Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Minnesota's "Minnesota Clearance Grant Program" to help law enforcement agencies improve their resolution rates for nonfatal shooting incidents. It directly affects local police departments and sheriff's offices that investigate nonfatal shootings by providing state funding for targeted resources. Key provisions include granting priority to agencies with high unsolved cases or limited staffing, allowing funds for hiring investigators, forensic equipment, victim-witness coordinators, and technology to share data across agencies, and requiring biannual reports on clearance rates and program impact. The bill appropriates specific funds for fiscal years 2026-2028 to support these concrete improvements in investigating nonfatal shootings.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts to sentence offenders below standard guidelines if they were victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or sex trafficking. It requires presentence reports to include information about such victimization and permits courts to order reduced sentences when the victimization contributed to the offense and serves the public interest. Offenders placed on probation may also be required to participate in trauma-focused treatment. The law applies to felony sentencing hearings starting August 1, 2025, and affects individuals convicted of crimes who were previously victims of these specific offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the Minnesota Humanities Center. The funds will be granted to "Art From the Inside" to support arts programs - including visual art, poetry, theater, dance, and music - for incarcerated individuals and people on supervised release. The programs aim to address therapeutic and rehabilitative needs while promoting safer correctional facilities and communities. The bill directly affects those in the state's correctional system and on community supervision.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires anyone who loses or has a firearm stolen to report it to local law enforcement within 48 hours of discovering the loss or theft. It establishes escalating penalties for violations, ranging from a petty misdemeanor for a first offense to a gross misdemeanor for third or subsequent offenses. The law also includes provisions that protect individuals from prosecution for firearm storage violations when they comply with reporting requirements, and mandates that police chiefs and sheriffs forward reports to the state commissioner of public safety within seven days. To support implementation, the bill appropriates $36,000 in 2027 to fund a reporting system managed by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The measure would take effect on August 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies data requirements for Minnesota's Direct Care and Treatment system, which manages services for civilly committed sex offenders and other human services. It establishes new rules for challenging the accuracy of sex offender program data and clarifies what information counts as medical versus directory data. The legislation also updates definitions for the welfare system and outlines specific circumstances under which private individual data can be shared between government agencies. These changes aim to standardize how sensitive personal information is collected, maintained, and disclosed across various state human services programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens regulations on automated license plate reader data in Minnesota by requiring all collected data to be stored centrally at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It limits what information can be collected to license plate numbers, timestamps, and photographs, while mandating that data not tied to active criminal investigations be destroyed within 48 hours. The law also restricts how law enforcement agencies can access the data, requiring written authorization based on reasonable suspicion and documenting each access in an audit trail. Additionally, the bill prohibits sharing data outside Minnesota unless a court order or warrant is obtained, and it extends these rules to private entities that share their collected data with law enforcement agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires provider-based clinics in Minnesota to obtain and use their own unique National Provider Identifier (NPI) when submitting reimbursement claims for health services. It mandates that all claims, whether filed directly or through intermediaries, must include this distinct clinic identifier separate from the parent hospital's NPI. Additionally, the bill requires all-payer claims data submissions to include the clinic's unique NPI to improve data accuracy and tracking. The law applies to clinics owned by hospitals or health systems that are located at least 250 yards from main hospital buildings and primarily provide diagnostic and therapeutic care. These requirements will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the North Star Promise scholarship program in Minnesota by adjusting income eligibility requirements and funding allocations. It raises the family income limit to $80,000 for students attending four-year universities and community colleges, while removing the income cap entirely for students at state colleges and Tribal colleges. The legislation also redefines how "gift aid" is calculated to include various forms of financial assistance, and transfers $2.5 million each in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support spinal cord and traumatic brain injury grants, plus $3.132 million for dual training programs in transportation and child care industries. These changes take effect starting with the fall 2026 academic term.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a one-time grant program to support organizations serving victims of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation. The program allows eligible groups such as nonprofits, tribal nations, and legal services organizations to receive funding for social services and mental health support. Recipients must demonstrate expertise in trauma-informed care and prioritize communities most affected by the operation. Funds can be used for basic needs like housing, food, transportation, and mental health care, with requirements to report on program participation and outcomes. The appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, and is drawn from the state's general fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits landlords in Minnesota from listing minor children as defendants in eviction complaints against their parents or guardians, while still allowing landlords to list minors as defendants if they are the only person renting the unit. The law includes a penalty provision requiring landlords to pay tenants either $300 or actual damages, whichever is greater, if they violate this restriction. Any lease terms that attempt to override this protection are declared void and unenforceable. The bill would take effect on August 1, 2026, and would apply to eviction cases filed on or after that date.