Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a motion to dispense with further roll call proceedings, followed by a prayer from Reverend Justin Grimm, who spoke about peace, the Buffalo mass shooting, and a call for bold action to end violence. The roll was then taken, and several members were noted as intending to vote under Rule 40.7. Senator Limmer also moved to excuse certain senators for a conference committee on Senate File 2673, and that motion prevailed. In messages from the House, the Senate received notice of a House-appointed conference committee on Senate File 3008, a liquor bill, and a House amendment to Senate File 4476, a redistricting bill. Senator Miller moved to lay Senate File 4476 on the table, and the motion passed. The House also refused to concur in Senate amendments to Senate File 3669, a taxation bill, and requested a conference committee; the Senate agreed to the request. House Files 778 and 4670 were received and referred to the Committee on Finance. The Senate adopted committee reports, gave Senate File 1257 its second reading, and handled several motions involving House File 2725, a judiciary bill, including taking it from the table, giving it a second reading, and then laying it on the table again. The chamber then recessed briefly to appoint a conference committee on House File 3669. The Subcommittee on Conference Committees recommended Senators Nelson, Weber, Bach, Gazelka, and Rest, and the Senate approved those appointments. Finally, the Senate recessed to the call of the President for about an hour, with members instructed to watch emails and Republicans to caucus in Room 303.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took up a resolution honoring Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Bob Meyerson and his retirement after a long career in public service. The resolution highlighted his more than 28 years with the Minnesota State Patrol, including leadership in capital security, executive protection, Secret Service instruction, motorcade security, and establishing the State Patrol canine program. It also noted that he became the first nonpartisan chief sergeant-at-arms in House history in 2015 and helped maintain safety, decorum, and educational programs for students and interns. Members praised Meyerson for his kindness, professionalism, and commitment to the institution, with special emphasis on his role during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the House had to operate in a very different manner. The resolution expressed the House’s gratitude for his service and best wishes for his retirement. A reception in his honor was announced for later that day in Room 316 of the Capitol, and the chamber responded with applause.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Jobs Omnibus Conference Committee met in hybrid format, established quorum, and began with a nonpartisan walkthrough of the commerce policy provisions in the unofficial first engrossment of Senate File 4091. Staff summarized a wide range of sections covering Commerce Department authority and technical updates, including the Commerce Fraud Bureau’s jurisdiction, education-course rules, financial institution assessments and filings, insurance examinations, auto theft prevention funding, bullion sales, real estate appraiser requirements, preliminary licensure applications, debt collector work-from-home licensing, harassment-related financing statements, homeowners association fines, and consumer protection measures such as a student loan advocate, catalytic converter rules, social media targeting restrictions for minors, and debt collection notices for nonprofit credit counseling. The committee then heard testimony from Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold, who said the House and Senate bills included many of the governor’s priorities and urged adoption of additional items such as a $20 million state competitiveness fund, more consumer and business service funding, and a $60 million weatherization appropriation. She also supported Commerce Fraud Bureau authority changes, citing recommendations from the Legislative Auditor. Commissioner Arnold answered questions about energy costs, saying existing programs like the conservation improvement program and proposed checks to Minnesotans were intended to help consumers manage higher bills. The committee then heard from Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Roslyn Robertson, who said both bills included useful fixes but urged the conference committee to fund youth skill training at the House-requested level, keep House language on window cleaning anchors and other construction code items, and maintain support for worker safety and training. She backed OSHA federal penalty conformity, warning that failure to align with federal law could put Minnesota’s OSHA state-plan status and federal matching funds at risk and could lead to higher penalties without Minnesota’s current penalty grid. She also supported House provisions for registered apprenticeship, logger safety grants, prevailing wage enforcement, combative sports changes, fair labor standards for agricultural and food processing workers, commercial energy code improvements, assisted living inspections, a building-code fee holiday, and unemployment insurance eligibility for hourly school employees. Members asked follow-up questions about energy affordability and the consequences of not conforming with federal OSHA requirements. Commissioner Robertson explained that if Minnesota lost its state-plan status, federal OSHA penalties would apply automatically and the state would lose flexibility to reduce penalties for compliant employers. She also said the House bill was extensive and generally reflected the governor’s labor and industry priorities, while one senator raised concerns about the wage theft provisions, saying some employers found them onerous and asking why the law could not be adjusted to be less burdensome. