Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 3834, a proposal to fund an engineering study for Laketown Township’s aging 2011 graywater sewer system in Carver County. Testimony from township supervisor Pete Paris described the system as outdated, costly to maintain, and serving about 204 households across three lakes, with no immediate city annexation or sewer trunk-line plans in place. He said the township has already done some planning work, is coordinating with Chaska, Victoria, Waconia, and Carver County, and is seeking $86,000 for a study to determine the best long-term sewer solution. After questions from members, the bill was laid over. The committee then took up Senate File 1531, which would increase the share of solid waste management tax revenue going to the environmental fund and SCORE recycling grants. Senator Root and county officials argued that SCORE funding has not kept pace with county recycling and waste-reduction responsibilities, noting large local cost shares, reduced drop-off sites, and rising landfill costs. Crow Wing County representatives and a representative of the Minnesota chapter of the National Waste and Recycling Association supported the bill, saying more revenue should be directed to recycling and organics diversion rather than the general fund. A fiscal explanation said the bill would shift the allocation from 70/30 to 75/25 in fiscal year 2023, then to 80/20 in later years, and eventually to 100% for the environmental fund, with corresponding reductions to the general fund. The committee adopted the A2 amendment and then passed the bill, as amended, to the Senate Tax Committee. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 3704, the annual lands bill. DNR staff outlined the bill’s land-sale and land-transaction provisions, including several state and county parcels, with estimated proceeds of about $1.6 million going to the land acquisition account. Carlton County Land Commissioner Gregory Bernu testified in support of sections raising the minimum lease price and extending lease terms for county tax-forfeited lands, and allowing conservation easements on tax-forfeited lands for uses such as carbon sequestration, stream restoration, and wetland banking. A fiscal note was reported as having just arrived, and members were told the revenue from land sales would be tracked and used for future land acquisitions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 3647, authored by Senator Hoffman, which would give counties discretion over whether to pursue reimbursement from families for out-of-home placement costs. Hoffman and Ramsey County child support director Trish Skophammer argued the current mandatory billing system is costly to administer, collects little money, burdens low-income families, and can delay reunification. Michelle Keppel also testified about her family’s experience with juvenile detention costs and the financial hardship it caused. The committee adopted the A2 amendment removing section 3, then recommended the bill be passed and re-referred to the Human Services Reform Committee. The committee then took up Senate File 3680, a bill from Senator Lang addressing penalties for unauthorized access to vehicle registration data under Real ID-related rules. Lang and Amber Backus of the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association said the current law can punish dealers and deputy registrars for innocent or legitimate business-related lookups, sometimes costing them access to the system and their jobs, and the bill would give the commissioner more discretion and an appeals process. Rich Newmeister raised concerns about how the bill would apply across different access systems, especially for law enforcement, and committee discussion focused on whether restrictions and appeals would apply consistently. The bill was ultimately recommended to pass and re-referred to the Finance Committee. The committee also heard Senate File 3805, which delays by one year the effective date of a 2021 law requiring certain youth recreation program employees to immediately report child abuse. Senator Limmer said the delay would give cities and the Legislative Task Force on Child Protection more time to evaluate and implement the requirement. Laura Kushner of the League of Minnesota Cities supported the delay, saying cities need more time and guidance to train staff and comply. The committee recommended the bill to pass and sent it to the Human Services Reform Committee. Finally, the committee returned to Senate File 3487, the organized retail theft bill, and adopted the A2N amendment. Counsel explained the amendment would remove proposed language on confidentiality of inactive criminal investigative data and revert to existing Chapter 13 rules, under which inactive criminal investigative data is generally public except for certain financial transaction data and protected victim-identifying information in some cases.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the March 17 minutes and then heard House File 3367, relating to funding for Model Cities in St. Paul. An author’s amendment (A2) was adopted to adjust the appropriation timing. Representative Moran and Model Cities CEO Kizzy Downey described the organization’s long history providing homelessness services, transitional and supportive housing, homebuyer education, and other community programs, and argued that additional state support is needed to expand capacity and address racial disparities in housing. Residents Diana Shelby and Angel Stuckey testified about how Model Cities’ affordable housing and supportive services helped stabilize their families after homelessness. The bill was laid over after testimony. The committee then took up House File 3620, which addresses the shortage of licensed manufactured home installers. An A2 amendment was adopted to define a qualified person as someone who has completed the required continuing education. Representative