Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its March 17, 2022 meeting by voice vote. It then took up House File 2742, which would extend public school eligibility from age 21 to 22 for certain students, with the bill intended to be laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill. Representative Berg said the change would give nontraditional learners and students affected by the pandemic more time to earn a diploma. Testifiers from alternative programs and schools, including Volunteers of America High School, the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, an area learning center teacher, and PYC Arts and Tech High School, supported the bill and described students who fall behind because of crisis, work, family responsibilities, or pandemic-related learning loss. A member asked about possible child support implications of the age change; Berg said she had not considered that issue and would follow up with House Research. The bill was laid over after testimony and discussion. The committee then heard House File 2031, as amended by the A1 amendment, which was adopted by voice vote. Representative Hewitt said the bill would provide grant funding for school districts to offer emergency medical services courses to students, helping address EMS recruitment and retention shortages. Testifiers from Stevens County EMS, District 196, and other programs described successful high school EMT training programs, the need for more funding, updated equipment, and the value of creating a pipeline into EMS careers. Members asked whether the course could count toward required credits or college credit; witnesses said current rules treat it as an elective and do not allow it to count as a required health or science class, though Hewitt said he was working with tech colleges and wanted to expand training opportunities. The discussion also referenced an OLA audit and the need to ensure the program board is accountable, but the transcript ends before any final committee action on House File 2031 is shown.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate DFL leaders held a news conference to unveil a public safety package they said would total more than $500 million over three years and combine crime reduction with prevention. Senator Melissa Lopez Franzen criticized the Republican majority for moving only one public safety bill, a $1 million billboard recruitment effort, and said the DFL proposals were a comprehensive, evidence-based alternative. She and other senators argued the package should address both immediate law enforcement needs and root causes such as mental health, housing, education, and youth supports. Senator Bobby Joe Champion described his juvenile justice bill as focused on prevention, intervention, and diversion. He said it would fund community-based violence and substance abuse prevention, youth activities, mental health supports, wraparound services, youth employment, mentorship, and transitional services for young people in out-of-home placement. He said the bill was developed with input from county attorneys, public defenders, judges, and community allies. Senator Ron Latz outlined the governor’s and Department of Corrections bill, saying it would invest in violent crime reduction, use-of-force simulation technology, Minnesota Heals, youth development grants, education for incarcerated people, and Community Corrections Act subsidies and probation programming. He said effective supervision and reentry support are necessary to reduce repeat offending. Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten then described Senate File 4194, which would create a public safety innovation board, fund emergency community safety grants, body cameras, alternative licensure pathways, local investment grants, and community innovation efforts such as mobile crisis teams, restorative justice, violence interruption, and victim services. In response to questions, the senators said they want hearings on their bills, rejected an emphasis on mandatory minimums and new crimes as insufficiently evidence-based, and said their path forward is to keep pressing for committee action and floor consideration.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 284 was heard, and the committee first adopted the A2 amendment. The amendment updated dates in the bill and added language, based on feedback from tribal groups, to ensure the proposed task force includes both a Dakota community member and an Ojibwe community member. Representatives Freiberg and Fischer co-presented the bill. They described it as creating a State Emblems Commission to recommend new designs for Minnesota’s state flag and seal, with members appointed by the governor, legislature, and ethnic councils. They argued the current flag is hard to distinguish and that the seal imagery is problematic, and they said the proposal was informed by prior work, student testimony, and discussions with the Secretary of State and tribal representatives. Representative Fischer emphasized that the effort began after two high school students raised concerns in 2017 and said a good flag should be simple, distinctive, and recognizable from a distance, without lettering or seals. After no questions from members, the chair renewed the motion to refer the amended bill to Ways and Means. The motion passed 8-5, and House File 284 was sent to the Ways and Means Committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 17 minutes, then heard House File 3359, which would create a court-ordered remedy for severe rental housing code violations by allowing an administrator to make repairs and place a priority lien on the property. Representative Agbaje said the bill is aimed at rare, egregious cases where landlords are unresponsive and current tools, such as rental license revocation, can displace tenants. Eric Gustafson of the Family Housing Fund testified in support, saying the bill would better hold owners financially accountable while preserving housing stock. Representative Far raised concerns about removing an economic-viability review and about the effect of a priority lien on mortgage holders. The committee voted 9-6 to refer the bill to the Housing Finance and Policy Committee. The committee then heard House File 3696, which