Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republicans held a press conference to promote a package of education-related bills centered on parental rights. They outlined a proposed Parents’ Bill of Rights with six principles: parents’ access to curriculum and reading materials, the right to be heard, access to school budgets and spending, protection of student privacy, notification of violent incidents at school, and the ability to speak without publicly disclosing personal contact information. Speakers argued that parents should be the primary decision-makers in their children’s education and should be able to review curriculum at no cost and on request. The event also highlighted a school choice proposal described as “money follows the kids,” which supporters said would empower parents and increase competition in public education. One senator said the bill had been heard in committee and on the floor the previous year and would be brought back to committee the following week before returning to the floor. No votes were taken during the press conference.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program focused first on legislation to pay off Minnesota’s unemployment insurance trust fund debt and restore the fund to a sustainable balance, with Sen. Eric Pratt arguing the move would prevent a business tax hike and honor a promise to hold employers harmless for pandemic-related layoffs. He said the plan would use about $2.3 billion in leftover federal COVID relief money and about $400 million in state surplus funds, and he opposed proposals to pay only the debt or to attach frontline worker bonuses to the bill. Pratt said the Senate had passed the measure with strong bipartisan support and urged the House to approve a clean bill before a March 15 deadline. A separate segment highlighted the Senate’s bipartisan $2 million law enforcement recruitment package, including $1 million for the Pathways to Policing program. Critics argued the timing was insensitive in light of recent police violence and said the state should invest more broadly in public safety rather than advertising for recruits. The show also covered a bipartisan push to legalize sports betting, with supporters saying it would benefit tribes, tracks, consumers, and state revenue while providing regulated options now sought by Minnesotans who bet across state lines. Sen. Aaron Murphy discussed the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, describing it as a response to long-standing staffing shortages worsened by the pandemic. The bill would address recruitment, mental health support, loan forgiveness, hospital staffing committees made up of nurses and management, and Department of Health surveys on staffing and workplace conditions. Murphy said the goal is to improve retention and patient care, and she called temporary fixes like National Guard staffing and CNA training important but insufficient. The program also featured testimony from former and current University of Minnesota athletes frustrated by the closure of several athletic programs, especially indoor track, and a Senate Republican outline of a Parents Bill of Rights package that would expand parental access to curriculum, budgets, privacy protections, and school safety information; Republicans said the proposal would be heard in committee and sent back to the floor.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on a Senate bill to pay off Minnesota’s unemployment insurance trust fund debt and restore the fund to a positive balance, which supporters said would prevent an automatic tax increase on businesses. Senator Eric Pratt said the fund went deeply into debt because of the unusually high number of pandemic-related unemployment claims, and that the proposal would use about $2.3 billion in leftover federal CARES Act and ARPA money plus roughly $400 million in state surplus funds to cover the debt and replenish reserves to about $1.3 billion. Pratt argued that simply paying off the debt without replenishing the fund would cause the state to fall back into debt quickly because of seasonal fluctuations in unemployment collections and payouts. He also said the bill was intended to honor a promise to hold businesses harmless for unemployment costs tied to state pandemic restrictions, and that setting the fund at the proposed level would eliminate the tax increases that would otherwise occur under statute. He rejected a proposal to treat businesses differently based on whether they benefited during the pandemic, saying the unemployment system is an insurance pool and federal rules would not allow that approach. The conversation also touched on a possible amendment to add payments for frontline workers who continued working during the pandemic. Pratt said he appreciated those workers but described that idea as separate from the UI trust fund bill, which he and others wanted to keep as a clean bill. He said the Senate had bipartisan support for the measure and urged the House to pass it before the March 15 deadline.