Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took up House File 4293, the State Government Finance and Elections bill, which combined several committee bills including veterans, transportation, and pension provisions. Representative Nelson described the bill’s major funding items: about $77 million above base for state government finance, including $50 million for IT and cybersecurity updates, $14 million for the Revisor’s Office system, and election funding to match recently released federal money. Representative Hornstein highlighted transportation matching funds for federal infrastructure dollars, safety investments, and coverage for all modes and regions. Representative Ecklund described veterans provisions such as funding to reduce veterans homelessness, address veteran suicide, provide bonuses and services for veterans and the National Guard, and support veterans facilities and programs. Representative Murphy argued for the pension section, saying public employee retirement systems need additional support and that pension funding should be treated as a regular budget item. The House then considered amendments. Representative Becker-Finn’s amendment to allow cities to license hotels within city boundaries, aimed at giving cities another tool to address hotel compliance and sex trafficking concerns, was accepted by Chair Nelson and adopted by voice vote. Representative Barr’s amendment to require election certification only after ballot counts match voter signatures was opposed by Nelson as likely delaying results; a roll call was requested but not granted, and the amendment failed on a voice vote. Representative Nash’s first amendment to reduce the allowable grant-administration holdback from up to 10 percent to 5 percent was debated as a transparency and efficiency measure, but it failed on a recorded vote, 64 yeas to 69 nays. A second Nash amendment would have required state agencies to report actual grant-administration costs through an internal audit. Nash argued taxpayers deserved accountability and that agencies already track this information; Nelson opposed it as costly and unnecessary. The debate continued as the transcript ended, with the amendment still under consideration and a roll call underway.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met under call, took the roll, and heard a prayer before proceeding to messages from the House. The House returned Senate File 2677 on unemployment insurance with amendments, and the Senate voted not to concur and instead appointed a five-member conference committee. The conference committee members named were Senators Pratt, Rarick, Kiffmeyer, Kent, and Putnam, and the appointments were approved. The chamber also adopted the printed agenda and later recessed briefly to complete the conference committee appointment process. The main floor action centered on Senate File 4410, a large health and human services bill focused heavily on long-term care, workforce shortages, and health care access. Senator Abeler described major funding increases for long-term care, nursing facilities, group homes, PCA services, home care, intermediate care facilities, homemaker services, and non-emergency transportation, along with policy changes aimed at staffing, crisis closures, and drawing more people into the workforce. Senator Housley outlined provisions on nursing facility reimbursement, non-direct care costs, elderly waiver rate adjustments, and temporary rate increases, while another member summarized health-related articles covering dental utilization reporting, pharmacist practice changes, telehealth continuation, geothermal heat exchanger language, critical access hospital swing beds, pediatric bed moratoriums, J-1 visa waivers, EMS board changes, interstate licensure compacts, and expedited re-registration of lapsed nursing licenses. The Senate adopted two technical amendments offered by Senator Abeler: the A65 amendment, which made numerous technical and drafting corrections, and the A69 amendment, which adjusted appropriations numbers. Senator Lang then offered the A62 amendment to increase EMT training reimbursements, which was accepted as a friendly amendment and adopted. Senator Eaton offered the A54 amendment to remove the nurse licensure compact from the bill, arguing it would worsen workforce problems and reduce patient protections; the transcript cuts off during her remarks before any vote on that amendment is shown.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 4293, the second engrossment, was brought up as a combined state government finance and elections bill with additional transportation, veterans, and pensions provisions. Representative Nelson described the bill’s main state government funding items, including about $77 million above base for IT security and updates, staff retention, $14 million for the Revisor’s Office, and election security funding to match recently released federal money. Representative Hornstein highlighted transportation matching funds to access federal infrastructure dollars, along with safety investments for roads, transit, EV infrastructure, and pedestrian/traffic safety. Representative Ecklund outlined the veterans article, including $10 million to reduce veterans homelessness, efforts to address veteran suicide, bonus pay for post-9/11 veterans and reenlistment bonuses for the Guard, Meals on Wheels for veterans, county veterans services grants, cemetery funding, and other veterans-related support. Representative Murphy spoke in favor of the pensions portion, arguing for stronger support for public employee retirement systems and possible surplus funding for pension obligations and COLAs. The House then considered several amendments. Representative Becker-Finn’s amendment to allow cities to license hotels within city limits, aimed at giving cities another tool to address hotel compliance and sex trafficking concerns, was accepted by Nelson and adopted. Representative Barr’s election-related amendment requiring ballot and signature reconciliation before certification was debated; Nelson opposed it as likely delaying election results, and the amendment failed. Representative Nash’s amendment to cap grant administration peel-offs at 5 percent instead of allowing up to 10 percent was debated at length over administrative costs versus accountability, but it was rejected on a roll call vote of 64 ayes to 69 nays. A later Nash amendment requiring agencies to report actual grant administration costs and conduct internal audits also drew debate over transparency and cost, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote is shown.