Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee discussed Senate File 3414, a bill that would prohibit local governments from enacting rent control on private residential properties and apply retroactively to November 1, 2021. Supporters said the measure would nullify the Minneapolis and Saint Paul rent control votes and argued rent control discourages housing investment, reduces the supply and quality of housing, and is not the right solution to the state’s housing shortage. They emphasized that Minnesota needs more housing units and more housing types instead. Opponents argued that rent stabilization is needed to address predatory rent increases and displacement, and said the Saint Paul vote should be respected. One speaker said their neighborhood overwhelmingly supported rent stabilization and that the election results should not be overturned. Another testified that development is still occurring in Saint Paul and accused landlords of exaggerating the impact of the ordinance. Committee members also noted there was compelling testimony on both sides and suggested continuing the discussion. No final vote or action on the bill was described in the transcript.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Property Tax Division met with a quorum, approved the March 9 minutes by voice vote, and then heard House File 3224, a school levy equalization bill. Rep. Hewitt said the bill is intended to provide property tax relief and reduce education funding disparities by increasing state aid through equalization for school levies, including operating referendum, local optional revenue, and debt service levies. He and several supporters argued that the current formulas are outdated, based on 1990s or early-1990s property values, and that taxpayers in lower-wealth districts pay much more for the same levy dollar than taxpayers in higher-wealth districts. Fiscal staff Tim Strom explained that the bill would increase district revenue by about $147 million while reducing statewide levies by about $280 million, with the largest levy reductions coming from operating referendum and local optional revenue levies. Testimony in support came from school district and education representatives, including ISD 196, New Ulm, St. Michael-Albertville, Lake of the Woods, Northern Lights Academy, and Schools for Equity and Education. Witnesses said the bill would lower local property taxes, make aid-levy splits more equitable, and expand debt service equalization to more districts. Some focused on specific local impacts: ISD 196 said it would help heavily residential districts that lack commercial tax base; New Ulm said it would reduce local levy shares and could lower debt service by more than $500,000; St. Michael-Albertville said the debt service equalization program has not kept pace since 1992; and Lake of the Woods said higher long-term facilities maintenance aid would help small districts maintain aging buildings. Members asked several questions about the fiscal spreadsheet and how the equalization formulas work. Strom explained that the state average referendum market value per pupil is about $706,000, that raising the local optional revenue equalizing factors would increase aid and reduce levies in lower-wealth districts, and that higher-wealth districts could see more revenue without comparable levy relief. Rep. Marquart and others emphasized that the bill updates formulas that have eroded over time, while Rep. Gomez framed the issue as part of a broader state responsibility to fund education and address cross-subsidies. No final action on HF 3224 was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 3202, which would address a Minnesota statute issue affecting some podiatrists trained through preceptorships rather than residencies. Senator Dornink and Dr. William Biggie said the bill was needed to help recruit qualified podiatrists, especially in rural areas and in Freeborn County, where the need for geriatric foot care was described as acute. No member questions were raised, and the committee passed the bill and sent it to General Orders. The committee then took up Senate File 3501, a bill described by Senator Draheim and Leslie Clayton of the Minnesota Academy of PAs as a technical harmonization measure to align physician assistant statutes with 2020 changes. Natasha Chunyavsky of Citizens Council for Health Freedom opposed the bill, arguing it expanded PA scope of practice and raised patient-safety concerns, while Senator Klein and others defended PAs as highly skilled and said the bill was not a scope change. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then passed the bill as amended and sent it to General Orders. Next, the committee considered Senate File 3256, a Board of Dentistry bill to clean up dental licensing statutes, add licensure-by-credential for dental therapy, clarify fees, and create administrative fines for certain late renewals instead of formal complaints. Board representative Ms. Anderson said the bill would not raise fees and would streamline administration; Senator Nelson asked about the dental therapy credentialing pathway, and the board explained it would create a route for out-of-state dental therapists. The committee passed the bill and sent it to the Finance Committee. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 1257, which would reduce redundant background checks for licensed health professionals by keeping board fingerprint checks but adding quarterly data sharing with DHS so maltreatment findings can still be reported. Senator Benson and Minnesota Hospital Association representative Mary Crinkey said the A6 amendment was a practical compromise that would cut duplicative checks while preserving protections; DHS Inspector General Kulani Moti and Matt Burdick said the amendment met DHS needs, and Senator Abeler supported the bill as common sense. The committee adopted the A6 amendment and passed the bill as amended to the Finance Committee, then moved on to a DHS background studies update presentation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 3046, as amended, which would raise and modernize the levy cap for rural watershed districts so their general fund support can keep pace with inflation and workload. Senator Eaton and Jim Stark of the Legislative Subcommittee on Minnesota Water Policy said the bill came from a statewide stakeholder