would expand Minnesota’s all-payer claims database to collect non-claims-based health care payment information, including value-based payments, beginning in 2024, with an interim report due in 2023. Representative Schultz and Dr. Deb Ditberner of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians said the bill would give the state a fuller picture of how health care is paid for and help assess primary care investment and value-based care. Representative Scott asked about what data would be collected, how it would be aggregated, and what safeguards would protect it; Department of Health official Stefan Gildemeister said the data would be de-identified, aggregated, and protected by administrative and physical safeguards. The committee voted 9-6 to refer the bill to the Health Finance and Policy Committee. Finally, Representative Morrison presented House File 3871, which would allow the Minnesota Cancer Reporting System to share cancer registry data with other state registries, the CDC, and the National Cancer Institute to comply with federal requirements. Morrison said the change is needed to avoid jeopardizing federal funding and to support certification of Minnesota’s two NCI-designated cancer centers, Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota. The transcript cuts off during the presentation of this bill, and no vote or final action is shown for it in the excerpt.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee met virtually, approved the March 17 minutes, and then received an update from DHS and the National Association for Regulatory Administration on a regulation modernization project for child care licensing. DHS said it has executed the contract, hired three policy analysts, and is beginning work on three main pieces: updated licensing standards, a risk-based violation system focused on the most serious health and safety issues, and abbreviated inspections based on key indicators. DHS also said it will seek authority for pilot projects and expects to bring recommendations back to the legislature, with implementation likely in 2025. NARA representatives described their role as providing technical and professional expertise, including data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and drafting recommendations based on best practices from other states and provinces. They said the project will involve a team of 11, with separate work on standards/statutes and on key indicators and weighted risk analysis. In response to member questions, DHS said most prior changes to child care regulation have been incremental, while this project is intended to produce the larger, transformative updates. Testifiers also emphasized that stakeholder input will come through focus groups, questionnaires, and engagement sessions with providers, licensors, staff, and community members. Members asked about timelines, public materials, and the report due to the legislature. DHS said a kickoff meeting was scheduled for the next day, the risk-analysis work is expected to take about 36 months and the standards/statutes work about 27 months, and the report is expected in 2024, with implementation afterward. The committee then turned to House File 3530, which Representative Wilkemont moved to lay over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill; the committee adopted the A1 amendment, which clarified that at least one staff person must be at least 18 years old when supervising a group of 40 children.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first heard House File 3405, which would create a nine-member nursing home labor standards board with representatives from state agencies, the nursing home industry, and workers. Representative Winkler said the board would use state authority to set wages, working conditions, and benefits for nursing home workers, with the goal of addressing workforce shortages and stabilizing long-term care. Testifiers, including a nursing assistant and an LPN, described low wages, chronic short staffing, COVID-19 risks, and difficulty retaining workers. Members raised concerns about how higher standards would be financed and whether the bill would require new reimbursement rates; Winkler responded that the board would consider funding realities but would not control state appropriations. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the human services finance omnibus bill. The committee then took up House File 4192, which extends the reporting deadline for the shelter task force created in a prior law from August 31 to December 15. Representative Keeler said the extension was needed because the task force started slowly and needed more time to gather information, including input from people with lived experience of homelessness. Members discussed why the bill was in the Human Services committee rather than Housing, and Keeler said the task force is focused on the human services side of shelter rather than the physical structure of shelters. The committee adopted the division report, then approved the bill on a 19-0 roll call vote and sent it to the general register as recommended. Finally, the committee heard House File 3845, which would create an office of a youth foster ombuds person. Representative Hanson said the office would give youth in foster care an advocate, provide oversight, and track complaints and systemic problems, citing racial disparities in foster care removals and concerns about abuse, neglect, homelessness, and aging out of care. Testifier Tom Murphy of Foster Advocates supported the bill, arguing that foster youth need an independent voice and that many experience homelessness after leaving care. The transcript cuts off before the committee’s final action on this bill is shown.