Rep. Kaohly Her

Maddy summaryHF 1270 updates Minnesota's licensing rules for acupuncture and herbal medicine practitioners. The bill adds specific definitions clarifying that acupuncture includes techniques like dry needling and herbal medicine involves using herbs as part of a patient's treatment plan. It also sets new standards for continuing education, requiring courses to directly relate to acupuncture practice, have qualified instructors, last at least one hour, and maintain attendance records for four years - while excluding practice management courses. Additionally, the bill establishes an advisory council for the licensing board with defined membership criteria, including licensed practitioners and public members.

Maddy summaryHF 2021 prohibits landlords in Minnesota from discriminating against tenants or prospective tenants who use government rental assistance, housing choice vouchers, or other public aid to pay rent. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 363A.09 to ban landlords from denying viewings, applications, or rentals based on a tenant's income source, or from advertising they won't rent to voucher users. It directly affects landlords and tenants utilizing federal, state, or local housing assistance programs. The law creates clear, enforceable standards to prevent unfair treatment in housing applications and rentals.

Maddy summaryHF 309 amends Minnesota Statutes §84.523 to tighten mining restrictions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and Rainy River headwaters. The bill requires the commissioner of natural resources to determine that proposed mining (for taconite, sand, gravel, or granite) in the Rainy River headwaters would not harm the BWCA before any permits are issued. This modifies existing law by adding this specific assessment step, directly affecting mining operations seeking approval in these areas. The change maintains the general prohibition on mining without legislative approval but adds a new administrative requirement for the commissioner to evaluate environmental impacts. The bill focuses on protecting the BWCA's wilderness character through stricter permitting conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota state agencies to pay certain interns at least $15 per hour. It applies specifically to interns who qualify for federal Pell Grants based on financial need and are enrolled full-time (nine semester credits or equivalent) in school. The law excludes interns already eligible for unpaid positions under federal labor rules. It defines "state intern" broadly to include those working in executive, legislative, or judicial branch roles. The policy directly affects student interns in state government positions meeting these financial and enrollment criteria.

Maddy summaryHF 2149, the Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act, prohibits large grocery suppliers from offering different terms of sale (like price, discounts, or payment terms) to retailers purchasing the same volume of covered goods. It applies specifically to suppliers with over $6 billion in annual sales to retailers and dominant retailers with over $18 billion in annual sales across 20+ states. The law targets grocery items (excluding gasoline, prescription drugs, tobacco, and alcohol) and requires suppliers to offer identical per-unit terms to all comparable retailers. Violations could result in civil penalties, aiming to ensure fair pricing practices in Minnesota's grocery market.

Maddy summaryHF 3117 imposes a tiered excise tax on social media businesses that collect consumer data from Minnesota residents. It directly affects for-profit social media platforms with over 100,000 Minnesota users monthly, requiring them to pay tax based on user volume: no tax for under 100,000 users, $0.10 per user for 100,001-500,000 users, and escalating rates for larger user bases. The tax is calculated using Minnesota residents' data, defined as individuals with a Minnesota address, mailing address, or IP location tied to Minnesota. Businesses must report and pay the tax quarterly to Minnesota’s revenue commissioner, with revenues deposited into the state general fund.

Maddy summaryHF 970 requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of farm equipment to provide independent repair shops with necessary tools, parts, and documentation on fair and reasonable terms. It directly affects Minnesota farmers and independent repair providers by ensuring they can access repair resources without being forced to use manufacturer-approved services or pay excessive fees. Key provisions include prohibiting OEMs from imposing unreasonable restrictions (like requiring repair shops to become authorized dealers) or charging more for parts/tools than they offer to their own authorized providers. The bill amends Minnesota law to define terms like "authorized repair provider" and "fair and reasonable terms" to clarify these requirements. This applies specifically to digital electronic farm equipment, aiming to increase repair options and reduce costs for farmers.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's HF 1269 requires health insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved medical services and prescription medications for treating dementia, including diagnostic tests to assess treatment effectiveness. It also prohibits health plans from using "step therapy" (requiring patients to try cheaper drugs first) for dementia treatments. The bill modifies prior authorization rules for certain medications, ensuring automatic 60-day coverage for brand-name mental health drugs when generics become available, and streamlines approval for oral liquid drugs used with feeding tubes. These changes apply to health plans offered in Minnesota starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 1795 appropriates state funds for Minnesota's farm-to-school and early childhood care programs, directly supporting schools and child care providers serving children. The bill allocates specific funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to purchase Minnesota-grown fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, grain, and dairy for these settings, including reimbursements for equipment and food purchases. It also sets aside $150,000 annually for a statewide coordinator to assist farmers and institutions, and allows limited state funding (up to 7.5% of federal funds) to support federal program administration. Eligible entities must participate in federal nutrition programs like the National School Lunch Program.

Maddy summaryHF 2912 appropriates $2.57 million from Minnesota's renewable development account to fund a geothermal energy system at Macalester College in St. Paul. The funds will support constructing an aquifer-based system that provides heating and cooling for a new campus residence hall and welcome center, with design for future expansion to serve most campus buildings north of Grand Avenue. This bill directly affects Macalester College by providing capital for its infrastructure project, specifically targeting energy efficiency through geothermal technology. The appropriation is available until fully spent.