Sen. Rob Farnsworth

Maddy summarySF 3213 appropriates $25,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $25,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to provide a grant to Fishing with Vets, a nonprofit organization. The grant will fund guided fishing trips for veterans across Minnesota. This bill directly provides financial support to a nonprofit to organize recreational activities specifically for veterans, using state funds from the designated heritage fund. The funding is earmarked for operational costs of the veteran fishing program.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 411) requires Minnesota public school districts to allow all home-schooled students who reside in the district and comply with state home schooling laws (Minnesota Statutes 120A.22 and 120A.24) to fully participate in school extracurricular activities on the same basis as public school students. It amends statute 123B.49 to mandate that school boards must permit these students to join activities like sports, clubs, and arts programs. The bill defines extracurricular activities as non-credit, non-graduation-required programs typically held outside school hours and determined primarily by student participants under adult guidance. School districts must fund these activities using district revenues and cannot use school names for such activities without board approval.

Maddy summarySF 1050 would create a state grant program to fund multi-day outdoor educational experiences for Minnesota students in grades 4-8. The program would provide funding to accredited outdoor schools and nonprofit learning centers meeting specific criteria, including connecting to school curriculum, developing skills like leadership and critical thinking, and ensuring equitable access for underserved students (including those with disabilities). Grants would support immersive, nature-based learning that integrates academic standards and addresses barriers to outdoor access based on race, income, or zip code. Funding would come from state general funds for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

Maddy summarySF 413 amends Minnesota law to allow students attending nonpublic schools (excluding home schools) who reside in a district to fully participate in public school extracurricular activities on the same terms as public school students. The bill specifically updates Minnesota Statutes section 123B.49, subdivision 4, to require school boards to permit these students to join activities like sports, clubs, or arts programs without discrimination. Key provisions clarify that extracurricular activities must not be credit-bearing, typically occur outside school hours, and be student-directed under adult guidance. This policy change directly affects nonpublic school students and public school districts in Minnesota, ensuring equal access to existing activities without altering funding mechanisms or creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies how school boards in consolidated districts can renew expiring voter-approved funding without requiring a new public vote. It allows school boards to approve renewal resolutions (with public testimony and a recorded vote) if the renewal amount per student matches the expiring rate (adjusted for inflation if applicable) and the term does not exceed 10 years. The changes apply specifically to districts formed by consolidation under Minnesota law, ensuring consistent handling of referendum renewals after district mergers. The bill amends statutes to streamline this process while maintaining transparency requirements.

Maddy summarySF 412 amends Minnesota law to require public school districts to allow charter school students (and home-schooled students meeting specific criteria) to fully participate in extracurricular activities - such as sports, clubs, and arts - on the same terms as public school students. The bill directly affects resident students attending charter schools across Minnesota, ensuring they have equal access to activities defined as non-credit, student-led, and managed outside regular school hours. Key provisions mandate that districts treat charter school students identically for eligibility, cost coverage (using dedicated school funds), and administrative oversight, while clarifying that these activities must not be credit-bearing or graduation-required. This change updates Minnesota Statutes section 123B.49 to eliminate barriers preventing charter school students from joining school-run programs.

Maddy summarySF 417 establishes a property tax credit for eligible senior homeowners in Minnesota. It directly affects residents aged 65+ who own and occupy their primary residence as a homestead, have household income under $96,000, and have owned the property for at least five years. The credit amount equals the difference between current property taxes and taxes from 2020 (for pre-2020 owners) or the prior year (for newer owners), capped at $500 annually. Applications are submitted yearly by March 1 to county assessors, with reimbursements paid to local governments in two installments, effective for taxes payable in 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5.2 million from state bonds to fund clean infrastructure projects in Hill City, directly benefiting its residents. It authorizes the state to sell bonds and provide grants for designing, constructing, and equipping a new water treatment facility, cleaning contaminated soil from specific sites, rehabilitating a lift station, and building a new entrance for wastewater ponds. The funds will cover both new construction and remediation work tied to existing city projects. The bill creates a direct financial mechanism for Hill City to upgrade critical water and wastewater infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a refundable sales and use tax exemption for construction materials used on Itasca County's government center projects. It applies to materials purchased between May 1, 2021, and December 31, 2024, for construction, renovation, or remodeling of the county's government facility. Taxpayers pay the tax upfront but receive a refund through the standard process for such projects, with claims due by January 1, 2026. The exemption is retroactive to May 2021 and funded from the state general fund.

Maddy summarySF 428 reduces fishing license fees for Minnesotans aged 65 and older, lowering the cost from $25 to $15 annually. This change directly affects seniors who purchase annual fishing licenses for angling. The bill requires the state to transfer funds from the general fund to the game and fish fund each year to cover the lost revenue, calculated by multiplying the number of senior licenses sold by the $10 fee difference. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not change current fees for other age groups.