Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met to continue its overview of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Laura Painter from Senate Counsel reviewed the board’s statutory history, explaining that it began in 1903 as the State Livestock Sanitary Board, with its membership requirements changing over time. She noted the 1985 statutory simplification, the 1980 addition of licensed veterinarians, and the recent expansion to a sixth member, including a livestock producer who is a member of a federally recognized tribe. Members asked for clarification on the current composition, and Painter corrected her earlier description, confirming the board now has four livestock producers and two licensed veterinarians, with one producer seat reserved for a tribal member. Dr. Beth Thompson, the state veterinarian and executive director, then gave an overview of the board’s origins and functions. She described how the board emerged from public health concerns tied to animal diseases such as glanders and tuberculosis, and said the agency still works closely with the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, DNR, the University of Minnesota, and federal partners. She also outlined the board’s broad responsibilities, including livestock and companion animal disease programs, traceability, fairs and exhibitions, horse sales, and other animal health work. Thompson said the governor’s office appoints board members, and she reported that the tribal producer seat had not yet been filled, while another producer seat was being temporarily held by Erika Swatsky pending reappointment or replacement. Thompson then shifted to foreign animal disease planning and response. She discussed Minnesota’s 2021 case of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2, which affected two pet rabbits in a veterinarian’s home in Ramsey County and led to quarantine, outreach to veterinarians and rabbit owners, biosecurity guidance, and vaccination clinics. She said the disease can affect domestic, meat, and wild rabbits, and that the board does not track rabbit numbers statewide. She also reviewed African swine fever as a major concern, citing outbreaks in Europe and the Dominican Republic and warning of severe trade consequences if the disease reached the continental United States, especially given Minnesota’s large hog industry. No votes or formal actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate K-12 Finance and Policy Committee met on February 14, 2022, and took up Senate File 2575, authored by Senator Gazelka, which would require school districts to make curriculum available to parents at no cost and immediately upon request, and to notify families each school year about that policy. Gazelka said the bill was intended to improve parent involvement and provide a clearer process for reviewing curriculum and finding alternative instruction when families object to specific materials. Supportive testimony from Betsy Armstrong and Angel Zirdan emphasized parental transparency, trust, and the need for schools to be more accountable and communicative with families. The bill’s supporters argued that parents had become more aware of classroom content during distance learning and that some materials, including social studies content, critical race theory-related concepts, and gender-related materials, had raised concerns. They said the measure would not ban any content but would ensure parents could review materials and work with schools on alternatives. Senator Gazelka also said the bill was a “sunshine law” and that it was meant to encourage cooperation rather than conflict. Opposition came from Kendra Kadduff of Education Minnesota, who said current law already gives parents curriculum review rights and alternative education options, and argued the bill was unnecessary and could create burdens for educators. During questioning, Senator Isaacson asked for specific examples of parents being denied access or charged for curriculum information, and Gazelka said he had heard of cases where access cost about $9,000, though he did not identify a specific district. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate took up routine business, adopted committee reports and motions, and then moved to Senate File 2774, which was passed 65-0 and had its title adopted. The chamber then set borrowing bills for immediate consideration and turned to Senate File 2848, a public safety bill that would appropriate $1 million for a Department of Public Safety/POST Board advertising campaign to promote law enforcement careers, plus additional one-time funding for the Pathways to Policing program. Debate on SF 2848 focused on whether a marketing campaign is an effective use of taxpayer dollars and whether the money should instead go to Pathways to Policing, salaries, training, or other workforce supports. Supporters argued the state faces a serious police staffing shortage, that public messaging can help recruit officers, and that similar campaigns have been used elsewhere. Opponents said the bill lacked data showing advertising would work, was poorly targeted, and came at a sensitive time after recent police killings; they urged investment in proven recruitment efforts, community safety programs, and broader public safety measures instead. Sen. Marty offered an amendment to delete the advertising section and shift the funding to Pathways to Policing. After extended debate and roll-call voting under Rule 40.7, the amendment failed 24-42. The bill then advanced to third reading, with several senators stating support for the goal of recruiting officers but concerns about the structure, timing, and effectiveness of the proposed campaign.