Sen. Zaynab Mohamed

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Minnesota's Housing Challenge Program to allow additional school types to receive small grants for housing projects. It modifies eligibility under section 462A.33 to include "contract alternative schools" and "Tribal contract schools" alongside existing school districts, charter schools, and cooperative units. Schools receiving grants under $100,000 must require future homeowners to complete a mandatory homeownership education program. The change directly affects these specific school entities seeking to build housing for owner occupancy through the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SF 3229, creates collective bargaining rights for transportation network company (TNC) drivers in Minnesota, such as Uber and Lyft drivers. It establishes a process for drivers to form or join labor organizations, which must be certified by the Bureau of Mediation Services as their "exclusive representative" to negotiate terms and conditions of work. The bill defines key terms like "active driver" (based on ride volume) and prohibits TNCs from controlling or dominating "company unions" (e.g., driver groups created by the company itself). It directly affects TNC drivers and requires TNCs to negotiate in good faith with certified representatives over issues like pay, scheduling, and grievance procedures. The bill does not mandate unionization but provides a legal framework for drivers to collectively bargain.

Maddy summarySF 3175 creates a statewide landlord database requiring all Minnesota landlords renting residential buildings to submit and annually update owner names, addresses, rental unit details, and license information. Landlords must provide this data before renting a unit or within 60 days of renting, with the database made publicly searchable at no cost to tenants. Tenants can report landlords missing from the database, triggering a 60-day notice period before the landlord faces civil penalties of up to $5,000 for repeated willful violations or tenant lawsuits. The bill directly affects landlords of residential properties and empowers tenants with enforcement tools to address noncompliance.

Maddy summarySF 3178 appropriates $170,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $144,000 for fiscal year 2027 to St. Paul Public Schools' East African Magnet School. The funds support teacher professional development on using first language resources and culturally relevant instructional materials, including training for selecting and adapting materials for diverse learners. The bill requires all developed resources to be shared freely under a Creative Commons license (requiring attribution and noncommercial use) for all Minnesota schools. This is a one-time grant specifically for East African Magnet School staff and students, with no ongoing funding commitment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota to create and publish a statewide comprehensive plan for addressing substance use and addiction. The plan must identify barriers to treatment, develop strategies for underserved communities, expand recovery infrastructure (like detox facilities and sober housing), and address addiction among people experiencing homelessness. All state agencies operating substance use prevention, treatment, or recovery programs must align their goals and budgets with this plan. The bill directly affects state agencies managing these services and ensures Minnesotans seeking addiction support - particularly those in disproportionately impacted communities - receive coordinated care.

Maddy summarySF 3140 requires the state agency administering Minnesota's First-Generation Homebuyers Down Payment Assistance Fund to submit an annual report by January 15 to legislative housing committees. The report must detail, by county, the total number of down payment assistance awards, the total amount awarded, and the types of housing purchased (e.g., single-family homes, condos, manufactured housing). This bill does not change the assistance program itself but mandates transparency by requiring specific data collection and reporting. The requirement applies to the state agency managing the fund and affects how housing finance data is tracked and shared with lawmakers.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from Minnesota's general fund for a one-time grant to Fortis Capital, a nonprofit organization. The funds will create a revolving loan fund to provide risk-mitigating capital for commercial development in underserved communities and to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged groups statewide. The program must leverage private sector lenders and nonstate funds to maximize impact, with up to 10% of the grant covering Fortis Capital's operating costs. Fortis Capital must report on fund usage and outcomes to legislative committees by December 31, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $200,000 from the state general fund for a one-time grant to Niyyah Recovery Initiative, a nonprofit organization. The funds are designated to cover support program costs, community engagement, staffing, and targeted outreach to expand substance use recovery services. The grant is available until June 30, 2027, and directly supports individuals affected by substance use through expanded local services. The bill does not create new requirements but provides specific funding to address recovery needs.

Maddy summarySF 3177 amends Minnesota's Explore Minnesota agency to clarify and expand its mission. It updates the agency's core purpose to explicitly include promoting "livability," "workforce and economic opportunity," and "outdoor recreation" alongside tourism promotion. The bill modifies the director's duties to strengthen coordination with other state agencies, expand international tourism marketing, and require annual performance reporting in the biennial budget. These changes directly affect Explore Minnesota (the state tourism office) and its partners in tourism, business, and economic development sectors.

Maddy summarySF 3176 requires Minnesota public school districts to include water safety instruction in the health curriculum to reduce drowning risk. For grade 3 students, schools with access to a swimming pool must provide at least eight weeks of swim instruction led by staff trained to address barriers like financial costs for swimwear, fear of water, or past trauma. Parents may opt their child out if the student has a physical inability or has experienced water-related trauma. The requirement takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.