Sen. Rob Kupec

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $300,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $300,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund to the Rural Cancer Institute. The funding supports a one-time pilot program aimed at expanding the oncology clinical workforce in rural Minnesota districts by addressing a shortage of cancer care clinicians. The program will train health care students using a community-based model to develop skills for providing cancer care in rural settings. It directly affects rural communities and health care providers by targeting workforce development specific to oncology care access.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate Bill 3130 reduces tax rates and expands income brackets for gambling organizations under the state's combined net receipts tax. It directly affects businesses operating lawful gambling activities like bingo, raffles, and paddlewheels by lowering their tax burden across all income levels - such as reducing the top rate from 25% to 18% for income between $122,500 and $200,000. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 297E.02 to implement these changes, effective July 1, 2025. It also exempts sports-themed tipboard gambling from taxation, as defined under existing law.

Maddy summarySF 2778 modifies policies for Minnesota's Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). It exempts the commissioner from standard contract term limits for electronic benefits transfer systems (allowing up to 10 years total), updates data privacy rules for the Great Start Compensation Program (limiting public access to certain family data), and requires social services agencies to actively identify and engage noncustodial parents and relatives before placing African American or disproportionately represented children in foster care. The bill mandates agencies to assess noncustodial parents' ability to care for the child and assist in resolving barriers to family reunification, with court orders directing placement with parents when feasible. These changes directly affect foster care placement decisions, child welfare agencies, and child care providers participating in DCYF programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special license plate for vehicles supporting Minnesota's Solar Pollinator Program. Vehicle owners who pay a $60 annual fee to a pollinator habitat fund (instead of a standard plate fee) can obtain these plates, which must display a design developed with environmental groups. It also establishes that solar sites integrated with farming activities - like growing crops, grazing livestock, or creating pollinator habitats - are eligible for "solar site management practices" under existing law. The program applies to passenger vehicles, trucks, and motorcycles registered in Minnesota, with plates effective January 2026. The bill directly affects solar developers seeking agrivoltaic eligibility and vehicle owners participating in pollinator habitat funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota hospitals to maintain registered nurse staffing levels that meet nationally recognized, evidence-based standards. It mandates hospitals to create and publicly share staffing plans specifying patient-to-nurse ratios for each unit, with flexibility to adjust for patient safety needs. The bill also prohibits hospitals from retaliating against nurses who raise staffing concerns and imposes civil penalties for non-compliance. These requirements apply to all licensed hospitals in Minnesota and aim to ensure adequate staffing for patient safety.

Maddy summarySF 3161 modifies how Minnesota allocates funds collected from railroad and pipeline companies. It reduces the annual assessment from $4 million to $3,418,000 and specifies that $560,000 must fund environmental preparedness activities, $1.5 million must support grade crossing safety, and the remainder must cover emergency preparedness. The bill also requires an annual report on fund usage and mandates that any account balance exceeding $2 million be transferred to grade crossing safety. This directly affects railroad and pipeline companies operating in Minnesota that pay these assessments.

Maddy summarySF 3131 directs Minnesota's Commissioner of Human Services to establish a prescription drug purchasing program for medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees (approximately 600,000 Minnesotans). The program requires the commissioner to negotiate lower drug prices with manufacturers, create a preferred drug list, and manage prescription benefit services to reduce costs for participants. Key provisions include mandatory price negotiations, enrollment of participating pharmacies, and a requirement to seek federal approval before implementation. The program must be fully operational by January 1, 2027, and the commissioner must submit expansion recommendations for additional health plan coverage by December 2027.

Maddy summarySF 2931 establishes a grant program to cover tuition and fees for students pursuing law enforcement careers in Minnesota. It directly affects current Minnesota peace officers employed by local or state law enforcement agencies, or the dependent children of such officers (including those who suffered a total and permanent duty disability), who enroll in undergraduate criminal justice or law enforcement programs at Minnesota public colleges or universities. The grant covers 100% of tuition and fees after other financial aid is deducted, paid directly to the educational institution, and requires students to meet standard eligibility criteria like completing the FAFSA and maintaining academic progress. The program aims to support recruitment and retention by reducing education costs for future officers and their families.

Maddy summarySF 2819 establishes Minnesota's first state-defined standards for "green burials," requiring bodies to be unembalmed or use only nontoxic embalming, placed in biodegradable containers without burial vaults, and handled with universal precautions. It mandates refrigeration or dry ice storage for unembalmed bodies (max 6 days refrigerated, 4 days dry ice) and sets strict location rules for green burial plots, including 50-foot setbacks from property lines and water sources. The bill also increases the percentage of cemetery lot sale proceeds (from 20% to 25%) and mausoleum burial space proceeds (10%) dedicated to permanent care funds. These requirements apply to all cemeteries, funeral facilities, and public cemeteries offering green burial options.

Maddy summarySF 756 amends Minnesota Statute 346.021 to require finders of lost animals (estrays) to give notice to the owner within seven days if the owner is known, or to file a public notice within ten days if the owner is unknown. It directly affects individuals who find lost animals by imposing a legal obligation to provide this notice. The key provision creates civil liability for finders who fail to comply, making them liable for double the damages the owner suffers due to the lack of notice. This change aims to streamline the process for owners to reclaim lost animals while clarifying consequences for non-compliance.