Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 3346 was heard as a labor-contract ratification bill for state employees and Minnesota State employees. Representative Lilly explained that the bill reflects work of the Subcommittee on Employee Relations and is intended to ratify negotiated agreements and memorandums of understanding, with an emphasis on retaining workers and responding to labor-market pressures. Michelle Weber of the Legislative Coordinating Commission summarized the bill’s contents, including contracts for roughly 35,900 executive branch employees, agreements covering Minnesota State faculty and administrators, and a separate Minnesota Law Enforcement Association contract. She noted the bill also ratifies MOUs providing incentives for extra shifts, recruitment and retention bonuses for hard-to-fill jobs, and sick leave use for quarantined children. Weber outlined the major compensation terms: generally 2.5 percent salary increases in both years of the biennium for many bargaining units, merit or step increases varying by contract, Juneteenth as a paid holiday, and no change to underlying medical plan design. She said the MLEA contract includes retroactive increases and legislative changes from the 2021 special session, while Minnesota State contracts include specific increases for faculty, administrative faculty, and unrepresented managers. Commissioner Jim Showalter said the agreements were negotiated in good faith, were fair and comparable to other public-sector compensation, and were needed to recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market. He also said agencies could manage the costs within their appropriations, with estimated overall cost increases of 4.5 percent in the current biennium and 7.15 percent in the next. Members largely offered supportive comments and thanks to state workers and negotiators. One question asked whether supplemental requests or additional changes were expected; Lilly said the bill itself would not change, though a couple of contracts remained outstanding and could come forward later. Another member raised a concern about recruiting nursing faculty at Minnesota State; Christopher Dale responded that the faculty contract was not part of this bill and that any market-based relief would have to be negotiated separately. The committee then renewed the motion to send HF 3346 to the General Register, and it passed on a 12-0 vote with one member excused.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met to continue its review of Minnesota Housing board members and then moved into questions about the agency’s work. Commissioner Jennifer Ho explained that Minnesota Housing is an independent state agency governed by a seven-member board, with six public members appointed by the governor and the state auditor serving as the seventh member. She emphasized that the board reviews detailed financial arrangements and plays a central role in agency management. Two board members were introduced: Steven Spears, a newer member with a banking and capital markets background, and Craig Closing, a retired attorney and former Roseville mayor with extensive local housing and land-use experience. Spears said his experience in banking, mortgage securitization, and capital markets helps him understand the agency’s debt issuance and single-family housing work. In response to questions, he said Minnesota Housing does well by engaging closely with the community and housing partners, and that its outreach and program understanding are stronger than in some neighboring states. He also said he meets frequently with stakeholders through his work at Bremer Bank, especially on affordable lending and CRA activities. On manufactured housing, he argued the financial services industry needs more education and a shift away from outdated views, and said lenders and agencies may need to be more comfortable holding such loans in portfolio if federal purchasers do not change their standards. On Rent Help, he said the program was a strong effort that was stood up quickly and helped many people, though he deferred detailed criticism. Closing described his background in housing-related civic work in Roseville, including planning commission, city council, and mayoral service, and cited redevelopment of the Har Mar Apartments into affordable housing as an example of successful local housing work. He said his goals for the agency are to increase housing supply, preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, support homeownership, and improve housing stability through supportive services. He pointed to the Start Up first-time homebuyer program and homeowner education as examples of effective homeownership tools, and said the agency also works in rental assistance, supportive housing, and programs to keep people housed. