Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer from Reverend Kirsten Fryer, who reflected on the legacy of Saint Oscar Romero and offered a prayer for collective work, hope, and guidance for Minnesota leaders. The chamber then completed the roll call, noted a quorum, and adopted the printed committee reports and addendum. It also gave second reading to several Senate and House files, and handled motions to withdraw Senate File 3492 from Human Services committees and re-refer it to Civil Law and Data Practices Policy, and to withdraw Senate File 4148 from Capital Investment and return it to its author; both motions prevailed. The main floor action was consideration of Senate File 2736, a bill establishing juvenile court guardianship for at-risk youth ages 18 to 21. Senator Duckworth described the bill as closing a gap in Minnesota law and aligning with federal protections for vulnerable youth, including those affected by trafficking, abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Senator Bigham spoke in support, saying the bill would help youth who need family support and have a significant impact even if it goes unnoticed. No amendments were offered, and the bill was read a third time. The Senate then took a roll-call vote on Senate File 2736, including several members voting under Rule 40.7, and the bill passed 67-0 with its title agreed to. In announcements, Senator Lopez Franzen said leaders were preparing to meet with the governor and House leaders and urged progress on issues such as public safety, education, health care, frontline workers, and unemployment insurance. The Senate excused Senator Latz and then adopted a motion to recess to the call of the President after the House adjourned.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Legislators and staff discussed a Republican offer aimed at breaking the impasse over replenishing Minnesota’s unemployment trust fund. Republicans said the Senate had already passed a bipartisan bill 55-11 to fully restore the fund, warned that House inaction had allowed employer tax notices to go out, and argued that small businesses facing inflation, supply chain problems, and workforce shortages should not face an avoidable tax increase. They said the trust fund bill should be handled as a stand-alone measure and that the House should simply take up the Senate version for a likely broadly bipartisan vote. As a compromise, Republicans offered $250 million for frontline worker bonus pay, with the House allowed to decide which workers qualify and how the money is divided within that cap. Democrats responded that the offer mostly repeated an existing commitment from last year and did not add new funding for workers, though they said it was an improvement and would be considered. Both sides indicated the discussion was not final, and Republicans said they would return Monday with more detail. The conversation also touched on other legislative deadlines and topics. Members said reinsurance was being discussed separately, with an April 1 deadline to reauthorize the program and concerns that the House bill lacked funding compared with the Senate version. Bonding was noted as not yet discussed, and participants said they preferred stand-alone bills over linking issues together. The meeting ended with plans for continued talks and committee work, including a lighter Senate floor schedule and more deadline-driven committee activity.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee advanced a bill aimed at helping people with intractable pain. Testimony focused on concerns that CDC opioid prescribing recommendations and related federal enforcement have been used to deny care, especially for patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, hospice patients, and others stable on long-term opioid therapy. Speakers argued that restrictive policies have led to undertreatment of pain and have harmed patients who depend on medication to maintain quality of life. Several individuals described severe personal impacts from chronic pain, including loss of mobility, inability to work or sleep, forced retirement, and being left without a pain doctor because providers feared DEA scrutiny and guidelines. One witness said chronic pain patients are left to fend for themselves and that some have turned to street drugs or died by suicide because they cannot access treatment. Supporters of the bill framed the issue as an overcorrection to past opioid prescribing problems that has created collateral damage for patients with intractable pain. The segment did not mention any opposition, amendments, or final vote count, only that the committee advanced the bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met remotely with a quorum and took up the issue of natural gas affordability, first hearing presentations from Annie Levinson Fox of the Citizens Utility Board and Kevin Lee of the Department of Commerce. Levinson Fox explained that customer bills have risen sharply because of colder weather, higher gas commodity prices, interim rate adjustments tied to utility rate cases, and event surcharges related to Winter Storm Uri. She noted that while the number of households behind on bills has been fairly steady, the average amount owed has increased substantially, reflecting growing affordability pressure. Lee echoed those points, adding that natural gas prices remain elevated, heating oil has also surged, and Commerce is trying to help through energy assistance and weatherization programs. He said energy assistance eligibility has been expanded, demand has roughly doubled, and the crisis maximum was increased from $2,000 to $3,000 to help prevent disconnections and support delivered-fuel households. The committee then turned to House File 3944, as amended by a DE1. Representative Stanson described the bill as creating a refundable tax credit for ratepayers and municipal utilities affected by the