Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate State Government Finance, Policy and Elections Committee met on March 15, 2022, with a quorum present and a full agenda. The first item was confirmation of four appointments to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board: Steven Swanson, Margaret Lepic, Ferris Rashid, and David Asp. Jeff Siegertsen, the board’s executive director, described the board’s role and noted the 2022 election and redistricting workload. Each appointee briefly outlined their background and emphasized nonpartisan, fair, and practical administration of campaign finance laws. Senator Clausen praised the nominees as public servants, and the committee unanimously recommended all four appointments for Senate confirmation. The committee then heard Senate File 2959, authored by Senator Rest, which would expand a 2017 law allowing certain local governments to invest cash or cash equivalents. The bill would extend eligibility from only AAA-rated local governments to also include AA-rated governments with a strong history, with the goal of improving returns on public funds. Mayor Bill Blonigan of Robbinsdale testified in support, arguing that responsible smaller cities should have the same opportunity as larger or AAA-rated cities and that existing safeguards would limit risk. The committee adopted a technical A2 amendment and then laid the bill over for possible inclusion. Next, the committee heard Senate File 3041, authored by Senator Limmer, to repeal the sunset on the Capitol Area Security Advisory Committee. Senator Limmer said the committee was created to address growing security concerns at the Capitol and surrounding area, and that it includes legislative, executive, judicial, and security officials. Testimony from Department of Public Safety and facilities staff supported continuing the committee, while members discussed whether the advisory committee should have a future review date. The committee adopted an A1 amendment setting the committee to expire June 30, 2036, then recommended the bill, as amended, to pass and be referred to General Orders. The transcript then began consideration of Senate File 2647, by Senator Coleman, to add a township representative to MnDOT’s Local Road Improvement Program Advisory Committee; Senator Coleman and the Minnesota Association of Townships testified in support, citing township demand for LRIP funding, but the discussion was cut off in the provided transcript.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 2185, authored by Senator Kiffmeyer, which would prohibit local governments from banning propane or natural gas hookups in buildings. The author and the Minnesota Propane Association argued the bill protects consumer choice and prevents local “electrification” mandates; the testifier also emphasized propane’s emissions profile and role as a backup energy source. Senator France raised concerns about state interference in local control but said he would support the bill, while Senator Matthews and others framed it as preserving fuel options. The committee voted to recommend passage and refer the bill to the Local Government Committee, with one no vote recorded. The committee then heard Senate File 2416 from Senator Housley, a proposal to create a grant program for electric vehicle charging stations at county government centers, administered by the Department of Commerce with an appropriation of $4.1 million in 2022. Senator Housley said the program would help meet growing EV demand; committee members asked about the number of chargers the funding would buy, whether counties would be forced to participate, and whether the stations would be publicly available. Department of Commerce staff clarified the program would be a voluntary grant/RFP process, not a mandate on counties, and the Association of Minnesota Counties said it supported the concept but wanted clearer language on county involvement. The chair laid the bill over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus energy bill. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 2156, also from Senator Housley, concerning decommissioning plans for the Allen S. King coal plant in Oak Park Heights, which is now expected to close in 2028 instead of 2040. Senator Housley and Oak Park Heights Mayor Mary McCumber said the bill would require the utility to provide a decommissioning, demolition, and remediation plan by December 31, 2025 so the city can plan for tax base and community impacts. Members discussed whether the plant must be demolished or whether parts could be reused, and the mayor said the city wants to keep communication open with Xcel and has formed an advisory committee. The bill was laid aside for possible inclusion in a future omnibus energy bill, and the meeting adjourned.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services Licensing and Policy Committee met on March 15, 2022, with a quorum present and heard two bills focused on workforce and licensing issues in disability services and substance use disorder treatment. Senator Utke presented Senate File 2968 as an immediate workforce relief bill. The bill’s committee-relevant sections would remove a separate license or variance requirement for 245D providers using alternative overnight supervision technology during sleep hours. Testimony from ARM and the Department of Human Services said the change could reduce administrative duplication and help address severe staffing shortages, while DHS noted initial concerns about preserving health and safety protections. The parties said they were close to agreed-upon technical language, including notification to DHS when technology is used and other protections. The committee recommended SF 2968 to pass and sent it to the Committee on Human Services Reform. The committee then took up Senate File 3583, as amended, on substance use disorder treatment licensing and service rules. The bill, presented by Senator Abler and Brian Zerbas, included changes to HIV training language, a new Class A supervised living facility license for withdrawal management programs, a definition for guest speakers in treatment groups, documentation and treatment plan timing changes, follow-up counseling after discharge, and transitional support services such as housing, food, child care, and transportation vouchers. DHS said it had concerns about removing documentation requirements and about program integrity, but continued working with the authors on language. Members discussed whether weekly documentation should remain tied to clinical need, and DHS said it was open to continuing the conversation. