Sen. Tou Xiong

Maddy summarySF 3210 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by public or private entities receiving state funding in Minnesota. The bill requires these organizations to provide reasonable accommodations and ensures people with disabilities cannot be excluded from services or denied benefits due to their disability. It specifically bans the denial of access to service animals in public places like restaurants and hotels, and prohibits charging extra fees for service animals. This law directly affects state-funded organizations and individuals with disabilities across Minnesota.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies deadlines for professional development training related to Minnesota's Read Act. It requires school districts to provide evidence-based training to specific educators by July 1, 2026 (including K-3 classroom teachers and reading intervention staff) and by July 1, 2027 (for grades 4-12 reading teachers). The bill also allows districts to reduce elementary students' instructional hours by 5.5 hours during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years if teachers receive required training on days when other students are learning. This change applies to all public and charter schools meeting the training agreement requirements.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1943 prohibits pet shops (physical retail stores selling animals to the public) from selling or transferring ownership of cats and dogs, effective August 1, 2026. The bill allows pet shops to provide space for nonprofit animal shelters, humane societies, or 501(c)(3) rescue groups to offer animals for adoption, but pet shops cannot own the animals or charge fees for this space. It does not affect breeders, direct sales from breeders, or nonprofit adoption organizations themselves. The law aims to shift pet sales toward adoption-focused organizations while maintaining transparency requirements for pet dealers.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies eligibility requirements for state grants to noncommercial radio stations in Minnesota and provides a one-time appropriation of $165,000 for fiscal year 2027. The legislation updates the minimum staffing requirement from two full-time employees to 1.5 full-time or equivalent part-time professional staff members and adjusts daily broadcasting hour requirements based on the station's year of eligibility. It also clarifies that stations with Class L1 and LP100 licenses are ineligible, while requiring stations to have community representation on their boards and maintain primarily educational, informational, or cultural programming. The appropriated funds will support the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations in helping member stations consolidate resources and expenses through software, training, and assistance.

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 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 summaryThis bill allows housing and redevelopment agencies in Minnesota to invest their funds in specific types of long-term equity investments, including index mutual funds and shares of companies focused on local multifamily housing development. The legislation modifies existing state investment rules to expand the range of approved investment options while requiring agencies to adopt formal resolutions acknowledging the risks involved before making any investments. Local government bodies must also certify that funds designated for investment meet all state requirements and established policies. The changes take effect immediately upon final enactment of the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes May 14 to May 20 each year as Hmong Heritage Week in Minnesota to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Hmong people to the state. The legislation encourages residents, schools, community organizations, and local governments to hold events and educational activities that recognize Hmong heritage and acknowledge the community's service during the Secret War in Laos and their journey as refugees. The governor is also encouraged to issue a proclamation supporting the observance, though the bill does not mandate specific actions from any government entity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Minnesota state agencies to include a one-page summary on the first page of every request for proposals starting October 1, 2026. The summary page must provide vendors with essential information such as project scope, budget range, eligible applicants, payment details, and evaluation criteria in plain language. A standardized template will be developed for all agencies to use, ensuring consistency across state procurement processes. This change aims to help potential vendors quickly assess whether they can meet the requirements before investing time in preparing full proposals.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new 100% tax on money obtained through fraud by individuals or organizations, regardless of any existing court penalties or restitution payments. It defines fraud broadly as the intentional use of deceit to secure state funds and allows the state revenue commissioner to levy the tax based on court convictions or their own independent determinations. The commissioner is tasked with investigating suspected fraud in cooperation with law enforcement and collecting the tax, which must be deposited into a special fund to provide income and property tax relief to Minnesota residents. The law applies retroactively to fraudulent acts discovered after December 31, 2019, and includes provisions for appealing the tax assessment.