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met remotely to approve the minutes from February 17, which passed after a voice vote with one nay. Members then continued hearing state agency capital budget presentations, beginning with the Minnesota Zoo. Zoo staff introduced an ambassador lesser anteater and then outlined three capital requests: $8 million for animal hospital renovations as part of a $16 million project with private matching funds, $14 million for the Lakeside Plaza replacement plus $3 million in additional asset preservation, and a $6 million match to reopen the long-closed Nocturnal Trail. Testimony emphasized aging facilities, safety, animal care, public access, and the need to retain world-class veterinary staff. A member asked the zoo to prioritize if funding were limited, and zoo officials said the animal hospital and Lakeside Plaza were the top priorities because of safety, health, and egress concerns. The committee then heard from the Minnesota Historical Society, which presented its 2022 capital budget request. The society described responsibility for more than 150 structures statewide, many over 100 years old, and said its work requires specialized historic-preservation methods. It outlined three main requests: historic sites asset preservation, history center facilities enhancements, and county and local historic preservation grants. Staff explained the overall asset-preservation approach, the age and condition of facilities, and several specific projects, including Fort Snelling round tower repairs, Mill City train shed and east engine house preservation, Fort Snelling wall stabilization, and Split Rock Dwelling No. 3 interior preservation. The History Center request was described as planning for the building’s next 30 to 50 years, with attention to security, technology, and efficient use of space.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its February 17 meeting by voice vote. It then heard House File 2993, which Rep. Baker presented as a memorial highway bill honoring John Ryan, a young Army veteran who died from a fentanyl overdose. John’s mother, Kristen Schlegel, gave emotional testimony about his military service, injury, opioid addiction, and death, and described the family’s hope that a highway naming would help educate others about fentanyl and opioid dangers. Members expressed sympathy and support, asked about the family’s efforts to get him help through the VA, and the bill was passed on a roll call vote of 16 ayes and 1 nay to the Ways and Means Committee. The committee next took up House File 2966, as amended, which would expand eligibility for the veteran designation on Minnesota driver’s licenses, ID cards, and related plates to include National Guard and Reserve members who meet reserve-service requirements, even if they do not have 181 consecutive days of active duty. An author’s amendment was adopted by voice vote to align the bill with the Senate companion. Major Vicki Schwartz testified that she served 26.5 years in the Army Reserve and was unable to obtain the designation under current law despite her service and federal veteran status documents. Members spoke in support of recognizing reserve service, and the bill was approved 17-0 and sent to the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee. Finally, the committee began House File 3219, Vice Chair Cagle’s MnDOT technical bill, and adopted the A22 amendment by voice vote. MnDOT explained that the bill would formally designate the North Star Bikeway, address a Trunk Highway 67 reroute near Granite Falls after a collapse into the Minnesota River Valley, create an Indian employment preference for certain state-funded projects near reservations, adjust municipal and county state-aid highway provisions, clarify metro screening board membership, update drone registration and insurance language, repeal certain legislative routes tied to the Highway 67 changes, and ease monthly reporting requirements for some transit grants. Members asked about the Indian employment preference and how “reasonable commuting distance” would be determined, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus transportation bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the February 15, 2022 minutes, and then heard a presentation on House File 999, a bill to limit non-compete agreements. Representative Schultz explained that the bill would restrict non-competes, especially for lower-wage workers, and would require “garden leave” compensation for higher-paid workers subject to a non-compete. He argued the bill would reduce job lock, improve wages and mobility, and support entrepreneurship. The Attorney General’s office, Professor Evan Starr, Ryan Nunn of the Minneapolis Fed, and Catherine Lyons of the Economic Innovation Group all testified in support, emphasizing harms to workers, wages, mobility, and startup activity, and noting that other tools such as nondisclosure agreements and trade secret law can protect employers’ interests. Opposition came from John Reynolds of NFIB Minnesota and Jill Larson of the Minnesota Business Partnership, who argued that Minnesota already has a workable case-law framework for reasonable non-competes and that the bill would disadvantage small businesses while allowing larger firms to continue using them. They also said the salary threshold was too high and could create uncertainty for employers and employees, especially around confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements. Attorney Chris Penwell offered mixed testimony, saying non-competes are generally unnecessary and should be limited, but suggesting the bill may need clearer exceptions for business sales, highly paid executives, severance, and stock options, and cautioning that customer non-solicitation covenants should be preserved. The committee also heard emotional testimony from Emily Olson, who described how a salon-industry non-compete affected her