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then recommended SF 3583, as amended, to pass and referred it to the Committee on Human Services Reform. The meeting then adjourned.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate unanimously passed a bill directing the Legislative Auditor to audit the Southwest Light Rail Transit project. During floor debate, senators said the project has grown substantially more expensive, with an additional $700 million reportedly needed from Hennepin County, bringing the total to about $2.75 billion, and that completion could be delayed by three to four years. Members also cited damage near the construction area, including cracking and flooding in nearby condo towers and a warehouse, as evidence of problems with project oversight. Supporters of the audit argued that the project’s impacts were forewarned and ignored, and said the audit is needed to determine what went wrong and to provide answers for future transit and development projects. They emphasized that the Legislative Auditor can review records, consult experts, examine communications, and report findings in detail, including policy analysis. One senator also connected the audit to broader transit planning, saying lessons from this project could help improve future bus rapid transit and other lines. The debate was strongly critical of the Metropolitan Council’s handling of the project, with one senator describing the situation as criminal and another warning that taxpayers could be paying for the project for generations if it is not brought back on track. The bill passed unanimously.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Taxes Committee met on March 15, 2022, with a quorum present and took up House File 3982, which Representative Howard moved after the committee adopted the A1 author’s amendment. The bill would create local housing affordability aid to provide flexible state resources to counties and cities to address housing needs such as gap financing, acquisition, demolition, rehabilitation, and construction. Howard said the proposal responds to Minnesota’s severe housing shortage and is intended to help communities tailor solutions to local conditions, including workforce housing, deeply affordable rental housing, and homeownership opportunities. Committee discussion focused on how the aid would be distributed and used. Howard explained that the amended bill would direct 70 million to counties, 20 million to larger cities, and 10 million to smaller cities, with smaller cities able to apply for grants under a formula tied to cost-burdened households. Members asked about how counties might partner with cities or townships, and Howard said the funds were meant to be flexible and collaborative. Representative Garofalo raised concerns about Saint Paul’s rent control policy and its effect on private financing, while Howard said the bill’s resources were not tied to local rent-control provisions and would be used subject to local ordinances. The committee also heard testimony in support from Ann Mabady of the Minnesota Housing Partnership, who described statewide housing shortages, the need to both produce and preserve housing, and the importance of local governments having direct resources to address local needs. She cited over 500,000 cost-burdened households and racial disparities in housing and homeownership. Olmsted County Commissioner Sheila Kiskaden, speaking for MICA and the Association of Minnesota Counties, also supported the bill, emphasizing local flexibility, layered financing, and accountability through a clawback provision if funds are not used. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future committee action, and no final vote on passage was taken.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Education Finance Committee met on March 15, 2022, with a quorum present and approved the minutes from March 10 by voice vote. The committee then heard House File 1742, Representative Berg’s proposal to establish student support personnel aid. Berg’s DE1 amendment was adopted by voice vote; it made technical changes, clarified terms, and increased the proposed investment to $250 million. Berg and testifiers from school nursing, counseling, psychology, and social work described rising student mental, physical, and social-emotional needs, staffing shortages, and the value of funding school nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill. The committee next took up House File 3634, Representative Morrison’s bill on student mental health screening and additional school mental health staffing. Morrison’s A3 amendment was adopted by voice vote and added requirements that screenings be evidence-based, parents be notified and consent before screening, results be shared with parents, data be protected and destroyed on a set timeline, and intermediate districts/co-ops be included. Morrison said the bill would require districts to develop screening plans for K-12 students and make districts eligible for funding for two full-time mental health support staff positions per 2,000 students. Testimony in support came from a University of Minnesota medical student and a Minnetonka High School senior, both of whom emphasized the need for earlier identification of mental health concerns and better access to school-based supports. Committee members raised questions about the bill’s fiscal impact, and Morrison said the fiscal note was not yet complete because the bill would move to another committee before returning for possible later inclusion. The committee also heard from the Minnesota Department of Education, which supported the bill and cited statewide shortages in counselors and other student support staff. No public testimony was received on HF 3634.