Sen. Rob Farnsworth

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $100,000 from the state general fund for a one-time grant to the Aitkin County Historical Society. The funds are specifically for replacing the roof at their facility located at 20 Pacific Street in Aitkin. The appropriation is limited to fiscal year 2026 and must be used for the stated roof replacement project. This is a procedural funding measure with no broader policy implications, directly affecting only the Aitkin County Historical Society's facility maintenance.

Maddy summarySF 1782 appropriates $25,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $25,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs for a grant to "Fishing with Vets," a nonprofit organization. The grant funds guided fishing trips for veterans across Minnesota, directly benefiting veterans and the nonprofit. The bill requires the commissioner to submit annual reports by January 15 detailing how the funds were used, including administrative costs, to relevant legislative committees. The nonprofit must provide necessary information to support these reports.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's requirements for individualized education programs (IEPs) by directing the commissioner of education to amend rules to require only measurable annual goals in IEPs, removing the prior requirement for benchmarks or short-term objectives. It directly affects school districts and IEP teams developing plans for students with disabilities. The key change simplifies documentation while maintaining focus on measurable annual outcomes, as specified in Section 2 of the bill. The amendment applies to Minnesota Rules, part 3525.2810, subpart 1, item A.

Maddy summarySF 2123 appropriates funds from the workforce development fund for teacher apprenticeship programs in Minnesota, directly affecting school districts and teacher training programs. It requires funded programs to include five key components: school district involvement, mentor-led on-the-job training, approved related instruction, wage increases tied to skill levels, and a path to a Tier 3 teaching license. School districts can partner with higher education institutions or other entities to develop these programs, and funding is a one-time appropriation for fiscal years 2026-2027. The commissioner of education must report to legislative committees on program implementation and recommend improvements by 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's system for compensating counties for state-owned lands. It creates a new payment category for "other lakeshore land" - defined as state-owned natural resources land abutting lakes identified by the Department of Natural Resources. Counties will receive either $5.133 per acre or 0.75% of the land's appraised value (whichever is greater) for these parcels, added to existing payment formulas under Minnesota Statutes §477A.12, subdivision 1(10). The change takes effect for payments made in 2026 and later. It directly affects counties administering state-owned lakeshore properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides Aitkin Public Schools with a refundable sales tax exemption for construction materials purchased between June 2025 and December 2027. It covers materials used for four specific projects: a prekindergarten-through-6th-grade elementary school, a bus facility, a community wellness center, and a high school. Schools must pay the standard sales tax upfront but will receive a refund from the state treasury, similar to other qualifying school construction projects. The exemption applies only to materials purchased within the specified timeframe for these designated Aitkin Public Schools projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals specific deadlines for active transportation safety training in Minnesota schools. It eliminates the requirements in Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 123B.935, subdivision 2, which previously mandated that students complete training by certain weeks of the school year (e.g., by the end of the third week for some students). The repeal removes these time limits, giving schools flexibility on when to provide the training. This directly affects K-12 schools and students in Minnesota regarding safety education for walking or biking to school.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $238,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $238,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to support the Minnesota Helmets to Hardhats program. It directly provides funding to connect National Guard members, military reservists, active duty service members, and veterans with registered apprenticeships and career opportunities in the building and construction trades. The funds will cover program recruitment, selection, training, and employment services through a grant to Building Strong Communities. The program must operate without discrimination based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or veteran status.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of seclusion for children from birth through grade 3 in Minnesota schools, effective September 1, 2024. It amends Minnesota Statutes to add seclusion as a banned restrictive procedure under section 125A.0942, subdivision 4, clause (11). The bill also requires schools to report any use of physical holding or seclusion by untrained staff to the Department of Education. Additionally, it mandates the commissioner to develop recommendations by February 1, 2024, for ending seclusion in schools, including specific timelines and resource needs. This directly affects early childhood and elementary students, school staff, and district policies regarding student behavior management.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Aitkin County to sell one specific parcel of tax-forfeited land (0.1 acres, parcel #09-0-054803) through private sale instead of public auction, as normally required by Minnesota law. The county must determine that returning this land to private ownership best serves its land management interests. The sale requires attorney general approval of the conveyance form, which can correct errors in the land description. This provision only applies to the exact parcel described in the bill (West 20 feet of East 932 feet of South 208 feet of Southeast Quarter, Township 46 North, Range 25 West). It does not change general rules for tax-forfeited land sales statewide.