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Minnesota 2021 1st Special Session

House Floor Session 2/24/22

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call, then approved the previous day’s journal and adopted committee reports. The chamber also received first readings for House Files 3690 through 3784 and a Rules and Legislative Administration report placing several bills on upcoming calendars with pre-filing requirements for amendments. The first major bill taken up was Senate File 2774, a human services bill recodifying the disability waiver rate system. Representative Schultz explained that the measure reorganizes Minnesota Statutes section 256B.4914 for clarity and consistency without changing policy or rate calculations, while also updating terminology, employment classifications, SOC codes, and certain component values. With no amendments offered, the House passed the bill 129-1. The House then considered Senate File 2957, a retirement bill extending a prior law through December 31, 2023 to continue allowing certain retired or phased-retirement health care and emergency workers to return to service without pension penalties, and clarifying language related to returning retirees. An amendment reflecting the 2023 date was adopted, and the bill passed as amended 130-1. Finally, House File 2900, the frontline worker pay bill, was debated at length. Representative Frazier described the bill as a one-time payment of up to $1,500 for eligible frontline workers who worked in person during the peacetime emergency, with application and distribution details set by the administration. The House adopted an amendment adding physicians and technical procurement guardrails, rejected a transparency amendment requiring public disclosure of recipients and payment amounts, adopted an amendment to require a Legislative Auditor review after one year, and then adopted a further amendment making that audit optional through the Legislative Audit Commission. A proposed vaccine-mandate amendment was ruled out of order as not germane. The transcript ends during continued discussion of House File 2900, before final passage is shown.

MN

Minnesota 2021 1st Special Session

House debate of frontline worker bonus bill 2/24/22

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 2900, the frontline worker pay bill, was presented on the House floor as a measure to provide one-time payments to eligible essential workers who worked in person during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Representative Frazier described the bill as a recognition of workers in health care, long-term care, food service, manufacturing, retail, warehousing, delivery, janitorial work, public service, and other frontline sectors, and explained the eligibility criteria, application process, and payment amount of up to $1,500 per worker. Several members spoke in support, including Representatives Olsen, Berg, and Jordan, who shared personal stories about nurses, residents, and other frontline workers and emphasized the sacrifices and risks they faced during the pandemic. The House adopted Frazier’s A15 amendment, which removed the exclusion of physicians and made them eligible, while also making technical changes requested by the Department of Labor and Industry. Representative Scott offered an amendment to make applicants’ names and payment amounts public, arguing for transparency because the bill involved about $1 billion in spending; Representative Frazier said he was willing to work on the issue, but the amendment was rejected after a roll call. Scott also offered an amendment requiring a Legislative Auditor review one year later, and after a related procedural amendment and a Hanson amendment changing the audit language from mandatory to discretionary, the audit-related language was adopted. The House then adopted Scott’s transparency amendment as modified, making public disclosure optional rather than mandatory. Representative Mortensen offered an amendment to add a stop-vaccine-mandates provision, but the Speaker ruled it not germane and out of order. After the bill’s third reading, debate continued with additional supportive remarks from members highlighting frontline workers’ experiences and the importance of the payments. No final passage vote is included in the transcript excerpt, but the bill advanced through amendment and third-reading discussion.

MN

Minnesota 2021 1st Special Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 2/24/22

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 22, 2022, and then heard House File 2910, as amended, which would allow law enforcement to use GPS tracking devices on reported stolen vehicles in order to avoid dangerous high-speed pursuits during carjackings and auto thefts. Vice Chair Moller described recent violent carjacking incidents and said the bill was intended to let officers track stolen vehicles more safely; an A2 amendment was adopted that added a 24-hour limit unless police obtain a search warrant, and she also said the bill requires removal of devices once a vehicle is recovered. Testimony came from Ramsey County Under Sheriff Mike Martin, who said carjackings have increased sharply and that the technology would help officers recover vehicles and apprehend suspects without chases; Julia Decker of the ACLU supported the time limit but warned about expanded warrantless surveillance; and Rich Newmeister raised concerns about possible loopholes, public notice of warrants, and reporting requirements. Representative Scott asked about deployment and consent, and members discussed costs and public-safety concerns. The committee then passed HF 2910, as amended, unanimously 17-0 and sent it to the General Register. The committee next took up House File 2671, which Representative Feist said would align Minnesota law with federal Special Immigrant Juvenile Status requirements by extending state guardianship eligibility to at-risk youth up to age 21 so they can obtain the necessary state court findings. Feist explained that the bill is meant to help abused, abandoned, or neglected immigrant youth, including those affected by labor or sex trafficking, and said it was drafted with input from immigration and family-law experts. Tara Farrell testified in support, sharing the story of Melvin Wilson, a young man from Liberia whom her family took in after abuse and neglect, to illustrate the need for the bill. The A1 amendment was adopted without objection, and the bill was then moved forward. During discussion, Feist emphasized that the measure would conform state law to federal law and help vulnerable youth access SIJS protections. The committee did not take a final roll-call vote on HF 2671 in the portion of the transcript provided, but the bill was presented, amended, and advanced in committee discussion with supportive testimony.

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