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 3424, as amended by an adopted A1 technical amendment extending the availability of funds through June 30, 2027. Senator Koran said the bill would provide stable funding for Minnesota’s only addiction medicine fellowship, training 15 physicians over five years. Dr. Sheila Specker described the fellowship as the state’s only program training physicians in addiction medicine and said the shortage of specialists limits treatment access; she cited overdose deaths, gaps in buprenorphine access, and the need for sustainable funding. Dr. Brian Gran testified that the fellowship helped him lead Hennepin Healthcare’s opioid and addiction care ECHO programs, which train providers across Minnesota, and said the bill would support needed workforce development. Senators expressed support and asked about recruiting physicians for rural and underserved areas; the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then took up Senate File 4023, also amended by an A1 technical amendment, which Senator Jazinski said came from the University of Minnesota for supplemental campus safety funding. University officials said the request would support safety and security across all five campuses, including cameras, building access systems, alarm monitoring, escorts, additional police officers and first responders, and related IT and cybersecurity upgrades. Myron France said the university had already spent more than $1.3 million in one-time funds and about $1.3 million in ongoing funds on safety improvements, including patrols, night security, body cameras, safety guides, a mobile escort app, blue-light kiosks, a social worker, community engagement, and sexual misconduct prevention efforts. Bernie Golichek said the IT portion was needed to protect sensitive data and prevent cyberattacks and ransomware. Members asked follow-up questions about the number of FTEs, the planned expansion of campus police, and whether some infrastructure work would support cameras and surveillance equipment. University officials said the request included about $100 million total, with roughly $10 million recurring and $90 million one-time, and that sworn officer authorization would rise from 61 to 71, though current staffing was about 52. The discussion emphasized that the funding would strengthen both physical security and cybersecurity. The transcript ends during continued questioning on the campus safety bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 16, 2022 minutes, then heard House File 4008, as amended by the A5 amendment. The bill would require payment for pharmacist and pharmacy technician services in the pharmacy setting, including services such as vaccinations, health screenings, medication management, tobacco cessation, contraceptive services, and certain injectable medications. The A5 amendment removed network adequacy provisions, added clean-claims language, clarified that the bill was not expanding scope of practice, and adjusted effective dates. Representative Bonner and testifiers from pharmacies and the Minnesota Pharmacists Association said the bill would improve access, especially in rural areas, and help small pharmacies stay open. A representative of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans supported the amended bill but asked for operational clarity and noted concerns about implementation and payment mechanics; DHS said the bill would not change current covered benefits in public programs. Members discussed whether the bill could function as a health insurance mandate and whether it might increase premiums. Representative Bonner responded that the bill does not create a mandate or new covered service, but instead ensures providers are paid for services already being delivered, and argued it could be more cost-effective than clinic-based care. After discussion, the committee voted 16-1 to recommend House File 4008, as amended, be re-referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee, with Representative Rasmussen voting no. The committee then took up House File 2711, adopting a DE1 amendment before hearing the bill. The bill would require homeowners associations to give clearer notice before imposing fines or assessments, explain the basis for the charge, inform owners of their right to dispute it and request a hearing, warn that unpaid charges can lead to foreclosure, and refer owners to the Home Ownership Center. The author and testifiers from Legal Aid, the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, and the Community Associations Institute described the bill as a compromise intended to prevent surprise foreclosures while preserving associations’ ability to collect dues and manage finances. Members asked about the scope of the bill and what types of properties it covers, and the discussion continued as the transcript ended.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 16, 2022 minutes and then heard House File 3888, which would appropriate money to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents for the Water Council to develop a 50-year plan for Minnesota’s clean water supply. Representative Morrison said the bill is intended to assess the state of surface and groundwater, identify data gaps, and recommend proactive steps in response to climate change, drought, and water quality threats. Members questioned the funding source, the history and role of the Water Council, and whether the proposal should instead be handled through the Environment Committee or existing clean-water funding streams. House Research clarified that the bill refers to a University of Minnesota Water Council, not the state Clean Water Council. No vote was taken on the bill; it was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then took up House File 3892, and Chair Bernardi offered and the committee adopted an A1 amendment to clarify the affirmative consent language and make the standard more workable in practice. The bill would require Minnesota colleges and universities to include affirmative consent in sexual harassment and violence policies and training. Chair Bernardi and testifier Ivana Stark spoke in support, describing the bill as a way to improve student safety and awareness of consent. Representative O’Neill responded that Minnesota already has a comprehensive, nationally recognized higher education sexual assault statute from 2015 and warned against undoing that framework. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion after the amendment was adopted.