Sen. Omar Fateh

Maddy summarySF 1815 authorizes Minnesota local jurisdictions (like cities and counties) to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections, such as mayoral or city council races. The bill establishes procedures for communities to implement the system, defines key terms like "active candidate" and "batch elimination," and allows electronic voting systems with reallocation features. It specifies that ranked choice voting requires voters to rank candidates by preference, with ballots transferring support to higher-ranked candidates if lower-ranked ones are eliminated. The bill applies only to local offices, not state or federal elections, and amends election statutes to incorporate these changes. Local governments would need to pass their own ordinances to adopt the system.

Maddy summarySF 377 prohibits Minnesota public and private colleges and universities from giving preferential treatment in admissions based on a student's "legacy status" (family connection to an alumnus) or a family's relationship to donors. The bill directly affects all higher education institutions in Minnesota, including the University of Minnesota, by requiring them to stop considering these factors in admissions decisions. Key provisions define "legacy status" and explicitly ban any admissions advantage tied to familial alumni ties or donor connections. This policy change aims to make admissions processes more equitable by removing these specific preferences from consideration.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale or transfer of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons in Minnesota, directly affecting owners and sellers of these firearms. It defines such weapons as specific models (like AR-15s, AK-47s, and Uzis) and firearms with features including folding stocks, detachable magazines, or pistol grips. The bill also authorizes a state-funded buyback program for these weapons and amends Minnesota law to implement the ban. The definition excludes weapons permanently made inoperable.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles for mobile crisis intervention services in Minnesota, directly affecting individuals seeking emergency mental health care. It modifies Minnesota Statutes § 245.469 to require counties to provide emergency mental health services without charging clients, including immediate access to mental health professionals during business hours and toll-free access outside those hours. The bill mandates that non-business-hour services must still have mental health professionals available for on-call assessment within 30 minutes and establishes requirements for training and data reporting. It also appropriates funding to expand crisis services, including 24/7 telephone consultation for mobile crisis teams and grants to build new crisis residential capacity. These changes aim to remove financial barriers to timely mental health crisis care for all Minnesotans.

Maddy summarySF 1014 allocates $4 million for fiscal year 2026 and $4.5 million for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to the commissioner of human services. The funds will support housing with support services for people with serious mental illness through existing grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 245.992. This appropriation aims to increase the availability of such housing options by providing dedicated state funding. It directly affects the state's mental health budget and the individuals who rely on these housing services.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $600,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $600,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to Emerge Community Development. The funding supports three specific workforce development programs in Minneapolis: the Emerge Career and Technical Center, Cedar Riverside Opportunity Center, and Emerge Second Chance programs. It directly affects Emerge Community Development and the residents served by these programs, particularly those seeking job training and employment support. The bill provides concrete funding for existing services without changing program rules or creating new requirements.

Maddy summarySF 1732 establishes a state grant program to fund family permanent supportive housing for vulnerable households. It provides $15,000 per family to nonprofit organizations or Tribal governments operating housing that is affordable (at or below 30% of area median income), non-time-limited, and offers specialized services like child education, mental health referrals, job training, and 24/7 on-site staffing. The program requires grantees to serve 60% of families in the seven-county metro area and 40% outside it, with at least 10% served by Tribal Nations. Funds are a one-time appropriation for fiscal year 2026, available until June 2027, and grantees must report annually on families served and services provided.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide a grant to WE WIN Institute, Inc. (a nonprofit organization). The funds will be used to acquire and improve property in Minneapolis for academic, social, and culturally specific programming and food services specifically for Black students. The grant also covers property acquisition for community partnership spaces, as well as design, construction, and renovation of facilities. This is a one-time appropriation, separate from prior funding, and directly supports Black student programming in Minneapolis.

Maddy summarySF 1423 prohibits the Metropolitan Council from expanding the Metropolitan Urban Service Area beyond the boundaries shown in the February 2024 map used for the 2040 comprehensive plan. This bill directly affects the Metropolitan Council, which manages regional planning for the Twin Cities area, and limits future land use decisions within the designated service area. The key provision legally blocks any expansion of the urban service area after July 1, 2025, locking in the existing 2040 plan boundaries. The bill makes no changes to current zoning or development rules but prevents future boundary adjustments by the Council.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $200 million from state bonds to fund the University of Minnesota's Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) program. The funds will be used by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents to preserve and replace campus infrastructure, such as buildings and equipment. The bill authorizes the state to sell bonds up to $200 million to cover this appropriation, as specified in Minnesota law. It directly affects the University of Minnesota's capital planning and infrastructure management.