Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on March 17, 2022, and laid over all bills heard. Senate File 1003, by Senator Howe, would create an Air Medal special license plate to recognize military recipients of the Air Medal, which she described as comparable in status to existing Bronze Star plates. There were no questions, and the bill was laid over. Senate File 3926, by Senator Coonish, would authorize a special license plate recognizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) in Minnesota. Senator Coonish and testifier Alicia Kozlowski of the City of Duluth described the bill as part of a broader MMIR effort, including the state office and a proposed reward fund supported by plate fees to help generate tips and support families. Members raised questions about whether the bill should be more inclusive of other communities, and about oversight of the fund; Senator Coonish said the focus was on Indigenous relatives because of the task force work and historic trauma, while noting similar work on Missing and Murdered African-American Women. The chair and others acknowledged the broader issue, and the bill was laid over. Senate File 2649, by Senator Coleman, would authorize a special license plate for the Minnesota Vikings Foundation, with proceeds directed to the foundation’s charitable work on youth health, education, food insecurity, and digital access. Testifier Brett Tabor said the foundation had met statutory requirements and that the funds would not go to the team or ownership, but to the public charity. The chair asked whether the professional sports teams had considered a combined or multi-team plate option, noting the number of plate requests and the resulting backlog; Tabor said he was not aware of such a proposal, and the bill was laid over.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3896, authored by Representative Freiberg, was heard in committee and amended with an A1 amendment before being laid over for possible inclusion in the Human Services omnibus bill. The amendment clarified and consolidated the bill’s goals, added the Minnesota Provider First Provider Alliance to the task force membership, clarified definitions of “accessible” and “disability services,” expanded the definition of disability services to include some non-Medicaid services, and removed a proportionality requirement for selecting lead agencies for pilot projects after DHS said it could make implementation unworkable. The bill would create a task force to identify barriers people with disabilities face in accessing disability services and monitor pilot projects intended to improve access. Those pilots include a pre-decision review process to reduce appeals, less frequent reassessments for people whose needs are unlikely to change, electronic communication between participants and lead agencies, and a peer navigator program. Representative Freiberg said the bill responds to difficulties with paperwork, communication, assessments, and appeals, and noted support from a coalition including The Arc of Minnesota, the Autism Society of Minnesota, Legal Aid, Disability Law Center Minnesota, CCD, the Multicultural Autism Action Network, and the Proof Alliance. Testifiers Jillian Nelson of the Autism Society of Minnesota and Kate Barton, an autistic self-advocate, strongly supported the bill and described personal experiences with burdensome paperwork, faxing, repeated renewals, and the stress of navigating disability services. Nelson argued the system is among the least accessible state programs and said the bill could help prevent harmful outcomes by making services more user-centered. Barton described the need for family and caregivers to manage complex paperwork and said online and less burdensome processes would reduce errors and preserve access to essential supports. Members generally expressed support, while one member cautioned against overly criticizing DHS and noted the agency’s ongoing efforts and the challenge of balancing accessibility with eligibility and fiscal requirements.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee opened with remarks about the difficult year facing human services, especially challenges in group homes, nursing homes, and substance use, and then moved to scheduled bill work. Members discussed Senate File 3263, which would direct a $1 million appropriation through the Homeless Youth Act for capital needs at homeless youth providers, with grants capped at $100,000 and intended for repairs or improvements rather than major construction. Supporters said the measure would help a unique and underfunded population, and the committee adopted the A4 amendment and laid the bill over. The committee then briefly took up Senate File 827, a child care-related bill that had been heard previously. Senator Aki explained it was aimed at giving family child care providers more flexibility on ratios and age groups so they could better manage their business models, address the statewide child care shortage, and keep more slots open safely. Because he had to leave for another committee, the bill was presented out of order and laid over for later discussion with the department and other testifiers. The final portion focused on provider-initiated service terminations in community residential settings. Natasha Mertz of the Department of Human Services explained the 245D licensing requirements: providers must follow internal termination policies, try to resolve issues before issuing a notice, and document those efforts; if termination is still necessary, they must give 60 days’ written notice to the person, legal representative, case manager, and DHS. She outlined the limited legal reasons for termination, the person’s right to appeal or seek a temporary stay, and the county case manager’s duty to help identify a new living situation and coordinate services. Members asked clarifying questions about what must happen before a termination and what counties must do when a person needs a new placement.