process. Emily Javins of the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts argued the current $250,000 cap, set in 2001, is outdated and not tied to any measurable metric, while Rebecca Carlson of the Clearwater River Watershed District described how local levy authority, grants, and planning have produced major water-quality improvements and said the cap increase would help maintain progress as outside funding changes. Members asked about the relationship to One Watershed, One Plan and about funding for SWCDs; testimony noted watershed districts rely on levies and local grants, while SWCDs have different funding structures. The committee adopted the A2 amendment and then passed SF 3046, as amended, to the Taxes Committee. The committee then took up Senate File 3359, which would establish a Pig’s Eye Landfill Task Force and appropriate money for it. Senator Herr described the long history of dumping at the Pig’s Eye site and said the task force would coordinate cleanup efforts and address PFAS contamination. Testifiers including Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, Saint Paul Audubon Society representative Kiki Sonnen, Saint Paul City Council Member Jane Prince, and former city council member Tom Diamond supported the bill, emphasizing the site’s contamination, its importance to wildlife habitat and the Mississippi River, and the need for coordinated state, local, and federal action. They also cited public health, environmental justice, and flood-risk concerns, and noted related local and regional support. The A1 amendment was adopted before testimony began.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee met on March 16, 2022, and heard testimony on several bills. Senate File 2579, authored by Senator Newman, would create a DNR grant program to help townships and counties clean and maintain ditches and surface waters that do not have a current funding source. The bill was presented as a water-quality and flood-mitigation measure for areas such as Meeker County, with township representatives describing long-neglected waterways, sediment buildup, erosion, and the difficulty of forcing individual landowners to pay through litigation. The Minnesota Association of Townships supported the concept, and the DNR said no such grant program currently exists and warned that some projects could face permitting limits if they substantially affect public waters. The committee discussed the need for early coordination with DNR and the broader issue of stormwater management, and SF 2579 was laid over. The committee then took up Senate File 3761, which would extend the ATV ambassador program to off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles and shift funding so those user groups contribute to the program rather than relying only on the ATV account. Testifiers from the Amateur Riders Motorcycle Association and the Minnesota Four-Wheel Drive Association supported the bill, explaining that ambassadors provide on-the-ground presence, training, maps, and user guidance, and that the program uses trained volunteers with DNR-issued identification. An A1 amendment was adopted that removed the fiscal year 2022 appropriation and instead provided $40,000 in fiscal year 2023, with $4,000 set aside for administrative costs. The bill was then laid over. The final major item was the wetland replacement bank program, described as a one-time $10 million general fund appropriation to ensure enough wetland credits are available for local road projects during construction season. Committee members and testifiers from the Association of Minnesota Counties, Anoka County, and the Board of Water and Soil Resources said the program has been historically underfunded, that bank service areas periodically run out of credits, and that shortages can delay road and safety projects. BWSR explained that the program, created in 1996, provides centralized wetland mitigation for local governments and is more efficient than each local unit creating its own replacement wetlands, but it requires stable funding because restoration projects take years to mature. The chair indicated the bill would move quickly to finance, and the committee discussed the possibility of a larger funding request beyond the $10 million.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3886, as amended by the A2 amendment, and laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the health finance bill. The amendment was adopted without opposition. Representative Morrison described the bill as creating a universal voluntary home visiting program for families with infants, with services beginning prenatally or shortly after birth/adoption and aimed at improving maternal and newborn health, school readiness, family self-sufficiency, and connections to community supports. The bill would direct the commissioner of health to make services available statewide by June 30, 2025, prioritizing high-need areas until then. Testifiers from the Minnesota Coalition for Family Home Visiting and related early childhood programs spoke in support, saying home visiting helps families facing poverty, housing and food instability, mental health challenges, addiction, and other inequities, and can improve child development, parent-child attachment, maternal outcomes, and reduce abuse or neglect. A representative from ECFE home visiting said those programs are community-based and culturally and linguistically relevant, and that universal home visiting would build on existing partnerships with schools, clinics, hospitals, and community organizations. Members generally expressed support and asked about how families would learn about and opt into the program, as well as how the workforce would be expanded. Morrison said referrals would come through pediatric offices, ECFE, schools, and community partners, and that the bill names several provider types, including doulas, community health workers, perinatal educators, ECFE home visitors, and public health nurses. A coalition representative said the proposal is intended to use existing professionals and paraprofessionals across health care, public health, tribal health, nonprofits, and ECFE in a coordinated way.