Sen. Jen McEwen

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state program to ensure all pedestrian crossings in Minnesota meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards by December 31, 2035. It requires the Department of Transportation to create an inventory of every crossing, categorize them by compliance status, and maintain a public database tracking these updates. To fund the necessary repairs, the bill authorizes the use of state money and the sale of bonds to provide grants for local road authorities, prioritizing smaller communities and areas with lower-income residents. Local entities can use these funds to inspect crossings, hire contractors for repairs, or pay off debt related to the work. The legislation also mandates the creation of regional contracts to manage the construction of accessible crossings across the state.

Maddy summarySF 3946 clarifies Minnesota's law against assaulting transit workers by expanding the definition of "transit worker" to include all employees, contractors, and volunteers in public transportation (not just drivers or operators). It specifies that assaulting or intentionally transferring bodily fluids onto these workers while they're performing job duties becomes a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail or a $3,000 fine. The bill removes outdated references to "transit vehicle operation" and broadens protection to cover more transit staff types during work. The law would take effect on August 1, 2026, applying to incidents occurring after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires mining applicants to disclose if they or their key personnel (including ownership details and leadership) have had environmental violations or corruption charges in the last 15 years. It prohibits state agencies from issuing permits, conducting environmental reviews, or renewing approvals for applicants with such records. The disclosure must include specific details about past violations of environmental laws, bribery, or related settlements. It directly affects companies seeking permits for nonferrous sulfide ore mining, which poses significant environmental risks like acid mine drainage. The law blocks permits for entities with recent regulatory misconduct, focusing on transparency and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes rules for how employers in Minnesota can use automated decision systems like artificial intelligence to make employment-related decisions such as hiring, firing, and promotions. It directly affects employers, workers, and third-party vendors who use these technologies in workplace settings. The legislation defines key terms including what counts as an automated decision system and worker data, which covers personal, biometric, health, and performance information. Employers would need to follow specific procedures when using these systems, including providing notice to workers and allowing them to request human review of automated decisions that affect their employment status. The bill also sets requirements for how employers must handle and protect worker data collected through these systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates funding from the state's general fund to the Pollution Control Agency to conduct a study on critical materials found in Minnesota's waste stream. The study will focus on items listed on the federal 2023 Critical Materials List and must be completed by October 1, 2028, with results submitted to relevant legislative committees. Key findings will include estimates of how much critical material enters the state's economy, how much is currently recovered through recycling or extraction, and the total volume of these materials present in waste. The legislation directly affects the state's environmental agency and provides data to inform future policy decisions regarding resource recovery and waste management.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires large Minnesota employers with 50 or more employees to give at least 90 days advance notice when artificial intelligence or automation is expected to displace workers, and it mandates a 90-day transitional period where affected employees receive continued wages and access to employer-funded retraining programs. The law defines technological displacement as job losses or significant hour reductions caused by AI or automated systems and applies to cases where 25 or more employees are affected or 25 percent of the workforce is impacted. Employers who fail to comply face penalties including ineligibility for state grants and tax incentives for five years, potential civil fines of up to $10,000 per violation, and liability for up to 60 days of back pay and benefits to affected workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes definitions and regulations for how employers in Minnesota can use electronic monitoring tools and automated decision systems in the workplace. It directly affects employers, workers, and vendors by setting clear boundaries on what types of surveillance and data collection are permitted. The law defines key terms like electronic monitoring tools, which include video surveillance, time-tracking software, and biometric data collection, as well as automated decision systems that use algorithms to make employment-related decisions. Employers must ensure these tools are used fairly and only for essential job functions, with provisions for workers to have authorized representatives who can challenge decisions made by these systems. The bill aims to create transparency and accountability in how technology is used to monitor and evaluate employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts public utilities in Minnesota from including certain expenses in the rates charged to customers. It prohibits utilities from recovering costs related to executive compensation over $300,000 for their ten highest-paid officers, as well as expenses for advertising, lobbying, political contributions, charitable donations, travel, and other specified categories. Utilities must submit detailed annual reports to regulators listing these expenses by category, including dates, amounts, vendors, and business purposes. If a utility violates these rules, regulators can require refunds to customers plus interest and impose penalties equal to 200 percent of the improperly recovered amount. The bill does not limit compensation paid from sources other than ratepayers, such as investor funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $163,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to the commissioner of labor and industry. The money will fund one additional full-time employee to support activities under the Safe Workplaces for Meat and Poultry Processing Workers Act. This funding aims to strengthen enforcement and oversight of workplace safety standards specifically for meat and poultry processing facilities. The legislation directly impacts state labor administration resources and the regulatory oversight of food processing workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Greenhouse Gas Pollution Superfund in Minnesota that would charge fossil fuel companies for their historical emissions. The program targets entities that extracted or refined fossil fuels between 1995 and 2026 and are responsible for more than one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Money collected from these charges would be placed in a dedicated account to fund climate change adaptation projects for state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as disadvantaged communities. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioner would determine liability amounts and oversee collection and distribution of funds. The legislation defines covered emissions, fossil fuel businesses, and eligible projects, creating a mechanism to recover costs from major polluters for climate resilience efforts.