the state issuing bonds to finance the project under Minnesota's bond laws. The project directly serves Faribault residents and the general public who will use the new center and trails.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $700,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $700,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide a one-time grant to Restoration for All, Inc. The funds must be used to enhance culturally relevant mental health, substance use disorder, and suicide prevention services for Minnesota's African immigrant refugee community. The grant also covers physical and mental wellness support for the elderly and mental health/suicide prevention resources for underrepresented students in higher education. This is a funding measure with no policy changes, directly affecting the specified community groups through the designated grant recipient.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a working group within Minnesota's public higher education system to address enrollment fraud. It directly affects Minnesota State Colleges and Universities by requiring the Board of Trustees to establish this group, which must develop policies to prevent fraudulent online course enrollments aimed at accessing financial aid, campus systems, and student services. The working group must include specific student and faculty representatives from organizations like the Minnesota State University Student Association and college faculty groups. The group must submit a report to legislative committees by January 15, 2026, detailing its recommendations. The bill focuses on creating a collaborative process to identify and prevent fraud, without specifying new penalties or immediate policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches to support food shelves. The funds will be distributed to food shelves enrolled in the Minnesota FoodShare program based on that program's existing distribution formula. The Council must report by August 1, 2026, on how many food shelves received funds, the amounts distributed, and any administrative costs (capped at 5% of the total appropriation). The grant is a one-time funding measure directly benefiting participating food shelves serving communities in Minneapolis.

Maddy summarySF 2113 provides $5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $5 million for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the Minnesota Public Television Association. These funds are designated for production and acquisition grants to support public television content creation and programming, as specified in Minnesota Statutes section 129D.18. The bill directly affects Minnesota Public Television Association services by ensuring dedicated funding for their programming operations. This is a two-year funding commitment without altering existing legal requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 from the state general fund to the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) for a one-time grant. The funds are specifically for evaluating potential sites and acquiring property to build a new facility providing services and supports. The grant must be used within the project's timeline or until completion/abandonment, per state rules. This directly affects the Council of Churches as the recipient and the community served by the proposed facility. The bill does not create new programs or alter existing laws, only providing funding for site selection and property acquisition.

Maddy summarySF 1242, the "Facial Recognition Technology Warrant Act of 2025," requires Minnesota law enforcement agencies to obtain a court order before using facial recognition technology for ongoing surveillance (tracking individuals in public spaces for more than 72 hours). Exceptions exist for urgent situations, but officers must seek a court order within 48 hours. The law limits surveillance to 30 days per court order (with possible 30-day extensions) and mandates minimizing data collection about people not under investigation. It also allows individuals to challenge evidence obtained in violation of these rules in court.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota state universities' authority to offer applied doctoral degrees in specific professional fields. It directly affects state universities (like Minnesota State universities) and students seeking doctoral-level education in high-demand workforce areas. Key provisions add cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other emerging fields to the list of approved programs, alongside existing fields like nursing and business. The Board of Trustees may also designate additional areas as needed to address workforce needs. The change modifies Minnesota Statutes section 135A.052, updating the mission statement for state universities.