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee reconvened remotely on March 15, 2022, and first took up House File 3768, a bill to revise Minnesota’s structured settlement transfer law. Representative Cagle described the bill as a response to predatory practices in the settlement-purchasing industry, arguing that sellers of structured settlements are often vulnerable, underpaid, and inadequately protected under current law. Testifiers largely supported the bill, including a district court judge who said judges need clearer standards and independent assistance to evaluate whether transfers are in a seller’s best interest, and representatives of both the structured settlement industry and the plaintiffs’ bar who said the bill would improve disclosures, authorize independent evaluators, and prohibit sales of minors’ settlements. Members discussed the need for court-appointed evaluators and how those costs would be covered, and Cagle said the independent advice could come from several types of professionals, not just attorneys. After discussion, Representative Cagle renewed his motion to refer House File 3768 to the Commerce Committee. The motion passed on a 17-0 roll call, and the bill was referred to Commerce. The committee then moved to House File 3446, which Vice Chair Moeller said was part of a larger DHS policy bill. The bill, as amended by the A1 amendment, would codify the home and community-based services critical incident review process and repeal trust and medical assistance long-term care eligibility statutes that had been invalidated by a 2021 Court of Appeals decision. DHS testified that the “culture of safety” pilot uses a safety-science approach to identify systemic causes of critical incidents, while keeping review records protected and not admissible in related civil or criminal cases. Representative Scott said she supported the bill and appreciated the added reporting provisions, and Moeller closed by thanking members for their support.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee began with discussion of upcoming deadlines and omnibus bill timing, including plans to mark up an omnibus bill with a workforce emphasis and possible evening hearings. Members then turned to a lengthy discussion of a constituent case involving a 73-year-old couple whose daughter’s group home is closing, leaving a 13-day gap before an intermediate care facility placement is ready; the family described major care needs, lack of accessible housing, and unsuccessful efforts to get help from the provider, ombudsman, and governor’s office. Committee members characterized the situation as evidence of serious problems in the disability system and set the issue aside for later discussion. The main bill heard was Senate File 3165, with the department presenting an amendment and overview. The bill was described as a broad cleanup and policy package covering mental health uniform service standards, telehealth clarifications, long-term care remote reassessments, HCBS culture of safety, early intensive developmental behavioral intervention, and ABLE account conformity. It also included technical corrections such as repealing an outdated foster care moratorium exception, updating substance use disorder terminology, clarifying tribal eligibility for homeless supportive services grants, repealing obsolete councils and pilot projects, and aligning telehealth and waiver language with current practice. Testimony emphasized that most provisions were noncontroversial cleanups, while the culture of safety section would codify an existing pilot and the ABLE change would allow others, such as parents or guardians, to establish accounts when an eligible person cannot do so themselves. The committee also heard an amendment from county representatives, who asked to add newly named waiver services—day support services and integrated community supports—to the statute as excluded time services to avoid payment disputes. The department said it was neutral and did not think the amendment was necessary, but the chair said it could be sorted through the process. The committee adopted the amendment on a voice vote and then laid over Senate File 3165 on the table. After that, the chair announced the next bill would address non-emergency medical transportation, which had become an urgent topic, and indicated there were four testifiers to hear from.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 2954, a proposal by Senator Coleman to create a pipeline conservation program administered by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. The bill would provide a one-time appropriation for grants to nonprofit conservation groups and secondary or post-secondary schools to improve vegetation, pollinator habitat, and biodiversity along pipeline rights-of-way, with grantees entering agreements with pipeline operators. Robin Orrick of the American Petroleum Institute testified in support, saying the effort would build on industry conservation practices and safety standards and that the grants would not go to pipeline companies themselves. Members discussed whether the proposal would supplement or replace existing pipeline-company responsibilities. Senator Eaton and Senator Torres Ray raised concerns that taxpayers should not fund work they believed pipeline companies should already be doing, and questioned whether the bill would let companies avoid their