Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the governor's ability to appoint individuals to fill vacancies on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. It requires the governor to appoint only candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature does not elect someone to fill the vacancy. The law affects the appointment process for board members and strengthens the role of the legislative committee in selecting candidates. This change ensures that when the legislature cannot fill a vacancy, the governor must choose from a pre-approved list rather than selecting any candidate independently.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits website, app, or software owners from allowing minors (under 18) to access chatbots for recreational use. It requires service providers to verify users' ages before granting access to chatbots. Violations could result in civil penalties of up to $5 million for businesses, or $1,000 in damages for affected individuals. The law directly affects companies offering chatbot services to the public, aiming to restrict minors' recreational use of AI conversation tools.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Minnesota counties, cities, and towns to prohibit or restrict the possession of dangerous weapons, ammunition, or explosives in their owned or leased buildings and land. Local governments must post conspicuous, prominently displayed signs with specific wording (e.g., "BANS GUNS") to communicate the ban, and exceptions apply for law enforcement officers on duty or individuals with written permission. Violating the ban would be classified as a misdemeanor, with the law taking effect on August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1,060,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to support the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership, which is administered by the Office of Higher Education. The funding is intended to continue the partnership's work on connecting early childhood education through grade 12, as authorized under existing state law. The appropriation directly affects the state budget and the partnership's operational capacity, without specifying new program requirements or eligibility changes. This measure is a straightforward funding request that maintains existing financial support for the initiative.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens Minnesota's regulations on infectious and pathological waste by requiring immediate notification when waste is mistakenly sent to unapproved facilities, mandating unannounced inspections of waste generators, and establishing annual internal audits for compliance. It imposes escalating financial penalties ranging from $200,000 to $2,000,000 for repeated violations and directs half of collected fines to the facility that received the waste while funding training programs for proper waste management. The law applies to healthcare facilities, laboratories, and other organizations that generate infectious or pathological waste, with specific exemptions for sharps used by non-employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all property insurance policies in Minnesota to include a mandatory appraisal process for resolving disputes over damage amounts. It directly affects insurance companies and policyholders by mandating that both parties select independent appraisers when they disagree on a claim's value, with a neutral umpire to settle any remaining differences. The law also sets a two-year deadline for filing lawsuits related to property claims and repeals an older hail insurance provision that had similar but different dispute resolution rules. These changes take effect on January 1, 2027, and apply to losses occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Department of Human Services to move certain Direct Care and Treatment employees from unclassified to classified service status, provided they get approval from Minnesota Management and Budget. Once converted, these employees will follow standard employment rules for classified positions, including probation periods and training, but they must not experience any salary reduction during the transition. The legislation directly affects state workers in human services roles who were previously hired under temporary or pilot authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows state agencies to pay additional compensation to employees when payroll payments are delayed, specifically to resolve formal employee grievances or distribute financial penalties required by collective bargaining agreements. It amends existing Minnesota statutes to create new exceptions for payroll payment procedures, enabling agencies to use penalty funds to address late payment issues. The changes directly affect state employees and their unions by providing a mechanism to compensate workers when agencies fail to make scheduled payroll payments on time. The legislation establishes clear procedures for how these compensations and penalties should be handled when payroll delays occur.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most Minnesota health plans that offer maternity benefits to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment (including medications and procedures consistent with medical guidelines) and standard fertility preservation services (such as egg or sperm freezing before cancer treatment). It defines infertility as the inability to conceive after 6-12 months of trying (depending on age), mandates coverage without cost-sharing exceeding maternity plan limits, and limits embryo retrievals to four while allowing unlimited transfers. Health plans cannot impose extra waiting periods, referral requirements, or service-specific limits beyond those for maternity care. The bill applies to private health plans, MinnesotaCare, and medical assistance programs.