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee met virtually, took roll, adopted the March 15 minutes, and then heard a presentation from DHS Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bharti Wahi on the legislatively mandated Parent Aware equity report. The report summarized outreach to racially, ethnically, linguistically, and geographically diverse child care providers to identify barriers to participating in Minnesota’s quality rating and improvement system. DHS said the outreach included providers from Greater Minnesota and the metro, including BIPOC and white providers, and that the separate Parent Aware racial equity action plan was a longer public-private effort with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation. DHS described the main barriers as process and consistency issues, paperwork and documentation burdens, limited scheduling, technology and internet access, cultural and tribal relevance of materials, limited racial/ethnic/language diversity among coaches, language barriers, jargon, and concerns about how quality is defined and recognized across different child care settings. Providers also said they valued coaching, supports, and quality grants. The department outlined short- and long-term responses, including a restructured advisory council, streamlined forms, improved data systems, better technology support, expanded coaching and training, stronger language and cultural matching, scholarships, and possible new rating pathways for family child care providers. Members asked about the distinction between the two Parent Aware reports, what could be done immediately, scholarship supports, and whether financial barriers were significant; DHS said cost was not a major finding in this report, though quality grants were appreciated. Chair Pinto emphasized that the committee should think about both immediate and long-term improvements and asked DHS to send any session-related recommendations quickly. DHS said some work is already underway and noted that technology grants are included in the governor’s proposal. After the report, the committee moved to House File 4278, adopted the A1 amendment, and referred the bill to the Committee on Workforce and Business Development.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first took up House File 2725, a bill to reform competency restoration for people found incompetent to stand trial. Authors Representatives Edelson and Albright described the bill as the product of a 2019 legislative task force and ongoing stakeholder negotiations. They said the bill would move many Rule 20 provisions into statute, create a process for restoring competency, establish forensic navigators to connect defendants to services, and give judges more discretion to order treatment and hold some individuals who may pose a public safety risk. Testimony from NAMI Minnesota, county officials, DHS, and a county attorney supported the overall direction of the bill, while also noting unresolved issues such as public-safety review at discharge and the need for a separate governance structure for the navigator program. The committee adopted a motion to re-refer the bill to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee by a roll call vote of 19-0. The committee then heard House File 3418, a mental health workforce bill. After adopting the division report and an A2 amendment adding appropriations, members heard that the bill would expand loan forgiveness eligibility, create supervision grants and scholarship grants, fund training for peer specialists and cultural and ethnic minority infrastructure, create a website for prospective mental health professionals, and adjust qualifications for case managers serving adults with serious and persistent mental illness. Testifiers from NAMI Minnesota and the Wilder Foundation said the state faces a serious workforce shortage, that licensure barriers include supervision costs and exam fees, and that culturally specific providers remain underrepresented. They supported the bill as a practical way to help more graduates become licensed and stay in the field. The committee then re-referred House File 3418 to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 4215, a Department of Corrections proposal to expand education, job training, and employment pathways for incarcerated and recently released people. Representative Noor and Commissioner Paul Schnell described the bill as a “jails to jobs” package aimed at reducing recidivism and improving public safety by connecting people to vocational training, community colleges, unions, and employers. The proposal would increase DOC’s ability to contract with higher education institutions, create a public safety and economic opportunity unit within DOC, and support work-release participants and employment navigation services. The bill was described as funding-based, with $3 million in fiscal year 2023 and $4.5 million annually thereafter. Testimony emphasized that most incarcerated people eventually return to their communities and that employment, education, and stable housing are key to successful reintegration. Commissioner Schnell said the department already offers some basic work opportunities and trade-related programming, but lacks the capacity and resources to meet demand or provide the specialized training employers want. He cited workforce shortages, high unemployment among formerly incarcerated people, and examples from other states and Indiana’s HIRE program as evidence that these pathways can help both public safety and the labor market. Members discussed the need for stronger partnerships with trade unions and community colleges, and questions were raised about whether similar investments should also be made in K-12 career and technical education. Representative O’Neill asked about the status of post-COVID programming, space limitations in DOC facilities, and whether union partnerships were ready to expand. Schnell said the department is still providing some basic programs, is working to maximize space and use bonding requests to address facility constraints, and has continued conversations with unions about curriculum and pathways. Another member asked whether the bill would require new staff; Schnell said the proposal relies heavily on partnerships and current appropriations, with no specific FTE number given. The chair noted that K-12 career and technical education funding exists but is underfunded, and the discussion moved on without a recorded vote or final action in the excerpt.