own restoration obligations. Orrick responded that companies are required to maintain rights-of-way, but that many interpret that as mowing rather than broader conservation, and said the bill would encourage additional, above-and-beyond habitat work. Other members supported the concept as a creative conservation partnership, and SF 2954 was laid over. The committee then took up Senate File 3421 from Senator Bock, which seeks funding for ATV trail projects in northeastern Minnesota. Testimony from Nick Wagnum of the Prospector Loop Alliance described a long-planned 250-mile trail network connecting communities from Ely and Tower to the North Shore, with specific links to the Cloquet Line, Echo Trail, Bois Fort Band property, Pfeiffer Lake, Bear Run Trail, and Babbitt to Hoyt Lakes. He said the projects rely heavily on volunteers but need state money for bridges, mitigation, and contracted work, and the bill requests $500,000 each for the Voyager ATV System and the Prospector system. The discussion emphasized tourism, volunteer labor, and growing ATV use, and the bill was left pending after testimony.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Housing Policy and Finance Committee heard testimony on Senate File 3259, as amended with the A4 delete-everything amendment, a housing bill aimed at reducing regulatory barriers to development. Counsel summarized the bill’s major provisions, including encouraging municipalities to support unsubsidized affordable housing, delaying adoption of new model building codes until 2026 unless approved by law, limiting new energy codes unless they have a five-year payback, protecting conforming modular residential buildings from being prohibited by regulation, restricting municipal use of PUD agreements and aesthetic/material mandates, prohibiting minimum square-foot requirements, requiring certain park dedication payment records, imposing a 60-day deadline for building permit decisions, and directing the labor commissioner to set a cost-per-square-foot valuation for certain new residential properties. Members raised a question about whether parks are included in the bill’s limits on aesthetic mandates, and counsel said that would be clarified later. The committee did not take final action on the bill that day, with the chair stating action would wait until Thursday. Testifiers were overwhelmingly supportive of the bill. Saleem Firth of the Mercatus Center argued that state intervention is appropriate because local land-use institutions are failing, citing heavy suburban reliance on PUDs and minimum lot sizes that he said raise costs and limit housing choice. John Phelan of the Center of the American Experiment said Minnesota’s housing prices reflect a supply shortage driven by regulation, fees, and land-use rules, and called the bill a step toward addressing the underlying problem. Luke Bell testified that the Minneapolis-St. Paul region has severe housing supply constraints and the nation’s largest white-Black homeownership gap, and said relaxing zoning would help create more “missing middle” housing. David Siegel of Housing First Minnesota said the bill is the most comprehensive effort yet to address inventory and affordability problems and urged legalization of starter homes statewide. Other supporters included Peter Coyle, who said mandatory PUD negotiations let cities impose extra costs and conditions that are passed on to buyers; Tony Winer of Cardinal Home Builders, who said land costs, zoning, lot sizes, park fees, and engineering requirements make affordable starter homes difficult to build; Alex Fernandez of the Vinyl Siding Institute, who supported limits on local bans of code-compliant materials; and Beth Cadoon of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, who said the bill would reduce regulatory burdens, expand consumer choice, and help address workforce shortages tied to housing availability. Overall, the testimony framed the bill as a response to housing affordability, supply shortages, and regulatory overreach, with supporters emphasizing that the changes would lower costs and increase homeownership opportunities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on March 15, 2022, and first took up Senate File 3581, a bill related to driver and vehicle services records and deputy registrars. Senator Newman explained that the bill was based on recommendations from an independent expert review following the MINLARS/MinnDrive transition, and that it would allow full-service deputy registrars broader authority to furnish certain records and share in the related fees. Committee counsel said the relevant issues were data practices, since the bill expands access to private data. The committee adopted the A4 amendment, which allows DVS to monitor and audit the furnishing of records, and then passed the bill as amended and referred it back to the Transportation Committee. The committee then heard Senate File 2857, which would increase funding for the Minnesota Family Resiliency Partnership by raising the amount collected from certain marriage and dissolution filings. Senator Housley said the program has long helped displaced homemakers and others reenter the workforce after divorce, disability, death, or abandonment, and that the bill would raise the dedicated fee amounts without increasing the overall filing fee. Testifying in support, Jean Keenan described the program as a no-cost, trauma-informed, wraparound service that helps low-income participants overcome barriers to employment and become self-sufficient. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then passed the bill as amended and referred it to the Judiciary Committee. Finally, the committee returned to Senate File 182, which had been heard previously and was brought back with an A2 amendment addressing earlier concerns. Counsel explained that the amendment would create a 10-year retention limit for the data, narrow the scope to medical assistance non-long-term services and supports claims data, and require a report back to the legislature on compliance. Senators discussed whether the 10-year deletion requirement would be practical and whether additional flexibility might be needed for implementation. The discussion continued with no final action shown in the excerpt provided.