Sen. Foung Hawj

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's film production tax credit program by expanding eligibility criteria and increasing the maximum credit percentage. It directly affects film and television production companies operating in Minnesota by allowing them to claim up to 40 percent of eligible production costs, with an additional 5 percent available if the project employs Minnesota residents in key creative roles, films outside the seven-county metro area, or hires a majority of local crew members. The legislation also lowers the minimum spending threshold for qualifying projects from $1 million to $400,000 and adds $150,000 for television commercials and Minnesota script productions, while defining new categories for key creative roles and below-the-line crew positions. Credits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis with an annual cap of $24.95 million, and projects must include visible promotion of Minnesota in their end credits to qualify.

Maddy summarySF 5211 is a legislative package that combines funding allocations with updates to Minnesota's environmental laws. The bill directs specific state funds to agencies like the Department of Natural Resources and the Metropolitan Council for public safety and operational costs. Beyond appropriations, it establishes stewardship programs for batteries and electronic products, adjusts rules for handling oil and hazardous substance spills, and modifies the management of certain state parks and lands. These changes aim to improve how the state manages natural resources and responds to pollution incidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $250,000 from the workforce development fund to support a Minnesota Trades Academy for youth in Saint Paul. The funds will be given to the Saint Paul Police Department to help young adults gain job skills in construction and receive driver's training. A key provision requires the program to prioritize youth at risk of gang or gun violence, aiming to divert them from such activities. This is a one-time appropriation that will only be available for fiscal year 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an "outdoor recreation endorsement" sticker for Minnesota license plates, allowing motor vehicles to access state parks and recreation areas over 50 acres. Vehicle owners would need this endorsement (or a dedicated state parks plate) to enter these areas, with fees collected funding park maintenance. The endorsement would be added to standard plates, and revenue would go to the natural resources fund. Veterans with service-connected disabilities would be exempt from the endorsement fee, as specified in existing law. The provision takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's natural resources reporting requirements to improve efficiency by changing how the Department of Natural Resources tracks and reports on state lands and operations. It requires the commissioner to maintain an updated inventory of department-administered lands every two years, including detailed information about land parcels, rights, and descriptions of recreational areas acquired since the last report. The bill also shifts the reporting schedule for state nursery planting stock from annual to biennial submissions while maintaining public access to these reports through the Legislative Reference Library. Additionally, the commissioner must continue to report annually on specific conservation activities for state parks, trails, and other recreational lands. These changes affect the Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Legislature, and the public who rely on these reports for information about state natural resources.

Maddy summaryThis Minnesota bill creates a relief program to help small businesses that suffered significant financial losses between July 2025 and February 2026 due to federal enforcement actions. The program provides up to $100 million in grants to operators of indoor retail or food market spaces that host at least 25 small tenant businesses with a cultural focus. Eligible businesses must be Minnesota-based, have fewer than 50 employees, and show at least a 20 percent decline in revenue or sales during the specified period. Grant funds can be used for payroll, rent, utilities, inventory, security upgrades, and working capital, with at least 50 percent of operator grants required to be passed directly to tenants as rent forgiveness. The bill requires grants to be distributed through a lottery system by late 2026 and mandates a report by December 2026 detailing how the funds were used and their economic impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Minnesota Foraging Act, authorizes individuals to harvest edible plants like mushrooms, berries, and nuts on state-owned lands for personal, household, or cultural use without profit. It creates a legal framework that recognizes foraging as a legitimate recreational and cultural activity while giving the commissioner of natural resources authority to establish rules about where and how much can be harvested. The commissioner may designate certain plants as prohibited, restrict foraging in specific areas, or require permits with quantity limits when necessary to protect natural resources, human health, or federal funding requirements. The bill also mandates that any permitting process be clear, accessible, and available electronically, and it requires the commissioner to report on foraging activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies recycling targets and state funding for solid waste management districts in Minnesota. It requires districts to adopt recycling goals based on the average of their member counties' targets (using metropolitan county standards if the district includes both metro and non-metro areas), and mandates that state funding distributed to districts equals the sum of funds that would have gone to the individual counties. The bill repeals outdated sections and establishes new definitions for districts, boards, and member counties under revised statutes. It directly affects multi-county solid waste districts and their participating counties by standardizing how goals and funds are calculated.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the issuance of up to $8 million in housing infrastructure bonds to provide funding for a specific nonprofit organization called Face to Face Health and Counseling Services. The funds are designated to build and equip a facility in St. Paul that will offer 20 units of affordable housing along with on-site support services for young people between the ages of 18 and 24. To finance this project, the state will issue bonds and transfer money from the general fund to a dedicated account to cover the debt payments associated with those bonds over several decades. The legislation amends existing state statutes to formally allow these new bonds and establish the rules for how the repayment money will be collected and managed.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $80 million from the state's general fund to support the City of St. Paul's West 7th Street Improvement Project. The money will be used to design, build, and equip upgrades for the roadway and underground water systems between downtown St. Paul and the Mississippi River. Specific improvements include modernizing stormwater and wastewater tunnels, reconstructing roads and sidewalks for safety, and installing traffic calming measures. The funding also aims to ease costs for property water connections and facilitate a bus rapid transit line connecting downtown St. Paul, the airport, and the Mall of America.