Rep. Ethan Cha

Maddy summaryHF 3182 appropriates $125,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $125,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network. The funding supports the organization's work amplifying community voices through arts education in cinematography, storytelling, documentary filmmaking, and related programming. It directly affects the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network, a community-based arts and media organization in Saint Paul. The bill provides specific, annual funding for these programs without altering broader policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's definition of a "debt buyer" to clarify that businesses purchasing charged-off medical debts for collection purposes are considered debt buyers, while excluding nonprofits buying for charitable reasons. It appropriates $5 million from the general fund for a one-time grant to the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to relieve medical debt for eligible residents who couldn't pay after hospitals completed reasonable collection efforts. The grant must be used by June 30, 2028, and Undue Medical Debt must report recipient demographics to state agencies. The bill directly affects low-income Minnesotans with unpaid medical bills and hospitals that previously pursued collections.

Maddy summaryHF 2716 allows licensed cannabis retailers in Minnesota to display and offer one sample per product type (e.g., flower, edibles) at cannabis events, such as festivals or sales demonstrations. Samples must be stored securely, labeled, and limited to 8 grams of flower/concentrate or 100mg THC for edibles - no free giveaways are permitted. The bill applies specifically to authorized retailers (including microbusinesses and combination businesses) during event sales, requiring age verification (21+) and adherence to existing packaging, testing, and security rules. Retailers must record all samples in the statewide monitoring system, and samples cannot be sold or distributed outside the designated event area.

Maddy summaryHF 2701 requires Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management to review all verified social equity applicants before considering general licensing applicants for cannabis licenses. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 342.14, subdivision 4, to mandate this sequential review process in every licensing period. It directly affects cannabis license applicants who qualify as "verified social equity applicants" under state law, ensuring their applications are prioritized before general applicants are processed. The change modifies the application review order but does not alter lottery procedures or eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHF 3092 appropriates $300,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for the city of St. Paul to design and construct a mural and statue honoring Tou Ger Xiong at Lake Phalen's Tou Ger Xiong Island. The bill directly affects St. Paul by providing funding for this specific public artwork. It establishes a concrete funding mechanism through the arts and cultural heritage fund for the project. The legislation focuses on commemorating Tou Ger Xiong through public art, with no additional policy provisions beyond the funding allocation.

Maddy summaryHF 3074 creates legal rights for transportation network company (TNC) drivers in Minnesota to form and join labor organizations for collective bargaining. It directly affects "active drivers" who completed at least the median number of rides in the most recent two quarters, as defined by the bill. The law establishes a certification process where drivers can designate an exclusive representative (like a union) through the Bureau of Mediation Services, while prohibiting TNCs from controlling or dominating driver representation groups ("company unions"). Drivers gain the right to negotiate terms and conditions of work, including grievance procedures, with TNCs, and the bill defines "lockout" to prevent TNCs from restricting driver access to the platform during disputes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $100,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to support a statewide Minnesota Youth Poet Laureate program. It directly affects young writers aged 13-19 through a competitive selection process modeled after the National Youth Poet Laureate program. The funds will be administered by the Minnesota Humanities Center via a grant to a nonprofit organization to operate the program, including awarding the Youth Poet Laureate and promoting the work of young writers across Minnesota. The program aims to celebrate youth literary talent and provide statewide opportunities for recognition.

Maddy summaryHF 1318 requires all individuals purchasing a firearm in Minnesota to present proof of recent firearm safety training before completing the sale. This training must cover safe handling, storage, legal aspects of possession, and include a shooting qualification, demonstrated through certified courses or recent peace officer employment. Sellers must document the transaction with copies of identification, training proof, and firearm details, retaining these records for ten years and providing them to law enforcement upon request. The law applies to all firearm sales except those involving dealers, law enforcement, estate transfers, antique firearms, or collector-to-collector sales of curios/relics. Violating these requirements constitutes a misdemeanor.

Maddy summaryHF 363 establishes a $5 per acre property tax credit for agricultural land certified under Minnesota's agricultural water quality program in specific counties (Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona). This credit directly affects farmers who have land certified by the Department of Agriculture under the water quality program in those counties. The credit reduces property taxes payable to local governments, with the state reimbursing counties and school districts through annual appropriations from the general fund. Payments for the credit will begin for property taxes due in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1.8 million from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to support the Taste of Minnesota event. The funds will be provided to the Minneapolis Downtown Council to cover specific operational costs, including infrastructure setup, permits, waste management, staffing, security, equipment rentals, signage, and insurance. It directly affects the Minneapolis Downtown Council as the recipient of the grant and the Taste of Minnesota event as the beneficiary. The bill makes no policy changes beyond allocating existing state funds for this specific annual festival.