career, finances, family life, and ability to work within her field, and said the restrictions felt like her employer “owned” her. The transcript does not show a final vote on HF 999 in this meeting; the bill was introduced and testimony was taken, with Representative Schultz indicating he would move the bill to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then took up three health-related bills for referral to the Health Finance and Policy Committee. On HF 2461, Representative Biermann described a proposal to let DHS use value-based or other alternative financing arrangements for gene and cell therapies, arguing current reimbursement models are outdated and that the bill could better align payment with outcomes and potentially save state resources. DHS testified that Minnesota already covers gene therapies when they are part of the federal Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, but said it could not disclose costs because of federal confidentiality rules. Members raised questions about whether savings could be measured without cost data and how the bill would interact with managed care; the committee ultimately voted to advance the bill, with the motion prevailing 11-8. The committee then heard HF 2676, a proposal from Representative Fisher for a nurse-led mobile clinic model serving underserved rural and urban communities. Testifier Kathleen Bartholomew of Nurses Transforming Healthcare said the model would emphasize wellness, prevention, primary care, nutrition, and behavioral counseling, and would complement rather than replace public health services. Supporters framed it as a way to improve access and reduce hospital and urgent care use, while opponents questioned how it would work alongside existing public health nursing and whether it would add bureaucracy or duplicate services. After discussion, the committee voted to refer HF 2676 to Health Finance and Policy, again on an 11-8 vote. Finally, Representative Moran introduced HF 3368, “Guns Down Love Up,” a five-year, $800,000 grant request aimed at reducing youth and community gun violence through prevention, intervention, restorative practices, community healing, media outreach, and school-based peer education, with a planned shift in funding from DHS to MDH in the next committee. Questions focused on the organization’s structure, funding, and whether the work related to Second Amendment issues; the response was that it did not. The transcript cuts off during further questions from Representative Robbins, but the bill was being moved onward to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Taxes Committee met on February 22, 2022, and first approved the February 17 minutes. The committee then took up two bipartisan bills together, House File 2890 and House File 2793, both dealing with federal tax conformity for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. Representative Bonner and Representative Erdahl described the bills as correcting an oversight so that Minnesota would not tax federal relief grants intended to help theaters, music venues, and other entertainment businesses survive the pandemic. They noted Minnesota had already conformed on other pandemic relief programs, that the issue was included in the governor’s budget, and that the revenue impact was estimated at about $4.8 million in the current biennium and $1.2 million in the next. Several venue and theater representatives testified in support, including Todd Carlson, Jack Cole Williams, Stephen Mann, Brian Siev, Steve Tripp, and Dave Quincer. They said SVOG funds were a lifeline during shutdowns and continuing weak attendance, and argued it was unfair to treat disaster relief as taxable income. Testifiers emphasized that Minnesota venues were among the first businesses to close and among the last to recover, and that Minnesota was the only state still taxing these grants. Committee members expressed support, and the committee laid over both HF 2890 and HF 2793 for possible inclusion in the House tax bill. The committee then turned to House File 3316, Representative Robbins’ bill to update Minnesota’s research and development tax credit. Robbins said the bill would simplify the credit calculation, allow annual election rather than a five-year lock-in, and make the credit more usable for small and mid-sized businesses by avoiding reliance on decades-old records. Jessica Young of the Medical Alley Association testified in support, saying the bill would help Minnesota remain competitive in health innovation by making the credit more accessible and encouraging R&D investment. The bill was moved and presented as amended, and public testimony was opened, but the transcript provided does not show a final committee vote or disposition on HF 3316.