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 4103 was heard in committee and laid over for possible inclusion in the health finance bill. Representative Hewitt said the bill would provide ongoing state funding for local public health emergency preparedness and response, which is currently funded entirely by federal dollars, to help stabilize staffing and capacity for future emergencies such as infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and terrorism. Testifiers from local public health strongly supported the bill. Liz Oak of Countryside Public Health and the Local Public Health Association described major federal funding cuts over time, increased reliance on local tax levies, and limited staffing across multiple rural counties. Christine Lees of Dakota County Public Health said repeated cuts since 2005 reduced preparedness infrastructure and forced staff to shift from preparedness work to COVID response, while local departments handled hotline calls, testing, vaccine clinics, and immunizations. Members asked about how new funding would be used and distributed. Testifiers said the money would first go toward rebuilding preparedness capacity and staffing, especially in under-resourced counties. MDH staff clarified that emergency preparedness funds do not use the exact same formula as general local public health grants, but are distributed using a formula that considers population, geography, high vulnerability, and social vulnerability indexes. The bill was then laid over without a vote on final passage.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Governor Walz signed an omnibus veterans bill into law after it passed the Senate unanimously and the House with nearly unanimous support. In an interview, Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Chair Andrew Lang said the agreement came together relatively smoothly because of months of committee work, a good working relationship with House chair Rep. Ecklund, and a desire to finish the bill before other major end-of-session fights. He also noted that the bill was not a standard budget omnibus and that leaders wanted buy-in from the commissioner, governor, and House before bringing it to the floor. Lang said the bill includes funding to help recruit and retain Minnesota National Guard members, explaining that the Guard faces competition from the civilian sector, especially in aviation and cyber fields, and that pay and compensation pressures make retention difficult. The bill also adds just over $10 million this year and $16.5 million next year for the new veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston. He said the money will cover cost overruns caused by construction inflation and restore items cut through value engineering, such as an ambulance bay and more durable roofing, as well as furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the homes. The bill also provides nearly $25 million for post-9/11 veterans and Gold Star families, a one-time recognition tied to the end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan. Lang said the payment is meant as appreciation rather than a financial windfall and could be revisited next year depending on applications. He also highlighted homelessness prevention measures, including landlord incentives, rent guarantees, temporary housing options, and help connecting veterans to stable jobs and housing, saying the goal is to move veterans toward long-term self-sufficiency and track progress toward “functional zero” homelessness.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on Minnesota’s opioid settlement and the legislation setting up how the state and local governments will receive and use the money. Senator Julie Rosen said the 2019 law she helped spearhead created the Opioid Response Committee and a licensing-fee structure for opioid manufacturers and distributors, which helped prepare the state for the national settlement. She said the settlement money will go into a separate account from the ongoing licensing-fee revenue, and that the funds will arrive over time. Rosen said 75 percent of the $300 million settlement will go directly to cities and counties, which she described as the “boots on the ground” because they handle treatment, Narcan distribution, medication-assisted treatment, outreach, and related services without going through DHS. The remaining 25 percent will go to the state, where she said ORAC is now operating effectively and can direct money to recovery programs such as Project ECHO and other local efforts. She emphasized that the settlement is meant to support both opioid response and broader mental health needs. Rosen also said the focus has shifted from prescription opioids to illicit drugs, especially fentanyl and heroin, which she said are driving overdose deaths and harming Native American and African-American communities. She said Minnesota had 1,500 overdoses last year and is now viewed by the BCA as a distribution center for the Upper Midwest, arguing that the new funds should help law enforcement and violent crime enforcement teams stop drug trafficking. She also briefly discussed her long-standing work on methamphetamine issues, saying her involvement was driven by the impact on southern Minnesota and especially on children.