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed the omnibus health and human services policy and supplemental funding bill, Senate File 4410, with strong bipartisan support. Supporters said the bill is one of the session’s most important measures because it invests more than a billion dollars over the next three years in workers who care for vulnerable Minnesotans. During debate, senators highlighted provisions raising pay for personal care assistants and home health care workers, arguing these workers deserve better compensation after their pandemic service and that the changes will help retain staff. One senator praised those wage increases as critical, while another emphasized that more still needs to be done to support the workforce. Some members raised concerns that the bill does not include funding to implement needed child care system changes, arguing that child care access is essential for parents to return to work and for broader workforce retention. Despite those concerns, the bill passed 61-5 and its title was agreed to.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard testimony on two related annexation bills: SF 1927 by Senator Anderson and SF 1969 by Senator Kiffmeyer. Anderson described SF 1927 as a measure to limit annexation of designated areas to orderly annexation agreements, bar annexation by nonparties, and modify detachment proceedings. Kiffmeyer said SF 1969 is intended to give property owners a stronger voice in annexation and other jurisdictional changes, emphasizing that cities, townships, and property owners all have interests at stake. Supporters, including the Minnesota Association of Townships, argued that annexation should be driven by need and landowner desire, not unilateral action by cities. They cited examples of contested annexations, higher property taxes after annexation, and cases where townships said orderly annexation agreements were used to block property-owner-initiated development. Township witnesses also said detachment provisions are needed when annexed land is not developed or served. Opponents, including the League of Minnesota Cities, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities, said annexation is essential for planned urban growth, housing, infrastructure, and city services, and warned that the bills could weaken cities’ ability to plan, raise costs, create patchwork development, and make detachment too easy. Committee members largely framed the issue as a difficult balance between township autonomy, property rights, and city growth needs. Senator Bingham and Senator Newman said the current system feels imbalanced and urged continued work toward a compromise. No vote or formal action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and member comments only.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3872, the supplemental higher education omnibus bill, and first adopted the A8 author’s amendment. Chair Bernardi explained that the amendment made technical changes for the Office of Higher Education, adjusted funding amounts for the two-year free college and technical college program because it will be launched in 2024, shifted more money to student support services at the University of Minnesota and to operations and maintenance at Minnesota State, and made technical tweaks to Fostering Independence grants. Staff and the Office of Higher Education testified that the program would require upfront administrative work, including IT and communication costs, with about 1 FTE ongoing after startup; members also discussed the use of funds for the University of Minnesota’s sustainability and electric fleet projects and a $1.5 million transfer to a green training program account. Members raised concerns about the timing and staffing for the free college program, the allocation of funds to O&M, and whether the tribal college operating support had sufficient policy guidance and tracking. Representative O’Neill questioned why the state was funding setup costs before student aid begins, and Representative Scott asked about the green training program and whether the University of Minnesota supported it. Chair Bernardi and staff described the bill’s broader goals: more than $100 million in investments aimed at affordability, equity, sustainability, student well-being, and safety, including free two-year college for lower-income students, expanded state grants, support for student parents, teachers of color and Indigenous teachers, inclusive higher education grants for students with intellectual disabilities, Native American scholarships, tribal college funding, campus safety improvements, mental health/basic needs support, and sustainability and research investments. Representative O’Neill and others expressed concern that tuition could still rise at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State despite the bill’s funding levels, and he urged a tuition freeze and better alignment with system requests. After debate, the committee voted on the amended bill and passed it 17-9. House File 3872, as amended, was recommended for placement on the General Register, and nonpartisan staff were directed to make technical corrections and amend the title.