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate File 3928, as amended, which would divest the State Board of Investments and state agencies from investments and contracts tied to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, and codify and extend Governor Walz’s executive order on terminating state contracts in those countries. Senator Housley described the bill as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and supporters emphasized that Minnesota should not financially support the Russian government. Testimony in support came from Ludonos Stozierski and Luna Luda Anastasieski, who spoke about the devastation in Mariupol and urged economic pressure on Russia, and from Ethan Roberts of the Jewish Community Relations Council, who said his role was to support the Ukrainian community. Members expressed sympathy and support, and the committee adopted the A1 amendment and then recommended the bill be passed as amended and referred it to General Orders. The committee then heard Senate File 391, as amended, which would allow certain charitable organizations to sell raffle tickets by phone, with the buyer initiating the call and payment limited to debit cards, while keeping existing raffle rules, age checks, and licensing requirements in place. Senator Housley said the bill would give nonprofits a modern fundraising tool after COVID disrupted in-person events. Supporters included Bill Aldinger of Ducks Unlimited and Tom Gleins of the National Wild Turkey Federation, who said phone sales would help charities, conservation groups, and other nonprofits raise funds while still maintaining safeguards against fraud. Members asked about which organizations would be covered, the definition of a raffle, and whether checks could be used; staff said the bill would apply to the same organizations already covered by the existing statute, and Housley said checks were already allowed in person but the bill only added the telephone option. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion after closing comments noting support from several outdoor and conservation groups and coordination with the Gambling Control Board.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee continued its hearing on House File 4164, Representative Elkins’s bill incorporating recommendations from the independent expert review report. Pong Zhang, director of Driver Vehicle Services, said DVS generally supports the bill’s recommendations, including removing the knowledge test for out-of-state drivers, changing online and mail-in transactions to a direct appropriation, adding security cameras, and increasing transaction fees so deputy registrars can be compensated. He said DVS’s main concern is the proposed fee-sharing requirement, which he said would divert more than $9 million annually from DVS accounts and could threaten the long-term sustainability of the system. He also emphasized the need for auditability, compliance, and enough time to implement the changes. Members questioned Zhang about whether online and mail-in transactions should be treated differently from in-person deputy registrar work. Zhang said deputy registrar transactions take more time because they involve direct customer interaction, but he also noted that the online and mail-in work is handled in bulk through the MIN-Drive system and is difficult to compare directly. He reiterated that DVS is open to working with the legislature and partners on the details, but remains concerned about the fee-sharing structure. Jenna Covey of Minnesota IT Services and the Department of Natural Resources then testified about the Electronic Licensing System modernization effort. She described the system’s planned components: an online point-of-sale system for hunting, fishing, and recreational vehicle transactions; a harvest registration mobile app; and an event management module for hunter safety classes. Covey said the project has followed state IT modernization principles, relied on stakeholder engagement, and coordinated with DPS to align business processes. She said the DNR supports a modern integrated system, but is concerned that preparing the report required by the bill would pull staff away from the ongoing RFP process and delay the project. Members asked about whether the system could handle boats, trailers, and related records, and Covey said the RFP seeks full functionality across all three modules. The committee then laid House File 4164 over for possible inclusion in an omnibus transportation bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard and laid over Senate File 3993, a mental health bill sponsored by Senators Draheim and Isaacson. The bill would create a competitive grant program for hospitals, nonprofits, counties, or other providers to establish “mental health urgency rooms” as first-contact resources for youth in crisis. Senator Isaacson described the measure as a response to a constituent’s child spending days in emergency rooms and a locked ward before receiving treatment, arguing the bill is meant to shorten the time from a parent recognizing a crisis to a child getting help. Members discussed the need for flexibility across rural and urban settings, and the chair noted the bill was laid over for possible later action. The committee then heard Senate File 3720 from Senator Patricia Torres Ray, which would appropriate a small amount of funding to the Quality Parenting Initiative of Minnesota. Testimony from QPI director Kate Rickard explained that the program supports foster families, birth families, youth, and relative caregivers through training, technical assistance, and practices such as “comfort calls” to improve communication at the start of foster placements. She said the proposal would help sustain statewide work that is currently largely supported by philanthropy and would strengthen relationships and outcomes for children in care. Members asked about the status of comfort calls and requested additional information; the bill was laid over. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 3817, a grant proposal for Wellness in the Woods, a consumer-run nonprofit focused on peer support, advocacy, and education for people with mental health and substance use challenges. The organization said the $250,000 grant would support daily peer support and special sessions for people in recovery, people transitioning from incarceration, and people who have experienced trauma, especially in greater Minnesota. Testimony emphasized lived experience, culturally diverse staffing, and early, pre-crisis support without requiring a diagnosis. The bill was also laid over after discussion.