Rep. Brienne Brown

Maddy summaryAB 976 clarifies how tax credits for low-income housing projects are claimed by business entities. It modifies rules so partnerships, limited liability companies, and tax-option corporations cannot claim the credit directly; instead, their members or shareholders (including insurers who are part of such entities) may claim it based on the entity's eligible costs. The bill requires entities to calculate and distribute credit amounts to members/shareholders, with specific allocation rules for ownership interests or written agreements. It directly affects housing developers, investors, and insurers involved in low-income housing projects financed through tax-exempt bonds in the state. The changes standardize credit allocation across multiple tax code sections without altering eligibility or credit amounts.

Maddy summaryAB 960 requires most social media platforms operating in the state to display a clear, prominent mental health warning each time a user in the state accesses the platform. The warning must inform users about potential negative mental health effects and provide access to crisis resources like the 988 suicide hotline. It applies to platforms defined as user-generated content services (excluding search engines, email, business communication tools, and streaming services), and prohibits hiding warnings in terms of service or allowing users to disable them without specific conditions. Violations may result in fines up to $5,000 per incident, enforced by state departments.

Maddy summaryAB 705 modifies alcohol licensing laws to explicitly include "painting art studios" as eligible for retail alcohol licenses. The bill defines a painting art studio as an establishment primarily offering painting instruction where customers can also purchase food and beverages to consume while painting. It adds these studios to lists of businesses permitted to serve alcohol under existing license categories, such as in hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. This change directly affects art studios that teach painting and serve food or drinks on-site, allowing them to legally sell alcohol during their regular hours. The bill does not alter alcohol sales hours or create new licensing requirements for these businesses.

Maddy summaryAB 736 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide free, nontoxic menstrual products to all inmates with active menstrual cycles. It mandates facilities to offer at least three verified brands each of tampons (with plastic applicator), pads, and reusable menstrual cups from a published list of nontoxic products. The bill defines "nontoxic" as free from harmful chemicals and requires facilities to sanitize reusable cups as needed. This directly affects incarcerated people who menstruate, ensuring access to essential hygiene products without cost. The law applies to all state prisons, county jails, and houses of correction in the state.

Maddy summaryAJR 120 is a resolution celebrating the U.S. Postal Service's 250th anniversary and opposing efforts to privatize, dismantle, or weaken it. It highlights the Postal Service's role in delivering essential services - such as prescriptions, ballots, and mail - to all communities, including rural, remote, and Indigenous areas that private companies often bypass. The resolution urges continued public funding and protection of the Postal Service as a vital national institution that serves all Americans regardless of geography or income. (This is a procedural resolution, not a law, so it does not create new policies or directly affect specific groups.)

Maddy summaryAB 723 establishes minimum bathing requirements for inmates in state correctional facilities and county jails. It mandates that state facilities provide at least four 15-minute bathing periods weekly, including 10 minutes of heated running water, while county jails must meet the same standard. The bill directly affects all inmates in these facilities by setting concrete, measurable hygiene standards. It requires the state department of corrections and county sheriffs to implement these provisions, with no additional exemptions or cost details specified in the current text.

Maddy summaryAB 742 regulates lease-purchase agreements for personal property (like furniture or appliances used at home), directly affecting consumers who rent items with an option to buy. It requires written agreements with clear disclosures, including total payments needed to own the goods, the cash-sale price, payment frequency, and terms for early purchase. The law mandates that lessors provide these details in plain language (at least 8-point type) and in the same language as any advertising. Violations allow consumers to sue for damages, but the law exempts business leases, vehicles, mobile homes, and real estate-related rentals.

Maddy summaryAB 741 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide inmates with access to essential personal hygiene products at capped prices based on a leading retail chain's sales. It mandates commissaries to sell 18 standard items (like soap, toothpaste, and razors) at no more than 125% of retail price, plus culturally specific items (e.g., hair products for diverse hair types and cocoa-butter lotion) at no more than 100% of retail price. The bill also provides a $25 monthly stipend for state inmates immediately and for county jail inmates after 91 days of confinement to purchase these products. This legislation, funded by a $6.45 million annual appropriation, directly affects all inmates in state prisons and county detention facilities.

Maddy summaryAB 745 creates a new eligibility category for state reimbursement of military funeral honors costs, specifically for individuals who were naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 and were residing in the state at the time of death. It requires the state department to reimburse certified veteran organizations for providing military funeral honors, with a maximum payment of $85 per funeral (adjusted annually for inflation based on the U.S. consumer price index). The bill directly affects families of qualifying Hmong veterans who served in the U.S. military and were naturalized under the 2000 federal law. This establishes a clear reimbursement mechanism for organizations providing these honors, replacing the previous $50 limit with an inflation-adjusted $85 cap.

Maddy summaryAB 784 creates a Multifamily Housing Innovation Council within the Department of Safety and Professional Services to develop safety guidelines for apartment buildings. The bill allows local governments to permit multifamily buildings up to six stories to use a single stairway for egress, provided they follow a safety guidebook developed by the council. The council must create this guidebook (ensuring compliance with National Fire Protection Association standards) and a model ordinance to help communities allow apartment construction on commercial-zoned land. This directly affects local governments, developers, and fire safety standards for new residential construction.