polar vortex and the extraordinary gas costs incurred during Winter Storm Uri, with the bill initially focused on municipal utilities. Representative Stevenson offered the A4 amendment, which was adopted, to expand relief to customers of investor-owned utilities such as Xcel and Minnesota Power and to create a new account for that purpose. Stanson said the bill was prompted by the severe impact on Hibbing’s municipal utility, where gas prices reportedly spiked by more than 5,000 percent over five days, causing major unbudgeted costs for residents and businesses. Testimony in support came from Ken Salam of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, who said the event was unforeseeable and hit utilities differently depending on their gas supply routes, with some drawing from Canadian pipelines and others from southern pipelines that faced extreme costs. He said some utilities used reserves to soften the impact, but those reserves are meant for equipment and operating needs and were not intended to absorb such a short-term shock. After the testimony, the chair noted there were no questions, and the committee proceeded with the bill after adopting the DE1 and A4 amendments.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on March 24, 2022, approved the March 23 minutes by voice vote, and then heard House File 3979, which would make permanent funding available for school-based mental health services for special education students in level four settings. Representative Howard said the bill is intended to support students with trauma and severe emotional or mental health needs and to continue the innovative mental health grant work begun in 2017. He and several testifiers argued that these programs help keep students in school, connect families to services, and improve safety and outcomes for some of the state’s most vulnerable children. Testimony in support came from leaders at Intermediate District 287, Northeast Metro Intermediate District 916, Southwest Central Service Cooperative, Lakes Country Service Cooperative, and Minneapolis Public Schools. They described therapeutic classrooms, family therapy, wraparound services, and partnerships with mental health providers, saying the grants have helped students transition back to less restrictive settings and, in some cases, back to their home schools. Several testifiers emphasized that demand is high, providers and treatment beds are scarce, and rural and intermediate districts need stable funding to continue and expand services. Members raised questions about the bill’s lack of a specified appropriation and the fiscal impact of creating ongoing funding. Representative Bennett said she supports school mental health programs but was concerned about the missing cost estimate and the long-term budget commitment, and asked whether federal funds could be used instead of the general fund. Representative Erickson also said federal ARP dollars should be considered and noted that members need to know the funding source. Representative Howard responded that the bill intentionally leaves funding blank for the budget process, that the need is ongoing, and that the state should use available resources to support these services. Staff later confirmed the 2017 appropriation for the original innovative mental health grants was $4.9 million for the biennium.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee met virtually, approved the March 22 minutes, and heard House File 4228, the administration’s 2022 supplemental early childhood budget bill, which was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee omnibus bill. Chair Pinto said the committee would likely draw significantly from the administration’s proposals in his own budget work. The bill was presented by the Department of Education and included a statewide mixed-delivery prekindergarten program for eligible four-year-olds, expanded early learning scholarships, a tribal Head Start set-aside, Grow Your Own grants for early childhood educators, expanded developmental screening and early childhood family education provisions, and added mental health supports for young children and schools. The department also described transition provisions and appropriations tied to the new public pre-K model and related services. Department staff walked through the bill section by section, explaining that it would create full-day, state-funded pre-K for underserved four-year-olds through a mixed delivery system of school-based, Head Start, licensed center, and family child care providers, with seat allocations and eligibility criteria spelled out. Other sections would expand scholarship eligibility and priorities, clarify pupil unit treatment, adjust Head Start and screening funding, and allow a possible transition year for existing programs. Public testimony largely supported the bill’s goals, especially the tribal Head Start set-aside, workforce development, and mental health investments. Testifiers from the Department of Corrections, school/community education, Head Start providers, a tribal Head Start program, and the Minnesota Business Partnership all supported major parts of the bill, though the business group raised concerns about deprioritizing four-year-olds for scholarships and about adding regulatory layers through the proposed pre-K model. No votes beyond the minutes approval were taken in the portion provided.