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Capital Investment Committee met on March 17, 2022, with a quorum present and approved the minutes from March 10 without objection. The committee then began hearing a long agenda of capital investment proposals on an informational basis, with each presentation allotted six minutes and several bills being held over for possible inclusion in the bonding bill. Representative Gomez presented House File 3419 for the Dreamland on 38th project, a proposed Cultural Wellness Center development in South Minneapolis tied to the historic 38th Street corridor and African American economic history. The bill was held over. Gomez also presented House File 3928 for Parents in Community Action (PICA), requesting $6 million to renovate and consolidate its Minneapolis early childhood and workforce development facility; testimony highlighted PICA’s role training teachers of color and serving young children and families. The committee held that bill over as well. Representative Hassan presented House File 3882, a $10 million request for a new building for the Somali Museum of Minnesota. Testimony described the museum as the only one in the world dedicated to preserving Somali history and culture, with plans for exhibition space, classrooms, workforce development, and a café; the bill was held over. Representative Dabney presented House File 4088, a $10 million general fund request supporting CLUES’ planned economic opportunity and wellness hub on Lake Street, with testimony emphasizing services for Latino, Native, and Black communities and neighborhood recovery; that bill was also held over. Representative Mariani presented House File 3221, a $7.5 million request for the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living to expand services and training for personal care assistants and people with disabilities, and testimony focused on workforce shortages and economic justice; the presentation was still underway in the transcript.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee heard Senate File 3818, as amended by an A1 delete-all amendment, which would create a “Skills Path” designation for high school programs that connect students to skilled trades and other career pathways. Senator Coleman described the bill as a way to combine career and technical education, dual credit, pre-apprenticeships, PSEO, and related strategies, with grant and scholarship support intended to help programs and students with materials and equipment costs. She said the scholarship and grant language was still being refined with the Office of Higher Education before the bill’s next stop in K-12. Testimony in support came from Amy Wallstein of the Minnesota Business Partnership, Dr. Noel Schmidt of Rock Ridge Public Schools, Steve Kalina of the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association, Evan Lundin of CNC Metalcraft, and Joseph Magana of Americans for Prosperity Minnesota. Supporters said the bill would help students see clear pathways into high-demand, high-paying careers, improve coordination between schools, colleges, and employers, and address labor shortages in manufacturing and health care. Dr. Schmidt and Mr. Lundin both emphasized that students often are steered toward four-year degrees without learning about trades careers, and that early exposure can help students choose more informed paths and avoid unnecessary debt. Committee members asked questions about how dual-credit programs would be delivered and whether higher education certification requirements could create bottlenecks. Dr. Schmidt said programs could work both through PSEO and through instructors coming to schools or students going to colleges, and he said certification rules could make it harder to find qualified instructors. Mr. Lundin also said manufacturers are facing severe labor shortages, with some companies relying on overtime because they cannot find enough workers for second shifts. No vote on the bill was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the chair indicated additional testifiers would follow.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate began by dispensing with further roll call proceedings and bringing in absent members, then opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. The chaplain’s prayer focused on the war in Ukraine, democratic freedoms, cooperation amid division, and inclusion of aging people, people with disabilities, people of color, immigrants, and refugees. A quorum was established, and the chamber moved into the fifth order of business, reports of committees. The Senate adopted the committee reports on the agenda, gave second readings to Senate Files 3413 and 3065 and House Files 2353, 2819, 2945, and 2875, and adopted the author’s motions listed on page one. Senator Rood’s motion to strike House File 2819 from General Orders and re-refer it to the Committee on Finance prevailed, and Senate Resolution 109 was re-referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. The main substantive action was confirmation of four Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board members: Margaret Lepic, Farise Rasheed, David Asp, and Stephen Swanson. Senator Kiffmeyer presented the confirmations, describing their backgrounds and qualifications, and Senators Latz and Carlson spoke in support, with Carlson noting committee testimony and bipartisan support. Kiffmeyer emphasized the board’s responsibility to fairly and effectively implement the law, and the Senate then approved the confirmations. During announcements, members noted Purim and shared hamantaschen, and Senator Lopez Franzen wished Senator Patricia Torres Ray a happy birthday and announced a post-adjournment Senate singers tribute. Senator Fateh was excused, and the Senate adjourned on motion of Senator Johnson until Monday, March 21 at 11 a.m.