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 999 was introduced as a bill to limit the use of non-compete agreements in employment contracts, especially for lower-wage workers. Representative Schultz said the measure would reduce job lock, improve wages and mobility, encourage entrepreneurship, and avoid wasteful litigation and training losses. The committee then heard a series of supportive and critical testimonies on the bill’s scope and effects. Attorney General Keith Ellison, in prerecorded testimony, strongly supported the bill, arguing that non-competes suppress wages, limit freedom, and are especially harmful to low-wage workers. Professor Evan Starr and Ryan Nunn of the Minneapolis Fed also supported reform, citing research that non-competes are common, often imposed without negotiation, and associated with lower wages, less mobility, and less entrepreneurship; both said garden leave and an income threshold could make the bill more workable. Kathryn Lyons of the Economic Innovation Group likewise backed HF 999, saying it would curb coercive non-competes and help Minnesota’s startup ecosystem. Opposition came from John Reynolds of NFIB Minnesota and Joe Larson of the Minnesota Business Partnership, who argued that Minnesota’s current case law already balances interests and that the bill would disadvantage small businesses, startups, and higher-wage employees who may still need protection for confidential information and training investments. Christopher Penwell, a private-practice attorney, said non-competes are generally unnecessary but suggested the bill should better distinguish them from customer non-solicitation covenants and include more exceptions. Emily Olson gave emotional personal testimony describing how a salon-industry non-compete restricted her mobility, family life, and career options. The transcript ends during her testimony, with no recorded vote or final committee action shown beyond the motion to refer House File 999 to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Housing Finance and Policy Committee met to approve minutes from its February 11 joint hearing and its February 17 meeting; both sets of minutes were adopted by voice vote. The committee then heard House File 3244, which Chair Houseman described as part of the Homes for All agenda and a request for additional housing infrastructure bonds and general obligation bonds, including $400 million in appropriation bonds and $100 million for public housing repairs. She emphasized that the bill would expand deeply affordable housing, prioritize households at or below 30% AMI, support supportive housing, senior housing, manufactured home acquisition, and infrastructure improvements, and help address major deferred maintenance needs in aging public housing. Testimony strongly supported the bill. Wendy Underwood of Catholic Charities described how housing infrastructure bonds helped finance the Elliott Park/Endeavors project in Minneapolis, converting an old nursing home into nearly 200 deeply affordable apartments and adding supportive services, a recuperative care center, and a community clinic. Sarah Harris of Aeon said HIBs leverage other financing and help produce supportive and senior housing, citing current projects for 162 households and a larger portfolio of aging properties needing renovation. Missy Becker Cook and Joe Niehaus of West Central Minnesota Communities Action testified that HIBs support rural homeownership through a community land trust, down payment assistance, and new workforce homes built with Habitat for Humanity and Department of Corrections labor. Melissa Taphorn of Washington County CDA and Minnesota NARHA focused on public housing, saying most units are over 35 years old and that the state faces roughly $355 million in unmet critical repair needs. In questions, Representative Gomez highlighted deferred maintenance in public housing as a serious health and safety issue and referenced a fatal Minneapolis public housing fire where lack of sprinklers contributed to deaths among elders and people with disabilities. No amendments or final bill action were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the bill was laid over for further consideration.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Lippert moved House File 3222 to be laid over for possible inclusion in the climate and energy omnibus, and the committee heard testimony on the bill’s response to Northfield’s solar interconnection problems. A Northfield resident described long delays, a canceled loan, and a proposed $9,000 utility upgrade for a small rooftop solar array, saying other homeowners in the city have faced similarly large charges and delays that discourage solar development. Lippert said the bill is intended as a model for other communities and would help modernize the grid so distributed renewable energy can connect more quickly and affordably. Nokomis Energy testified that the proposal would fund a Northfield pilot project using a distributed energy resource management system, with a $4.5 million request from the renewable development account. Testifiers explained that the system would model the local distribution grid, place sensors and controls at key nodes, and allow utilities to manage two-way power flows, flexible interconnections, outages, and future load growth from EVs and electrification. They said similar technologies exist elsewhere and that Xcel has used related devices on its own system. Xcel Energy’s representative supported pilot projects in principle but raised concerns that the bill refers to Northfield’s grid even though Xcel owns and operates the distribution system, and said the legislation does not clearly address responsibility, liability, or the role of the Public Utilities Commission. He suggested a competitive grant process might provide more clarity and questioned whether the study should also consider limits on distributed generation. Members asked about how the project would be modeled and whether battery-backed, non-export systems could reduce the need for grid backfeed; the testimony said flexible interconnections could support that approach. The bill was laid over at the end of the meeting.