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate File 3566, which would modify the definition of intractable pain and the criteria for prescribing controlled substances for that condition. Senator Clausen presented the bill and adopted the A2 amendment, described as conforming to Department of Health recommendations and correcting technical oversights. Testimony in support came from Dr. Beth Darnell, Dr. Lou Sager, and Laura Johnson, all arguing that CDC opioid guidelines and dose thresholds have led to forced tapering, reduced access to pain treatment, and patient harms, especially for people with cancer, sickle cell disease, and chronic pain. Members also adopted a verbal amendment adding “limited to” on page 3, and several senators expressed support, citing overcorrection in past opioid policy and the impact on patients. The committee then approved the bill as amended and recommended it to pass to the Committee on Civil Law. The committee then heard Senate File 3071, a licensing bill authored by Senator Rosen. As amended, it establishes temporary permit procedures for physicians assistants and respiratory therapists and extends the validity of temporary nursing permits from 60 to 90 days. Senator Rosen said the bill responds to COVID-era workforce shortages and licensing delays, and the A2 delete-all amendment and A4 amendment were adopted. Supportive testimony came from Mary Krinke of the Minnesota Hospital Association, Ruth Martinez of the Board of Medical Practice, and Kim Miller of the Board of Nursing, who said the temporary permit process helps address incomplete applications, speeds workforce entry, and would have helped during pandemic surges when hospitals needed nurses and respiratory therapists quickly. Members praised the stakeholder collaboration and the bill’s compromise approach, and the discussion continued with questions after the testimony.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 3451, a Duluth-specific property tax incentive bill for aviation businesses at the airport, aimed at helping Cirrus Aircraft expand its operations in the former Northwest/Delta maintenance facility. Senator Bach and Duluth city planning director Chris Fleige said the bill would create a transitional 50 percent net tax capacity rate for airport aviation businesses in cities with populations between 50,000 and 150,000, with a sunset in 2034. They argued the change would not reduce city, county, or school levies overall, but would reallocate tax burden to support capital investment, jobs, and airport-related operating costs that are already borne through leases and other expenses. Fleige said the impact on a typical St. Louis County homeowner would be very small, and Cirrus representative William King described the company’s growth plans and the difficulty of retrofitting the large hangar space. The committee adopted the A1 amendment, which added the effective date and sunset, and then laid the bill over for possible inclusion. The committee then took up Senate File 39, a 4D affordable housing property tax bill. Senator Weber said the proposal revisits last year’s changes to the 4D program, which were intended to address rising property taxes and constrained revenues for affordable housing providers. Ward Innis of the 4D Coalition said the bill would modernize the program by lowering the tax rate, adding municipal consent for new 4D certifications, and providing temporary transition aid for communities more affected by the change. He said the coalition has been working on the issue for years and that the bill’s cost would be relatively modest. Scott Cordes of Project for Pride in Living testified that rising property taxes, insurance, utilities, and security costs have strained affordable housing operators and threatened their ability to maintain low rents and preserve housing stock. He said the proposal’s costs were manageable and thanked the bill’s supporters. The discussion emphasized balancing relief for affordable housing providers with guardrails for cities, but no final vote on the 4D bill was taken in the portion provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 3625, a proposal by Sen. Pratt to create a two-year, $7 million pilot program to support Minnesota’s thoroughbred industry. The bill would fund a thoroughbred residency incentive, after-care for retired horses, and mental health and educational services for stable workers and nearby communities. Testifier Joe Scurto of the Minnesota Thoroughbred Racing Alliance argued the program would help keep more horses in Minnesota, bolster local agriculture and related businesses, and preserve jobs and economic activity tied to Canterbury Park and the broader racing industry. Sen. Pratt said the bill would support jobs and the Scott County economy. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the agriculture omnibus bill. The committee then took up Senate File 3854, Sen. Johnson’s bill to compensate Minnesota whitetail deer farmers for losses tied to DNR movement bans and Board of Animal Health endemic zones related to chronic wasting disease. Sen. Johnson and several testifiers said the industry suffered significant financial harm through no fault of its own, arguing that state actions prevented sales, increased feed and labor costs, and disrupted contracts. Testifiers Tim Sprick, Stan and Fran Tweet, Steve Porter, and Deb Holthouse described severe losses, stress, and what they characterized as overly broad or hostile state restrictions. They also defended the Board of Animal Health’s CWD monitoring program and criticized the DNR’s use of broader shutdowns and proposed testing approaches. Members asked questions about the size of the industry, estimated lost revenue, the details of the CWD monitoring program, and whether any positive tests had occurred. Testifiers said the industry’s annual revenue is roughly $24–25 million and estimated losses could be around $10 million per year, though that figure was described as approximate. No DNR representative appeared at the hearing. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion, and the committee indicated it would continue with additional questions after testimony.