As lawmakers begin the tenth week of the 2019 Legislative Session, the focus will be on committee work in order to meet the first committee deadline scheduled for this Friday. The House and Senate higher education committees are no exception, with long committee agendas (see below). Evening meetings are already starting to be scheduled this week in order to meet Friday’s deadline.
Last week, the House Higher Education Finance and Policy committee heard
HF 573
, a bill that would fill in with state aid the missing amount of the Pell Grant for undocumented students. In 2013, Minnesota was one of several states that passed a version of the DREAM Act, the
Minnesota Prosperity Act
. This legislation changed state law to provide in-state tuition rates for Minnesota State and University of Minnesota undocumented students and allow them to apply for state grants. However, Pell Grants are not available to these students. This bill would change that by filling in the missing amount. Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Carlos Mariani, DFL-St. Paul, said the intent of the bill is to provide parity and equity for students who do not have access to the federal Pell Grant. The Office of Higher Education is estimating this change would cost the state $1.6 million a year. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the higher education omnibus bill.
Also last week, Chair of the House Tax Committee Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, introduced a
tax conformity bill
that aligns with Governor Tim Walz's budget proposal. This proposal comes in part as a result of the Legislature and Governor Dayton unable to come to an agreement for the state to conform to the federal tax reform law at the end of the legislative session last year. In this proposal, the starting point changes Minnesota from taxable income for individuals to federal adjusted gross income beginning in 2019. This would make Minnesota less susceptible to future federal tax law changes. Standard deductions, itemized deductions, and personal and dependent exemptions would all be maintained.
One of the high-profile issues that has seen significant bipartisan support is funding
broadband development in rural Minnesota
. Today, the House Greater Minnesota Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division is taking up a bipartisan bill authored by Rep. Rob Ecklund, DFL-International Falls, that asks for $35 million in 2020 and $35 million in 2021 to be appropriated to the broadband grant program. That program would leverage private investment to continue to develop high-speed internet infrastructure throughout the state. The Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance Committee heard a companion bill authored by Senator Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake, two weeks ago. Governor Walz is expected to support this legislation given that his own budget proposal called for $70 million for the broadband grant program.
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This Week at the Capitol
Monday, March 11
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance and Policy
Room: G-15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 1056-Rosen: Shared time pupils definition expansion.
S.F. 1211-Dahms: Student organizations appropriation.
S.F. 1212-Dahms: Agricultural educator grants appropriation.
S.F. 1347-Anderson, P.: Minnesota math corps program appropriation.
S.F. 1689-Chamberlain: Civics education programs grants appropriations.
S.F. 1439-Nelson: Education curriculum review and best practices sharing establishment and appropriation
S.F. 1353-Relph: Teaching license revocation or denial for certain inappropriate behavior toward a student.
3:30 p.m.
House in Session
4:30 p.m.
House Government Operations
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mike Freiberg
Agenda:
HF968 (Nelson): Specified county offices appointment authorized.
HF703 (Masin): Political subdivision compensation limit repealed, and conforming change made.
HF2225 (Hansen): Legislative Audit Commission; agency duties and responsibilities to notify legislative auditor of unlawful access to not public data modified.
HF1862 (Lien) Expand the Taxpayer Assistance Grants program.
HF342 (Moran): Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act established, African American Welfare Oversight Council created, report required, and money appropriated.
Link under Bills will be added as soon as available.
HF2070 (Hansen): State bee established, and money appropriated.
HF172 (Grossell): POW and MIA Recognition Day established.
HF910 (Edelson): Newborn hearing screening advisory committee expiration date extended.
HF1744 (Masin) PENDING REFERRAL: Family law mediation task force established.
HF1861 (Pierson): Agencies prohibited from procuring supplies or services from persons failing to disclose conflict minerals from Democratic Republic of the Congo or its neighboring countries, and prohibition in any supply or service solicitation provided by an agency required.
Tuesday, March 12
8:00 a.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda:
HF 1268 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) Angel Tax Credit
HF 1012 (Claflin) Displaced homemaker programs funding provided, and money appropriated
HF 988 (Bernardy) School contractors eligibility requirements modified.
HF 985 (Hassan) East African community economic development pilot grant program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1359 (Petersburg) Owatonna and Steele counties workforce training funding provided, and money appropriated.
