Sen. Omar Fateh

Maddy summarySF 3343 appropriates $850,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $850,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to Avivo, a Minnesota organization. The funds are for a one-time grant to provide low-income individuals with career education and job skills training integrated with chemical and mental health services. This bill directly affects low-income Minnesotans seeking employment support through Avivo's combined services. The key provision is the specific funding allocation for this integrated training model, with no ongoing annual appropriations.

Maddy summarySF 3342 requires staffing services in Minnesota to pay employees wages for canceled assignments if the employee reasonably relied on the placement for a shift or day. This law directly affects staffing agencies and their temporary workers, ensuring they receive pay even when client assignments are canceled after the worker has prepared to work. The key provision mandates payment regardless of assignment completion, as long as the employee depended on the placement. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.03 to add this requirement, effective upon final enactment.

Maddy summarySF 545 allocates $4.5 million in state funds to create a new entrepreneur innovation center in Minneapolis' Lake Street Corridor. The center will provide dedicated space for low-income business owners to develop their ventures, including a technology accelerator, wellness incubator with production kitchen, and community meeting areas. The funding covers design, construction, equipment, and furnishings for the facility, with the project to be completed by fiscal year 2026. This is a one-time appropriation for the Neighborhood Development Center as the grant recipient.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to Milestone Community Development. The funds will support Milestone's cybersecurity training program, run in partnership with Saint Mary University, to provide workforce development training. This is a one-time funding allocation for a specific training initiative, not a new policy or ongoing program.

Maddy summarySF 3270 requires businesses like restaurants, stores, and hotels (places of public accommodation) to get explicit written consent before collecting biometric data, such as facial scans, fingerprints, or voice recordings. It prohibits collecting or using this data without an individual's clear, affirmative written consent, which must include a prominent notice about the purpose of collection. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $25,000 per incident or criminal misdemeanor charges. The law takes effect August 1, 2025, and applies to all public accommodations in Minnesota.

Maddy summarySF 2087 prohibits landlords in Minnesota from using tenant screening software that relies on nonpublic competitor data (like actual rent prices or occupancy rates from other landlords) to set rental rates. It also bans screening tools that disproportionately affect protected classes (such as race or gender) under Minnesota’s fair housing laws. The bill amends state law to make landlords liable for violations, allowing tenants to seek $1,000 or actual damages plus legal fees. It applies to all residential rental units and takes effect August 1, 2025. This directly affects landlords, property management companies, and the tenant screening software industry operating in Minnesota.

Maddy summarySF 1598 repeals a Minnesota statute (471.9998) that currently prohibits local governments from banning paper, plastic, or reusable bags provided by merchants. If enacted, this bill would allow cities and counties to implement their own bag bans, directly affecting local governments and businesses that provide bags to customers. The key mechanism is removing the state-level prohibition, enabling municipalities to regulate bag use without state interference. This change would apply to all localities within Minnesota, shifting authority from the state to local jurisdictions. The bill does not create new bag rules but removes a barrier to local action.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 3264) amends Minnesota Statutes section 171.03 to extend the time nonresidents have to apply for a Minnesota driver's license after becoming a Minnesota resident. Currently, nonresidents with valid out-of-state licenses may drive without a Minnesota license for 60 days after moving to Minnesota; this bill increases that period to 180 days. It directly affects new Minnesota residents who hold valid driver's licenses from another state or jurisdiction but have not yet obtained a Minnesota license. The change applies only to the 60-day exemption period in section 171.03(h), with no other provisions altered.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) program by allowing consultation services to be offered as an optional service under the agency-provider model. It affects individuals receiving CFSS services and the agencies providing them, giving agencies flexibility to include or exclude consultation services in their service plans. The key change adds consultation services - support to help participants navigate their care - as a voluntary option within the existing agency-provider model structure. This adjustment simplifies service delivery options without altering core requirements for participant choice or care needs.

Maddy summarySF 817 modifies Minnesota's transportation laws to clarify what qualifies as "highway purposes" and adjust project review processes. It expands eligible uses of highway funds to include multimodal infrastructure like transit and active transportation within highway rights-of-way, and requires new community input through local advisory committees for major highway projects. The bill also explicitly prohibits using highway funds for items like electric vehicle charging infrastructure, tourism kiosks, or event sponsorships. These changes primarily affect the Minnesota Department of Transportation and local communities involved in highway planning, ensuring project funding aligns with updated transportation priorities.