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee met on March 22, 2022, and the chair announced there would be no transportation hearing on Thursday because the committee had finished hearing the bills needed before the first deadline. The committee then took up Senate File 3133, and members were told both bills on the agenda would be laid over. SF 3133 concerns pavement life cycle cost analysis and would update MnDOT’s process for comparing asphalt and concrete by incorporating additional factors and current standards. Senator Kifmeyer and testifiers from the Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association described the bill as an effort to improve how MnDOT evaluates pavement options, including concerns raised by a 2014 legislative auditor report and examples where they believed current analyses undervalued longer-lasting pavement designs. The asphalt and concrete industries said they broadly supported the bill’s goals and collaboration, but disagreed on some inputs, especially the proposed treatment of excess fuel consumption and the need to include salvage value at the end of a road’s life. MnDOT Interim Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said the agency appreciated the bill’s approach but opposed requiring fuel-consumption calculations in statute at this time, saying the issue is still being researched and that more factors should be studied before mandates are added. She warned the bill could steer too much investment toward high-volume roads and reduce flexibility for maintaining the broader system, and recommended a study with both industries and a report back for the 2024 session. Senators questioned MnDOT and the testifiers about long-term versus short-term pavement decisions, the cost of labor and traffic disruption, and whether current practices create repeated patching instead of longer-lasting investments. The committee did not vote on the bill and laid it over for possible later action.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee reconvened in hybrid format and took up several bills, laying each over for possible inclusion. On Senate File 4098, relating to shooting sports facility grants, Senator Ruud presented the bill and the USA Clay Target League testified in support, describing the growth of clay target shooting in Minnesota and the need for range improvements and access. The committee adopted an oral amendment changing a date reference from 2023 to 2024 so the grants would not expire, and members discussed funding sources, including the Heritage Enhancement account and Pittman-Robertson revenues. The bill was laid over. The committee then heard Senate File 3525, a Hastings trail improvement request. Senator Bigham and city staff described the need to reconstruct and widen aging trail segments, improve ADA compliance, and complete work on a regional trail loop with connections to Dakota County and beyond. Members asked about regional funding partnerships and trail connections, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. Next, the committee heard Senate File 4117, which would require a $43.6 million general fund transfer to the closed landfill investment fund to repay amounts previously taken from the fund. Testifiers from the Minnesota Inter-County Association and the Minnesota Solid Waste Administrators Association argued the repayment was needed to restore principal and lost earnings and to protect long-term landfill care funding. Committee discussion focused on the fund balance, the amount available for appropriation, and the long-term needs of the closed landfill program. The bill was laid over. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 4139, a one-time $1 million appropriation for enhanced forestry inventory on state, county, and private lands. Senator Aiken and testifiers from Minnesota Forest Industries and Carlton County said the funding would support LiDAR-based inventory work, county and private land plot collection, educational outreach, and a web-based data portal. They emphasized the importance of accurate forest data for sustainable management and future fiber supply. The bill was also laid over for possible inclusion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 33, a bill aimed at addressing unruly fan behavior at youth and school sporting events. Representative Hewitt described incidents of profanity, racial slurs, threats, thrown objects, and even physical assaults on officials, arguing that the bill was needed to protect referees, players, and the overall experience for children. Minnesota State High School League representative Roger Arneson supported the bill’s general direction and emphasized a broader effort to build a culture of respect at school events, including listening sessions with students and work with the Minneapolis Foundation and the league’s foundation. Members discussed a posted DE amendment that would shift the bill from a criminal to a civil penalty framework. Hewitt explained that the amendment would replace the original criminal penalty with a civil fine administered by the Amateur Sports Commission, while still allowing existing criminal charges such as assault or disorderly conduct to apply. Several members raised concerns about the size and structure of the fine, noting the DE’s $5,000 amount and suggesting a lower figure, around $1,000, and possibly directing the money into a youth sports account or special fund. Arneson said the league was open to the civil-fine approach and also discussed the need for better data collection on incidents and trespass notices issued by school principals. Other members supported the bill as a way to improve accountability and help retain officials, with one member noting a family connection to officiating and another suggesting the bill could help create a safer environment for students. The discussion also touched on existing authority for schools to trespass disruptive individuals and the need to track how often that power is used. No testimony opposed the bill during the hearing. The committee then voted to refer House File 33 to the Committee on Judiciary. The motion passed 18-0, with one member excused.