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on Minnesota’s health care workforce shortages, especially nursing, and on proposals to support frontline workers. Senator Aaron Murphy defended his Senate amendment to provide $1,500 bonuses to frontline workers, arguing the state can afford it, that workers kept the economy going during the pandemic, and that the payment would help low-wage workers facing inflation. He also said there are parallel efforts in the Legislature to support nurses and law enforcement through student loan forgiveness, mental health support, recruitment, and wage increases, and emphasized that retention depends on better pay. A major topic was the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, which Murphy described as a comprehensive response to long-standing nursing shortages worsened by the pandemic. He said the bill would address mental health support, loan forgiveness, recruitment, and require each hospital to create a nurse-management committee to set staffing limits and annual staffing plans. He also said the Minnesota Department of Health should collect data on staffing, retention, workplace environment, and quality of care, arguing that adequate staffing is directly tied to patient outcomes and that hospitals have too often resisted staffing reforms. Murphy said the pandemic exposed the problems with hospitals’ “just enough staff” model and created moral injury and burnout among nurses, making retention harder. He supported temporary measures such as National Guard staffing help and CNA training, but said they are only short-term fixes. On traveling nurses, he said they have a role in crises but that their high pay reflects the emergency conditions and that those resources would be better used to keep nurses at the bedside in Minnesota. No votes or formal actions were described in the interview.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senators held a press conference to announce a $322 million package aimed at addressing severe staffing shortages in Minnesota’s long-term care system, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and group homes. Speakers said the sector was already understaffed before COVID-19 and has since been hit hard, citing thousands of vacancies and facility closures. They described the situation as a crisis for both workers and residents who need continuous care. The proposal would provide $1,000 retention bonuses for current long-term care workers, including PCAs, nurses, hospice, and palliative care staff. It would also offer hiring bonuses totaling $1,500 for new workers, paid in installments after hiring and after five months, along with additional money for education, training, and work attire. Supporters said these incentives are needed to help facilities recruit and keep staff. Testimony from care workers emphasized the strain on employees, including long hours and being pulled into direct care even when assigned supervisory duties. Speakers argued that the staffing shortage is forcing difficult decisions and threatening the ability of facilities to provide adequate care. No formal vote or legislative action was taken in the clip, which was presented as a press conference update.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting covered several Minnesota House DFL priorities, including paid family leave, housing, and public safety. Representative Ruth Richardson presented House File 1200, a nearly $2 billion paid family leave proposal that would provide up to 12 weeks of leave to care for a family member and 12 weeks for an employee’s own serious medical condition. Supporters framed it as a family-centered policy, while opponents, including Representative Barb Haley and some business advocates, argued it was too large and had not been sufficiently revised in response to employer concerns. The bill was laid over by the House Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy Committee. House DFLers also unveiled a housing package aimed at lowering costs and increasing supply. The plan includes $400 million for rental assistance, $100 million for first-time homebuyer down payment assistance, and $600 million to help create more than 5,500 new housing units. Supporters said housing costs continue to strain family budgets and that stable housing is essential. In public safety, the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Committee approved House File 3398, sponsored by Representative Athena Hollins, which would limit the use of no-knock search warrants. The proposal was discussed in the context of the death of Amir Locke. It passed on a 10-9 vote and now moves to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. Republicans and some law enforcement groups opposed the bill, arguing it could hinder officers’ ability to execute warrants safely.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho and board chair John Kramer, who introduced the agency’s structure and described Kramer’s background in local economic development, city council service, and housing boards. Members asked about what Minnesota Housing does well for homeownership, stakeholder outreach, regional housing needs, and lessons from the state’s rent help program. Kramer said the agency is strongest when it helps first-time and lower-credit homebuyers with education, down-payment assistance, and ongoing support, while also serving renters, homeless households, and affordable housing needs across the income spectrum. Kramer said he meets regularly with regional housing forums and local stakeholders, including realtors, builders, and housing groups, and emphasized that housing needs differ by region. Using Marshall and other Greater Minnesota communities as examples, he said the main barriers are not land but a shortage of construction workers, materials, and financing, along with rising infrastructure costs. He noted that in Marshall there are very few homes for sale, almost none in the $250,000 to $350,000 range, and that even fully developed lots can sit unsold because builders are scarce. He also said border competition from South Dakota makes it harder to retain workers and businesses. On rent help, Kramer said the program was complex because of its size, multiple funding streams, different rules, and the need to reach many language communities and build trust with residents unfamiliar with government programs. He said Minnesota Housing and its partners processed over 100,000 applications and about 90,000 payments, and that the agency learned from the first round and improved the second. In a later discussion, Kramer raised a separate concern about prevailing wage requirements, saying they added about $60,000 per home to a five-house project in Meeker County and were delaying construction; senators acknowledged the issue and said it had been difficult to resolve legislatively. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard an annual update from Minnesota Department of Military Affairs leadership, including Adjutant General General Mankey, on the Minnesota National Guard’s activities over the past year. He described the Guard’s campaign plan, Operation North Star, built around people, modernization, partnerships, and communication, and said it aligns with the One Minnesota Plan. He highlighted personnel and diversity goals, noting women now make up more than 20 percent of the Guard and that minority representation has increased, while also emphasizing the Guard’s economic impact through state and federal spending and construction dollars. A major topic was readiness and modernization, especially preserving and modernizing the 133rd Airlift Wing’s C-130 mission. Mankey said the Guard is working with congressional allies to oppose Air Force efforts to reduce the C-130 inventory and to keep the 133rd as an operational flying wing in Minnesota. He also reviewed partnerships with other states and countries, including Croatia and Norway, and coordination with state and federal agencies during civil unrest and the COVID-19 response. He said the Guard supported testing, vaccinations, long-term care facilities, inauguration security, wildfire response, and multiple overseas and domestic deployments. Members asked about Afghanistan, recruitment and retention, and diversity. Mankey said nearly 1,100 Minnesota National Guard soldiers were involved in the Afghanistan mission, with some processing evacuees in Kuwait, and that the biggest challenge was rapid mobilization and adapting to changing conditions. In response to questions about staffing, he said the Army side is about 107 to 108 percent strength and the Air side about 102 percent, but retention is a concern because of competition from the civilian market and reduced federal incentives. He said the Guard recently launched a state reenlistment bonus, with six-year reenlistments eligible for up to $15,000, and thanked Senator Hall for introducing related legislation. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Taxes Committee heard Senate File 2865, a bill to conform Minnesota tax law to federal treatment of Shuttered Venue Operators Grants. An A1 technical amendment was adopted to clarify that conformity also applies to the American Rescue Plan appropriation. Senator Housley and venue representatives testified that the grants helped independent venues, theaters, museums, and related businesses survive COVID-era shutdowns, and that Minnesota is the only state still taxing these grants. They said the tax burden would be especially harmful because many venues are still recovering, operating at reduced capacity, and supporting employees and performers. Committee discussion also clarified that movie theaters qualify for the federal grant and that PPP and shuttered venue grants interact under federal rules by requiring the grant amount to be deducted from PPP proceeds. The bill was laid over as amended. The committee then took up Senate File 2970, which would simplify Minnesota’s research and development tax credit by replacing the current historical base-year calculation with an alternative simplified credit method based on current-year R&D spending and the prior three years’ average. An A1 technical amendment was adopted to align treatment of S corporations with partnerships. Senator Coleman, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, CliftonLarsonAllen tax specialists, and Medical Alley all supported the bill, arguing that the current formula is outdated, difficult to administer, and burdensome for small and mid-sized businesses, and that a simpler method would better encourage innovation and retain high-paying jobs in Minnesota. Members noted the importance of R&D to the state’s innovation economy, and the bill was laid over.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 2880, the Comprehensive Housing Spectrum Act, and first adopted the A1 author’s amendment. The amendment changed the housing infrastructure grant program from using general obligation bonds to a general fund appropriation after nonpartisan staff said GO bonds were not an allowable use. Representative Hausman then moved that the bill be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes. Supporters from the League of Minnesota Cities described the bill as a broad housing package aimed at addressing the full housing spectrum through state-local partnerships. The bill includes matching grants for housing infrastructure, a real estate excise tax aimed at bulk investor purchases of single-family homes, authority for HRAs to impose a small mortgage registry or deed tax, $400 million in housing infrastructure bonds, a housing cost reduction incentive program, expanded authority for HRAs and EDAs to develop housing, TIF flexibility, relocation assistance for displaced tenants, additional challenge fund