8:00 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
HF1598 (Hansen) West St. Paul; wastewater infrastructure improvements funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF108 (Sundin) Twin Lakes Township; water infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF313 (Schomacker) Murray and Cottonwood Counties; Red Rock Rural Water System regional water service expansion funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF817 (Mann) Lakeville; clean water infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF816 (Mann) Lakeville; sanitary sewer lift station funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1625 (Dehn) Minneapolis; Central City Storm Tunnel expansion funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF181 (Murphy) Duluth; Public Facilities Authority funding provided for the purpose of debt relief for the Duluth North Shore Sanitary District, and money appropriated.
HF1452 (Mekeland) Becker; business park funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
9:45 a.m.
House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair:
Rep. Jeanne Poppe
Agenda:
HF1965 (Poppe) Saltwater aquatic farm requirements modified (added)
HF 1908 (Hansen) Pesticide treated plans false labeling prohibited (added)
Pending bill introductions/referral on Thursday, RFA modifications to address snow disasters (added)
Roll out of Delete Everything for HF 1733 - Omnibus Agriculture Policy bill
MDA Grain Advisory Task Force Update
HF 915 (Anderson) Licensed grain buyers annual inventory exam
HF 20201 (Anderson) Grain credit contract indemnity program established (added)
MDA update on resources available to address snow/wind damaged/collapsed barns (added)
9:45 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
HF 525 (Persell) Pupil transportation adjustment calculation modified, pupil transportation working group provided, and report required.
HF 1100 (Kunesh Podein) American Indian Tribal Contract school aid continued at its current level, and money appropriated.
HF 501 (Persell) American Indian-controlled tribal contract and grant school funding provided for Minnesota reading and math corp programs.
HF 1177 (Wazlawik) Minnesota math corps program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 521 (Davnie) School safety grant funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
9:45 a.m.
House Government Operations
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mike Freiberg
Agenda:
HF2122 (Nelson): Service Employees International Union (SEIU) healthcare agreement ratified.
HF142 (Lesch)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Counties required to provide pay
differential to employees while mobilized in the United States military's
reserve component.
HF1994 (Freiberg): Hennepin County campaign disclosure provisions modified.
HF2059 (Lee): Fair campaign practices provisions changed.
HF1714 (Xiong, J.): Ramsey County Community Corrections Department
eliminated.
HF2097 (Freiberg): Hennepin County; library director qualifications modified.
HF684 (Mann): Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota requested to establish advisory council on rare diseases, and money appropriated.
HF1239 (Wagenius)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Health commissioner directed to test for contaminants in surface water used as drinking water, identification and implementation of source water protection strategies required, health commissioner directed to adopt health risk limits for certain substances, reports required, and money appropriated.
HF2084 (Fischer): Legislative Water Commission extended.
HF511
(
Elkins): Plastic bags and similar items prohibition on local ordinances repealed.
HF1998 (Persell): State-owned buildings solar energy systems and renewable sources provisions modified.
HF2053 (Cantrell): Office of Enterprise Sustainability created.
HF2055 (Lillie): Historical society provisions modified.
HF2056 (Freiberg): State solicitation process provisions modified.
HF2057 (Moran): Commissioner of employment and economic development or a national recognized certifying organization allowed to certify small businesses for state procurement program participation.
1:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Paul T. Anderson
Agenda:
SF1583, which was laid on the table on March 5, 2019 will be considered during this hearing.
S.F. 889-Anderson, P.: Higher education state grant program parameters adjustments.
S.F. 2023-Anderson, P.: Higher education policy provisions modifications.
1:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda: State Government will recess at 2:30 pm and return to room 1150 at 5pm to finish the agenda. Please note that bills may be moved due to scheduling issues during deadlines.
S.F. 1011-Nelson: State and local government settlement accountability and transparency.
S.F. 1416-Kiffmeyer: Daylight saving time (advanced standard time) year-round standard.
S.F. 2097-Koran: Cloud computing service options in state agency information technology projects consideration requirement; technology infrastructure inventories and security risk assessments requirements; information technology services and a strategic workplan consolidation completion requirement; consolidation surcharge for certain agencies authorization.
S.F. 1877-Kiffmeyer: State employers authorization to contract to pay employees based on the biennial appropriation to the agency restriction.
S.F. 2073-Koran: Full-time equivalent state employment positions freeze; unfilled state employee positions appropriations reduction requirement.
S.F. 2185-Kiffmeyer: Art grant application data submitted to board of arts or to regional arts councils classification authorization.