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program covered the 2022 legislative priorities of Senate DFL Minority Leader Melissa Lopez Franzen and House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, along with separate discussion of a proposed ban on no-knock warrants after the shooting death of Amir Locke. Lopez Franzen said Democrats support replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund but want to prioritize other commitments first, especially the $250 million promised for frontline worker pay. She also said the caucus favors targeted tax relief such as the working family tax credit and child care-related credits, and supports a broad approach to public safety that includes police support, mental health, housing, and other basic needs. On workforce issues, she emphasized the need to raise pay and improve training in child care, long-term care, and other low-wage essential jobs, and said the bonding bill should take advantage of the state surplus and federal infrastructure funds for the biggest long-term benefit. Daudt said replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund should move quickly as a standalone bill to avoid automatic tax increases on businesses, and argued that the state should use surplus dollars for permanent tax relief, especially eliminating the tax on Social Security income. He said the caucus would support a reasonably sized bonding bill focused on transportation, water, and state assets, and suggested about $1.4 billion in general obligation bonding. On workforce shortages, he argued state policies during the pandemic discouraged work and said the legislature should create incentives for people to enter jobs such as policing and other essential fields. On crime, he said Republicans want more officers, stronger accountability, and tougher sentencing, including incentives for police recruitment and retention. In the separate no-knock warrant press conference, House DFL lawmakers said the practice should be banned except in the rarest situations, citing the deaths of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and Amir Locke. They argued that no-knock warrants create unnecessary danger for both residents and officers and said the state needs higher standards, more oversight, and greater accountability in policing. No formal vote was taken in the transcript, but lawmakers said they had already passed some restrictions last year and that more reform is still needed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt discussed several Republican priorities for the upcoming legislative session. He said replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund should be done quickly as a standalone bill to avoid an automatic tax increase on businesses, and he opposed tying it to the $250 million frontline worker pay proposal, arguing that the amount had already been agreed to and should be passed separately. He also said the caucus wants to move the frontline worker money quickly and then have a separate discussion about whether more funding is appropriate. On public safety, Daudt said Republicans want to be “tough on crime,” with more police officers and stricter accountability for offenders. He cited an internal caucus review of 2019 violent felony convictions, saying judges departed downward from minimum sentencing guidelines in 46 percent of cases, and argued that the state should provide incentives for people to enter law enforcement training. He also said Minneapolis has lost a large share of its police force and that violent crime should not become normalized. Daudt said the caucus supports eliminating the state tax on Social Security income as a long-term tax relief measure, arguing Minnesota should be more competitive with other states to keep seniors from leaving. He said the nearly $8 billion surplus should be used for permanent tax relief rather than increased spending, and he rejected the idea that all Social Security recipients are unaffected by the tax. On workforce shortages, he argued state policy should incentivize work rather than staying home, criticizing enhanced unemployment benefits during COVID. He also said Minnesota needs a reasonably sized bonding bill, suggesting about $1.4 billion for transportation, water, and state building projects, and supported dedicating the remaining auto parts sales tax revenue to roads and bridges to match federal transportation dollars.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on Senate DFL priorities for the session with Minority Leader Melissa Lopez Franzen. She said the caucus supports replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund, but argued that frontline worker “hero pay” promised last session should be addressed first. On taxes, she said Democrats supported eliminating the Social Security tax last session and are open to tax relief, but do not want to commit to permanent tax cuts without a fuller budget picture; she pointed instead to the working family tax credit, housing, property tax, and child care relief for those most affected by inflation. Public safety was another major topic. Lopez Franzen said the caucus supports both police recruitment and retention efforts and broader prevention strategies such as mental health services, community supports, and youth intervention programs. She emphasized that crime should be addressed holistically, alongside housing, basic needs, and family supports, rather than only through sentencing changes. She also said the DFL supports paid family and medical leave as a safety net, especially after the pandemic, and described it as a modest payroll-tax-based program. On child care and workforce shortages, she said Minnesota needs to professionalize child care, support providers and families with tax credits, and improve pay and training in low-wage care jobs, including PCA and CNA work. She noted that many workers in these fields are immigrants and single mothers and said the legislature should help with training, retraining, and wage improvements. On bonding, she said the historic surplus and federal infrastructure funding create an opportunity for a larger bonding bill focused on preserving state assets and getting the best return for taxpayers. No votes were taken in the interview.