Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4293 and the DE2 amendment, then received a fiscal walkthrough from House Fiscal Staff’s Helen Roberts. She summarized the amendment’s spending items, including legislative operating adjustments, funding for translation services, a diversity and inclusion officer, the Legislative Task Force on Aging, and a one-time IT project to replace the bill drafting system. She also reviewed appropriations for the Attorney General, Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Board, MNIT/Minute Services, the Department of Administration, MMB, the Historical Society, the Humanities Center, and licensing boards. Roberts noted the total general fund change was $76.2 million, with $400,000 from the special revenue fund, for a net all-funds expenditure change of $76.6 million, and said the revenue changes were minimal. In response to a question from Representative Elkins, she identified the Office of Small Agencies study funding as being buried under the line for improving human resources and financial services. Matt Gehring from House Research then walked through the DE2 policy provisions. In Article 2, he highlighted sections drawn from the LCC, the governor’s supplemental policy bill, and several member bills, including authority for the LCC director to enter contracts, changes related to collateral deposits, Juneteenth observance and later official holiday designation, cyberattack emergency powers, data practices and open meetings advisory opinion fees, statewide systems billing, the Office of Enterprise Translation, grant administration retention, the Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution, local government cybersecurity grants, the small agency study, a state emblems redesign commission, and a task force on aging. He also noted sections on military differential pay, burial site and cemetery law updates, housing-related trust account deposits, local investment authority, and a reviser instruction to review statutes for compliance with the Equal Rights Amendment, along with repealers tied to those provisions. In Article 3, Gehring summarized election-related provisions, including a definition of “expressly advocating,” lobbyist access rules, extending absentee ballot processing and counting from seven to 14 days, absentee ballot box standards and reporting, campaign finance disclosure changes, notices for private mailings containing absentee ballot materials, and penalties for intimidation or interference with election officials. In Article 4, he described the barbering and cosmetology provisions, including administrative updates for the Board of Barber Examiners, mobile barber shop rules, a three-year license for hair technicians, and implementation of Office of the Legislative Auditor recommendations. The walkthrough concluded without any vote being taken in the portion provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, was placed under call, and then proceeded with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call was taken, and several members were noted as intending to vote under Rule 40.7. The chamber also received an executive and official communication that required no action. Under committee reports, Senator Miller moved to adopt the committee reports printing the agenda, and the motion prevailed. The Senate then moved through the order of business, giving second reading to Senate File 2673 and House Files 1442, 3013, 3296, 3989, 4065, and 3620. Bills on the introduction calendar were given first reading and referred as indicated. In motions and resolutions, Senate Concurrent Resolution 16 was introduced by Senators Miller and Lopez Franzen and adopted. The resolution related to adjournment for more than three days, allowing the Senate and House to adjourn for the Easter/Passover break. Senator Miller also moved to recess to the call of the President, then withdrew that motion, and the Senate entered recess.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Tax Committee completed work on the omnibus tax bill, which is now headed to the floor. The bill was described as including conformity changes, a reduction in the first-tier income tax rate from 5.35% to 2.8%, and elimination of the double taxation of Social Security benefits. Supporters argued the measure would provide broad tax relief, help Minnesotans keep more of their income, and make the state more competitive for businesses and families. Opponents criticized the bill as an unaffordable tax cut that would mainly benefit higher-income taxpayers, saying the state has already spent significant amounts on prior measures and should instead prioritize promised COVID-related bonuses for frontline workers. They argued that more spending is not the solution and raised concerns about fairness and the state’s overall tax burden. The committee’s action was to finish its work and advance the omnibus tax bill to the Senate floor for a vote. No roll-call vote details were provided in the transcript.