S.F. 1452-Howe, J.: Ombudsperson for child care providers creation and appropriation.
S.F. 2006-Kiffmeyer: Proposed rule impact on residential construction or remodeling costs agency determination requirement; applicable legislative committees notice requirement; legislative committee rule approval requirement permission.
S.F. 2004-Westrom: State employees with disabilities provision modifications; working group creation; report.
S.F. 973-Miller: University of Minnesota (U of M) advisory council on rare diseases establishment request and appropriation.
2:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Connie Bernardy
Agenda:
HF1779 - Poppe: University of Minnesota agricultural research and extension funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF2100 - Wolgamott: Spinal cord and traumatic brain injury research grant program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1957 - Richardson: Higher education data provisions modified.
HF2054 - Vang: Higher education policy provisions modified.
HF1951 - Bernardy: Campus sexual assault policies affirmative consent standards required.
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda: Complete Testimony on Omnibus Bill
3:00 p.m.
Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy
Room: 1150 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Bill Weber
Agenda:
S.F. 2225-Goggin: Disaster recovery loan program expansion; retroactive effective date.
S.F. 1859-Weber: Agricultural policy and technical provisions modifications relating to hemp, food handlers, eggs, milk, cheese, bioincentive and loan programs, and miscellaneous provisions.
S.F. 2178-Johnson, M.: Economic and housing challenge grants requirement modification.
S.F. 1644-Weber: Minnesota Bond Allocation Act housing bonds modification.
5:10 p.m.
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: G-3 State Capitol
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
LCPR19-013: State Auditor's Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group bill.
HF416 (Poppe); SF569 (Sparks): Fire state aid penalty forgiveness for the City of Austin.
HF483 (Poppe); SF570 (Sparks): Extending the alternative allocation of fire state aid for the City of Austin.
Wednesday, March 13
8:30 a.m.
Senate Finance
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Julie A. Rosen
Agenda:
S.F. 890-Eichorn: Well and boring provisions modifications and notification fees limitations.
S.F. 251-Draheim: Mental health counseling to support farm families and business operators appropriation.
S.F. 635-Weber: Agricultural fertilizer research and education fee, agricultural fertilizer research and education council, agricultural fertilizer research and education, and agricultural fertilizer research, and education account extensions
8:30 a.m.
Senate Taxes
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Roger C. Chamberlain
Agenda:
S.F. 1758-Weber: Homestead determinations modifications.
S.F. 1593-Rarick: Cromwell and Wright fire protection district establishment.
S.F. 1812-Rarick: Cloquet fire and ambulance district authority to incur debt and impose taxes modification.
S.F. 1901-Mathews: State-assessed property preliminary evaluations issuance provisions modifications.
S.F. 254-Mathews: Mille Lacs County taxing jurisdictions reimbursement for lost revenue authorization.
S.F. 1735-Anderson, P.: Collegiate ticket purchasing rights sales and use tax exemption authorization.
9:45 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
Pending Referral from Ways & Means: HF 2207 (Davnie) A bill for an act relating to education finance; providing funding for prekindergarten through grade 12 education including general education, education excellence, special education, facilities and technology, nutrition, libraries, early childhood and family support, community education, self-sufficiency and lifelong learning, and state agencies; appropriating money.
Presentations from Kate Lynne Synder & Dr. Tom Melcher
11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session
2:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Connie Bernardy
Agenda:
HF 0225 - Nelson: North Hennepin Community College asset preservation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF 0226 - Nelson: North Hennepin Community College asset preservation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF 0520 - Daniels: South Central College asset preservation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF 1610 - Pryor: University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development building replacement funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF 0405 - Koegel: Anoka Technical College fabrication lab grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1844 - Howard: Office of Higher Education informing intellectually and developmentally disabled students of postsecondary education options required, Minnesota Independence College and Community funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1895 - Bierman: Career and technical education licensure continuing education program established, report required, and money appropriated
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda: Begin Mark-Up of Omnibus Bill
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance and Policy
Room: 1100 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 299-Chamberlain: Academic achievement rating system establishment requirement.
S.F. 1861-Utke: School student testing provisions modifications.
S.F. 1503-Goggin: Public schools energy use reduction data reporting requirement.
S.F. 1958-Nelson: Superintendents nonsubstantive style and form changes authorization
S.F. 1557-Kent: Teacher licensure requirements modifications.