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 2638, a technical real estate title bill aimed at making the Torrens registration system more user-friendly and less costly. Testimony from Kevin Demovie of the State Bar’s real property section explained that the bill would let adjoining properties with the same title issue be combined into one action, allow use of other evidence instead of an abstract of title, encourage consultation with the examiner of titles before filing, and streamline the issuance and recording of certificates of title. Members asked about the need for the bill, and Demovie said abstracts are increasingly unavailable in many counties. The committee then voted to recommend SF 2638 to pass and send it to general orders. The committee next discussed Rule 47 bills returned from general orders, including SF 208 and SF 28. SF 208, presented by Senator Limmer, expands law enforcement hiring-record access requirements to cover applicants for jobs other than peace officer positions and allows a court order if an applicant denies access. It was moved and passed to general orders without opposition. SF 28, presented by Senator Howe, would change a landlord’s recoverable attorney fees in certain eviction redemption cases from a $5 cap to reasonable attorney fees and would also remove the requirement that a landlord have an attorney present. Senator Latz offered and the committee rejected an oral amendment to delete section 1, after concerns that reasonable fees could raise the cost of redemption for tenants; the committee then voted to recommend SF 28 to pass and send it to general orders. The final bill discussed in the excerpt was SF 1025, presented by Senator Matthews, which would revise construction contract indemnification language by adding “defend” to the definition so each party is responsible for its own actions and related attorney fees, aligning Minnesota practice with the American rule and applying the same principles to public and private construction contracts. The bill was described as having broad support from industry associations in the prior year, but no vote on SF 1025 appears in the excerpt provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee heard Senate File 2965, a bill by Senator Icorn to create a grant program through the Office of Higher Education for students pursuing law enforcement education. As introduced, the bill would provide $1,500 annually with a $3,000 lifetime cap for associate-degree students; the adopted A3 amendment expanded eligibility to four-year programs and approved post-board certificate programs, and increased the lifetime cap for bachelor’s students to $6,000. Tanya Gladney of the University of St. Thomas testified in support, saying the grant would help students cover the added cost of skills training and encourage more students to enter law enforcement. Senators asked about program structure and costs, and Gladney said skills training can cost about $3,500 to $4,000 for a 9- to 10-week program. Senator Putnam offered an A4 amendment to double the grant amounts, citing tuition and training costs; after discussion of committee targets and support from the bill author, the amendment was adopted. Members emphasized the need for more law enforcement recruits and noted staffing shortages in agencies across the state. SF 2965 was then laid over for possible later consideration. The committee then moved to Senate File 2964, presented as an expansion of workforce development scholarships to include law enforcement. Rich Watkins, criminal justice program coordinator at Riverland Community College, testified that the program has seen about a 25% enrollment decline in recent years due to the pandemic, the climate around law enforcement, and student financial burdens. He said the college recruits actively through schools, social media, open houses, and faculty outreach, and that the scholarship would be a strong recruiting tool. Watkins also explained that Riverland’s academic program is paired with skills training through Rochester Community and Technical College, and that the full law enforcement pathway takes four semesters. The discussion focused on enrollment, recruitment, and the cost of training, with members expressing support for helping students enter the profession.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The transcript does not contain any substantive legislative discussion, bill references, testimony, or procedural action. It consists only of fragmented, repetitive speech and a brief closing thank-you. Because no clear topic, motion, vote, or committee/floor business is identifiable, there is nothing further to summarize from the provided text.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up follow-up questions for Commissioner Ho about the state’s RentHelpMN emergency rental assistance program. Ho explained that the agency knew the program would eventually end, but did not begin publicly discussing closure until November, when application volume was rising and the Treasury had not yet responded to a request for reallocated funds. She said the agency did not know until January 3 that no additional reallocated federal funds would be provided, and that this, along with the January application pace, drove the decision to close the portal in January rather than keep it open into February. Ho also said the agency had not discussed the closure plans at the December 6 hearing because the timing was still uncertain, and she emphasized that the goal was to avoid creating false hope by accepting applications the program could not pay. Members also asked about what happens to pending applications, whether the program might reopen if more money became available, and how housing stability services were selected. Ho said the agency expects to have enough funding to pay applications submitted by the deadline, but if a small amount remained after paying pending claims, it could be used for targeted purposes such as eviction prevention and housing navigation. She said the agency consulted property owners, property managers, nonprofits, constituents, and focus groups through a survey with more than 1,200 responses, and that the top priorities identified were eviction prevention and housing navigation. She also noted that tenants with pending applications can download or request a pre-qualification letter from the portal, which is sometimes used in court. The committee then shifted to a fiscal discussion of housing infrastructure bonds (HIBs). Fiscal analyst Emilio Mueller reviewed current and proposed HIB authorizations, saying the state had about $214–$215 million in HIB debt service through 2025 and that existing authorizations would add roughly $550 million more over 20 years, for about $765 million total. He said the