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3910, which would establish Juneteenth, June 19, as a state holiday. Representative Richardson presented the bill as a recognition of the delayed end of slavery for Black Americans and as a step toward a more inclusive understanding of freedom. He also noted the late Representative Richard Jefferson’s earlier work on Juneteenth recognition in the legislature. A fiscal note was discussed; House fiscal staff said Minnesota Management and Budget found the administrative impact minimal and did not anticipate costs, though some state agencies not yet covered by collective bargaining agreements were not directly addressed. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive. Meredith Lee Moore spoke in favor of the bill, describing Juneteenth as part of her family’s history and emphasizing the importance of teaching the public about emancipation and the continued enslavement of Black people after 1863. Lee Jordan of National Juneteenth said the holiday is important not only to the African-American community but to all Americans, and framed it as a broader commemoration of American history and freedom. Edward Reynoldson of Teamsters Local also supported the bill, saying it is long overdue and would clarify holiday policy for public-sector employers and local governments, while not requiring the private sector to follow suit. No questions were raised after testimony. Representative Richardson thanked the testifiers and reiterated support for the measure. The chair then announced that the bill would be laid over and brought back later once a late amendment is worked out, with no final vote taken at this meeting.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4169, a bill related to divestment from Russia, and first adopted the DE1 amendment. The author said the amendment, developed with SBI, added Belarus to the bill, clarified definitions, gave direction for disinvestment, and made technical changes. Representative Quam then offered an A1 amendment to also include China, arguing China has enabled atrocities and helped Russia evade sanctions; the bill author opposed expanding the bill that broadly, and the A1 amendment failed on a voice vote. The committee then heard brief testimony. Betsy Hayes, the state chief procurement officer, said she had no direct testimony and was available for questions. Ludia Anastasiyevsky, representing the Minnesota American Advocacy Committee and the Ukrainian American community, testified in support of the bill, describing her personal connection to Mariupol, the suffering of family and friends there, and the humanitarian devastation caused by Russia’s invasion. Before taking final action, the chair said the committee needed to recess due to time constraints and laid the bill over. Members were told the bill would be taken up again that evening at 5:00 p.m. using the same Zoom link.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration met with 13 members present, establishing a quorum. The committee first approved the minutes from March 10, 2022, then adopted the calendar for the day for March 17, 2022, pursuant to Rules 1.21 and 3.33. No discussion was offered on either motion, and both passed by voice vote. The final item was Senate Concurrent Resolution 15, the deadlines resolution. The chair moved adoption of the resolution, there was no discussion, and the motion prevailed by voice vote. With no further business, the committee adjourned.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 10, 2022 minutes and then took up House File 167, a bill to legalize sports betting. Representative Stephenson explained that the bill would authorize both tribal casino sports betting and online/mobile sports betting, with a 10% tax on mobile wagering and 40% of that revenue dedicated to problem gambling. The A6 amendment, which added more detail on problem gambling provisions, was adopted. Testimony from Pat Gibbs of the Sports Betting Alliance supported regulation as a way to move existing illegal offshore betting into a safer, taxed market with consumer protections and responsible gaming tools. Members raised concerns about youth gambling, the need to see study results before proceeding, and whether the bill was primarily about revenue; Stephenson said the bill was not aimed at general fund revenue, that the tax would be 10% of net revenue after expenses, and that he would move the age limit to 21 in a later committee. The committee then voted 13-6 to re-refer HF 167, as amended, to the Commerce Committee. The committee next considered House File 4065, a long-term care recodification bill. Chair Schultz described it as a technical, nonpolicy measure to reorganize statutes, and the A1 technical amendment was adopted without opposition. The committee then voted 19-0 to place HF 4065, as amended, on the general register. Finally, the committee heard House File 3698, which would appropriate $2 million from the general fund for a new and larger space for the First Witness Child Advocacy Center in Duluth. Testifiers Tracy Klanac and Assistant St. Louis County Attorney John Hollets described the center’s work with child abuse and sexual assault cases, emphasizing the need for a child-friendly, authority-reducing facility with more room for forensic interviews, advocacy, mental health services, and training. They said the current space is too small for growing demand and that the new building would support services for decades. The bill was then moved to the Capital Investment Committee for further consideration.