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3963, authored by Representative Edelson, which would create a new special education aid category called high-cost service aid. The bill would reimburse districts for students whose special education costs exceed three times the state average, with the Department of Education calculating the gap between total cost and state/federal aid and paying 90 percent of that difference. Edelson said the proposal is intended to address cross-subsidy pressures on districts and to add the necessary appropriation for high-cost tuition reimbursement aid. Testimony was uniformly supportive. Jeff Jorgensen of Edina Public Schools, Heidi Nissler of the Sherburne and Northern Wright Special Education Cooperative, and Michelle Chuca of Eastern Carver County Schools described students requiring intensive services such as one-to-one nursing, paraprofessional support, and highly individualized programming, with annual costs ranging from about $80,000 to more than $200,000. They said these costs can significantly strain district budgets and reduce the ability to provide services in-house, especially in smaller districts. Members also discussed the broader federal role in special education funding and the need for earlier intervention and wraparound supports. No public testimony was taken. After questions and comments, including support for federal action and for the bill as a partial solution to district cross-subsidy problems, Representative Edelson closed by thanking the committee. Representative Zhang renewed the motion to lay over House File 3963 for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill, and the committee agreed to hold the bill over for further consideration.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met remotely, approved the March 14, 2022 minutes, and heard a notice that hybrid hearings may begin the following Monday in Room 120 at the Capitol. The first bill taken up was House File 3943, which would appropriate $250,000 per year for two years to the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland in Hibbing for after-school and summer programming. The bill’s author and several local testifiers described a lack of after-school options and child care in the area, emphasized community and school-district support, and argued the club would provide safe supervision, academic and career exploration, and workforce benefits for families. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then heard House File 3953, a $300,000 appropriation for Building Strong Communities, a multi-trade apprenticeship-readiness program aimed at women, BIPOC community members, and veterans entering union construction careers. Supporters said the program provides training, college credit, and a pathway into registered apprenticeships, while an Associated Builders and Contractors representative objected that the proposal was too narrow, excluded merit-shop contractors, and lacked reporting requirements on outreach and job outcomes. Members questioned which unions and funding sources were involved; the sponsor and labor council representative said 15 of 16 affiliated trades were funding the program and that it was intended to expand statewide. The committee voted 10-2 to refer the bill to the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee. After the vote, the chair returned to the committee and began House File 3940, which would provide $1 million to the Latino Economic Development Center for job training, workforce development, and agricultural assistance. The sponsor and LEDC’s executive director highlighted the organization’s nearly 20-year record, including administering COVID housing assistance and distributing more than $24 million in funding to entrepreneurs and small businesses, but the transcript cuts off before further testimony or action on that bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Policy Committee met remotely with a quorum present, approved the March 14, 2022 minutes, and then heard House File 1729, the Hunger-Free Schools Act, as amended. Representative Jordan said the bill would provide breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota students by requiring eligible schools to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision, and he framed it as a way to reduce hunger, stigma, and paperwork barriers. Testifiers including a student advocate, a teacher and community leader, a parent, a school nutrition director, and the Minnesota Department of Education all supported the bill, emphasizing personal experiences with food insecurity, the benefits of universal meals for learning and behavior, and the reduction of lunch debt. Representative Erickson asked questions about meal access during the Minneapolis teachers strike, whether the bill would affect private/nonpublic schools, and whether changing meal qualification systems could affect other programs tied to free/reduced-price lunch counts; Jordan responded that he did not know all details of the strike situation, said nonpublic schools participating in federal meal programs could be funded, and noted there is ongoing work on alternative poverty metrics. Jordan closed by saying the bill was needed to ensure children are fed and to close opportunity gaps. The committee then adopted the motion to refer HF 1729, as amended, to the Committee on Education Finance by a roll-call vote of 16 ayes, 2 nays, and 1 absent vote. The committee next took up House File 3580, a Representative Mariani bill focused on English learner and multilingual learner policy and funding. Mariani said the proposal builds on earlier versions and reflects work from statewide educators and administrators in the EL space. He described multilingual learners as a fast-growing student population and said the bill would both adjust EL revenue and direct the relevant boards to adopt rules establishing promising practices for EL and emerging multilingual learner teaching. He also said it would create voluntary micro-credentials for general education teachers, ESL teachers, and administrators, and noted the bill includes recognition for “slice” students. Testifiers from Mini TESOL, the Regional Centers of Excellence/University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership supported the bill, saying teachers and school leaders need more training and capacity-building to serve multilingual learners effectively. The committee then voted to refer HF 3580, as amended, to the Committee on Education Finance; the roll call passed with 16 ayes, 2 nays, and 1 absent vote.