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3607, a supplemental budget bill, and first adopted the prefiled A16 amendment. The amendment was described as largely technical, with fixes to appropriations language and a licensing-related provision that staff said would be carried in the relevant budget area’s target. After the amendment passed, the bill was presented as containing both finance and policy measures, though the sponsor focused on the finance provisions. The bill’s main finance items included a student loan advocate position in the Department of Commerce, additional peace officers for the Commerce Fraud Bureau, expanded Bureau jurisdiction to other financial crimes with general fund support, extra funding for auto theft prevention, additional staffing in insurance and fraud prevention programs, and a study of MNSure geographic rating areas. Members also discussed a licensing provision allowing applicants to obtain criminal background checks earlier in the process; staff explained the Attorney General’s office is involved because it reviews licenses on behalf of several smaller boards. Another section drew questions from Representative Albright about changes to annuity suitability and FINRA-related compliance language, which the sponsor said came from an NAIC model act and reflected a consensus approach. There was also discussion of a provision related to unlawful social media activities, which one member praised and suggested should travel as a separate bill. After questions concluded, the sponsor offered brief closing remarks in support of the bill, and the committee laid over House File 3607, as amended, without taking a final vote on the bill itself.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call that established a quorum. The chaplain’s prayer emphasized stewardship of creation, peace, justice, and care for vulnerable people, including those who are hungry, sick, homeless, unemployed, isolated, or affected by war. The chaplain was identified as Rolf Lowenberg DeBoer of the Saint Paul Area Synod, ELCA. After approval of the previous day’s journal and adoption of standing committee and division reports without objection, the House moved through routine bill actions. House File 4608 and Senate File 4062 received second readings, and House Files 4827 through 4838 were introduced and given first reading. During announcements, Majority Leader Winkler said the Rules Committee would meet after recess, DFL members would caucus at 11:30 a.m., and the House planned to return at 1:00 p.m. Representative Daudt said Republican members would caucus after the Rules Committee meeting. On Winkler’s motion, the House recessed to the call of the chair.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4177, the supplemental labor and industry omnibus bill. Before discussion, members adopted the author’s A11 amendment. A proposed A9 amendment adding Earned Sick and Safe Time language was then offered, described as a way to bring worker-protection issues into conference committee, but it failed on a voice vote. Chair Jared Ecklund then presented the bill as focused on worker and workforce safety. He highlighted provisions including a fee holiday for building and construction license holders, an extension of logger safety grants, protections for agricultural workers, skills training, a Department of Labor and Industry liaison for veterans entering the trades and apprenticeships, incorporation of the Amazon workers bill to address warehouse injury rates, federal OSHA compliance language, wage enforcement provisions, and funding for the Bureau of Mediation Services. In member discussion, one representative praised the fee holiday as a cost reduction measure but said he would oppose the bill overall because of the attached amendments and encouraged others to do the same. The chair closed by thanking Ecklund for his work on workplace safety and laid over House File 4177, as amended.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3438, the Legacy bill, was presented as a 2023 appropriations measure for the Outdoor Heritage Fund and supplemental funding for the clean water, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage portions of the Legacy Amendment, along with several extensions. The author described the bill as funding about 46 outdoor heritage projects statewide, plus additional spending from reserves in the other funds, including roughly $12 million for arts and cultural projects and about $47 million for clean water work focused on PFAS, lead, plastics, and related water-quality issues. The bill was framed as using stronger-than-expected sales tax receipts and spending down reserves while maintaining a healthy balance in the funds. Representative Jordan then began third-reading discussion by focusing on Article II and the practical meaning of the water projects for constituents. Two amendments from Representative Greene drew the main debate. The first, A-10, would have required applicants for Outdoor Heritage Fund money to submit a cost-benefit analysis. Greene argued that large projects should show measurable public return and that taxpayers deserve accountability; supporters echoed that view. Representative Lilly opposed it, saying many conservation and public-benefit outcomes are hard to quantify, such as the value of fishing, swimming, or wildlife habitat, and that the requirement would add an unnecessary burden. The House voted 62-67 against the amendment, so it was not adopted. Greene’s second amendment sought to clarify that Outdoor Heritage Fund money could not be used in connection with eminent domain, citing a watershed district case and arguing that some entities were using a shell-game approach to get around existing law. Lilly responded that current law already prohibits using the fund for eminent domain in Lessard-Sams projects and said the amendment was unnecessary; Greene and several supporters argued it was needed to make the prohibition explicit. After further debate, the House again defeated the amendment, 62-69, and it was not adopted. The bill then advanced to third reading with no further amendments pending.