Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee held an interim hearing focused on workforce shortages and service disruptions across long-term care, disability services, and child care-related areas. Chair Abeler opened by welcoming new committee staff and members, outlining a broad agenda that included workforce challenges, National Guard support, possible Supreme Court-related vaccine mandate issues, and child care. He emphasized the severity of staffing problems in group homes, customized living, and assisted living, and urged stakeholders to stay involved in policy discussions. The main testimony came from Tracy Murphy of Mount Olivet Rolling Acres and Christina Kirschner, who described severe staffing shortages in disability services and respite care. Murphy said her organization supports more than 3,000 people, operates 32 group homes, and is functioning with 80 open positions and 30 to 50 percent of shifts unfilled at times. She said homes had been temporarily closed, staff were working excessive hours, COVID restrictions worsened the crisis, and current funding and rate increases were inadequate. She called for immediate relief funding, more flexible rules, and long-term system reform, and supported using the National Guard to help maintain home and community-based services. Kirschner said the respite program had to close because of staffing, families were losing services, and the lack of consistent staff was harming people who rely on routine and trusted caregivers. Committee members and witnesses also discussed the broader nursing home situation. Hillary Pearson of Care Providers Minnesota said about 80 percent of employees had received at least one vaccine dose and estimated 15 to 20 percent of the workforce had been lost in the prior eight months. He said providers were triaging to keep facilities open and were working with MDH and DHS on possible National Guard support and rate-setting responses. Carrie Thurlow of LeadingAge Minnesota said there had been some nursing home closures in late 2021, especially among smaller stand-alone facilities, but said it was difficult to predict how many more might occur. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 27, and first adopted the DE-3 author’s amendment by voice vote. Representative Dave Lislegard then presented the bill, explaining that it would provide up to 26 additional weeks of unemployment benefits for eligible iron ore mining workers and certain explosive manufacturing workers who were laid off between April 3, 2022, and March 4, 2023, after exhausting regular UI benefits. Staff explained that the bill would apply retroactively to August 14, 2022, would be available until January 27, 2024, and would generally replace about 50% of wages; it also included technical provisions on benefit accounts, charging, and coordination with federal Trade Readjustment Allowance benefits. The staff testimony identified the main affected employers as Cleveland Cliffs/North Shore Mining and Dyno Nobel, with about 490 workers potentially eligible. John Arbogast of the United Steelworkers testified in support, describing the impact of the North Shore layoff on workers, families, and the Iron Range economy. He argued that the extension would help laid-off workers pay bills and remain in the region, which he said would also help preserve the local workforce for a possible restart of the mine. Representative Baker also supported the bill, noting the role of the unemployment insurance system in helping workers through industry downturns, while asking for clarification about the employers covered. Staff clarified that North Shore Mining is owned by Cleveland Cliffs and that Dyno Nobel workers were included because they were laid off when blasting work stopped. No opposition testimony was offered, and members expressed support for the measure. The committee then voted to refer House File 27, as amended, to the Ways and Means Committee, and the motion carried.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program focused first on efforts to legalize sports betting in Minnesota, featuring interviews with House Commerce Committee Chair Zach Stephenson and Sen. Roger Chamberlain. Stephenson said legalization would be a major change to Minnesota gaming law and argued Minnesotans are already using offshore and other gray-market options, so the goal should be to bring betting into a regulated market with consumer protections. He said the state is considering different models, including in-person wagering at tribal casinos and/or mobile betting, and emphasized that the proposal should not be treated primarily as a revenue raiser. He also said he is meeting with Minnesota’s 11 tribal governments and other stakeholders, including sports teams, racetracks, universities, and private companies, and hoped to have a bill ready early in session. He said any revenue should help fund oversight and problem-gambling programming. Chamberlain, who has also worked on sports betting legislation, said the issue has stalled for years because of politics and disagreements among tribes and Democrats, but he sees signs of progress. He said a Minnesota system would likely include both brick-and-mortar sports books at tribal casinos and racetracks and mobile wagering, with users creating accounts in person before betting on their phones. Chamberlain argued legalization would keep people from betting illegally, benefit tribes, and not make the state a major competitor to tech companies; instead, he said Minnesota would be competing with other states. He also said the state should not expect huge tax revenue, noting that the main needs are to cover administration and oversight and to leave room for some additional funding. The final segment shifted to the Minnesota State Capitol’s symbolism with Brian Pease of the Minnesota Historical Society. He described decorative elements throughout the building that reflect Minnesota’s identity, including lady slippers, North Stars, gophers, eagles, and the letter M, along with agricultural motifs. Pease explained that the symbols were intentionally placed by architect Cass Gilbert and decorator Elmer Garzi to represent Minnesota’s history, economy, and place in the nation, and that tour guides often point them out to visitors.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: House Commerce Committee Chair Zach Stephenson discussed his push to legalize sports betting in Minnesota, saying the 2018 Supreme Court decision and the fact that all of Minnesota’s neighboring jurisdictions have legalized it make this the right time for change. He argued Minnesotans are already using offshore and other black- and gray-market options, and said legalization would bring betting into a safer, regulated system with consumer protections. Stephenson said the state should not rely on sports betting as a major revenue source, warning that high taxes could drive people back to illegal sites. He said any tax structure should be kept low enough to encourage movement into the legal market, while still funding regulation and a share of problem-gambling programming. He also emphasized that tribal governments should be central partners, citing their long history operating gaming in Minnesota without scandal and saying legal sports betting should provide the same fairness and confidence. He said he has been meeting with Minnesota’s 11 tribal governments and other stakeholders, including sports teams, racetracks, the university, and private companies, and described the talks as productive. Stephenson said he hopes to have a bill ready at or near the start of session and remains optimistic that a consensus approach can be reached, but he did not preview final bill language or report any committee vote or formal action.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The interview focused on efforts to legalize sports betting in Minnesota, with Senator Roger Chamberlain saying the issue has stalled for years but may be closer to moving in the next legislative session. He said legalization would allow betting to occur legally instead of through illegal wagering, and described a model that would include both brick-and-mortar sports books at tribal casinos and the two racetracks, as well as mobile betting. He said the proposal would likely require account creation or recharging at a physical location, but then allow phone betting afterward. Chamberlain said the main obstacles have been political, including disagreements involving tribes and Democrats, and he argued that the key ingredients for success are mobile betting plus participation by the casinos and racetracks. He credited Rep. Pat Garofalo as an early supporter and said the state is not really competing with tech companies but with other states that have already legalized sports betting. He also said Minnesota-based sports betting and statistics companies already do much of their work in the state. On revenue, Chamberlain said sports betting is not likely to be a major multi-billion-dollar source for Minnesota, and that tax rates need to stay low enough to keep people from continuing to bet illegally. He said any revenue should first cover administrative and oversight costs, with additional funds going to other purposes, but he emphasized that the exact amount is uncertain and depends on how the market develops.