Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a one-time $300,000 grant program in fiscal year 2027 to help children in Minnesota's foster care system who are noncitizen immigrants. The funds will support partnerships between social services agencies and qualified nonprofit organizations to help these children obtain legal documentation and permanent immigration status. To receive funding, applicants must show a partnership between a social services agency and a nonprofit with specific expertise in immigration law and experience working with diverse communities. The grant money must be used to screen foster children for legal documentation needs and provide legal assessments and representation to help them attain legal status. The bill also includes data privacy protections that limit how personal information about children receiving services can be shared.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public postsecondary institutions in Minnesota to offer priority course registration to pregnant and parenting students, allowing them to register before general undergraduate registration opens. It defines parenting students as those with children under 18 or dependents under 18, and applies to state colleges and universities as well as private institutions offering in-person courses in Minnesota. The law prohibits institutions from forcing pregnant or parenting students to withdraw, change majors, or take alternative programs solely due to their status, while also requiring reasonable accommodations and excused absences related to pregnancy or parenting. Public institutions must automatically assign early registration appointments, provide clear notices about these rights, and publish information about the protections on their websites and in student handbooks.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's child care assistance program to create exemptions for the standard limit on reimbursable absent days, which currently caps reimbursement at 25 full-day absences per child per year. The legislation allows children with documented medical conditions, young parents pursuing education, and those affected by extraordinary events like natural disasters to exceed this limit. It also clarifies that absences due to a parent or sibling's medical condition do not count against the limit and expands the definition of extraordinary events to include mechanical breakdowns and extreme weather. Additionally, the bill updates procedures for holiday reimbursement and requires providers to notify families of absent day usage throughout the year.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $375,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Clemency Review Commission. The funding is intended to help the commission process more clemency petitions from individuals seeking relief from their sentences. The money will support the commission's operations and increase its capacity to review cases. This measure directly affects the Clemency Review Commission and the people submitting clemency petitions in Minnesota.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 3655 would ban possession of specific semiautomatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. It defines "semiautomatic military-style assault weapons" to include models like AR-15s, AK-47s, and similar firearms, plus weapons with features like pistol grips, folding stocks, or magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The bill amends existing laws to prohibit owning these items, imposing criminal penalties for violations. It directly affects Minnesota residents who currently possess these banned firearms or magazines. The legislation focuses on restricting specific weapon types and magazine capacities, not broader firearm ownership.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new special license plate program in Minnesota called "survivor support plates" for vehicles owned by individuals who wish to contribute to crime victim support. Vehicle owners who apply for these plates must pay the standard registration fees plus an additional $30 annual contribution that goes directly to the state's crime victims account. The plates will feature a design developed in consultation with sexual assault and violence prevention organizations, and they can be transferred to another vehicle if it is registered to the same person. The program will not refund any of the contributions made, and the bill takes effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $6.9 million for fiscal year 2026 and $13.7 million for fiscal year 2027 to the Board of Public Defense in Minnesota, with an additional base funding of $183.529 million starting in fiscal year 2028. The funds come from the state's general fund and are intended to support public defender services, which provide legal representation to individuals who cannot afford attorneys. The appropriations are in addition to previous funding provided in 2025 and will be available until July 1, 2027 for the 2026 allocation. The legislation takes effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.

Maddy summarySF 3805 creates a voluntary tax donation checkoff for Minnesota taxpayers to contribute $1 or more to the Minnesota Victims of Crime Account. It requires tax preparers to notify all individual and corporate clients filing income tax returns or property tax refund claims about this option during tax preparation. Taxpayers can designate the donation directly on their return, with funds added to their tax payment or deducted from their refund. The provision applies to all Minnesota taxpayers filing returns and takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2027. The bill does not mandate donations but provides a new way for taxpayers to support crime victim services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed child care centers in Minnesota to restrict access for certain federal immigration agents. Specifically, it prohibits DHS, ICE, CBP, or USCIS agents from entering child care facilities without a valid judicial warrant, written purpose statement, identification, and approval from the center's license holder. If access is granted, centers must limit agents to areas where children are not present. The law directly affects all licensed and certified license-exempt child care centers operating in Minnesota, aiming to protect children's safety during federal immigration enforcement activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases a surcharge on automobile insurance policies from 50 cents to 60 cents per vehicle every six months for comprehensive coverage. The additional revenue collected will be dedicated to specific state programs, with $2.2 million annually allocated to automobile theft prevention and $1.3 million each going to insurance fraud prevention and victims of crime accounts. The changes apply to passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, and motorcycles, excluding vehicles over 10,000 pounds, and will take effect on July 1, 2026.