resources, a statewide housing infrastructure grant program, funding for naturally occurring affordable housing preservation, $100 million for public housing rehabilitation, local housing trust fund matching grants, and the housing infrastructure grant pilot program. Testimony from the City of Roseau emphasized that greater Minnesota cities face major barriers from infrastructure costs, low appraisals, and a lack of private development, especially for workforce housing. Roseau said it has had to invest heavily in housing and still cannot attract enough market-rate or affordable units. Testimony from Golden Valley focused on preservation in built-out metro communities, especially naturally occurring affordable housing, tenant displacement, and the need for faster state support to compete with investors. Both cities said the bill’s infrastructure, preservation, trust fund, and local flexibility provisions would help address their different housing needs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 3003, a Prairie Island Indian Community net zero energy project bill. Senator Goggin explained the bill would change a reporting date from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023 because of supply chain delays, and the adopted A2 amendment added an end date of 2031 and ensured $15 million in fiscal year 2023 dollars was allocated. Blake Johnson of the Prairie Island Indian Community described the project’s phases, including community engagement, baseline emissions review, prioritizing efficiency and renewable options, and implementation, and said rising costs, supply chain problems, and labor shortages had delayed the work. He noted the project had already issued one RFP, that a four-RFP approach would be more workable, and that the bill did not add money to the existing $46.2 million project funding. The committee approved the bill as amended and sent it to the Finance Committee. The committee then considered Senate File 3023, which extends the sunset date for the gas utility infrastructure cost recovery rider by five years. Senator Senjem and Pat Schillinger of Minnesota Energy Resources said the statute, originally enacted in 2007 and extended in 2013, lets gas utilities recover costs for repairs, upgrades, and similar projects through a PUC-approved rider without filing a full rate case. They emphasized that the measure provides flexibility for smaller utilities while still preserving oversight, and that it does not apply to natural gas expansion projects. The committee recommended the bill to pass and placed it on general orders. Finally, Commissioner Grace Arnold and Commerce staff presented the governor’s 2022 energy-related budget proposals. The department outlined a $20 million State Competitiveness Fund for matching federal infrastructure dollars and technical assistance, $58.5 million for weatherization to serve about 15,000 Minnesotans, a green bank/green innovation finance fund to leverage private capital, $18 million for wastewater and drinking water energy-efficiency and clean energy projects, $3 million more for Solar for Schools, a decarbonization technology investment fund, and a $5 million-per-year grants program for grid and renewable integration innovation. Members asked several questions, especially about how the green bank and decarbonization fund would emphasize Greater Minnesota; Commerce said the proposals would include geographic balance and use existing definitions and program language, with details still being developed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senators Karin Housley and John Aki presented a long-term care rescue package aimed at addressing severe staffing shortages in nursing homes, assisted living, group homes, day services, hospice, and related care settings. They described the industry as being in crisis before COVID and worsened by the pandemic, citing tens of thousands of vacancies and facility closures. The package was described as a one-time, surplus-funded effort totaling about $322 million, including $1,000 retention bonuses for current workers, $1,500 hiring/training/uniform support for new workers, and $55 million to move previously appropriated provider funding up to April. The bill also included funding for the PACE program to help seniors remain at home longer. Testimony from providers and advocates strongly supported the proposal. Kristina Kirschner of Mount Olivet Rolling Acres described extreme staffing shortages, long hours, closed respite and group homes, and the difficulty of retaining staff who can often earn more in other jobs. Disability advocate Kurt Rutz emphasized that people needing care cannot wait and warned that delays cost lives. Senators and witnesses repeatedly stressed that the goal was to recruit and retain workers quickly, including part-time workers, students, immigrants, and semi-retired people, and that the bonuses were intended as immediate relief rather than a long-term wage solution. Members also discussed how the bonuses would work, including that the hiring bonus would be paid in two installments without a required employment contract, and that the money would go directly to providers for distribution. Questions were raised about whether one-time bonuses were enough compared with the need for sustainable wages, and about how the proposal related to separate hero pay negotiations; sponsors said the two efforts were separate and could both apply. The sponsors said the bill had already passed committee with strong bipartisan support and framed it as an urgent first step toward stabilizing the workforce and the care system.