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republicans outlined a judiciary and public safety package headed to the Senate floor, describing it as a roughly $200 million proposal focused on three areas: supporting law enforcement, getting tougher on violent and repeat offenders, and increasing transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system. They said the bill includes funding and bonuses to recruit and retain police officers, training and body cameras for smaller or rural agencies, additional violent crime enforcement teams, and a special violent-crime unit for the Twin Cities area under Sheriff Fletcher. They also said the package updates statutes on auto theft, carjacking, organized retail theft, and fleeing police, increases penalties for certain offenses against vulnerable adults and unborn children, and creates a three-strikes-style enhancement for certain violent offenders. The bill’s accountability provisions drew the most discussion. Sponsors said it would require prosecutors to enter dismissals into a public searchable database with reasons, and would also create a searchable record when judges depart below sentencing guidelines. They argued this transparency is necessary and not an undue burden, while acknowledging some prosecutors have raised concerns about the record-keeping requirements. The package also includes state funding for probation costs, expanded defense budgets, youth intervention programming, rape kit funding, and a DWI-related provision intended to prevent counties from steering ignition-lock work to a single vendor. Members also discussed broader public safety policy and possible conference committee negotiations with the House. They said they were open to talks but opposed diverting major funding to unfamiliar nonprofit or community intervention groups, arguing those programs belong in other budget areas and should have stronger track records. In response to questions, they said the bill is focused on adults rather than juveniles, clarified that the three-strikes provision would apply only to certain violent offenses, and said the new violent-crime team would be coordinated by Sheriff Fletcher rather than becoming a broad metro strike force. Separately, they noted ongoing talks on unemployment insurance and sports betting, but said no final deal had been reached on those issues.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee held an informational hearing on Senate File 4300, a bill to expand access to higher biofuel blends by creating an equipment reimbursement fund for fuel retailers. The author and supporters said the main barrier to wider E-15 and other higher-blend sales is infrastructure, not consumer demand, because many underground tanks and dispensing systems are not compatible. The bill would be funded by a 1.3-cent-per-gallon user fee on liquid fuels, with no general fund dollars, and would reimburse eligible retailers for 65 percent of upgrade costs, with priority for small retailers, a 10-year sunset, and administration by the Department of Commerce. Testifiers from the Minnesota Petroleum Marketers Association, Jack’s Oil Distributing, the Minnesota Biofuels Association, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association all supported the bill. They emphasized consumer savings at the pump, estimated at roughly 5 to 40 cents per gallon depending on location, as well as benefits to farmers, retailers, and the environment. Retailers described large upgrade costs, often in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per site, and said the program would help them remain competitive and meet customer demand for E-15. Biofuels and farm groups said broader access to higher blends would support Minnesota’s ethanol industry, improve air quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Committee members asked about the types of fuel blends equipment could support after upgrades and about the fiscal note. Staff explained that some equipment could be compatible up to E25 or E85 depending on the components, and that the fiscal note projected roughly $724,000 in Commerce administrative costs, plus a small Department of Revenue cost, against about $48.1 million in annual fee revenue. The chair said the bill was still in informational stage, thanked the groups for working together, and indicated an intention to bring the bill back early in the next biennium; no vote was taken.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 4366, the supplemental budget bill for agriculture, housing, and broadband, was presented by Representative Sundin as a major investment package built around a $60 million ag target and large housing investments. In the agriculture portion, he highlighted funding for emergency response and preparedness, soil health and research, Forever Green and cover crops, livestock processing shortages, ag innovation, support for new and emerging farmers, and food access and hunger relief. He also thanked committee members, staff, and agency leaders, and noted the departure of Board of Animal Health executive director and state veterinarian Dr. Beth Thompson. Representative Houseman then outlined the housing articles, describing four goals: building more affordable homes, reducing renter costs and expanding homeownership, preserving naturally occurring affordable housing, and supporting emergency shelter and pathways to stable housing. She emphasized housing infrastructure bonds as the main tool, along with rental assistance, down payment assistance, and first-generation homebuyer support. Representative Howard added that the bill would help create thousands of affordable homes, assist renters, support first-generation buyers, and preserve affordable housing, arguing the state should use its surplus to address housing needs rather than do nothing or favor the wealthy. Representative Nash offered amendment A13, requesting a roll call and arguing that cities should not be allowed to impose aesthetic requirements that increase housing costs, which he said function like modern-day redlining. Representative Elkins opposed the amendment on the grounds that similar language was part of broader negotiations in his own affordable housing proposal and that adopting it could upset the balance needed for a compromise with cities and builders, though he said he largely agreed with Nash’s concerns. Representative O'Driscoll also spoke in favor of reducing regulatory burdens on housing, arguing that added requirements and fees raise costs and worsen affordability. The transcript provided does not include the final vote or disposition of the amendment or bill.