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration met with a quorum present, with 13 members recorded as present. The committee first considered and approved the minutes from March 15, 2022, after a motion by Representative Badger and no discussion. The next item was adoption of the calendar for the day for March 21, 2022. The chair moved adoption pursuant to Rules 1.21 and 3.33, and the motion passed without discussion. No other business was taken up. The committee then adjourned.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on Senate File 3879, a proposal to create a Minnesota New Markets Tax Credit tied to the federal CDFI/New Markets program. Testimony described the bill as allocating $100 million in credits each for greater Minnesota and the metro, with applications reviewed by DEED, a 15-day cure period for incomplete applications, a seven-year credit schedule, and clawbacks if an entity withdraws or loses federal certification. Senator Drazkowski offered and the committee adopted an oral amendment to remove the word “person” on line 3.28. Senator Nelson said the bill was intended to expand economic development in distressed areas, noted support letters including from the Minnesota Bankers Association, and the committee laid the bill over as amended for possible inclusion. The committee then took up Senate File 3401, which would create an excess premium tax credit for people buying gold or silver MNsure plans when premiums exceed 120% of the statewide average. Senator Weber said the credit would cover 100% of excess silver-plan premiums and 75% of excess gold-plan premiums, up to $10,000, for households up to $150,000 in income, and argued it would help rural families facing very high insurance costs. Brian Freeze testified that his self-employed family in southeast Minnesota pays extremely high premiums and deductibles through MNsure, describing the coverage as financially devastating. Senator Klein asked whether the credit would apply only through the exchange; Weber replied that the bill is aimed at people who do not qualify for existing premium tax credits and refers to MNsure coverage. The bill was laid over. Finally, the committee considered Senate File 3572, which changes the income measure used for the education tax credit from household income to federal adjusted gross income. An A1 amendment was adopted to restore necessary language related to taxable year. Senator Rest said the change would simplify the credit without altering the credit amount or income thresholds, and noted the revenue impact would be modest. Matt Norris of Youth Prize supported the bill, saying the current household-income definition is complex and burdensome for families and that the change would make the credit easier to use for after-school activities, tutoring, computers, and school supplies. Members discussed the importance of helping students recover from pandemic-related learning loss, and the bill was laid over after testimony and closing comments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced a revised supplemental budget proposal tied to Minnesota’s $9.25 billion surplus. The plan would send direct payments of $500 to individuals and $1,000 to couples, with income caps, reaching about 2.7 million households. Walz said the checks are intended to provide immediate relief from high gas and grocery prices and argued they are a simpler, faster option than a gas tax holiday. He also said the proposal would include $1,500 payments for pandemic frontline workers, replenish the unemployment insurance trust fund, and avoid creating long-term budget obligations. Flanagan said the revised budget is meant to combine short-term relief with longer-term investments for families and children. She highlighted $115 million for emergency shelter services, $4 million for community organizations addressing the opioid epidemic, and expanded support for child nutrition programs, building on the administration’s universal meals proposal. Walz also said the revision includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase for state pension holders, describing it as a one-time adjustment that would not threaten pension solvency. The governor and lieutenant governor framed the proposal as a “middle ground” that uses surplus revenue to help households while preserving fiscal stability. Walz said the state’s strong rainy day funds and economic position make the plan responsible, and he expressed hope for bipartisan support. No vote or formal legislative action occurred at the event; it was a budget announcement and press conference, with the administration urging lawmakers to act quickly.