Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on April 4, 2022, to advance the state government omnibus bill and hear testimony on several included provisions. It first took up Senate File 4209, as amended by the A3 amendment, which would create a foster youth ombudsperson office. The amendment harmonized the bill with the House version, narrowed a data provision, added a guardian ad litem to the board, required administrative services from the commissioner of administration, and adjusted the appropriation from $650,000 to $775,000 with the funding directed to the new office. Senator Housley and testifier Hwang Murphy argued the office was needed to provide independent oversight, track complaints, and advocate for foster youth who may be harmed by the child protection system. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill, as amended, and referred it to the Finance Committee. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation on the omnibus state government and elections bill from Senator Kiffmeyer and staff. The bill combined multiple measures, including election administration changes, voter data provisions, absentee ballot and drop box rules, live-streaming requirements for ballot boards, security markings on ballots, sample ballot formatting, and reporting requirements for election spending. It also included a broad set of non-election provisions affecting the Legislative Coordinating Commission, legislative salary council, renewable energy analysis requirements, grants to nonprofits, local investments, self-insurance pools, cosmetology licensing and board changes, horse racing funds, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, accountancy licensure, gambling rules, Iron Range employee programs, public land survey monuments, and several repealers. The A1 amendment was adopted for presentation. Testimony on the omnibus bill was mixed. The Secretary of State’s office said it had concerns about logistical burdens on local election administrators, reduced flexibility, voter privacy issues tied to live streaming and voter data changes, and the need to preserve existing checks and balances rather than add new transparency mandates. Attorney General Keith Ellison urged the committee to restore $4.156 million for his office’s criminal division, arguing the bill zeroed out funding needed to help prosecute violent crime and retain staff, and he also objected to language he said infringed on the attorney general’s constitutional authority. Commissioner Alice Roberts Davis of the Department of Administration said she was disappointed that additional investments to improve state services were not included and highlighted needs such as procurement support, small agency assistance, fleet funding, dispute resolution, cemetery law updates, and workers’ compensation costs. The committee continued hearing testimony on the omnibus bill, with questions deferred to a later time.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee met on April 4, 2022, to begin a walkthrough of Senate File 1154, the vehicle bill for the committee’s omnibus transportation package. The chair explained the schedule and noted the committee would hear testimony in a limited walkthrough format, then return later for additional testimony and mark-up on a subsequent day. The committee adopted the A9 author’s delete-all amendment at the outset, and staff then began reviewing the bill’s structure and fiscal impacts. Fiscal staff outlined the major funding provisions, including state matches for federal infrastructure funds, appropriations for aeronautics, transit, state roads, Corridors of Commerce, county and municipal state aid, and small cities assistance. The presentation also covered major Department of Public Safety items such as replacement aircraft for the State Patrol, security cameras for DVS and deputy registrar offices, third-party CDL testing administration, online driver education, veterans designation changes, vehicle registration and renewal fee changes, and new or revised revenue streams tied to electric vehicle surcharges and auto parts sales tax dedication. Staff also described the bill’s transfer mechanisms, bond-funded projects, and general fund impacts, including a large net increase in transportation spending relative to the budget base. Policy staff then walked through the bill’s substantive provisions, highlighting new electric vehicle and motorcycle surcharges, special license plates, towing and dealer provisions, online driver education, school bus age flexibility, third-party CDL testing changes, and the independent expert review package that consolidates several related measures. Additional sections addressed full-service providers, record access, and related administrative changes. The committee did not take final action on the bill beyond adopting the A9 amendment and receiving the walkthrough; further amendment and committee action were scheduled for later meetings.