Sen. Foung Hawj

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million annually from the arts and cultural heritage fund for the Minnesota Humanities Center for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The funding supports statewide humanities programs, outreach partnerships, and specific initiatives including Minnesota culture, veterans' programming, educator professional development, and programming reflecting Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. It directly affects the Minnesota Humanities Center and the organizations/individuals it serves through these funded activities. The bill is a straightforward funding measure with no new policy requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 to fund a community center for Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together in Ramsey County. The grant will cover acquiring property, predesigning, constructing, and equipping the center to host educational and leadership programs. These programs specifically aim to strengthen cultural knowledge and identity, promote social change, and improve outcomes for Hmong women and girls. The funding is a one-time allocation available until project completion, as specified in Minnesota Statutes section 16A.642.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $8 million from state bond proceeds to fund specific improvements at CHS Field in St. Paul. The city of St. Paul will receive a grant to design, construct, and equip upgrades meeting Major League Baseball standards, including a new locker room, enhanced visitor amenities, and environmental remediation for contaminated soil. The funds will be raised through the sale of state bonds authorized under Minnesota law. The bill directly affects the CHS Field facility and the city of St. Paul, which will manage the project. It focuses on concrete infrastructure changes rather than broader policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for Minnesota public school districts by adjusting several key education finance formulas. It raises the general education basic formula allowance, boosts special education and English learner cross subsidy aid, and increases safe schools revenue, all effective for fiscal year 2027 and later. The changes directly affect school districts serving students with special needs, English learners, and those relying on specific funding mechanisms like debt service levies. Key mechanisms include updating calculation methods for cross subsidy aid percentages (to 90% for English learners) and adjusting the cross subsidy aid factor (to 50.9% for special education). These adjustments aim to increase state funding for districts based on student needs and prior revenue calculations.

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 support the Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota. The funds will be administered by the Minnesota Humanities Center Board of Directors to cover museum programs, library services, and educational classes. These activities specifically aim to teach the public about the historical, cultural, and folk arts heritage of Hmong Minnesotans. The bill directly affects the Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota by providing dedicated funding for its core programming and outreach.

Maddy summarySF 1514 appropriates $1.5 million from the general fund for a one-time grant to the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. The funds, available until June 30, 2027, will support outreach, training, technical assistance, peer network development, and direct financial assistance for Asian Minnesotan women entrepreneurs and Asian-owned businesses. This grant is administered by the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development. The bill directly affects Asian-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Minnesota through targeted economic development support.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $6.425 million for fiscal year 2026 and another $6.425 million for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support Minnesota's Small Business Assistance Partnerships Program. The funds will provide two-year grants to small businesses through partnerships with economic development organizations, as authorized under Minnesota Statutes section 116J.682. Up to 5% of the total appropriation may be used for administrative costs by the Department of Employment and Economic Development. The program directly assists small businesses seeking economic development support through these partnership grants.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from the general fund for the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board to provide grants to certified worker organizations. These grants will help worker organizations carry out their duties under Minnesota law (Section 181.214), which relates to nursing home workforce standards. The funding is a one-time allocation available until June 30, 2028. The bill directly affects certified worker organizations working in nursing homes by providing financial support for their activities.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally recognizes the 2025 Hmong New Year Celebration in Khek Noi, Thailand, highlighting the event as a significant moment of international cultural exchange. The bill acknowledges the historical ties between Hmong communities in Minnesota and Thailand, noting that thousands of Hmong refugees resettled in the United States after the Vietnam conflict and that Minnesota is celebrating the 50th anniversary of this resettlement. It specifically honors the invitation extended to Minnesota State Senator Foung Hawj to serve as the keynote speaker at the festival, which will feature activities like tree planting and discussions on establishing sister city relationships. Finally, the resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to send an official copy of the document to the Governor of Phetchabun Province and the cultural leaders hosting the festival.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes and appropriates funds to pay deputy registrars for processing vehicle registration transactions where no fee is charged. It requires the state to distribute $9 per no-fee renewal and $13 per other no-fee transaction (like corrections) to deputy registrars quarterly. The funds come from the driver and vehicle services operating account, covering transactions where fees were waived due to errors or refunds. This directly affects local deputy registrars who handle vehicle registrations without charging standard fees.