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee heard Senate File 3051, authored by Senator Rarick, which would update Minnesota’s energy facility siting and permitting framework. Supporters from Clean Grid Alliance and EDF Renewables said the bill would streamline an outdated 40-year-old process, better fit independent power producers and utility-scale wind and solar development, and preserve public participation and PUC oversight. They emphasized that the state’s energy landscape has changed, utilities are planning large renewable buildouts, and permitting should be more efficient for projects with voluntary route agreements and site control. The committee also adopted the A1 authors’ amendment, which moved language from the certificate-of-need statute into site-permit statutes to give the Public Utilities Commission broader authority to consider environmental and socioeconomic factors. Testimony also focused on labor and local economic impacts. LiUNA supported the bill’s requirement that utilities report on local job impacts and that the PUC consider those impacts in resource decisions, saying energy projects should support high-quality local jobs and that the current process can be duplicative and confusing. Missouri River Energy Services supported the general goal of local job consideration but raised concerns about section 5 because integrated resource plans are often too general to identify local job impacts at that stage. MRES also objected to section 7, which would require plans for transmission upgrades tied to future retirements of nonrenewable resources, arguing that similar planning already occurs through regional transmission organizations such as MISO and that the bill could add speculative or redundant information. Xcel Energy testified that section 8 would create an uneven playing field by exempting independent power producers from certificate-of-need requirements when a project is already in a utility IRP, while utilities would still have to go through that costly and time-consuming process. Xcel said it supports streamlining but wants any changes applied across the board rather than through piecemeal deregulation. Committee members echoed concerns about winners and losers, local input, and redundancy in the bill’s provisions. Senator Rarick said he shared some of the concerns and would continue discussions with stakeholders. No final vote was taken; the bill was laid aside for further discussion and possible inclusion, and the committee adjourned at about 3:35 p.m.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senator Zack Duckworth, Rep. Kelly Morrison, and Rep. Kristin Bonner presented a bipartisan package of pharmacy-related bills focused on expanding access to care, improving convenience, and supporting community pharmacies. They said the proposals would let pharmacists administer more subcutaneous and intramuscular injections with a prescription, continue immunizations and non-laboratory testing beyond the pandemic-era federal emergency authority, and improve payment for pharmacy services. The authors emphasized that pharmacies are highly accessible, especially in rural and underserved areas, and argued the bills would help patients get care in one visit, reduce costs, and ease pressure on the broader health care system. Testifying in support, Mike and Laura Schwarzwald of Guidepoint Pharmacy described challenges in rural Longville, including long vaccine waitlists, difficulty staffing telepharmacy services, and lack of reimbursement for administering long-acting injectable medications. They said better payment policies would help keep small pharmacies open and allow them to provide more services, including vaccines, mental health injections, and TB testing for assisted living workers. Dr. Tamara Bezdichek of the Minnesota Pharmacy Alliance also supported the package, saying it would allow pharmacists to administer prescribed injections, continue immunizing patients age 3 and older, provide testing, and help pharmacies remain critical access points in their communities. During questions, members clarified that the federal emergency flexibilities had expanded who could vaccinate and what age groups could be served, and that the state could make those changes permanent through state law after the federal authority expires. One question raised concern about pediatric well-child visits; Duckworth responded that the legislation includes language encouraging families to continue those visits and that the intent is not to replace pediatric care. No votes were taken in the transcript, and the meeting ended with general support for the bills and thanks to participants.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3542 was taken up, and Chair Nelson moved and the committee adopted the A1 amendment, which corrected a typographical error in a statutory reference. Nelson then explained that the bill is intended to create a mechanism to use surplus stadium-related funds, including electronic pull tab revenue, to pay off the state and City of Minneapolis debt for U.S. Bank Stadium earlier than scheduled. He said the proposal could accelerate payoff from 2043 to 2027, save interest costs, and free up money for other state uses, including possible relief for charitable gaming. Members asked about the impact on charitable gaming and whether the proposal could provide more immediate relief to those organizations. Nelson said early payoff would eventually free up funds that could be used to reduce taxes or support charitable gaming, but he emphasized that the bill’s main purpose is to retire the stadium debt first. Representative Drazkowski questioned language allowing the commissioner to transfer balances to cover shortfalls and suggested requiring a majority vote of the Legislative Advisory Commission instead of only consultation. David Johnson, representing the Minnesota Vikings, testified that the bill is designed to sweep excess revenue into a refinance fund while preserving a mechanism to meet obligations and avoid default if revenues come up short, with coordination through the LAC to avoid past payment issues. Nelson said he would look into Drazkowski’s suggested change. With no further questions, the chair laid House File 3542 over as amended for possible inclusion.