Lawmakers return to St. Paul today after a week-long Easter/Passover recess, and will have approximately six weeks to wrap up the 2018 legislative session. The Legislature must adjourn by May 21. Now that the first two committee deadlines have been met, lawmakers have until April 20, the third and final committee deadline, to finalize finance bills. Some of the big issues still yet to be resolved include a bonding bill, supplemental finance bills, and tax conformity.
Legislative leaders agree that adapting state tax law to federal law is the most complicated issue still facing lawmakers. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, said he believes coming to a place where everyone can agree will be the biggest hurdle of the session. House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Cambridge, said House Republicans will put forward their tax plan shortly after they return to the Capitol.
The Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy committee will hear two bills on Tuesday, followed by a presentation by the
Midwestern Higher Education Compact
. The first bill,
SF3787
, appropriates funding for a teacher licensing preparation program for licensure as a teacher of blind or visually impaired at the University of Minnesota. The other bill,
SF3058
, establishes a student loan counseling grant.
Over in the House on Tuesday, the Higher Education and Career Readiness Policy and Finance Committee will hear from the Office of Higher Education Commissioner Larry Pogemiller regarding Governor Dayton’s higher education supplemental budget request. As a reminder, Dayton is recommending $10 million one-time funds for Minnesota State to fund campus support, and $8.5 million ongoing support for Next Gen.
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This Week at the Capitol
Monday, April 9
10:15 a.m.
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Knoblach
Agenda:
HF1415 (Albright): Fantasy sports authorized and regulated, and money appropriated
HF2835 (Baker): Deputy registrars reimbursement finding provided and money appropriated
HF3023 (Dean): Physician continuing education requirements modified
HF3280 (Lueck): Wild rice water findings established and listing authorized, application of water quality standards nullified and restricted, report required, and money appropriated
11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session
1:00 p.m.
Joint Meeting: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy; House Veterans Affairs Division
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chairs: Sen. Bruce D. Anderson, Rep. Bob Dettmer
Agenda: Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs presentation on the process for new veterans homes
3:00 p.m.
Senate Agriculture, Rural Development and House Finance
Room: 1150 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Torrey Westrom
Agenda: S.F. 2893-Westrom: Advanced biofuel production incentive payments minimum production level reduction.
S.F. 3222-Lang: Renewable chemical production incentive program eligibility requirements modification.
S.F. 3406-Johnson, M.: University extension agent commissioner of agriculture market value reimbursement for destroyed or crippled livestock allowance.
S.F. 2850-Sparks: Farm families and business operators statewide mental health counseling support and additional farm advocate services appropriations.
S.F. 3210-Frentz: Farmers Legal Action Group grant appropriation
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 2508-Wiger: School facilities improvement revenue establishment and appropriation.
S.F. 3243-Pratt: Long-term facilities maintenance revenue use for projects to increase safety and security of school facilities authorization; supplemental aid program to pay a portion of the costs for school district projects that increase the safety and security of school facilities establishment.
S.F. 2507-Wiger: School districts safe schools levy authority increase; school districts use of safe schools levy to enhance cybersecurity authorization.
S.F. 2774-Nelson: Kognito grant for teacher suicide prevention training appropriation.
S.F. 3472-Clausen: Safe schools levy increase; intermediate school district levy portion linkage to the school district per pupil allowance authorization
3:30 p.m.
House in Session
Tuesday, April 10
8:30 a.m.
Senate Finance
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Julie A. Rosen
Agenda:
S.F. 2983-Eichorn: Wild rice waters findings and listing of waters; nullifying and restricting application of water quality standards; work group report requirement.
S.F. 2915-Eichorn: Douglas J. Johnson economic protection trust fund use of funds limits.
S.F. 3534-Eichorn: Federal funds receipt report to the legislature requirement
1:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach
Agenda:
S.F. 3787-Senjem: University of Minnesota (U of M) teacher licensing preparation program for licensure as a teacher of blind or visually impaired appropriation.
S.F. 3058-Draheim: Student loan counseling grant establishment and appropriation.
Presentation from the Midwest Higher Education Compact.
1:00 p.m.
Joint House State Government Finance and Transportation Finance
Room: 120 Capitol
Chairs: Rep. Sarah Anderson and Rep. Paul Torkelson
Agenda:
Everett and VanderWiel MN.IT Investigation Report
DPS decision to hire DVS phone staff and funding source
KSTP story on remodel of MN.IT office space:
Status report and update on MNLARS and its operation since emergency funding implemented
1:00 p.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jenifer Loon
Agenda: HFXXXX: Governor’s supplemental budget bill
1:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda:
S.F. 3839-Kiffmeyer: Statewide voter registration system modernizing, securing and updating appropriation.