Ecklund and Mark Bruner of the Manufactured Modular Home Association said the bill would allow more licensed residential contractors to install used manufactured homes after three hours of approved training, helping relieve delays caused by a shortage of roughly 70 licensed installers statewide. Members discussed how the shortage can delay siting and closings. The committee voted to re-refer the bill, as amended, to the General Register. Finally, the committee heard House File 3966, a housing/homeownership investment bill. A DE1 delete-all amendment was adopted to align the bill with a Senate companion. Representative Hassan and testifiers from Project for Pride in Living, the Homeownership Minnesota Coalition, and the Minnesota Community Land Trust Coalition said the bill would expand tools for first-time homebuyers, production of entry-level ownership units, manufactured home financing, credit-building, and support for Black homeownership and family stabilization. Testimony emphasized the lack of affordable inventory, the racial homeownership gap, and the need for flexible, scalable financing through CDFIs and nonprofit developers. The bill was laid over after presentation and testimony.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: On March 22, 2022, the Senate Tax Committee heard Senate File 1780, as amended, a bill creating tax credits related to parental leave. The author explained that the bill would provide an employer credit for offering up to six weeks of parental leave to eligible employees and a refundable credit for employees who lose wages if their employer does not provide paid leave. Supporters, including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, said the proposal would help employers remain competitive and address workforce shortages without imposing a mandate. Opponents, including Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota, argued the credit would likely have limited impact on access, could favor higher-wage workers, and might worsen disparities because the wage replacement level is low and many workers are not covered by FMLA. After questions about whether the bill covered adoption and its path forward, the committee laid the bill over as amended. The committee then took up Senate File 3622, a taconite-related school funding bill. Senator Bach explained that the bill would extend for 10 years a nickel-per-ton distribution into the Iron Range school consolidation and cooperation account, allowing continued support for school capital projects in northeastern Minnesota. He said the change was needed because mining production declines and uncertainty made it unwise to name specific projects in law, and because the account had strong demand. Members asked about the taconite environmental fund and the Douglas J. Johnson account; staff explained that the environmental fund already receives statutory distributions and that the bill would increase that fund’s share after the school-account sunset. The committee adopted the A3 delete-all amendment, heard supportive testimony from principals at Hibbing and Ely schools about how the funding supports renovations and career-technical programs, and then continued discussion of the bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate and House Republicans held a press conference to outline a proposal to expand paid family and medical leave in Minnesota. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan responded positively, saying the plan aims to help Minnesotans care for themselves and loved ones while supporting a healthy economy, especially for workers at small businesses. The proposal described by the governor’s office has two main parts: it would authorize a paid family leave insurance product that employers could purchase for employees, and it would include significant tax credits to help small businesses afford coverage. Supporters said the approach would use existing private-sector insurance infrastructure, allow businesses to customize benefits, and expand access more quickly and efficiently. The governor also said the idea could help overcome cost and availability barriers that have limited small employers from offering paid leave. He characterized Republican interest in the issue as a notable shift, saying this was the first time he had heard Republicans talk about paid family and medical leave after previously opposing it as a new tax on employers.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on nuclear power and its role in a clean energy future, with testimony focused on whether nuclear should remain part of the energy portfolio as states and countries work to decarbonize. Dr. Michael Gole of MIT argued that the key question is not whether nuclear is absolutely required, but whether excluding it reduces the chances of success in eliminating fossil fuels globally. He said climate change requires a broad portfolio, emphasized that current nuclear technology is mostly limited to electricity, and suggested future reactors should aim for higher temperature, higher capacity, and broader industrial uses. In response to questions, he said small modular reactors may be politically appealing but that larger reactors are better suited to replacing fossil fuels, and he urged more investment in integrated development programs rather than continued reliance on older technologies or moratoriums. Members asked about Minnesota’s long-standing nuclear moratorium, advanced reactor options, safety, and waste. Dr. Gole said the moratoriums were largely a 1970s reaction to nuclear power and big government programs, not a response to today’s climate needs, and he argued they should be repealed. He described nuclear power as generally safe, citing the global fleet of reactors and saying major incidents such as Three Mile Island and Fukushima did not cause direct injuries, while acknowledging that safety depends heavily on human behavior and operational culture. He also said nuclear waste is dangerous but manageable if isolated from the biosphere, and he characterized public anxiety over waste as overstated. Mark Nelson of Radiant Energy Group followed with a presentation using photos from plant visits in Arizona and the Netherlands to illustrate spent fuel storage and waste management practices. He argued that public fear of nuclear waste is often greater than the actual hazard, noted that spent fuel is stored in heavy, sealed canisters, and said the Dutch have developed a pragmatic, public-facing waste facility that includes tours and educational exhibits. Nelson said the waste issue is serious because of local concerns and property impacts, but he emphasized that other countries are addressing it directly and that the U.S. could learn from those approaches. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing, which was informational only.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Capital Investment Committee met remotely on March 22 with a quorum present and approved the March 17 minutes. The committee then heard informational presentations on several capital requests from underserved communities and organizations, with members reminding presenters to identify whether requests were for general fund cash or GO bonds. The first major presentation was House File 3918, the Urban Indigenous Legacy Initiative, which seeks general fund cash for a coalition of 16 Native American nonprofits in the Twin Cities serving urban Indigenous and other communities through health care, housing, workforce development, child care, behavioral health, and cultural programming. Testifiers described aging and deteriorating facilities, the impact of COVID-19 and civil unrest, and a total request of $85.5 million for 12 buildings; members asked about prioritization, and the presenters said they had an internal ranking system that would elevate the most shovel-ready projects if funding is limited. The committee also heard House File 3908, which would create an Ethiopian community center in the Twin Cities with a $2.5 million request to purchase and renovate a building. The testifier said the center would provide cultural programming, workforce development, mentoring, counseling, translation help, and a gathering place for a growing Ethiopian community currently operating out of a very small office. Representative Pinto said the project would help Ethiopian Minnesotans gather, celebrate, and support one another. House File 4100 was then presented for SEWA, an Asian Indian family wellness program serving South Asian immigrants and refugees; it seeks $2.8 million in general funds to acquire, construct, and renovate a Brooklyn Center facility. The executive director said SEWA is the only direct-service provider for South Asians in the area and offers crisis response, domestic violence prevention, health, senior, youth, and refugee resettlement services. Finally, the committee heard House File 4101, which would appropriate $20 million in GO bonds to the city of Brooklyn Center for BIPOC business and entrepreneurship hubs, with ACER testifying that the project would help prevent displacement and support more than 200 businesses and 500 families. The testimony emphasized the lack of quality commercial space and the risk of gentrification near planned transit improvements. Throughout the hearing, members generally expressed support for the projects and noted the need to prioritize requests given limited available capital funding, but no final votes or amendments were taken because the presentations were informational only.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on March 22 and first took up Senate File 3032, which would allow St. Louis County to use online bidding when selling county fee-owned land, similar to the process already allowed for county tax-forfeited land. Senator Bach presented an A-1 technical amendment, which was adopted, and county staff testified that online auctions have been effective, especially during the pandemic, and could improve efficiency and returns. The bill received supportive comments from Senator Bigham and the chair, and the committee moved SF 3032 as amended to the floor. The committee then turned to Senate File 3259, a housing-related bill that had already been heard in other committees and was laid over for further discussion. Senator Draheim said the bill was intended to address housing affordability and homeownership by reducing barriers to building, including provisions affecting planned unit developments, zoning, and other local regulatory requirements. Supportive testimony came from Housing First Minnesota, the Minnesota Realtors Association, a local builder, the Vinyl Siding Institute, Zillow, and others, who argued that Minnesota faces a severe housing shortage, high costs, and restrictive zoning, and that the bill could expand supply, increase consumer choice, and help create more affordable and “missing middle” housing. Opposition came from Metro Cities, the League of Minnesota Cities, and the city of Prior Lake, whose representatives argued that the bill would preempt local control, weaken city zoning and planning authority, and not guarantee lower home prices. They emphasized that cities need flexibility to account for local conditions, infrastructure, and public input, and said existing local and state tools are better suited to address housing needs. The chair limited testimony to two minutes because of the number of testifiers, and SF 3259 was left open for continued discussion rather than acted on during this portion of the meeting.