S.F. 156-Ruud: Government units definition inclusion of service cooperatives for joint exercise of powers purposes.
S.F. 1938-Westrom: Independent school district #846, Breckenridge; postsecondary enrollment options agreement authorization.
5:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1150 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda:
S.F. 582-Rest: Redistricting advisory commission appointment authorization; districting principles establishment; Legislative Coordinating Commission redistricting duties establishment.
S.F. 2255-Kiffmeyer: Constitutional amendment establishing a redistricting commission and principles.
S.F. 1875-Draheim: Zero-based budgeting establishment.
S.F. 47-Osmek: Metropolitan council gubernatorial appointees local approval requirement.
S.F. 2192-Weber: Industrial hemp expedited rulemaking authorization.
S.F. 2029-Weber: County audits by state auditor law application clarification.
S.F. 1829-Clausen: Family law mediation task force establishment.
6:30 p.m.
House Government Operations
Room: 300N State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mike Freiberg
Agenda:
HF1500 (Winkler): Noncompliant driver's license or identification card requirements modified and related changes made, including eligibility, proof of lawful presence, primary and secondary documentation, discrimination, voter registration, and data practices; technical changes made; and money appropriated.
HF1404 (Lesch)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Establishing a Legislative Commission on Intelligence and Technology.
HF1381 (Kunesh-Podein)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Community solutions for healthy child
development grant program established, and money appropriated.
HF1287 (Fischer)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Parenting with disability support
services pilot projects; establishes an advisory committee.
HF1258 (Moran)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Childhood trauma-informed policy task
force established; may move to second deadline though pending Senate action
this week.
HF1744 (Masin)
PENDING REFERRAL
: Family law mediation task force established.
HF511 (Elkins)
PENDING RE-REFERRAL
: Plastic bags and similar items prohibition on local ordinances repealed.
Thursday, March 14
8:00 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
HF1460 (Claflin) South St. Paul; Concord Street corridor infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1076 (Morrison) Spring Park; water and sewer infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1161 (Marquart) Mahnomen; clean water and drinking water infrastructure funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF178 (Layman) Deer River; sewer and water system improvement funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1479 (Sandstede) Floodwood; wastewater system improvements funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF274 (Fischer) Willernie; public infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2119 (Murphy) Two Harbors; new wastewater treatment plant loan or grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1081 (Hansen) Forests for the future program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
8:00 a.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda:
HF 2161
(Mahoney) Dual-training occupation competency grants expanded to include next generation technology
HF 914
(Mahoney) Special revenue fund financial institutions account funding provided.
HF 1504
(Davnie) Youth skills training program modified
HF 650
(Xiong, J) AmeriCorps Promise Fellows program funding provided
HF 1019
(Lien) Small business development center services funding provided
8:30 a.m.
Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy
Room: 1100 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Bruce D. Anderson
Agenda:
S.F. 1322-Lang: Counseling and Case Management, Outreach, Referral and Education (C.O.R.E.) program appropriation.
S.F. 2147-Anderson, B.: Commissioner of veterans affairs duties clarification.
S.F. 1922-Anderson, B.: American Allies Day establishment.
S.F. 2079-Newton: Veterans expanded definition expansion for identifier on state-issued identification cards
8:30 a.m.
Senate Taxes
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Roger C. Chamberlain
Agenda:
S.F. 1663-Rosen: Nonprofit tickets or admissions sales and use tax exemption clarification.
S.F. 1065-Nelson: Minnesota State High School League events admission sales tax exemption sunset date elimination.
S.F. 419-Housley: Refundable film production individual income tax credit.
S.F. 1817-Howe, J.: Farm machinery sales and use tax exemption definition modification to include grain bins.
S.F. 304-Rest: Business entity income tax option to file as a C corporation.
S.F. 1522-Rest: Partnership audits adjustments reporting requirements establishment.
S.F. 151-Dziedzic: Public pension plans income tax subtraction authorization.
9:45 a.m.
House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair:
Rep. Jeanne Poppe
Agenda:
HF 1733 (Poppe) Omnibus Agriculture Policy bill (amendments and vote out)
HF 1339 (Ecklund) Shade tree replacement planting funding provided
HF 395 (Hansen) Funding for forest pest response
HF 1546 (Lippert) Beginning farmer tax credit modified (added from Tuesday)
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda: Complete Mark-Up of Omnibus Bill