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program highlighted several recently enacted or advanced Minnesota bills. Senator Julie Rosen discussed the opioid settlement legislation, which creates a distribution plan for Minnesota’s share of a $26 billion national settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors. She said the earlier 2019 law set up the Opioid Response Advisory Committee and the fee structure that helped prepare for the settlement, and explained that 75% of the settlement money will go directly to counties and cities for treatment, Narcan distribution, outreach, and related services, while 25% goes to the state for opioid response efforts. Rosen also said the state is shifting attention from prescription opioids to illicit drugs such as fentanyl and heroin, and tied the issue to overdose deaths and law enforcement needs. The Senate also passed a paid family leave insurance bill, Senate File 3885, on a 37-29 vote. Supporters said the bill simply authorizes insurance companies to offer paid family leave products in Minnesota so employers, especially small businesses, can buy coverage and create plans tailored to their workers. Opponents argued it would mainly open the door to private insurance products that many small businesses cannot afford and said a public program would be a better model. The discussion centered on whether the bill expands access or instead creates a market-based option that may not reach the workers most in need. Governor Walz signed an omnibus veterans bill that had passed the Senate unanimously and the House with near-unanimous support. Senator Andrew Lang said the bill includes funding for recruitment and retention in the Minnesota National Guard, nearly $25 million for post-9/11 veterans and Gold Star families, money for veterans homelessness efforts including landlord incentives and rent guarantees, and funding for three new veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston. He said the added construction money is meant to restore items cut through value engineering and to pay for furnishings and equipment, and emphasized that the homelessness work is intended to move veterans toward stable housing and employment rather than just temporary assistance. The program also covered the start of E-12 education conference committee talks over supplemental spending. One side argued that simply adding more money, programs, and mandates has not improved outcomes and urged a more targeted approach, while the other stressed that mental health, trauma, and unequal access to classroom time are closely tied to literacy and achievement. The debate focused on whether school performance problems should be addressed primarily through academic interventions or through broader investments in student mental health and support services.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: As the 2022 legislative session neared its end, conference committees met virtually and in person to resolve differences between House and Senate omnibus bills. The environment conference committee worked through a large gap between the House’s roughly $250 million supplemental spending proposal and the Senate’s about $8 million version. The public safety conference committee also met several times and found some common ground on judicial funding and police body cameras. On the House floor, members passed the omnibus liquor bill. Supporters said it would help businesses such as craft breweries by removing a cap that limits on-site growler sales, while opponents objected to a proposed 12-member advisory council they said would serve the industry’s own interests. The bill returned to the Senate, with a conference committee possible to resolve differences. The House also passed a sports betting bill, House File 778, sponsored by Representative Zach Stevenson. The proposal would legalize sports betting for adults 21 and older, with supporters arguing it would replace an existing black market with a legal market that offers consumer protections, game integrity, and safeguards against money laundering. Some members opposed the bill over its penalties and other concerns, but it passed with bipartisan support and was sent to the Senate.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The conference committee on House File 4300 opened with roll call and then heard a presentation from Dr. Jeff Nagle on early childhood development. Nagle argued that early learning is only one part of the early childhood experience and emphasized brain development, toxic stress, and the importance of relationships and secure attachment in the first 1,800 days of life. He said schools are often asked to close achievement gaps that are already present before kindergarten and used district-level data examples, including Evanston and Chicago, to argue that many schools educate poor and non-poor students at similar growth rates rather than actually eliminating gaps. He urged lawmakers to invest in the broader early childhood system, not just K-12 schooling, and to focus on prenatal through early childhood supports. Members asked questions about the role of poverty, toxic stress, and whether poverty itself predicts outcomes. Nagle responded that poverty alone is not the cause of poor educational outcomes; rather, larger systems and structures limit opportunity and create the conditions that affect children before they reach school. He said the state lacks a true early childhood system and that children need different supports before school, including stable caregiving and secure relationships. Representative Richardson noted agreement on the need for early supports, intervention, and identification. Representative Erickson raised a policy idea from the 2000s to provide funds so a parent could stay home with young children and asked about the role of parents and the medical profession in early intervention. Nagle agreed that parents are central and said policies should empower them and support early-year interventions through health care and other systems. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the meeting; the committee was mainly in a presentation-and-question format, with the chair noting the meeting was held entirely virtually that day.