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee took up Sen. Newman’s transportation omnibus bill, SF 1154/HF 1683, and first adopted the A48 amendment, which was described as a revisor’s fix and reorganization with no substantive changes beyond correcting debt service language. Sen. Newman and staff then walked through the bill’s major articles and spreadsheet, highlighting appropriations for MnDOT, the Department of Public Safety, the Met Council, federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) matching funds, trunk highway bonding, and policy sections on topics such as independent expert review recommendations, salvage titles, and Met Council/guideway policy. The bill’s funding structure drew significant discussion. Staff explained that it includes federal match money, trunk highway bond appropriations of about $300 million, a transfer from the general fund to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund, dedication of auto parts sales tax revenue to transportation, and increases in electric vehicle surcharges. It also includes funding for State Patrol aircraft, DVS security cameras, school bus camera grants, and several one-time projects. The policy sections would extend driver license expiration periods, create a full-service provider fee-sharing system, add new title branding for prior salvage vehicles, and impose new reporting and approval requirements on guideway and Met Council projects. Several members and staff also discussed the Corridors of Commerce changes, including a Greater Minnesota small-project category. Commissioner John Harrington of DPS testified in support of many parts of the bill, including the Gold Star family plate fee changes, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives special plates, the State Patrol aviation funding, school bus camera grants, and salvage title changes. He also urged the committee to address several unmet agency needs, including a State Patrol security deficiency, DVS staffing and service delays, line-of-duty death coverage for cancer and PTSD, more data auditing and security funding, and soft body armor reimbursement. He raised concerns about fee-sharing provisions, the lack of funding for some DPS requests, and the bill’s approach to collecting voluntary race and ethnicity data for traffic-stop analysis. Interim MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Dobbin Berger also testified, saying the department appreciated some governor-requested items but objected to several provisions. MnDOT’s concerns included restrictions on spending IIJA funds, limits on EV charging infrastructure funding, the prohibition on funding Reconnect Rondo, the large number of trunk highway earmarks, changes to pavement lifecycle analysis, and the lack of funding for several agency initiatives and operating pressures. Members asked questions about the federal match totals, the Met Council reduction, the rationale for the Greater Minnesota-only small-project category in Corridors of Commerce, and the State Patrol’s accident reconstruction work. No final vote on the bill was recorded in the transcript beyond adoption of the A48 amendment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on April 6, 2022, to complete its work on the Education Finance omnibus bill, House File 4300. After approving the minutes from the previous day, members outlined the process for moving the bill, including consideration of the DE1 amendment and other amendments before a final vote to refer the bill to the Tax Committee. The committee first adopted the A4 amendment, which staff described as largely technical, including corrections to community eligibility provision language, transportation sparsity aid, and voluntary pre-kindergarten administration language, along with several spreadsheet adjustments and funding timing changes for certain programs. Staff then walked members through the district-by-district fiscal printout, explaining major aid changes such as special education and English learner cross-subsidy adjustments, school support staff aid, paraprofessional training aid, due process aid, declining pupil aid, transportation sparsity aid, menstrual products operating capital, and long-term facilities maintenance changes. Mr. Strom said the average district would see an increase of about $719 per pupil and that roughly $682 million would be distributed in ways captured on the spreadsheet, while noting one omitted adjustment for American Indian education minimum school size would be added later. The DE1 as amended was then adopted by voice vote. During discussion on the bill, Representative Drazkowski questioned the size of the education budget and argued the proposal represented excessive spending, while staff clarified the prior and current biennial general fund amounts and said there were no additional state-dollar changes from the first special session beyond transfers from the general fund. Representative Erickson criticized the bill as overly driven by the department and lacking parent input, special education reforms, and protections for students during disruptions such as strikes, and raised concerns about literacy preparation and accountability. In contrast, Representative Youakim supported the bill as a needed investment in students, mental health, literacy, and school funding, and Representative Wilgamont praised it for reducing special education and English learner cross-subsidy gaps. The chair also noted the committee was nearing its final action for the biennium, and the meeting concluded with the bill moving toward referral to the Tax Committee after the amendment process and discussion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee met virtually to approve the minutes from April 5 and continue work on its budget proposal, contained in the DE2 amendment to House File 4735. Chair Pinto said the committee had already walked through the bill and fiscal impacts, and