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard an update from Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho on RentHelpMN, the state’s temporary emergency rental assistance program. Ho said the program received over 100,000 applications, had paid assistance for about 54,500 households as of March 15, and still had about 10,200 to 10,700 applications in process. She explained that Treasury reallocated an additional $15.7 million in ERA 1 funds to Minnesota, one of only eight states to receive such a reallocation, and that the agency also has $20 million in state fiscal recovery funds and about $472.6 million total available for direct assistance. Ho said the agency has more requests than available funds if all claims were paid as requested, but expects some applications to be reduced, denied, or withdrawn because of eligibility issues or duplicate applications with local jurisdictions. She also said 211 remains active for housing assistance calls, counties and nonprofits still serve as access points, and the agency is running an open RFP with $9 million for housing stability services while prioritizing ERA 1 funds before the September 30 deadline. Members asked about the difference between declined and withdrawn applications, the timing and likelihood of additional federal reallocations, and how the new funds would be used. Ho said most declines were for applicants without past-due rent, with a small number of other ineligible cases, and that withdrawals often occurred when applicants also applied through local jurisdictions or changed housing situations. She said the $15.7 million was awarded through a Treasury process after Minnesota submitted the required form and that the agency believes its timely spending may have helped, though she could not point to a formal Treasury explanation. She said ERA 1 funds will be spent first because they expire September 30, while ERA 2 funds run into 2025 and could support more targeted housing stability work if any direct assistance remains. The committee then took up Senate File 3937, a bill by Senator Port to extend the deadline for the shelter task force’s final report from August 31 to December 15. Testimony from Christina Krall of Minnesota Management and Budget said the task force has been meeting since August 2022, is about halfway through developing shelter standards, and will begin discussing oversight more formally next month. She said the extension would allow time for broader stakeholder feedback and incorporation of that feedback into the final recommendations. Members said the task force’s work has been productive, noted the bill has no fiscal impact, and laid the bill over. The committee also began hearing Senate File 3427, authored by Senator Champion, which seeks $10 million in fiscal year 2023 for Build Wealth Minnesota through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to support homeownership and wealth-building efforts. Senator Champion and David McGee of Build Wealth Minnesota emphasized the importance of safe, affordable housing and homeownership in building generational wealth and addressing Minnesota’s racial and ethnic homeownership gap. McGee described Build Wealth Minnesota’s financial education and coaching model and its work with families of color. The transcript cuts off before the committee completed action on this bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3765, as amended by the DE1 and A1 amendments, was taken up as an LCCMR recommendations bill and moved to be re-referred to the Ways and Means Committee. The committee first adopted the A1 authors’ amendment, which filled in blank spots related to easement management, and then adopted the DE1 amendment as amended. Representative Hanson explained that the bill reflects the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources’ 2022 recommendations for spending from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, after the commission was unable to reach the 12 votes required for a formal recommendation. Becca Nash, LCCMR director, walked through the bill and described the trust fund, the commission’s process, and the allocation framework, including the available funding total and how proposals were scored and ranked. Nash said the bill funds a range of projects across categories such as data and information, water resources, environmental education, invasive species, air quality and renewable energy, habitat and recreation acquisition, and administrative/emerging issues. She noted two changes in the Hanson DE amendment: a replacement project in subdivision 3 after another project withdrew, and filled-in conservation easement stewardship language in subdivision 9. Members asked several questions about specific projects, including the geographic reach of environmental education grants, a project on Minnesota blueberries and related berry species, prairie fire impacts on native bees, and a workforce/diversity project focused on outdoor careers. Nash said many education projects are statewide, one is explicitly focused on out-state areas, the blueberry project studies low genetic diversity in native berry species, the prairie fire project uses test plots focused on ground bees, and the outdoor careers project is a complementary effort focused on outstate areas because the group already has metro funding. Several members raised concerns about the bill and the LCCMR process. Representative Lewick said the proposal favored larger agencies and did not reach down enough to smaller programs, while Representative Backer said he would not support it because of the lack of strong consensus. Representative Heintzmann said the repeated inability to reach consensus suggests the commission may need statutory changes, warning that delays could leave trust fund money unspent. Representative Hanson responded that the 2020 recommendations were delayed by the clean car standard, the 2021 recommendations were unanimous, and that the current bill reflects multiple compromise attempts and a broader philosophical disagreement over whether the commission should be strictly merit-based or spread funding more widely. Despite the objections, the committee adopted the amendments and advanced the bill to Ways and Means.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house