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Public Safety Conference Committee met to hear testimony on Senate File 2673, with commissioners and agency leaders discussing the Senate and House positions on the public safety omnibus bill. Commissioner Paul Schnell of the Department of Corrections argued that the Senate approach relies too heavily on increased punishment and would drive up prison and supervision costs, potentially requiring rented beds in the near term and a new prison within 10 years, while the state already faces substantial deferred maintenance. He emphasized that most incarcerated people will return to communities, so the state should prioritize evidence-based rehabilitation, reduced repeat offending, and investments in corrections staffing and facilities. He also urged support for a statewide public safety data infrastructure proposal, citing outdated DOC technology, and mentioned other requests including insurance funding, body-worn cameras, and a family support unit. Schnell also said the Senate bill does not fix long-standing inequities in community supervision funding and endorsed a county-led formula supported by county associations and probation groups. He described the DOC as data-rich but information-poor, with obsolete servers, fax-based workflows, and aging systems that hinder data-driven decision-making. He tied the proposed statewide data hub to better coordination among counties, courts, law enforcement, and probation, and said it would help notify agencies more quickly when supervisees become noncompliant. He also noted a request for $650,000 annually to cover rising property insurance costs for DOC facilities. Commissioner John Harrington of the Department of Public Safety said the governor’s proposal takes a more holistic approach by investing in prevention, intervention, and enforcement, and he urged smart, data-driven investments at both the state and local levels. He supported law enforcement bonuses as a common point between the House and Senate bills, but said bonuses alone are not a long-term solution and that the state must also address recruitment, retention, and support for police, fire, EMS, and emergency management personnel. He said the Senate bill is too focused on enforcement and has limitations, though he welcomed the support it does provide for officers. During the meeting, Senator Baker raised a housekeeping concern that the Department of Human Rights was not invited, and the chair responded that the Senate bill did not include Human Rights provisions and that the department had submitted correspondence and could participate in future meetings. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee mainly heard testimony and discussion of the competing bill provisions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Higher Education Committee met on May 12, 2022, to hear public testimony on the House and Senate versions of House File 3872, with members asked to hold questions until the end. Testifiers largely focused on higher education funding, student basic needs, and access programs. LeadMN and Students United urged support for a Free College Grant Program, expanded Hunger Free Campus and emergency grants, and more funding for Minnesota State campus support, basic needs, and mental health services. Minnesota State Vice Chancellor Bill Mackey said the system requested $30 million in base funding for campus support, appreciated that the House bill went further than the Senate bill, but warned that much of the House funding was one-time and asked for more base funding to address inflation and sustain initiatives like the 2-1-1 partnership for student referrals. Other testimony emphasized affordability and student aid. Samantha Madsen described how the Minnesota State Grant allowed her, as a working parent and daycare owner, to return to school without additional debt, and TRIO representatives supported the House’s proposed state grant increases, saying even modest annual increases could keep students enrolled. Jenna Chernega, representing the Inter Faculty Organization, said Minnesota State campuses are under-resourced, citing program closures and faculty shortages at Winona State and Moorhead, and argued the legislature should strengthen core institutional offerings before expanding enrollment or new programs. Paul Spies of the Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers said the House proposals for underrepresented student teacher grants and the Aspiring Educator of Color Scholarship would help address the shortage of BIPOC teachers and should be fully funded. The committee also heard testimony on policy provisions beyond direct appropriations. Amy Walstein of the Minnesota Business Partnership supported the Senate bill’s Skills Path provision, saying it would help students understand and navigate career pathways into skilled trades through clearer education-employer partnerships. Mary Huff of the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Consortium urged inclusion of House provisions to expand inclusive higher education for students with intellectual disabilities, noting Minnesota’s enrollment capacity is far below the estimated number of prospective students. No votes or formal actions were taken in the testimony portion of the meeting.