Sen. Melissa Wiklund

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 summaryThis bill strengthens protections for crime victims in Minnesota by requiring judges to confirm that victims have been informed about plea and sentencing hearings, and by expanding rules to keep minor victims anonymous in certain legal documents. It mandates that prosecutors notify victims about plea agreements and their right to object before plea hearings proceed, while also clarifying what information about victims must be included or excluded in petitions for sentence adjustments. The legislation further extends protections against employer retaliation for stalking victims and broadens the circumstances under which victims are notified when a defendant becomes eligible for automatic expungement of their criminal record. These changes affect prosecutors, judges, victims, and their employers by establishing clearer notification requirements and privacy safeguards throughout the criminal justice process.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a requirement for the Minnesota Health Care Programs Board to submit annual reports to state legislative committees about agreements made with other state agencies. The change directly affects the Board's administrative reporting obligations while keeping its duty to establish and maintain agreements with agencies like the Department of Human Services and the commissioners of commerce and health. Under the new provisions, the Board will continue to create interagency agreements for cost allocation, MNsure certification enforcement, and fund transfers, but will no longer need to provide detailed summaries of these agreements to legislators. The bill also preserves existing consultation requirements with commissioners of commerce and health, as well as with Indian tribes and organizations regarding MNsure operations.

Maddy summarySF 3871 requires judges to ask during plea hearings whether victims have been notified about the plea agreement and sentencing. It expands victim notification rights by informing victims about eligibility for automatic expungement of their offense and protecting minor victims' identities in court documents. The bill also adds protections against employer retaliation for stalking victims and strengthens confidentiality for victim information in prosecutors' petitions. These changes directly affect victims in criminal cases, courts, and prosecutors handling plea agreements and sentencing.

Maddy summarySF 962 clarifies the scope of practice for licensed athletic trainers in Minnesota. It defines "athletic training" to include specific actions like injury prevention, emergency care, assessment, rehabilitation, and wellness promotion, performed within the trainer's expertise. The bill requires athletic trainers to work under a primary physician's direction, establish annual treatment protocols with the physician, and limits initial independent treatment of athletes to 30 days (or less as specified by the physician). It also clarifies that athletic trainers cannot practice medicine, physical therapy, or other licensed health professions without the appropriate additional license. This directly affects licensed athletic trainers, primary physicians, and healthcare facilities employing them.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date of Minnesota's Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity from December 31, 2028, to December 31, 2035. The change directly affects the state government by allowing the commission to continue operating for six additional years without requiring new legislation. The amendment modifies Minnesota Statutes section 3.888, subdivision 7, which governs when the commission's authority ends. This procedural update ensures the cybersecurity oversight body remains active through 2035 rather than terminating earlier.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Minnesota to issue bonds and incur public debt specifically for public information technology systems, licenses, and infrastructure. It would add a new provision (section j) to the state constitution, permitting the state and political subdivisions (like counties or cities) to finance capital costs - including design, acquisition, installation, construction, equipping, and servicing - of these IT systems through bonds. The amendment requires voter approval at the 2026 general election, with a specific yes/no question on the ballot. If passed, it would expand existing constitutional authority for public debt to cover modern IT infrastructure needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two new financial aid programs in Minnesota to help hospitals struggling with money problems and high levels of unpaid medical care. The first program provides relief to specific hospitals that meet strict criteria, such as having negative operating margins for several years or serving a high percentage of public patients, while explicitly excluding Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester. To receive funds, eligible hospitals must submit detailed reports on unpaid care episodes, and the state will distribute money proportionally based on the volume of care provided, with a cap of ten percent per hospital per reporting period. The legislation also requires the state management and budget commissioner to submit an annual report analyzing the financial stability of all Minnesota hospitals. Additionally, the bill sets aside a specific stabilization grant program for the Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Minnesota funds youth intervention programs by requiring nonprofit agencies to receive grants directly from the commissioner rather than as grants-in-aid. It mandates that each grant not exceed $75,000 and requires agencies to secure matching funds from their local communities equal to the grant amount, except for the Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association which receives a separate allocation for administrative support. The legislation also updates reporting requirements to include detailed data on participants, funding distribution, and program outcomes, with reports due annually to legislative committees. These changes aim to strengthen community-based early intervention services while ensuring local investment and accountability in how state funds are used.

Maddy summaryHF 82 clarifies the scope of practice for licensed athletic trainers in Minnesota. The bill defines "athletic training" to include specific activities like injury prevention, emergency care, assessment, rehabilitation, and clinical decision-making within the trainer's expertise. It requires athletic trainers to work under a primary physician's direction, with documented protocols updated yearly, and limits initial treatment of undiagnosed injuries to 30 days (or less as specified by the physician). This directly affects athletic trainers, primary physicians, and healthcare facilities employing them, ensuring clear boundaries for their practice while preventing overlap with other licensed professions like physical therapy or medicine.