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate File 1154, the Senate transportation omnibus bill, from MnDOT, the Metropolitan Council, and the Department of Public Safety. MnDOT supported several governor proposals in the bill, including drones, turnbacks, state aid calculations, transit grant reporting, small-city funding, and EV charging at rest areas, but strongly objected to provisions restricting use of federal IIJA funds, eliminating direct spending flexibility, increasing EV fees, blocking funding for Reconnect Rondo, ending passenger rail and Northstar, and adding many trunk highway earmarks. MnDOT also raised concerns about Corridors of Commerce funding shifts, the absence of appropriations for anticipated federal funds, impacts on the trunk highway fund balance, and changes to pavement life-cycle cost analysis, while suggesting technical wording changes and recommending broader stakeholder review instead of earmarks. The Metropolitan Council said it appreciated state and IIJA matching funds but opposed restrictions that would prevent those funds from matching electric vehicle grant programs and objected to changes that would reduce its base funding. It also opposed provisions affecting guideways, including suspending construction or allowing municipalities to revoke prior consent, and said the Northstar-related language was premature because its study with MnDOT and counties is still underway. The council was open to discussions on ridership and crime reporting and urged inclusion of its administrative citations initiative. Commissioner Harrington of Public Safety thanked the committee for several items in the bill, including elimination of Gold Star family plate fees, creation of a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives plate, school bus camera grants, salvaged title changes, and additional aviation funding. He said the bill still omitted several requested items, including deficiency funding for State Patrol capital security and Driver and Vehicle Services, expanded death-benefit eligibility for first responders, funding for security cameras at exam stations, race and ethnicity data collection, additional data auditing, pipeline safety updates, commercial vehicle enforcement funding, soft body armor reimbursement, and a Traffic Safety Advisory Council. After testimony, the chair noted the firefighters death-benefit issue likely belonged in another committee and expressed concern about privacy and reliability of the proposed race-and-equity data. No votes or formal actions were taken in the excerpt.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Education Finance Committee met on April 4, 2022, to begin review of the House majority’s Education Finance supplemental budget omnibus, including a delete-all amendment to House File 4300. The chair outlined a process of first walking through the fiscal spreadsheet and bill language, then taking public testimony and member questions later, with amendments to the delete-all amendment due by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 5. The committee approved the minutes from the Friday, April 1 meeting by voice vote. Members also discussed the schedule for further consideration, with public testimony and questions planned for Tuesday and markup expected Wednesday, with Thursday reserved if needed. Fiscal staff presented the bill’s major budget items and explained that the proposal aligns with the House’s targets of $1.155 billion in fiscal year 2023 and $2.125 billion in fiscal years 2024-25. The spreadsheet highlighted major investments in voluntary pre-kindergarten, special education, English learner aid, literacy, full-service community schools, student support personnel, mental health, school meals, libraries, adult basic education, and teacher recruitment and retention. Staff also noted several formula changes and interactions, including increased special education cross-subsidy support over time, expanded VPK funding, and special revenue transfers for Grow Your Own and student support workforce pipeline programs. The bill walkthrough then moved through Article 1 and later articles, describing policy and formula changes such as replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the K-12 code, expanding access to menstrual products, adjusting consolidation transition aid, revising online learning provisions, and increasing nonpublic pupil counseling access at the elementary level. Other provisions included changes to English learner revenue, graduation incentives, American Indian aid, and supplemental online learning rules, including allowing certain pre-pandemic asynchronous instruction to continue and clarifying online learning for students in care-and-treatment settings. No additional votes on the bill itself were taken during the portion of the meeting provided beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The meeting focused on federal single audit requirements and oversight of the Minnesota Department of Education’s administration of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program, including the programs that funded Feeding Our Future. The presenter explained the federal single audit framework, the $750,000 expenditure threshold for required audits, the higher threshold for programs audited on a three-year cycle, and how auditors test internal controls, compliance, and prior findings. The discussion also covered how federal requirements can change year to year, including subrecipient monitoring rules, and noted that MDE was required to review grantee single audits and track deficiencies, even when auditors were not required to test every monitoring