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate took up several procedural motions to excuse members for conference committees on House File 4293, Senate File 4410, Senate File 4062, and House File 4366, and those motions prevailed. The chamber also received a House message returning Senate File 3008, a liquor-related bill, as amended by the House, and transmitting House File 2725; HF 2725 was laid on the table. Senate File 4593, relating to legislative announcements and miscellaneous oversights, was introduced and referred to Rules and Administration, and Senate Resolutions 139 and 140 were also referred to that committee. A call of the Senate was imposed, and the body then considered a series of motions to withdraw bills from committee and place them on General Orders, largely focused on reproductive rights and related health policy. Senator McEwen moved SF 731, the Protect Reproductive Options Act, with arguments that Minnesota should enshrine reproductive rights in statute in light of anticipated changes in federal law; the motion failed on a 31-34 vote. Senator Port moved SF 963, aimed at removing certain abortion-related barriers and medical-script requirements; supporters cited the expected loss of Roe protections and the need for timely access to care, but the motion failed 31-35. Senator Kent moved SF 1205, a paid family and medical leave bill, arguing it was urgent because families need support as reproductive rights are curtailed; that motion also failed 31-35. Senator Champion then moved SF 3959, which would give a pregnant patient the right to choose a support person during health care services, including a hospital stay; supporters described the importance of companion support during childbirth, but the motion failed 33-33. Finally, Senator Torres Ray moved SF 3026, which would authorize the commissioner to collect maternal mortality and related data to address racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes; supporters emphasized disproportionate deaths among Black and Indigenous mothers and the need for action, and the motion was under discussion when the transcript ended.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The conference committee met remotely on May 12, 2022, to continue work on the Environment and Natural Resources bill, focusing heavily on Metropolitan Council environmental appropriations and forestry/tree-related provisions. Met Council staff explained a governor-requested climate-risk initiative to help local governments better prepare infrastructure for flooding, power outages, and other extreme weather impacts. Committee members also reviewed several Met Council-related funding items, including $2.5 million for inflow and infiltration grants, $2.335 million for lead service lines, and regional parks funding, with clarification that some money came from the natural resources fund rather than the general fund. A major portion of the meeting addressed emerald ash borer and tree replacement. DNR Forestry Director Forrest Bo said ash trees are widespread across Minnesota, with more than a billion ash trees statewide and emerald ash borer already in 34 counties. He said removal is the most expensive part of dealing with infected trees, with communities often facing about $1,000 per tree in removal and replacement costs, and that grant demand has consistently exceeded available funding. Members discussed the risks of delaying removals, disposal challenges, and the need to replace trees to avoid worsening safety, stormwater, heat, and habitat impacts. The committee also reviewed tree-related appropriations in the House proposal, including $10.15 million for local government grants to replace trees removed because of emerald ash borer, $1 million for school tree-planting grants, and $8 million for accelerated conservation tree planting with a small carve-out for invasive species work. DNR and BWSR officials said the state nursery can currently produce about four million seedlings annually and is trying to expand, but private nurseries will still be needed to meet demand. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill language and funding priorities.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 778, the fifth engrossment, was taken up as a bill to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. Representative Stevenson, the author, said the bill would replace an existing black market with a regulated market offering consumer protections, integrity safeguards, and tax revenue for problem gambling treatment and youth programming. Representative Garofalo, the co-author, also supported the measure, describing it as a safe, regulated market that would reduce illegal betting and expand treatment resources. Members then considered several amendments focused largely on consumer protections and gambling addiction. The House adopted Stevenson’s A14 amendment clarifying that charitable tip boards are unaffected, adding a three-hour delay between deposits and wagering, and allowing self-exclusion. It also adopted an amendment by a Hennepin member to prohibit push notifications from sports betting apps except for fraud alerts, and adopted Hornstein’s A23 amendment expanding gambling treatment services for affected individuals and families. Bonner’s A25 amendment was also adopted; it authorized additional rulemaking on advertising limits, app features with addictive properties, and tools to pause or suspend participation when problematic patterns are detected. Koznick’s A21 amendment, aimed at limiting youth-targeted advertising and adding guardrails for vulnerable groups, was adopted after a short debate and an amendment to the amendment by Rasmussen was also adopted. Not all proposed changes succeeded. Rasmussen’s A24 amendment, which would have required in-person registration, deposits, and withdrawals at tribal casinos for mobile sports betting, was debated at length but ultimately rejected after Stevenson argued it was unworkable and would disadvantage rural operators. O’Driscoll’s A26 amendment to split youth sports grant funding evenly between metro and greater Minnesota was also defeated. O’Driscoll later withdrew A27 after indicating it was likely out of order; he used the withdrawal to raise concerns about the impact of expanded gambling on charitable gaming organizations and local community groups. After amendments were finished, the bill received its third reading and moved to final floor debate. Representative Gruenhagen spoke in opposition, citing personal and observed harms from gambling, including family financial problems and a suicide linked to gambling debt, and arguing that gambling is a want rather than a necessity. The transcript ends during the third-reading debate, with no final vote on passage shown.