Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3400, an act relating to business organizations, was brought up for third reading. Representative Hollins explained that the bill came from a stakeholder work group including UCC attorneys, the business community, the Attorney General’s office, and the Secretary of State’s office. The measure would give the Secretary of State discretion to reject clearly fraudulent, bogus, harassing, or retaliatory lien filings, especially those aimed at public officials, correctional officers, law enforcement, and judges, while providing an appeals process for anyone whose filing is rejected. Hollins said the bill is intended as a pre-filing remedy already used in other states and would save time and money while protecting against harassment. There were no amendments and no further debate beyond Hollins urging members to vote green. The House then took a roll call vote. House File 3400 passed by a vote of 114 ayes and 14 nays, and its title was agreed to.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House briefly addressed a security incident outside the Capitol, during which members were asked to remain in the chamber out of caution. Majority Leader Winkler later reported that the situation had been resolved and the individuals involved had been apprehended, thanking the chief sergeant at arms for the response. The only legislative action taken was on Senate File 1354. The House voted to take the bill from the table and then re-refer it to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration, with Winkler explaining that the bill was being set aside for possible later use in the session. Both motions prevailed without recorded opposition. The House then adopted an adjournment motion, setting the next meeting for 11 a.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022, and formally adjourned.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Legislative Administration Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from its May 17, 2022 meeting on a voice vote. The committee then considered and adopted the calendar for May 20, 2022 under Rules 1.21 and 3.33. The adopted calendar included four bills: Senate File 3107A on school board reimbursements, Senate File 3338A on authorizing life insurance policies for long-term care coverage, Senate File 40 on new annuity suitability regulations, and Senate File 3503A on real estate minimum damage acquisition reports. There was no discussion on the motion, and the calendar was approved by voice vote. With no further business, the chair recessed the committee, noting the session was nearing its end and the committee might need to reconvene later.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The conference committee on House File 961 met briefly to review the draft conference committee report. House Research explained that the report largely adopts the House language, with section 4 removed. The bill creates a new law enforcement supervisors bargaining unit under PELRA, removes the right of certain law enforcement supervisors to sever from the general supervisory employees unit, and clarifies the transition to the new unit. During the transition, affected employees remain in their existing plan until a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated and approved, and positions currently represented by MMA may remain in MMA. Members asked no substantive questions, and there was light humor about the meeting being unusually short. Representative Ecklund moved adoption of the conference committee report. The roll call passed unanimously, 6-0, with all House and Senate conferees voting yes. The committee then instructed members to check email for electronic signatures and adjourned.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House and Senate Tax Conference Committee was called to order with all members present except Senator Rest. Chairs reported that some same-and-similar provisions had already been passed out the previous day, including the TIF article, and that subgroups were still working on remaining issues such as local option sales tax. Members said they would continue discussions and likely have additional similars ready later in the day. Senator Nelson said the committee had a good path forward but needed more time to work through issues and get more eyes on the bill. The chair noted a desire to move the bill quickly to the revisers and then recessed the committee until at least after noon, asking members to stay available electronically. Before recess, a member requested that Representative Lislegard work with him on a small taconite provision in the miscellaneous article so it could be resolved before his schedule became busier with bonding bill work. The chair indicated the request would be considered, noted that pictures would be taken, and then recessed the meeting at the call of the chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Public Safety Judiciary Conference Committee for the Senate and House briefly convened but immediately recessed because the House offer document was not ready for review. Members were told the document had just been printed but was missing a major section, so the chair and vice chair decided not to proceed without the full text in front of them. The chair apologized to members and the public for the delay, explaining that logistical and printing problems had prevented a proper walkthrough. Both chambers had members needed on the floor and in other meetings, so the committee agreed to reconvene later at a time convenient for the chair and vice chair. Before adjourning into recess, the committee said the completed offer would be shared with all conference committee members and made public as soon as possible. No substantive bill discussion, testimony, or votes occurred during this brief session.