element in a given year. The presenter highlighted audit findings from fiscal year 2020, including that 31 of 74 single audits were not reviewed by MDE, and clarified that Feeding Our Future was not among those 74 in that year because its expenditures had not yet exceeded $750,000. The committee then heard testimony from Loaves and Fishes Minnesota about how tightly regulated the meal programs are in practice, including annual site visits, meal documentation, posters, portion requirements, and on-site meal consumption before COVID. The witness described the program as difficult to scale quickly and said the organization would not allow another group to use its sponsorship. Commissioner Heather Mueller then testified that MDE identified concerns about Feeding Our Future’s rapid growth in summer 2020, escalated the issue to USDA and later the FBI, denied new site applications, declared the sponsor seriously deficient, and issued stop-pay orders. She said MDE terminated Feeding Our Future’s agreements after federal search warrants in January 2022 and emphasized that MDE lacks authority to impose requirements beyond federal regulations. In response to committee questions, MDE said site visits remained important but could be done in alternative ways during the pandemic, and committee members requested additional documents and confirmed future witnesses for later hearings.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate K-12 Education Finance and Policy Committee rolled out its omnibus appropriations bill, SF 4113, with the chair saying it was a short, nine-page bill focused primarily on reading and literacy. The bill would suspend the World's Best Workforce reporting requirement through the 2028-29 school year, expand and staff up regional centers of excellence with a literacy focus, strike the word “balanced” from the reading instruction language, clarify PELSB requirements so elementary teacher preparation includes high-quality science-of-reading instruction, and appropriate $30 million one-time for LETRS training for K-5 licensed teachers plus $700,000 ongoing for MDE. The chair said the committee would take up the bill for adoption on Wednesday after members had time to review it. Testimony was mixed but broadly supportive of the literacy emphasis. Commissioner Heather Mueller said MDE supports a stronger literacy focus and the regional centers, but argued the bill was too narrow and should also address mental health, general education funding, special education and English learner subsidies, American Indian students, early learning, and other governor-backed proposals. Amy Wallstein of the Minnesota Business Partnership supported the literacy bill but urged removing “or locally adapted” so districts would use the same state standards and tests. Matt Shaver of Allies supported the science-of-reading approach and the LETRS appropriation, but opposed suspending World's Best Workforce and warned that making LETRS requirements permanent in statute could be hard to undo later. Several testifiers, including Caitlin Snyder of Education Minnesota and parents Laura Gannon, Julia Pringle, and Sarah Spafford Freeman, said the bill should do more to address teacher staffing, mental health, special education, ELL underfunding, and classroom supports. Snyder supported scientifically based literacy instruction and LETRS but asked for stipends for teachers and cautioned that the teacher-prep changes could be difficult for colleges to implement. Pringle and Freeman supported the literacy focus but emphasized cross-subsidy funding gaps and broader school needs. Scott Cronquist of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts said districts appreciate the literacy focus and relief from World's Best Workforce reporting, but urged the committee to address special education and English learner cross-subsidies and student mental health in later negotiations.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House DFL leaders held a press event to announce their E-12 education budget target and outline priorities for the upcoming session. Chair Jim Davnie said the target is $1.155 billion in FY23 and $2.125 billion in each of the following two fiscal years, for a total increase of $3.28 billion over four years. Speakers criticized the Senate Republican education proposal as insufficient and said the state’s budget surplus should be used to make larger investments in schools, students, and educators. The proposal emphasizes student mental health, special education, English learner funding, literacy, early learning, and workforce diversity. Davnie said the plan would fund 1,100 new school support staff such as counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses, with $475 million for that purpose. He also described $1.4 billion to close the special education deficit, $272 million to eliminate the English learner deficit by 2026, an $80 million literacy package, support for full-service community schools, and full funding for the Teachers of Color Act. Education Policy Chair Ruth Richardson said the plan is intended to address pandemic-related needs, racial disparities, and the whole child. Testimony from an education support professional and a student representative focused on the need for more mental health staff, better access to culturally responsive support, stronger communication of available resources, and improved support for education support professionals. The student described racial trauma, lack of BIPOC counselors, and the need for mental health education. In response to questions, Davnie said the special education and English learner deficit funding is ongoing, that support staff would be distributed by a per-student formula available to all schools, and that formal House budget targets would be set later. He also said the Page amendment on racial disparities had been heard last session and would not be heard again this session, and clarified that the syllabus idea for mental health resources was not part of the package.