that the day’s agenda was testimony on the proposal, with amendments to be reviewed and a vote planned for the following day. The chair also noted that the pre-K portion of the budget had already been voted out the prior week. Commissioner Jody Harpstead of the Department of Human Services and Commissioner Heather Mueller of the Department of Education both testified in support of the bill, saying it aligns with administration priorities for early childhood. They highlighted proposed increases to Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) payment rates to the 75th percentile, expansion of the family definition for CCAP, stabilization grants and support services for child care providers, basic sliding fee assistance, child care licensing modernization, targeted pre-K, early learning scholarships, infant and early childhood mental health consultation, social workers, Grow Your Own workforce efforts, ECFE licensure support, Head Start changes, and other supports for young learners. Aaron Bailey of Minnesota Management and Budget, speaking for the Children’s Cabinet, emphasized cross-agency coordination and said the bill would help build a stronger early childhood system, address workforce shortages, and improve access and family supports. Public testimony was broadly supportive of the bill’s investments in child care, early learning, and workforce supports. Dr. Roger Sheldon and Dr. Sheldon Berkowitz, representing pediatric and AAP perspectives, argued that early childhood is a critical period for brain development and that the bill’s investments would improve long-term outcomes, while Amanda Schillinger of Pumpkin Patch Child Care said the package would make care more affordable and accessible for families and help child care programs remain viable. Claire Sanford of the Minnesota Child Care Association and Kids Can’t Wait supported CCAP rate increases, stabilization grants, the family-definition change, early learning scholarships, workforce proposals, and IT modernization, though she urged caution on shortening the time families have to use scholarships. Sarah Strong Belial, testifying for Closed Gaps by Five, supported scholarship expansion and priority groups but raised concerns about the proposed shift toward a VPK-focused approach and the reduced scholarship decision window. Craig Gretchke of the Minnesota Head Start Association also supported the package, especially new Early Head Start investments and workforce supports. No final vote on the bill was taken during this portion of the meeting.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met remotely on April 6 to continue work on the 2022 supplemental finance bill, House File 4366. After approving the April 4 minutes, members took up the DE1 amendment and several subamendments. Representative Anderson’s A5 amendment, which would have removed language making certain elevator financial reviews and audits public on elevator websites, was opposed by the chair over data-privacy concerns and failed on a roll call vote. The A6 amendment, expanding microfarm grant language to allow funding for technical assistance and related services, was adopted. Representative Burkel’s A7 amendment to raise the agricultural chemical response and reimbursement account cap from $350,000 to $600,000 and shift funding between accounts was supported by the department but failed on a roll call vote. Representative Anderson’s A8 amendment, providing one-time $10,000 grants to county agricultural inspectors for noxious weed enforcement and education, was supported by the Department of Agriculture and the chair and was adopted. Representative Hansen’s A9 amendment, which redirected funding for heritage seeds and made changes related to a South St. Paul meatpacking grant, fertilizer coating implementation timing, and deer facility language, was also adopted after discussion with the commissioner and chair. The committee then adopted the DE1 amendment as amended and approved House File 4366 as amended. In closing discussion, the chair noted that some issues, including the elevator data privacy language and the fee/cap changes, would need further work in the future. The committee then voted on the motion to recommend House File 4366, as amended, to the Ways and Means Committee with technical corrections authorized; the motion passed 7-5 with one absent member. After the bill was sent to Ways and Means, members briefly discussed emerging animal health concerns, including rapidly spreading avian influenza cases and the need for timely disaster assistance, with the commissioner describing the situation as urgent and noting department resources were being redirected to support response efforts.