Rep. Mike Howard

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota housing laws to clarify how landlords can bill tenants for utilities and rent payments. It allows landlords to issue estimated final utility bills to tenants who are moving out before receiving the actual bill from the utility provider, based on the previous billing period prorated by the days the tenant occupied the unit. Additionally, the bill requires landlords to provide written receipts for cash rent payments and establishes protections for tenants using digital payment platforms that fail, prohibiting landlords from charging late fees or filing evictions when payment delays are caused by platform outages. These changes aim to create clearer procedures for utility billing at move-out and ensure fair treatment of tenants using digital payment systems.

Maddy summarySF 1714 requires Minnesota public contracting agencies to provide detailed, timely payment notifications to all contractors and subcontractors on public improvement projects. Agencies must send written notices within three business days of any payment (including progress, retainage, or final payments), including the payment amount, date, recipient details, scope of work, and reasons for any withholding. These notifications must be provided to every tier of contractors and subcontractors at no cost, ensuring transparency about how and when payments are made. The bill directly affects state/local government agencies managing public contracts and the contractors/subcontractors working on those projects. It aims to improve payment clarity without changing payment amounts or timelines.

Maddy summaryHF 1141 authorizes Minnesota's housing agency to issue up to $400 million in housing infrastructure bonds for projects like affordable housing developments or neighborhood improvements. It establishes annual funding transfers from the state general fund to a dedicated housing bond account, with specific amounts varying by year: $6.4 million starting in 2015, $800,000 in 2017, $2.8 million in 2019, and other amounts through 2047. These transfers are triggered when bonds remain outstanding and are funded from the general budget. The bill directly affects the state housing agency, which manages the bond program, and ensures predictable annual funding for housing infrastructure projects over multiple decades.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a price ceiling for specific prescription drugs in Minnesota that are subject to federal Medicare drug price negotiations. It requires drug manufacturers to stop accepting payments higher than the federal "maximum fair price" for these medications, while also ensuring pharmacies receive at least that amount or the national average cost, whichever is higher. To enforce these rules, the law prohibits manufacturers from removing drugs from the market to evade price limits unless they provide advance notice, and it mandates that health plans and pharmacy benefit managers share detailed financial data with the state's Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The provisions will take effect on January 1, 2027, impacting drug manufacturers, health insurance plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and pharmacies operating in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill introduces new regulations in Minnesota to restrict the ownership and sale of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, while also banning the sale of binary trigger systems. It expands criminal penalties for possessing dangerous weapons in schools and for negligently storing firearms, and it specifically criminalizes the manufacture and sale of untraceable "ghost guns." Additionally, the legislation strengthens the state's extreme risk protection order system, requires law enforcement to report firearm discharges more comprehensively, and allocates funding to support public awareness campaigns and mental health services.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10 million in state bond proceeds to fund the expansion and renovation of St. David's Center at 1130 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. The funds will support early childhood education, children's mental health services, pediatric therapy, and family support programs aimed at improving educational and health outcomes for children and families in Hennepin County. The state will issue bonds up to $10 million to cover these costs, with the project required to use the funds for specific services outlined in the bill. The appropriation is available until the facility project is completed.

Maddy summarySF 1750 modifies Minnesota laws governing common interest communities (like homeowners associations). It bans property managers from having financial ties to contractors without written disclosure, prohibits accepting kickbacks from contractors, and stops them from earning fees based on collected fines. The bill also limits automatic contract renewals (requiring 30 days' notice for nonrenewal) and mandates 60 days' notice for termination. These changes directly affect homeowners associations and their property management companies operating under Minnesota Statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota's Department of Transportation to study and implement suicide prevention barriers (like nets or physical structures) for new bridge construction and major reconstructions. It mandates a study by January 2026 to identify high-risk bridges, evaluate barrier options, assess costs, and develop implementation criteria, with input from health, safety, and nonprofit organizations. The department must begin requiring these barriers in bridge projects starting January 2026, report annually on progress, and has $750,000 allocated for study and planning in fiscal year 2026. The policy directly affects all major bridge projects managed by the state transportation department.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Minnesota Business Recovery Loan Program to provide financial assistance to businesses that have suffered revenue losses exceeding 30% due to staffing shortages or disruptions caused by increased immigration enforcement activities. The program allocates $100 million in one-time funding, with $18 million designated for zero-interest loans to businesses in greater Minnesota and $82 million for zero-interest loans to businesses in the seven-county metropolitan area through nonprofit lenders. To qualify, businesses must be Minnesota-based, in good standing, and demonstrate that their revenue decline stems from immigration-related events between the bill's enactment and December 1, 2025. Loan amounts vary by business size and location, ranging from $25,000 to $200,000, and funds must be used exclusively for business operations within Minnesota rather than debt repayment or real estate investment.

Maddy summaryHF 2904 requires certain Minnesota school employers - including school districts, charter schools, and vocational education centers - to join the state's public employees insurance program. It establishes an "educator group insurance program" specifically for school employees, mandating coverage tiers that match existing school employee pool options and including high-deductible plans. The bill creates a labor management committee with 12 members (including seven from Education Minnesota and representatives from unions and school administrators) to study program issues like cost efficiency. It also requires mutual agreement between the commissioner and the committee before changing cost-sharing plans. This bill directly affects school employees and their employers by integrating them into the state's insurance framework with specific administrative structures.