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on April 4 to hear Senate File 4062, the environmental and natural resources finance omnibus bill. Senator Ingebrigtsen and staff outlined the bill’s overall target and major spending items, including appropriations for the Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and related accounts. The bill funds items such as wastewater system design in Lake Town Township, SCORE grants, whole effluent toxicity rulemaking, a mattress recycling program, an air permit study, a Section 404 permit study, cleanup of an abandoned school building in Lake of the Woods County, ATV trail and facility projects, a trail ambassador program, shooting sports grants, calcareous fan monitoring, and a White Bear Lake water level study. The bill also includes policy changes such as extending a St. Louis River mercury appropriation, reducing 3M settlement reporting from twice yearly to once yearly, creating an events promotion account funded by lottery-in-lieu proceeds, and a lands bill that would generate revenue for the land acquisition account. Committee staff then walked through the policy provisions with fiscal effects. These included changes to calcareous fan permit decisions and review procedures, creation of the mattress recycling program, the 3M reporting change, the events promotion account, a northeast metro drinking water study, and expansion of whole effluent toxicity provisions to sugar beet processing facilities statewide. Commissioners Sarah Stroman of DNR and Katrina Kessler of MPCA testified in support of many parts of the bill while also noting concerns about some omitted governor proposals. Stroman emphasized the need for one-time investments in natural resources, habitat, infrastructure, and DNR enforcement reimbursement for public safety costs. Kessler highlighted missing MPCA requests on climate resilience, waste prevention and recycling grants, and PFAS response, saying those investments would help communities address flooding, recycling challenges, and contamination. John Jaske of the Board of Water and Soil Resources also testified, supporting funding for voluntary conservation programs, including water storage and treatment and soil health practices, as well as a tribal liaison and support for the 404 assumption process. After testimony, Senator Ingebrigtsen introduced the A17 amendment, which would narrow a prior change to environmental review by removing changes to discretionary and petition-based EAWs while keeping the provision that a mandatory EAW would not be required for projects affecting waters not on the public waters inventory. The committee had not yet taken final action in the portion of the meeting provided, and members were beginning consideration of amendments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate File 4062 and adopted the A14 amendment, which removed a provision related to walleye and sauger limits. Supporters argued the DNR already has rulemaking authority over fish limits and that the statutory change was unnecessary and not based on science. A subsequent A20 amendment, offered to replace the bill with the governor’s broader environmental budget proposal, was debated at length over budget priorities and the size of the spending increase, but it failed on a roll call vote, 4-6. After that, the committee voted on the bill itself. Senator Ingebritsen moved that Senate File 4062, as amended, be recommended to pass and placed on general orders. Several members raised concerns about environmental policy changes and budget targets, but the motion prevailed on a roll call vote, 6-4, and the bill was placed on general orders. The committee then moved to the housing omnibus bill. Senator Draheim described the bill as focused on increasing housing supply, supporting homeownership, and funding sprinkler upgrades in nonprofit apartment buildings. Staff outlined about $50 million in one-time general fund spending plus $15 million from Housing Finance Agency resources, including workforce homeownership grants, homeownership investment grants, a targeted loan pool, a manufactured home parks revolving loan fund, and sprinkler grants. Commissioner Ho testified that the governor’s housing proposal took a balanced approach across homelessness, rental affordability, and closing homeownership gaps, and she said the bill included useful policy changes but that more investment was needed. Senator Franson offered the A12 amendment to add $10 million per year for the Home Start with Home program, aimed at rent and housing assistance for families with or expecting children; she