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate DFL leaders held a press event urging the Minnesota Senate to take up and advance cannabis legalization and adult-use regulation. Senator Melissa Lopez Franzen said the House has repeatedly passed legalization bills, the proposal has already gone through many House committees, Governor Walz would sign it, and the Senate majority has refused hearings despite repeated requests. She and other DFL senators argued legalization would bring economic benefits and address racial disparities in cannabis enforcement and criminal justice. Senators Eric Putnam, Lindsey Port, Scott Dibble, and Erin Murphy echoed that support, saying legalization is a statewide issue, not limited to one region or group. They said current laws do more harm than good, create racial inequities, and divert law enforcement from other priorities; they also cited support from some law enforcement, older adults using cannabis as an alternative to opioids, and veterans seeking access. Dibble and others criticized what they described as misinformation and the majority party’s refusal to allow debate. In response to questions, the senators described the bill as very comprehensive, with thousands of sections and broad jurisdiction across committees, and said piecemeal changes would be inadequate. They said the House has already vetted the proposal extensively with stakeholders and that the medical cannabis program has been successful. No formal vote or legislative action occurred during the event, though the senators repeatedly called for the bill to receive hearings and a floor vote before the end of session.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Education Conference Committee met to compare the House and Senate K-12 budget offers and work toward agreement. Chair Davnie opened by emphasizing the House priorities of fully addressing special education and English learner cross subsidies, as well as increasing support for student mental health and school support personnel. Senator Eichorn asked staff to walk through the House spreadsheet so conferees could better understand the offer, and Ms. Beckel reviewed the fiscal changes line by line. The House offer included funding for menstrual products, English learner cross subsidy aid, special education-related changes, voluntary pre-K levy equalization and permanent seats, transportation sparsity, consolidation transition aid, American Indian education aid, literacy initiatives, ethnic studies, multi-tiered systems of support, teacher recruitment and diversity programs, special education due process prep time, mental health grants and leads, student support personnel aid, school meals, early learning scholarships, and several Department of Education and licensing board items. House members noted they had come down on some items to move toward agreement but had also increased commitments in areas such as special education, mental health, and student well-being. Representative Sandstede argued that literacy investments must be paired with broader supports, including special education cross subsidy relief, mental health, early childhood, and transportation funding, and said districts face unpredictable costs and deficits. Representative Hassan focused on increasing teachers of color and American Indian teachers, saying it is important for student achievement, discipline, and equity, and urged adoption of related policy and funding provisions. Representative Richardson highlighted policy items tied to racism, student trauma, mental health, opioid response, financial literacy, ethnic studies, civics, PSEO, Metro Deaf School, Indigenous Peoples Day, sacred tobacco, school discipline disparities, and after-school programming, framing them as part of a broader effort to support all students. The meeting was largely informational and comparative; no final vote or agreement was reached in the portion provided.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House received Senate messages on several bills and conference committees, including Senate agreement to a conference committee on House File 961 (labor) and Senate amendments to House File 3765 (natural resources). On HF 3765, Representative Hanson moved that the House refuse to concur and appoint a conference committee; the motion prevailed. The House then took up HF 3805 (public safety), where Representative Nash explained the Senate amendments, including a reinstated sunset extended 14 years for the Capital Area Security Advisory Committee. The House concurred in the Senate amendments, and HF 3805 passed 126-1. The chamber also received Senate files 908, 2678, and 4082 and referred them for comparison or committee action. On the calendar, HF 3255 (commerce technical changes) passed after a Stevenson amendment adding effective dates; the bill updated statutory references, including replacing “husband and wife” with “married couple,” and passed 99-29. HF 3400 (business organizations) passed 114-14 after Representative Hollins described it as a measure to let the Secretary of State reject clearly fraudulent or harassing liens, with an appeals process. HF 3288 (commerce/continuing education) passed 127-1 after Representative Farr explained it modernizes training definitions for live, online, and on-demand courses, sets proctor requirements, and updates provider responsibilities. HF 3955 (private detectives/private security) was also debated and passed 129-0. Representative Mariani said it would add staff and make pre-assignment training certificates portable for private security workers, reducing repeated training costs and helping regulate a growing industry. Several members asked questions about the bill, including whether it would grow government and how the training portability would work, but no amendments were offered and the bill passed unanimously. The House then adopted noncontroversial motions and recessed to the call of the chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee held its final 2022 meeting and first took up Senate File 3541, the pension finance omnibus bill. Senator Rosen described the bill as a broad package affecting public pensions, including higher COLAs for several plans, lower employee contribution rates, a reduction in the assumed rate of return from 7.5% to 7%, changes to vesting for PERA police and fire from 20 years to 10 years, and a provision allowing certain retired police/fire and State Patrol members to return to work without losing benefits. Staff from the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement outlined the bill’s articles and funding structure, including direct state aid increases and an appropriation for actuarial costs. Testimony at a prior hearing was noted from plan directors, police, firefighters, Teamsters, and Education Minnesota, with some concerns raised about the bill’s two-tiered approach. The committee adopted the A22 amendment and then approved the bill as amended, recommending it be re-referred to the Finance Committee. The committee then considered House File 3346, the state employee contracts bill. An A2 amendment was adopted to update the bill so it matched collective bargaining agreements and memorandums of