Sen. Foung Hawj

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $400,000 from the general fund for a one-time grant to the Organization of Liberians in Minnesota (OLM), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The funds will renovate, construct, furnish, and equip OLM's Brooklyn Park community center to provide culturally appropriate programs and services for Liberian community members in the northwest suburbs. The appropriation is available until the project is completed or abandoned, as specified in Minnesota Statutes section 16A.642. This directly supports OLM's physical space for serving its community through existing programming needs.

Maddy summarySF 930 establishes the Minnesota Health Plan, a universal health care program requiring all Minnesota residents to be covered. The plan mandates comprehensive coverage for medical, dental, vision, mental health, prescription drugs, and long-term care, with premiums based on income and no co-pays. It creates new entities including the Minnesota Health Board and Minnesota Health Fund to administer the program, ensure provider access, and negotiate fair prices. The bill requires the state to seek a federal waiver under the Affordable Care Act to implement this system. All Minnesotans, including temporary out-of-state residents and nonresident workers in Minnesota, would be eligible for coverage under this plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies St. Louis County's unclassified civil service rules and removes outdated funding for historical work. It updates which county positions (like the legislative lobbyist/grant coordinator and county administrator roles) fall under unclassified service, while repealing obsolete statutes that allocated $2,500 annually for county historical society activities. The changes specifically affect St. Louis County government operations and its historical society funding mechanism. The bill makes no new funding commitments but eliminates an existing, unused appropriation provision.

Maddy summarySF 1164 creates a new "full-service provider account" to receive specific fees from vehicle transactions. It modifies how $8 vehicle registration renewal fees and $12 transaction fees are distributed, directing portions to this new account (e.g., $4.00 per renewal fee and $4.25 per other transaction fee). The bill also adds a $5 surcharge on mail-in vehicle registration renewals, splitting $2.50 to the new provider account and $2.50 to the operating account. This affects vehicle owners paying fees, full-service providers (like dealerships), and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety managing fee collections. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2 million for fiscal year 2026 and $2 million for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC). The funds will support LEDC in providing training, workshops, and one-on-one consultations to help microentrepreneurs start and grow businesses. Specific services include business start-up readiness, career pathway development in trades and tech fields, and support for green lending and manufacturing. The bill directly affects LEDC and the microentrepreneurs it serves, particularly within Minnesota's Latino community.

Maddy summarySF 1245 requires Minnesota's Commissioner of Natural Resources to consider decommissioning off-highway vehicle (OHV) roads or trails when presented with evidence of significant environmental harm, such as impacts to water quality, aquatic life, or wildlife. The bill mandates that such consideration must be triggered by petitions signed by at least 50 local residents or 100 residents from the county or adjacent counties. It also adds new requirements for environmental assessments before constructing or expanding OHV trails, particularly near sensitive waterways (within 150-200 feet of public waters). This bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 84.777 to strengthen protections for natural resources affected by OHV use.

Maddy summarySF 1061 appropriates $5 million from the general fund to Explore Minnesota for a grant to Minnesota Sports and Events. This funding covers costs related to hosting the World Junior Hockey Championships in Minnesota during December 2025 and January 2026. The money must be spent by June 30, 2027. The bill directly affects Minnesota Sports and Events, which will manage the event costs using this state grant.

Maddy summarySF 1091 establishes a one-time $20 million program ($10 million for FY2026, $10 million for FY2027) to fund traffic calming projects in Minnesota's largest cities (those with over 10,000 residents). The funds are distributed equally: half based on each city's population share (using 2020 census data) and half based on cities' calculated "money needs" under state law. Eligible projects include curb bump-outs, raised crosswalks, bollards, and other infrastructure improvements designed to enhance traffic safety within city streets. This appropriation is a single-year funding mechanism with no ongoing annual funding commitment.

Maddy summarySF 927 appropriates $500,000 from the workforce development fund for fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 each from the workforce development fund and general fund for fiscal year 2027 as one-time funding. The bill directs these funds to the Hmong American Partnership in Minnesota for job training, employment services, business development, financial services, and capacity-building programs. This grant supports the organization's work in economic empowerment for the Hmong American community. The funding is specific to these services and does not create new ongoing obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates funds from the arts and cultural heritage fund for a grant to the Immigrant Development Center (a nonprofit) to establish a cultural mall in Moorhead. The grant can be used to acquire, renovate, and upgrade property for this purpose. It directly affects the Immigrant Development Center and the Moorhead community by funding a physical space to preserve and enhance arts and cultural heritage of diverse Minnesota communities. The bill authorizes $[amount] for fiscal year 2026, with no additional policy changes beyond the funding mechanism.