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on February 22, 2022, with a quorum present and first took up Senate File 3251. An A1 author’s amendment was adopted, and the bill was described as a good-governance measure to clarify Board of Accountancy procedures for handling expired licenses and revocations. Testimony from the Minnesota Society of CPAs and the Board of Accountancy supported the change, explaining that the bill would distinguish administrative license expiration issues from revocations for misconduct and would align the statute with current online license verification and reinstatement practices. The committee recommended the bill, as amended, to pass and referred it to General Orders. The committee then heard the Attorney General’s budget presentation. Attorney General Keith Ellison outlined the office’s constitutional and statutory duties, including representing state agencies, enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws, defending state statutes when appropriate, and assisting county attorneys. He highlighted recent recoveries and settlements, including tobacco settlement payments, opioid settlement funds, student loan relief, restitution from Minnesota School of Business/Globe University, tenant refunds, and consumer mediation recoveries. He also described office investments in technology, staffing, wage theft enforcement, and antitrust work, and noted that the office’s 2023 general fund appropriation was $26.19 million. Ellison’s budget request included two change items: $1.8 million for criminal enforcement to help greater Minnesota county attorneys with violent and complex crimes, appeals, and related matters, and $2.33 million for operating adjustments to retain and recruit attorneys and support staff and strengthen administrative functions. Committee members asked about when the Attorney General would not defend a statute’s constitutionality, and Ellison gave examples involving federal preemption and constitutional conflict. Members also asked about funding sources, and he said the office receives general fund money, partner revenue, federal Medicaid fraud funds, and grants from outside organizations. No votes were taken on the budget presentation.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3220, carried by Representative Lippert, which would allow electric vehicle charging stations to be installed at interstate rest areas and permit fee collection for their use. Lippert and MnDOT staff said the bill is intended to help fill gaps in Minnesota’s charging network, especially along interstate corridors and in Greater Minnesota, as EV registrations have grown rapidly. MnDOT said the proposal fits with federal EV charging funding and regional planning efforts, but noted that federal guidance still emphasizes interstate corridors and that some interstate rest-area restrictions remain in federal law unless Congress changes them. MnDOT representatives Eric Rodin and Tim Sexton said the agency views the bill as a way to give flexibility to work with private-sector site hosts first, and to use rest areas only where private hosts cannot be found. They said MnDOT does not want to own or operate the charging network, and expects private companies to install, maintain, and charge fees for the stations, with federal dollars helping incentivize private investment. They also said utilities are important partners and have already been consulted informally, since charger placement will depend on utility capacity and upgrade needs. Representative Barr questioned whether the bill clearly authorizes fee collection and said he would like fee language added before the bill moves forward. He also raised concerns about whether the state was being pushed into a commercial charging role. Representative Heinrich asked about security and vandalism at rest areas; MnDOT said State Patrol and rest-area custodial staff would still be involved, but private operators would likely be responsible for the charging equipment itself. Representative Petersburg said the bill still needs more work, especially on fees, utility involvement, and private-sector roles. Anna Johnson of Fresh Energy testified in support, saying the bill would improve charging access, especially in Greater Minnesota, and help reduce transportation emissions. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus transportation bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3587 from Representative Samantha Vang, which would appropriate $90 million from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Education for full-service community schools. Vang said grants would be prioritized for existing program recipients, then schools identified as low-performing under federal law, and then other interested schools. She described Brooklyn Center’s long-running community school model as evidence that the approach can reduce suspensions and expulsions and improve graduation outcomes, especially for students facing unmet basic needs outside the classroom. Testimony from Brooklyn Center Superintendent Carly Baker and Faribault Middle School Principal Joe Sage emphasized that full-service community schools rely on community partnerships, parent