Sen. Jeff Howe

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 3637) clarifies that optometrists, like physicians, may issue prescriptions authorizing medical window tinting for vehicles. It amends Minnesota law to allow prescriptions specifying medical needs (e.g., light sensitivity), including required details like the minimum light transmittance percentage, temporary/permanent status, and a two-year expiration. This directly affects drivers who require medically necessary window tinting for health conditions. The change ensures optometrists can legally support such prescriptions, aligning with existing medical exemption rules for vehicle windows.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's excavation notice system to require utility operators to send electronic positive responses confirming the status of underground facility locates. It directly affects utility companies, excavators, and land surveyors by mandating digital notifications through the state notification center. The law requires operators to provide electronic confirmations for both excavation and boundary survey notices, update contact information quarterly, and maintain records of abandoned facilities. Key provisions also include updated marking requirements and a timeline for using geospatial technology to create as-built drawings of underground facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands survivor benefits for public safety officers in Minnesota by including deaths caused by exposure-related cancers as "killed in the line of duty." It directly affects families of public safety officers who develop specific cancers linked to carcinogens encountered during their work. The legislation defines exposure-related cancer to include 21 types such as lung, bladder, and leukemia cancers, and establishes criteria requiring exposure to occur while on duty, a minimum five-year service period before diagnosis, and a maximum 15-year window between last active service and cancer diagnosis. The bill also creates a legal presumption that these cancers directly resulted from occupational exposure unless medical evidence proves otherwise, and sets up a review process to update the list of covered cancers every three years.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's requirements for the State Patrol compensation study, changing how often the legislative auditor must conduct salary and benefits surveys. The key change extends the survey cycle from every four years to every odd-numbered year, ensuring more frequent reviews of compensation data. The bill also clarifies which law enforcement agencies must be included in the survey and specifies how the data should be reported and used for potential salary adjustments. Additionally, it updates the definition of "patrol troopers" to include lieutenants and removes the 2030 expiration date for the study requirements. These changes directly affect the State Patrol and the legislative committees overseeing its budget.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Minnesota laws requiring greenhouse gas emissions impact assessments for transportation projects and modifies funding rules for state transportation planning. It removes specific statutes that mandated environmental impact evaluations for transportation initiatives and cancels $3 million in funding previously allocated for travel demand modeling related to those assessments. The legislation also updates how metropolitan counties must allocate transportation funds, adjusting percentages for active transportation, preservation work, and transit services while eliminating references to greenhouse gas offset requirements. These changes affect the Minnesota Department of Transportation and local metropolitan counties by altering their planning obligations and funding distribution priorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 1122) increases annual cost-of-living adjustments for retired public employees in Minnesota. It modifies the Public Employees Police and Fire Retirement Plan and State Patrol Retirement Plan to provide higher postretirement adjustments: for the police/fire plan, adjustments will now be 50% of the federal Social Security COLA (capped at 1.5%) instead of a flat 1%, and for the State Patrol plan, the base adjustment rises from 1% to 1.5% annually. The bill also shortens the waiting period before full adjustments apply - from 36 months to 12 months for most retirees. These changes affect retired police officers, firefighters, and State Patrol members receiving benefits under these specific plans, effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands health insurance coverage for Minnesota peace officers and firefighters who are disabled in the line of duty, even in cases where they do not qualify for traditional duty disability benefits. It requires employers to continue paying the employer portion of health insurance premiums for eligible officers and firefighters and their dependents until the individual reaches age 65 or passes away. The legislation also clarifies eligibility criteria, including provisions for members of local police or firefighter relief associations, and establishes a formal process for requesting coverage and appealing denial decisions through administrative hearings.

Maddy summaryHF 3532 expands eligibility for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries to include honorably discharged National Guard members and other reserve component veterans, along with their spouses and dependent children. It modifies existing rules to explicitly cover these new groups while maintaining fee-free burial for active-duty service members and veterans as defined by federal law. The bill also establishes a fee schedule for the new eligibility group and requires the Veterans Affairs commissioner to create a policy for waiving fees for indigent applicants. These changes directly affect National Guard/reserve veterans and their families seeking burial in state cemeteries.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota laws to streamline how utility companies move their facilities when state transportation projects require it. It directly affects utility owners, the Department of Transportation, and contractors involved in highway construction. The legislation establishes specific timelines for reviewing relocation permits, requiring agencies to act within set deadlines or automatically approve the request. It also introduces a process where the state can pay utility relocation costs directly to contractors, removing the need for utilities to pay first and seek reimbursement later. Additionally, the bill mandates advance notice periods for moving high-voltage transmission lines and requires coordination meetings when multiple state projects overlap.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally congratulates fifth-grader Kenley Kierstead-Hahn of Paynesville, Minnesota, for her outstanding achievements in the sport of wrestling. The document highlights her specific accomplishments, including winning four consecutive state tournaments and becoming the first wrestler from her town to earn the USA Wrestling Triple Crown by winning titles in three different styles. The resolution serves as an official commendation of her athletic success and dedication rather than creating new laws or policies. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare an official copy of the resolution and send it directly to Kenley as a gesture of recognition.