argued it would help about 1,400 families annually. Senator Draheim opposed the amendment, saying the committee already funded many housing instability programs elsewhere and questioning their effectiveness. The discussion continued with concerns about housing silos and the need for broader support, but the transcript ends before a vote on A12 or final action on the housing bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer and pledge, then completed roll call and confirmed a quorum was present. The chamber received House messages, including notice that the House adopted the conference committee report on Senate File 3472, extending the Minnesota premium security plan, and transmitted several House files. The Senate also gave second readings to several Senate and House bills, adopted committee reports from the agenda and addendum, and approved motions to strike and re-refer Senate Files 4212 and 4214 to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy (and Elections, for SF 4214). One late bill, Senate File 2307, was excluded from the adopted reports. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to tributes to former Senate Secretary Patrick Flavin, who had recently been honored at a wake. Senators Murphy, Dibble, Weger, Pappas, and others praised his long service, nonpartisan approach, mastery of parliamentary procedure, calm demeanor, and role in mentoring members and shaping Senate traditions. Several members also noted his work on Mason’s Manual and his broader public service, and there was support for observing a moment of silence after adjournment in his memory. During announcements, Senator Franzen spoke about the historic confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, describing it as an important milestone and a reminder of opportunity and progress. Senator Newman announced that the Senate Transportation Committee would reconvene 15 minutes after adjournment. Senator Miller then moved to adjourn, and the Senate agreed to adjourn until Tuesday, April 5 at 12 noon, with members to stand for a moment of silence after adjournment.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on Senate File 4427, the Department of Commerce’s supplemental budget. Commissioner Grace Arnold outlined the department’s mission and the bill’s main requests, which were aimed at improving consumer protection and regulatory services in administrative services, insurance enforcement, and financial institutions. She noted that the department’s reinsurance conference committee work had already been completed and signed by the governor, and that this supplemental budget was relatively short compared with typical budget bills. The department’s requests included $125,000 for a second FTE to expand senior financial fraud prevention work, $180,000 for a senior manager in the insurance division, $345,000 for three in-house market conduct exam staff, and $174,000 for an additional special agent in response to an Office of the Legislative Auditor review of the Commerce Fraud Bureau. Commerce also sought to extend assessment authority in the financial institutions division so all regulated entities would contribute to oversight costs, redirecting $783,000 in fee revenue from the general fund to the division’s special revenue fund. Arnold said these changes would help improve processing times, training, and responsiveness to consumers and regulated businesses. Members asked about remote work after COVID, delays in insurance filings, statutory timelines for filings, and the impact of COVID on senior financial fraud. Arnold said work arrangements vary by division, policy filings generally have a 60-day statutory timeline, and the department is using process changes and new staff to improve turnaround times, with a goal of being in better shape by the end of summer. On senior fraud, she said the problem has not gone away and that the department would provide more detailed statistics later. The chair explained the hearing was informational because the bill arrived after the first deadline. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate devoted the session to memorial remarks honoring former Secretary of the Senate Patrick Flavin, who had recently died. Senators Murphy, Dibble, Wieger, Rest, Marty, and Miller described his long service beginning in 1973, his retirement in 2009, and his reputation as a calm, fair, highly respected parliamentarian who gave nonpartisan advice and helped shape Senate culture and procedure. Several speakers recalled his mentorship of new members, his deep knowledge of Senate rules and Mason’s Manual, his national and international parliamentary work, and his warm relationship with staff and colleagues. Members also shared personal memories, including his tradition of welcoming new senators, taking them to lunch, and emphasizing the importance of learning the rules before challenging rulings. Speakers noted his dignity, professionalism, and even his distinctive style and attention to tradition. Senator Martin said the Senate would observe a moment of silence after adjournment in his honor. At the close of the remarks, Senator Martin moved that the Senate adjourn until Tuesday, April 5th at 12 noon. The motion prevailed, and the Senate adjourned, with a moment of silence to follow after adjournment.