understanding in place after the House passed it. Senator Koran explained that the bill covered a wide range of state employee contracts and plans, including AFSCME, MAPE, the Middle Management Association, the State Residential School Education Association, the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Law Enforcement Association, and compensation plans for managers, commissioners, and the Office of the Legislative Auditor. He said the agreements generally included 2.2% to 2.5% increases, with some MOUs adding incentives for hard-to-fill positions, additional shifts, and retention. Committee discussion also touched on telework and in-person work, with members emphasizing the importance of maintaining in-person access while recognizing technology’s role. The committee then approved the bill as amended and sent it to the Finance Committee. At the close of the meeting, the chair thanked committee staff, legislative staff, members, and the public for their work and participation throughout the session. The committee then adjourned.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: A Minnesota Senate Republican leader briefed reporters on budget conference committee negotiations, saying the goal was to finish major bills by the Sunday midnight deadline and that conference committee targets would be set by the end of the day. He said Republicans had emphasized literacy in education, but were open to increasing special education cross-subsidy funding because districts face an unfunded federal mandate. He also said there was common ground on E-12 literacy and special education, and that higher education, environment, agriculture/drought relief, and commerce were close to agreement. On health and human services, he said the Senate made major investments in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and disability service providers because of concerns about possible permanent closures, and he hoped the House would join that effort. On public safety, he argued that violent crime and police retirements justified more funding for law enforcement, including money to local governments with guardrails or recruitment and retention bonuses. He said he was optimistic that public safety could be resolved relatively quickly, though he did not think there was yet agreement on how much of the money would be directed specifically to police. He also said sports betting could pass with bipartisan support if tribes and tracks reached an agreement, but that it remained difficult without that stakeholder deal. On taxes, he said Republicans were still pushing to eliminate Social Security taxes and reduce income taxes, though those ideas remained under discussion and could be adjusted. He said no additional floor votes were expected that night, that the bonding bill would have to originate in the House, and that if conference committees could not finish, leaders including the Speaker, governor, and others might have to step in to move bills along.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer and roll call, establishing a quorum. The main item of business was House amendments to Senate File 3540, the omnibus pension policy bill relating to retirement. Senator Rosen explained that the House made two changes: it rejected Senate language on the unclassified plan and added language allowing out-of-state teachers to buy annuities on an ongoing basis. Senator Pappas and Senator Lopez Franzen asked for clarification about the annuity provision and a grandfather clause for MSRS, and Rosen said the grandfather clause had been in the Senate version but was not accepted by the House because of concerns about extending the provision for unclassified members. After discussion, the Senate concurred in the House amendments to SF 3540. The bill then received third reading and final passage, with 63 ayes and no nays, and its title was agreed to. The chamber also received notice of House File 4030 from the House, took first reading of House bills as referred, and referred Senate File Resolution 141 to the Committee on Rules and Administration. The session concluded with a motion to recess to the call of the President, which prevailed. Senators were told Republicans would caucus upstairs in room 303, and the Senate entered recess.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 1829, an act relating to commerce, was taken up for third reading. Representative Herr, the bill’s author, explained that it would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against living organ donors by charging higher premiums or denying life, disability, or long-term care coverage based solely on donor status. Herr spoke personally about living with chronic kidney disease and said the bill would protect donors, encourage more donations, and reduce dialysis-related costs, and he thanked the National Kidney Foundation and its Minnesota chapter for bringing the bill forward. No amendments were offered and there was no further floor discussion. Herr said the bill had bipartisan support and asked for a green vote. The House then voted on the measure. The bill passed with 126 ayes and 8 nays, and the title was agreed to.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up an amendment to the 2022 budget resolution, Bud Res 04-3, after Vice Olsen assumed the chair. Chair Moran explained that the A01 amendment would increase net general fund spending by $41.714 million to reflect the potential general fund impact of House File 4649 if approved by voters at the 2022 general election. Ms. Adrian confirmed the explanation and said the budget rules required tracking this possible fiscal effect even though the fiscal note for HF 4649 showed no current state agency impact because the constitutional amendment’s outcome is unknown. Representative O'Neill asked whether the revised budget resolution reflected the broader global agreement and whether the committee might need to meet again if that agreement became more solidified. Chair Moran said the Senate was moving a similar proposal and that leaders were tracking bills in both chambers, and that the committee would bring the matter back if needed. Ms. Adrian said the added fiscal impact left just under $950 million in the 2022-23 biennium. O'Neill noted that the change put the budget out of balance and raised concerns about overspending and the lack of finalized agreements. After no further discussion, the committee voted on the A01 amendment. The motion prevailed, and the amendment to the budget resolution was adopted.