governor’s proposed additional $250 million in HIBs would add about $10 million in fiscal year 2025 and $20 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026, bringing total general fund debt service over the life of the bonds to about $1.135 billion. Members asked how HIBs differ from general obligation bonds and where repayments go; Mueller said HIBs are appropriation bonds with somewhat higher interest costs, and that repayments go back to the agency for reuse in its financing programs rather than to the general fund to pay debt service. The commissioner said she would return with more information on the comparison between HIB debt service and the Housing Finance Agency’s annual general fund appropriation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate File 2844, with Senator Mchuan offering two amendments. The A1 amendment would have required a racial impact screening by the Sentencing Guidelines Commission before increasing incarceration-related penalties. Senator Coleman and the chair objected that the amendment dealt with incarceration and sentencing matters outside this committee’s jurisdiction, and the amendment failed on a roll call vote, 6-3. Senator Mchuan then offered the A3 amendment, which would have limited certain vehicle equipment-related pretextual stops unless the violation created a safety hazard. Senator Coleman again argued the issue belonged in Judiciary and that law enforcement input was needed; the A3 amendment failed on a roll call vote, 6-3. After amendments were finished, the committee adopted a motion by Senator Coleman to pass SF 2844 and re-refer it to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then heard Senate File 2875, authored by Senator How, which would expand the forms of documentation accepted to designate veteran status on a driver’s license or state ID. Senator How explained that current law required a DD214, which many veterans do not carry, and the bill would also accept documents such as an NGB-22, National Guard/Reserve/Armed Forces veteran ID cards, and VA health identification cards. Senator Carlson asked why a statutory change was needed, and Senator How said the DD214 requirement is in statute and the bill is intended to make veteran identification easier. The committee adopted Senator How’s A4 amendment, then passed SF 2875 as amended and re-referred it to the Veterans Committee. Finally, the committee began Senate File 2676, presented on behalf of Senator Dibble, with an A3 delete-all amendment adopted as an author’s amendment. The bill concerns a legislative auditor review of the Southwest Light Rail project. Staff explained the amendment would direct the Office of the Legislative Auditor to conduct a special review or program evaluation, include a list of items for consideration, protect certain data as private, prohibit retaliation by the Metropolitan Council, and appropriate $200,000 for the review. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall testified that the office is already concerned about the project and plans to begin work, but said some provisions are better suited to a program evaluation than a special review and that the office already has authority to classify some data as private. She also explained the difference between special reviews and program evaluations in response to Senator Pratt’s questions. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion of the bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Technology and Reform Committee met on February 10 for a Minnesota IT Services budget presentation. Commissioner Tara Combs described MINIT’s mission, workforce, and scale, emphasizing the agency’s role as the executive branch’s internal IT organization, its tight labor market for technologists, and its focus on secure, reliable, human-centered digital government. She outlined MINIT’s size and scope, including about 2,400 staff, support for more than 35,000 end users, roughly 2,800 agency applications, and about 300 major IT projects. She also explained MINIT’s funding structure and its “rent, buy, last build” approach to technology procurement, and said the governor’s change items are intended to reduce cyber risk, technical debt, and service-delivery inefficiencies through cloud-based modernization. Members asked for clarification on the budget figures and how MINIT’s spending is counted. Combs explained that the figures include the full range of technology-related spending across state government, including services consumed from external providers and agency change items, not just staff housed within MINIT. Senator Draheim asked about the age and usage of the state’s applications and whether there was a priority list; Combs said MINIT maintains an application portfolio with attributes such as age and technology type, reviews it regularly with agency leadership, and prioritizes applications by risk and business need, including priority-one systems such as unemployment insurance. Committee members also requested that MINIT share its application inventory and modernization priorities with the committee. Deputy Commissioner John Eggton then detailed the first change item, targeted application modernization. He said the state faces significant IT debt from decades-old applications and that the proposed funding would support a more systematic, enterprise-level approach to modernizing at-risk systems. He argued that modernization would reduce vulnerabilities, lower complexity, improve reliability, and help agencies deliver services in a more modern, human-centered way. He also tied the proposal to recommendations from the former Blue Ribbon Council on IT and the Legislative Auditor, stressing that successful modernization depends on changing business processes and engaging frontline users, not just replacing code or servers. Eggton said MINIT is requesting roughly $5.25 million in the current biennium and $14.625 million in the 2024-25 biennium, and illustrated the benefits with a comparison of an older DHS application process and a modernized, more user-friendly version.