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3035, as amended by a delete-everything amendment, and heard from Chair Hornstein about the bill’s purpose: to address cost overruns and delays in the Southwest light rail/Green Line extension project from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. Hornstein said the bill was prompted by a reported $200 million overrun and other project cost increases, and that it would direct the Office of the Legislative Auditor to conduct a thorough review of the project. He explained that the bill combines elements of a program evaluation and a special review, and includes a $200,000 general fund appropriation so the auditor can obtain needed technical expertise. Representative Petersburg supported the bill and asked for clarification on the difference between a special review and a full program evaluation. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall testified that financial audits focus on internal controls, compliance, and finances; program evaluations are broader, commission-directed deep dives; and special reviews are narrower, discretionary inquiries into specific concerns or allegations. She said the broader questions in the bill, such as the causes of delays and cost increases and whether the Met Council properly managed the project, fit a program evaluation, while more discrete items like schedule changes, contingency fund balances, and available funding fit a special review. Randall also noted that the Office of the Legislative Auditor had already begun looking into some issues and had sent a request for information to the Metropolitan Council. After questions concluded, Hornstein renewed his motion to send House File 3035, as amended, to the Committee on State Government Finance and Elections. He said the bill had bipartisan support and that he and the Senate author had worked with Auditor Randall to make it workable. The committee approved the motion on a roll call vote of 17 ayes and 0 nays, and the bill advanced to the next committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House met with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then the clerk confirmed a quorum was present and the journal of the previous day was approved. The body proceeded with routine business, including reports from standing committees, second readings of House Files 2454, 2819, 2841, and 2894, and first readings of a large batch of newly introduced House Files 3502 through 3598. The House also received Senate messages transmitting Senate Files 1782 through 2957. Two comparison motions were adopted without objection: Senate File 1782 was paired with House File 1359, and Senate File 2957 was paired with House File 3136, both sent to the chief clerk for comparison. In motions and resolutions, Representative Pryor moved to recall House File 3485 from the Education Policy Committee and refer it to the Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee; the motion was described as relating to expanding the age range for school-aged care programs and including pre-K, and it prevailed without discussion. Finally, the House adopted a motion from Representative Winkler to set the next meeting for 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 21, 2022, and then adopted a motion to adjourn. The House stood adjourned until that time.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first adopted the February 15 minutes, then took up House File 3120, which would establish a labor trafficking and exploitation working group. Representative Miller explained that the bill was intended to create a smaller, more focused group with representatives from survivor services, BCA, state agencies, tribal government, county attorneys, and public defense, and said the work group was needed because labor trafficking requires a different approach than sex trafficking. Members discussed why a separate group was needed, and supporters said labor trafficking cases are often more complex and require deeper investigation. The committee voted 19-0 to refer House File 3120 to the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee. The committee then heard a presentation from POST Board Executive Director Eric Missel, with Board Chair Chief Kelly McCarthy available for questions. Missel reviewed POST Board work over the prior two years, focusing on pre-service education, licensing, regulation, and rulemaking. He said the board completed an updated job task analysis for police officers, recertified PPOE schools, awarded a new contract for the POST exam, and was working to standardize pre-service education across the state. He also described expanded compliance reviews, the use of administrative subpoenas in investigations, and a request for new data-sharing authority so local agencies can provide private investigatory data to POST when misconduct investigations are opened. Missel also outlined several policy and rule changes under review, including background investigations, psychological screening, minimum selection standards, standards of conduct, reporting requirements, excessive-force-related sanctions, duty-to-intercede issues, and a public-facing dashboard for public disciplinary data. He said the misconduct reporting database had been deployed, complaints are being retained for historical purposes, and the board is moving through a full rule overhaul with the Rules Advisory Committee. He emphasized that POST activity had increased substantially, citing 25 board meetings in 2020, 48 in 2021, and 10 already in early 2022, reflecting the board’s expanded workload and changing expectations.