engagement, and wraparound services such as health care, dental care, mental health support, food access, mentoring, enrichment, and out-of-school-time programming. Baker said the model helps address whole-child needs and cited Brooklyn Center’s partnerships and family engagement efforts, while Sage said Faribault’s community school sites helped deliver services during the pandemic and that students reported strong connections to caring adults. Ado Shumi of the Minnesota Department of Education testified in support, saying the model is evidence-based and can improve graduation-related factors, attendance, school attachment, and behavior, particularly after COVID-19. Representative Erickson questioned how districts use compensatory revenue and asked for more academic outcome data; Baker said compensatory and other funds are braided into targeted academic and support services, while Vang argued the bill provides dedicated, sustainable funding rather than relying on compensatory dollars. Representative Feist and Representative Youakim also supported the bill, though Feist echoed concerns that compensatory revenue is not the right measure for this purpose. The committee laid the bill over for further consideration and possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 2429, a Hennepin County-request bill to permanently classify as private the participant data collected by the county’s education support services program. Senator Limmer and Hennepin County staff explained that the program coordinates educational support for county-connected youth and families, and that the temporary private-data classification granted in 2020 is set to expire in August. Testifiers said the bill would protect sensitive participant information while leaving the program itself and summary/evaluation data public. Members asked about what would happen if the temporary classification expired, and staff said the participant data would become public and could be requested by anyone. Senator Carlson also asked about retention, and the county said it had submitted a retention schedule to keep the data for about six years before destruction. The committee voted to recommend passage, and the motion prevailed. The committee then took up Senate File 2909, a parents’ rights bill authored by Senator Icorn. He said the bill would clarify that parents are the primary decision-makers in their children’s upbringing, education, health, and well-being, and would require schools to notify parents of information about their minor children unless a compelling state interest justified otherwise. Senate counsel noted the bill’s main civil-law issue was subdivision 2, which sets the standard for government intervention. Kelly Jansen of the Child Protection League testified in support, arguing that parents should control access to their children’s information and that minors should not be able to withhold data from parents without parental involvement. Senator Bigham criticized the bill as unnecessary and political, saying it did not address current education staffing shortages and objecting to comments made in support of the bill. The transcript ends during discussion of SF 2909 without a recorded vote or final action.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee hearing focused on two related transportation funding bills, Senate File 3081 and Senate File 3086, both aimed at dedicating more of the existing auto parts sales tax to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund for roads and bridges. Chair Senator Scott Newman argued the proposal is not a new tax, but a redirection of existing general fund revenue, and said transportation funding is increasingly strained as gas tax revenue declines with more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. He said current law sends about $145 million a year to transportation from this source, while shifting to 100 percent would raise that amount substantially over time, and he emphasized that transportation is largely funded by user fees and that roads, bridges, and other infrastructure are vital to the state’s economy and public safety. Senator Howe described his version, Senate File 3086, as directing a portion of the revenue to small cities and townships, which he said currently lack dedicated road funding and rely heavily on property taxes. Supporters from labor, construction, and business groups—including the Operating Engineers Local 49, Associated General Contractors, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce—testified that predictable, long-term funding would help plan projects, support jobs and apprenticeships, and allow Minnesota to better match federal dollars. They cited examples such as major highway projects and economic development tied to transportation investments. During questions, Newman said the auto parts tax is defined in existing law and administered through a national index rather than item-by-item tracking at the register. He also said he does not support indexing the gas tax to inflation, but does support a separate bill from Senator Howe that would tax electric vehicle charging as a fuel substitute. Newman said he would like the auto parts sales tax proposal to move forward and also believes the state should increase general fund support for transportation, but he opposed raising the gas tax. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.