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met with silent reflection and the Pledge of Allegiance, then took roll and confirmed a quorum. After routine executive and official communications, the chamber adopted the committee reports, except those relating to appointments, which were laid on the table. Several Senate files were given second reading, including SF 1974, 1782, 2248, 2672, 2669, 2677, 2774, 2818, 2957, and 2848. Under motions and resolutions, Senator Jasinski added Senator Rarick as a co-author to SF 2964. The Senate approved re-referring SF 2786 from the Aging and Long-Term Care Committee to the Human Services and Policy Committee, and re-referring SF 2845 from State Government Finance and Policy and Elections to the Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee; both motions were described as related to committee jurisdiction for the bills. Senate Resolutions 97 through 100 were referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. During announcements, Senator Swedzinski invited members to a no-cost “One Minnesota” event at the Humphrey Institute the following Friday, describing it as an opportunity for cross-chamber and bipartisan engagement. The Senate then adopted a motion to adjourn until Monday, February 14 at 11 a.m.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee met for its 2022 inaugural session and began with member introductions, including several senators noting their military service. Chair Andrew Lang outlined a short agenda focused on the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs’ new suicide prevention program, an update on veterans home staffing, and the veterans health care reserve/roll-forward fund. Commissioner Larry Herke introduced the department’s work and said the agency serves veterans, dependents, and survivors through state and federal benefits, while noting Minnesota’s veteran population is declining as World War II, Korean War, and now Vietnam-era veterans age. The main presentation centered on the veterans suicide prevention program. Herke said the department has been tracking suicide data since 2019, began the program in late 2020, and is aiming to reduce veteran suicide by 20% by 2025 and ultimately end it by 2035. He emphasized two guiding principles: giving veterans a sense of purpose and helping them feel connected to others. He also discussed state data showing overall suicides in Minnesota declined in 2020, but veteran deaths remained relatively steady, with concerns about underreporting of veteran status on death records and rising alcohol- and drug-related deaths. Paula Nowinski, MDVA’s quality director and suicide prevention lead, described partnerships with the Department of Health, VA facilities, hospitals, nonprofits, and other agencies; the hiring of two full-time suicide prevention staff; free veteran-specific training through PsycArmor; psychological autopsy/death reviews for veteran suicides; distribution of more than 15,000 gun locks; CALM training for 52 community partners; mental health first aid classes; and outreach tied to 988, public awareness campaigns, and a planned expansion of hospital-based veteran social worker support. During questions, Senator Jerry Newton asked whether veteran suicide rates are roughly double the general population, whether overdose deaths might be masking suicides, and whether providers could identify veterans who screen as depressed or unsafe and report that information for prevention. Herke agreed the veteran rate is likely more than double and said the issue requires significant attention. Nowinski said individual medical information is protected, but aggregate data can be collected, and the department is working on having specially trained social workers in health systems to identify veterans and connect them to benefits and care. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting shown.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee held a Substance Abuse Day informational hearing focused on MARCH’s “Pathways to Recovery” proposal and related behavioral health workforce and service-delivery issues. Chair remarks emphasized that no votes would be taken that day and that the committee would also hear a brief presentation on a proposed DHS behavioral health reorganization and later discuss support for recovery community organizations. Amy Dellwer, speaking for MARCH, framed the bill around the non-linear nature of recovery and cited overdose deaths, alcohol-related harms during COVID-19, and stigma as reasons to treat substance use disorder as a chronic disease. She also noted the recent death of a recovery advocate and thanked the bill’s author and coauthors. Dr. John Kelly testified that addiction should be understood and treated as a chronic illness, citing research on brain changes, protracted withdrawal, and the long time course of recovery. He said it can take roughly eight years to achieve one year of sustained remission and about four to five treatment episodes, and that risk remains elevated for several years after remission. He argued that acute treatment is lifesaving but insufficient without longer-term recovery management, recovery monitoring, and access to recovery capital such as housing, jobs, education, and social supports; he also pointed to SAMHSA’s new Office of Recovery and a 10 percent set-aside for recovery support services. Several providers then described practical barriers in residential and rural treatment settings. Anderson St. Georges said duplicative documentation, short timelines for documenting significant events, and frequent treatment-plan reviews reduce client-staff interaction and contribute to burnout; he urged a 24-hour documentation extension, a 28-day treatment-plan review cycle, and holiday-hour relief so staff and clients can have self-care and family time. Sadie Brockmayer focused on Article 2 of the MARCH proposal, arguing that current program-hour rules and co-occurring staffing ratios create reimbursement and staffing barriers, especially for women with children, postpartum clients, and others who miss hours for court, visitation, illness, or mental health reasons; she said the rules can force discharge or lower reimbursement despite higher levels of individualized support. She also said the mental-health-to-substance-use staffing ratio, licensure delays, and internship approval timelines worsen workforce shortages and interrupt continuity of care.