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4324, Chair Eklund’s omnibus veterans and military affairs finance and policy bill, and the chair moved the bill, along with the DE1 amendment, to Ways and Means. Nonpartisan fiscal staff then walked through the DE1 spreadsheet, explaining the general fund appropriations for military affairs and veterans affairs. For military affairs, the amendment included funding for the Holistic Health and Fitness Program, enlistment and reenlistment bonuses, and one-time funding for the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul commissioning, for a total general fund change of $2.865 million. For veterans affairs, the spreadsheet included increases for the Redwood Falls State Veterans Cemetery, tenancy support and landlord engagement, low-barrier permanent supportive housing for veterans, Fargo VA Medical Center Fisher House construction, temporary housing and outreach, veterans service organization grants, county veterans service officer grants, Metro Meals on Wheels, the Minnesota Veterans Suicide Prevention Initiative, and a one-time post-9/11 veterans service bonus. The Department of Veterans Affairs total was $41.014 million, and the combined total for both agencies in the DE amendment was $43.879 million. House research staff then summarized the policy portion of the DE1 amendment, saying Article Two was made up of three recently heard bills: Representative Zhang’s bill modifying the BSO grant program, Representative Edelson’s bill on the veterans service organization grant program, and Representative Stansted’s post-9/11 veteran bonus bill, which changes eligibility and other terms. No vote was taken in the portion provided, and the discussion ended with staff offering to answer questions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Legacy Finance Committee met to consider House File 3438, a committee bill covering supplemental appropriations for the Outdoor Heritage, Clean Water, Parks and Trails, and Arts and Cultural Heritage funds. Members first approved the minutes, then adopted the DE5 amendment, which reorganized the bill and updated appropriations based on the February forecast. Nonpartisan staff explained that the bill would appropriate additional money to the four legacy funds, with the Outdoor Heritage Fund at about $159 million, the Clean Water Fund at about $47.4 million, the Parks and Trails Fund increased proportionally while maintaining the 40-40-20 split, and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund increased by about $12.1 million. The amendment also included policy changes for the Clean Water Council, including making legislative members voting members and requiring annual recommendations, plus several project extensions. Testimony began with Mohammed Farah of Kajog, who supported the bill and described Somali youth arts and cultural heritage programming funded through legacy dollars, saying the support helps build trust and intercultural understanding. Representative Murphy asked testifiers to explain how the committee would know how funds are spent, and Farah said his organization could provide reports and participant information. David Keller of the Minnesota Historical Society also supported the bill, thanked the committee for past support, and said the society’s annual report provides accounting of how funds are used. Representative Greene raised concerns that the DE5 contained major changes and that some Clean Water Fund projects had not been sufficiently vetted. He also offered Amendment A7 to clarify that legacy dollars cannot be used to acquire land through eminent domain, arguing that agencies may be using eminent domain in ways that circumvent the restriction. Representative Lillie opposed the amendment, saying current law already addresses the issue and that the change was unnecessary. Representatives Anderson and Beau supported Greene’s clarification, but the committee voted down A7. The transcript then moved toward consideration of a second amendment, A8, from Representative Greene, but the discussion was cut off in the provided text.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee met on April 6 to consider Senate File 4113, the K-12 omnibus appropriations bill, beginning with adoption of the A1 author’s amendment. Senator Chamberlain described the bill as a literacy-focused package that suspends World’s Best Workforce to concentrate on reading, funds regional literacy/dyslexia support centers, removes the word “balanced” from statute in favor of the science of reading, clarifies PALSB requirements for K-5 teacher candidates, and includes a $30 million appropriation for literacy efforts. Chamberlain and supporters argued the bill should prioritize reading outcomes and avoid broader policy fights, while Senator Wieger and Senator Isaacson argued the bill was too small given a large state surplus and that schools also need more support for mental health, staffing shortages, special education, English learner funding, and inflation-related formula increases. No final action on the bill itself was taken in the excerpt. The committee then considered several amendments. Senator Swadzinski’s A21 amendment, requiring schools to provide free menstrual products in grades 4-12, was accepted by Chamberlain as a friendly amendment and adopted unanimously. Swadzinski’s A34 amendment, allowing personal finance to substitute for the current economics graduation requirement, was opposed by Chamberlain as an added mandate and failed on a roll call vote, 4-5. Senator Kunesh’s A2 amendment, encouraging substance misuse prevention education and information on social media’s role in drug distribution, drew support from members who cited fentanyl deaths and recovery experience, but Chamberlain said schools already address the issue and the amendment was another mandate; it failed on a roll call vote, 4-5. Later, Senator Kunesh offered the A18 amendment to define school libraries and media centers in statute, emphasizing equitable access, collection development, updated materials, internet access, and licensed media specialists. She argued libraries are central to literacy and student learning, but the discussion was still underway in the excerpt and no vote on A18 was shown. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly returned to the tension between a narrow literacy-focused bill and broader requests for school funding and policy changes, with supporters of amendments framing them as student supports and opponents warning against adding requirements to districts.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The joint hearing of the Health Finance and Policy Committee and the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee was called to review the joint spreadsheet for the emerging Health and Human Services bill. Chairs Liebling and Schultz opened by thanking nonpartisan and partisan staff and noted that the bill would later be combined with Chair Pinto’s bill in Ways and Means. Chair Schultz said the human services portion focuses heavily on the health care workforce shortage, with higher reimbursement rates, wage increases, retention payments, loan forgiveness, and subsidized training, while also addressing homelessness, behavioral health, food security, deep poverty, and child welfare. Chair Liebling highlighted health-side priorities including expanded access to care, prescription drug costs, workforce diversity, lead reduction, and public health/emergency preparedness. Staff then walked through the spreadsheet and described the bill’s fiscal structure and major items. The bill was presented as spending a net $700 million in general fund dollars above baseline in 2022-23 and $1.2 billion in 2024-25, with color coding used to distinguish health policy, human services finance, and early childhood items. Major included items discussed were Preserving American Indian Families, Family First Prevention Services Act implementation, American Indian child welfare planning for Mille Lacs, Stabilizing Working Minnesotans, child welfare prevention and systemic needs, food security, family and community resource hubs, a mental health package, deep poverty initiatives, EIDBI culturally responsive rates for American Indian families, SUD direct access and 1115 waiver compliance, retaining and expanding children’s inpatient psychiatric and PRTF beds, opioid response and treatment program integrity, workforce revitalization, electronic medical records for DHS direct care and treatment, MA for foster care youth, tribal provider payments, continuous eligibility for children under 21, and the MinnesotaCare public option. The spreadsheet review also covered a number of House bills and governor’s proposals that were included, excluded, or still being refined. Among the House bills discussed were eliminating cost sharing in MA and MinnesotaCare, expanding medically necessary dental coverage, adjusting economic assistance calculations, changing child welfare report handling, increasing PCA hours, expanding mammogram coverage, expanding ectodermal dysplasia coverage, creating PACE planning, addressing SSI funds for foster youth, increasing elderly waiver and homemaker rates, a delivery reform analysis project, tethering MA income standards to 133% of poverty, and several grant or planning items. Some proposals were noted as not included, such as the governor’s homelessness and public option items, adult-use cannabis legalization, and certain early childhood items. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and the chairs indicated the spreadsheet and bill language would continue to be refined, including at least one author’s amendment and some items still being costed.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting was a detailed spreadsheet walk-through of the House health and human services budget bill and related bills, with Doug Berg and Mr. Harney alternating to explain which governor’s recommendations and House files were included, excluded, or still being refined. They highlighted major spending areas such as child welfare prevention, food security, family and community resource hubs, mental health, opioid response, workforce revitalization, Medicaid and MinnesotaCare changes, and housing/homelessness grants. Several items were noted as no-cost policy changes, while others were still being costed or would be handled in other committees, including early childhood and housing provisions. The presenters repeatedly distinguished between items in the House bill and those not included, such as some governor proposals on connecting Minnesotans to services, building assets, homelessness, and the public option. They also described a number of House bills with fiscal impacts, including cost-sharing elimination in MA and MinnesotaCare, expanded dental coverage, continuous eligibility for children under 21, changes to MA income standards, PCA and waiver rate changes, SNAP income limit changes, and grants for specific populations and programs such as urban American Indians, foster care youth SSI planning, supportive decision-making, and volunteer administration. Some items were described as technical or preparatory steps rather than full program launches. No formal vote or amendment action was taken in the portion provided; instead, the discussion focused on explaining the spreadsheet, correcting labels, and noting where author’s amendments or further cost estimates would be needed before markup. The speakers emphasized that some highlighted numbers were still being refined and that a few provisions were included in language even when no fiscal cost was attached.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house