S.F. 3658-Kiffmeyer: Fiscal notes effective dates and legislative budget office provisions modifications.
3:00 p.m.
House Higher Education and Career Readiness Policy and Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda: The committee will be hearing from Commissioner Pogemiller and the Office of Higher Education on the Governor's higher education supplemental budget request.
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Policy
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Eric R. Pratt
Agenda:
We will be holding a confirmation hearing for the following Professional
Educator Licensing and Standards Board appointees:
1. Anne Krafthefer, Teacher from outside metro area
2. Jim Miklausich, Secondary Principal
3:00 p.m.
Senate Capital Investment
Room: 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. David H. Senjem
Agenda:
Overview of General Bonding Information
Overview of the Governor’s 2018 Capital Budget Recommendations by Myron Frans, Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget and Margaret Kelly, State Budget Director
3:00 p.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Dean Urdahl
Agenda: TBA
Wednesday, April 11
8:30 a.m.
Senate Finance
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Julie A. Rosen
Agenda:
S.F. 893-Relph: Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts enacted.
S.F. 3786-Anderson, B.: Claims against the state; department of corrections appropriation.
S.F. 3168-Ingebrigtsen: State lands lease security requirement, surplus land sales through online auctions, state parks and forests additions and deletion; state lands interests sales and conveyances authorization.
1:00 p.m.
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy
Room: 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Jeremy R. Miller
Agenda:
S.F. 3430-Draheim: Project Build Minnesota appropriation.
Update on Destination Medical Center
1:00 p.m.
House State Government Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Sarah Anderson
Agenda:
HF2868 (Jim Nash): State agencies required to dedicate a portion of information technology expenditures to cyber security enhancements.
HF3570 (Jim Nash): MN.IT Services duties modified, and legislation to recodify chapter 16E required.
HF3447 (Jeff Howe): Information and telecommunications technology projects required to be developed and completed by contract, information technology and cyber security provisions changed, and legislative report before a project is deployed for live use required.
*Additional bills may be added to the agenda.
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 3743-Nelson: Character development education incentive grants appropriation.
S.F. 3123-Nelson: School district telecommunications projects state aid increase and appropriation.
S.F. 3013-Eichorn: Early learning scholarship program child eligibility and administration modification; targeted home visiting grant program for high-risk populations establishment; appropriation.
S.F. 2540-Eichorn: Grand Rapids Children\'s Discovery museum appropriation.
S.F. 3433-Draheim: Pupil transportation for certain pregnant and parenting teens authorization.
S.F. 3810-Torres Ray: Minnesota association of alternative programs STARS chapter for students in alternative programs appropriation.
House Capital Investment
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Dean Urdahl
Agenda: TBA
Thursday, April 12
8:30 a.m.
Senate Taxes
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Roger C. Chamberlain
Agenda:
S.F. 3876-Eichorn: Iron Range fiscal disparities program expansion; municipality withdrawal from Iron Range fiscal disparities program authorization.
S.F. 3253-Mathews: Local government unit excise taxes and fees limit extension to food and food containers.
S.F. 3843-Ruud: Soil and water conservation districts provisions modifications.
S.F. 1940-Senjem: Solid waste management tax rebate for recycled and reused materials removed from the waste stream by waste processing facilities requirement and appropriation.
S.F. 3245-Pratt: Energy improvements program modification; residential property assessed clean energy (PACE) loans consumer protections authorization.
10:15 a.m.
House Government Operations and Elections Policy
Room: Basement Hearing Room
Chair: Rep. Tim O’Driscoll
Agenda: Annual report presentations:
Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage
Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans
Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs
1:00 p.m.
House State Government Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Sarah Anderson
Agenda:
HF3600 (Jenifer Loon): Legislative auditor requested to compare revenue generation and spending between school districts and charter schools, and report required.
HF2953 (Peggy Scott): Chapter 13 responsibilities transferred from administration commissioner to the Office of Administrative Hearings, data practices coordinator position established, administrative remedy under chapter 13 amended, and money appropriated.
HF3376 (Bob Vogel): CPA firm audit provisions changed.
HF3664 (Rena Moran): Hair braiders exempted from cosmetology registration requirements.
HF3850 (Peggy Flanagan): Facility licensure requirements for practitioners who only provide eyelash extensions repealed.
*Additional bills may be added to the agenda.
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Policy
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Eric R. Pratt
Agenda:
We will be holding a confirmation hearing for the following Professional
Educator Licensing and Standards Board appointees:
1. Maggie Borman
2. Penelope Dupris
3. Katie Groh de Avina
4. Heidi Hahn
3:00 p.m.
Senate Capital Investment
Room: 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. David H. Senjem
Agenda: TBA