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 3987, which would increase funding for the extended employment program that supports Minnesotans with disabilities in community jobs and sheltered workshops. Senator Johnson Stewart and testifiers described staffing shortages, rising wages, and the need to raise the provider rate by $2.285 million beginning in fiscal year 2024. A consumer and a provider testified that the services help people keep jobs and build skills. The A1 amendment was adopted, and the bill was laid over. The committee then heard Senate File 2117, an appropriation for Enterprise Minnesota’s Growth Acceleration Program (GAAP) for small manufacturers. Senator Rarick and Enterprise Minnesota representatives said the program helps manufacturers improve operations, retain and create jobs, and compete, especially in Greater Minnesota. Two manufacturers testified that GAAP-funded consulting helped with lean practices, training, certifications, plant layout, and cybersecurity. The amendment was adopted and the bill was laid over. Next, Senate File 3624, the Owatonna “Learn to Earn” proposal, was presented as a partnership among the chamber, schools, city, and Riverland Technical College to assess local workforce and higher education needs and improve training tied to manufacturing jobs. The A1 amendment shifted the request so $20,000 would fund a needs study from this committee and $980,000 would be referred to higher education. Testimony emphasized Owatonna’s manufacturing base, new business growth, and the need to align training with employer demand. The amended bill was passed and referred to higher education. Finally, Senator Koran introduced Senate File 3036, which would create a preliminary licensing process for people with criminal records to learn in advance whether they are disqualified from a license, require a decision within 60 days, and add annual reporting to DEED. The bill was described as a transparency measure that would not change existing licensing standards. The transcript cuts off before further testimony or action on this bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Preventing Homelessness Committee met remotely, approved the March 16, 2022 minutes, and heard from the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness on the governor’s updated supplemental homelessness response budget. Eric Grumdahl described two revisions: a $20 million increase for the Emergency Services Program, bringing it to $55 million for FY2023 to help shelters and other homeless response programs facing the end of temporary pandemic-related funding, and a $200,000 proposal to create a new task force to examine the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government in responding to homelessness. Members and the chair supported the idea of a task force focused on coordination, evaluation, and practical frameworks rather than simply additional funding. The committee then returned to House File 4225, which Chair Gomez laid over again after discussing it the previous week. Gomez explained that the bill grew out of her experience with Minneapolis encampment responses in 2020 and that her earlier presentation had been shaped by that difficult experience. She said the bill was intended to prompt discussion about how encampments are handled and how different public entities should coordinate, while acknowledging the issue’s complexity and the need for broader policy work. Representative Lee New Brindley said legislators should avoid micromanagement but need clearer solutions, especially given different conditions in rural communities, and emphasized the need for flexibility and standards. Public testifier Sue Walla Phillips urged the committee to listen to people living in encampments, protect unhoused people, and use available state and federal resources to expand affordable housing and local flexibility. Representative Hornstein and others recounted the 2020 Minneapolis encampment response as an example of agencies pointing fingers until Chair Gomez convened partners and resources, leading to indoor villages and wraparound services. Members generally agreed that better policy and clearer roles could reduce delays and improve humane responses. No votes were taken on House File 4225 beyond the motion to lay it over, and the committee moved toward continued testimony and discussion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Education Finance Committee held an informational hearing on House File 951, a bill by Representative Richardson that would extend Minnesota’s preschool suspension ban to students in kindergarten through third grade. The bill would prohibit dismissal of young students unless non-exclusionary discipline has been tried and there is an ongoing safety threat, and it also includes funding for grants to school districts and charter schools to train staff in non-exclusionary discipline practices. The chair noted the committee did not have the bill in possession, so no formal motion or vote was taken. Representative Richardson and several testifiers argued that exclusionary discipline contributes to racial and disability disparities and harms early learning. Dr. Bernardia Johnson, a former Minneapolis superintendent, described using a moratorium on suspensions for young children and said schools need clearer expectations, more professional development, and more support services. Parent advocates Aidel Abdul and Tonya Dran shared personal stories of children suspended for behaviors they said should have been redirected rather than punished, and both urged lawmakers to keep children in class and support families. Marin Holden of Legal Aid and the Minnesota Disability Law Center testified that suspensions and expulsions do not improve outcomes and disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and disabled students, with disproportionality increasing from kindergarten through third grade. In member questions, Representative Erickson asked why a mandate was needed if some schools already avoid suspensions; Dr. Johnson responded that a mandate would create consistency across the system. No committee action was taken beyond the hearing and discussion.