Sen. Bill Weber

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a state appropriation to provide $11.5 million in funding for the Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water System. The funds are designated for specific projects, including $4 million for water source and treatment improvements to reduce nitrate and other contaminants, $2.5 million for facility upgrades in Fortier Township, and $5 million for acquiring land and building new water storage and distribution infrastructure. A key provision extends the deadline for spending these funds to December 31, 2028, allowing the system more time to complete the planned construction and design work.

Maddy summarySF 1435 requires Minnesota's commissioner of commerce to study the potential costs, benefits, and impacts of advanced nuclear reactors in the state. The study must examine effects on greenhouse gas goals, electricity rates, grid reliability, environmental impacts, local jobs, economic development, and necessary changes to current state laws. The bill appropriates $150,000 from the general fund for this study, with a report due to legislative energy committees by January 31, 2026. This bill directly affects the commissioner's office and shapes future energy policy decisions, but does not authorize or fund nuclear projects itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota's certificate of need requirement for energy projects by adding new exemptions. It directly affects energy developers and utilities by removing approval requirements for specific projects, including energy storage systems, transmission lines connecting wind/solar facilities to the grid, and certain transmission line upgrades. Key provisions exempt projects like repowering wind/solar systems without increasing capacity, upgrading existing lines to 115 kilovolts using existing rights-of-way, and connecting renewable energy systems to transmission networks. The changes streamline approvals for smaller-scale renewable energy infrastructure and transmission modifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt local governments from paying sales tax on certain purchases, specifically motor vehicle leases and construction materials bought by contractors or subcontractors. The exemption applies to cities, counties, townships, special districts, and other local government entities starting after June 30, 2026. Currently, local governments must pay sales tax on these items when contractors purchase them on their behalf, but this legislation would remove that requirement. The change would only affect sales and purchases made after the specified effective date, with no impact on prior transactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the City of Elk River to impose a local sales tax of 0.5% to help fund a new fire station. The tax requires voter approval at a general election and would generate revenue specifically designated for financing construction costs up to $20 million, plus associated bond expenses. The legislation also increases the city's bonding authority from $35 million to $55 million to cover project costs and exempts the bond issuance from certain state debt limits and separate voter approval requirements. Once enacted, the city and its clerk must follow state procedures to implement these changes before the tax and bonding authority take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the legal definition of "prepared food" in Minnesota to clarify which food items are subject to sales tax. It directly affects food sellers and consumers by establishing specific criteria for what counts as prepared food, including items sold with utensils or heated by the seller. The new definition excludes certain categories like bakery items, unheated meat and seafood sold by weight, raw animal foods requiring consumer cooking, and food only sliced or repackaged by the seller. The changes will take effect for sales and purchases made after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Minnesota's State Building Code enforcement rules to clarify which municipalities must enforce the code and how they can do so. It requires municipalities that already adopted the State Building Code by January 1, 2008, to continue enforcing it, while allowing smaller towns outside metropolitan counties to opt out. The legislation also mandates that all new residential construction and remodeling projects be inspected by the state commissioner unless the local government has its own inspection program, the town has fewer than 2,500 residents, or the project qualifies as replacement or repair work. Additionally, the bill prevents municipalities from requiring building standards that differ from the State Building Code, though it allows cities to extend enforcement to nearby unincorporated areas with proper notice and public hearings.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes various technical and policy updates to Minnesota's individual income, corporate franchise, and property tax laws. It primarily affects nonresident partners in partnerships, nonresident shareholders in corporations, and beneficiaries of estates or trusts by allowing them to file composite tax returns when they have no other Minnesota source income. The legislation also removes outdated JOBZ provisions and modifies definitions of net income for trusts, estates, and corporations to align with federal tax rules. These changes are designed to simplify tax filing for certain nonresident taxpayers and update obsolete tax code sections.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $2 million in state funding for fiscal year 2027 to support Minnesota-bred Thoroughbred horses. The money will be managed by the Minnesota Racing Commission to supplement race purses and offer financial incentives like grants and loans to breeders and owners. These funds are intended to promote and encourage the breeding and racing of Thoroughbreds within Minnesota. The appropriation remains available until June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the City of Mountain Lake to extend the timeline for completing projects in its Tax Increment Financing District No. 1-8. It changes the requirement that development activities must occur within five years to instead allow a three-year period ending April 1, 2029. The legislation also extends the timeframe for using tax increment funds after the five-year period from the 11th year to the 14th year. These changes apply specifically to the city's economic development authority and its designated TIF district.