Updates from the Government Relations team are sent periodically during the legislative session
Legislative Update - April 11, 2018
The Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy committee heard two bills yesterday. The first bill, SF3787 , appropriates funding for a teacher licensing preparation program for licensure as a teacher of the blind or visually impaired at the University of Minnesota. The committee amended the bill to change the appropriation of $250,000 to go to the Office of Higher Education instead of the University of Minnesota for grants to institutions interested in exploring, developing, and establishing a teacher preparation program leading to licensure as a teacher of the blind or visually impaired.

Bill author, Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, said a program to educate teachers of visually impaired students currently does not exist in Minnesota, and he asked committee members to think about this important issue as the committee moves forward with its work. The bill was laid on the table for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.

The other bill heard by committee members was SF3058 , which establishes a student loan counseling grant. This bill was also laid on the table for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. SF3058, introduced by Sen. Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake, establishes a permanent program in statute to provide a grant to an organization offering student loan debt counseling. The Office of Higher Education would administer the grant program.

In 2015 the Legislature appropriated $150,000 to the Office of Higher Education for a temporary student loan debt counseling pilot program, which was awarded to Lutheran Social Services. Through this pilot program, 1,673 borrowers received counseling, and of those, 99.5% were able to remain current on their loan, and 97.6% developed a long-term budget plan. Tricia Grimes, a volunteer with Lutheran Social Services told committee members that there are 56 different options for students to repay loans. She explained that 14,000 students a year default on loans, which could be prevented with other options made available to them.

Over in the House, the Higher Education and Career Readiness Policy and Finance Committee heard from Office of Higher Education Commissioner Larry Pogemiller yesterday regarding Governor Mark 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. Dayton is also recommending $10 million one-time funds to the University of Minnesota to hold down tuition.

While the state’s $46 billion budget for 2018-2019 was largely set last year, this year lawmakers have the opportunity to make adjustments due to a projected $329 million budget surplus announced in the February budget forecast. While House and Senate Republicans have not yet released their supplemental budget targets, tax conformity and school safety legislation are expected to be major components of any spending bill this year.

Also yesterday, the Senate Capital Investment Committee heard from Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans and State Budget Director Margaret Kelly regarding Governor Dayton’s bonding recommendation. Dayton released his $1.5 billion bonding proposal in January focused on campus building upgrades for Minnesota State and the University of Minnesota, transportation and infrastructure, water quality, and affordable housing. Governor Dayton is recommending $274.5 million in bonding for Minnesota State. This includes the Board of Trustee’s entire request , plus an additional $50 million in asset preservation to keep students, faculty and staff warm, safe and dry.

A bonding bill is the only type of legislation to require a higher threshold than a simple majority to pass, requiring a three-fifths vote of support in both the House and Senate. Therefore, votes from the minority caucus in each chamber will be needed for the bill to pass. The bill needs 81 votes in the House, where Republicans currently hold 77 of 134 seats and 41 votes in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 34 of 67 seats.
This Week at the Capitol
 
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.

10:15 a.m.
Room: Basement Hearing Room
Chair: Rep. Tim O'Driscoll
Agenda: Office of the Legislative Auditor
-Presentation of the Voter Registration Report
Office of the Secretary of State
-Update on federal Help America Vote Act election security funds
Hearings on HF3979 and HF4104 will be informational.
HF3979 (Garofalo): State primary required to be held on the same day as the presidential nomination primary in 2020
HF4104 (Garofalo): Mail balloting in any town or city with fewer than 400 registered voters authorized.

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.
House Higher Education and Career Readiness Policy and Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda: HF4234 (Pelowski): Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees required to submit a plan to transfer technical colleges.

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.

3:00 p.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Dean Urdahl
Agenda: HF3332 (Dean Urdahl): Wastewater infrastructure project supplemental grant funding provided, report required, and money appropriated.
HF3187 (Leon Lillie): Metropolitan Council funding provided for regional park and open-space land acquisition and improvements, bonds issued, and money appropriated.

3:00 p.m.
House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda:
HF4342 (Knoblach): St. Cloud; dislocated worker program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF2112 (Knoblach): Housing project bonding authority allocations provided.
HF2424 (Gunther): Sustainable child care in rural Minnesota funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF3714 (Gunther): Greater Minnesota business development infrastructure program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF3968 (Mahoney): Redevelopment grant and demolition loan program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF4095 (Nash): Youth skills training program modified, and money appropriated.

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

11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session

12:00 p.m.
House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda: HF3527 (Layman): Broadband grant program funding provided, and money appropriated
HF4180 (Garofalo): Satellite broadband providers made eligible for grants

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.

1:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda: Commissioner Clyborne: MNIT overview
MNIT office renovations discussion

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

3:30 p.m.
House in Session

After session or at the call of the chair
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Knoblach
Agenda:
HF3873 (Albright): Workers' Compensation Advisory Council recommendations adopted, Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals quorum requirements modified, workers' compensation judges salaries increased, use of reports filed modified, and Office of Administrative Hearings and Department of Labor and Industry interim filing requirements coordinated
HF3195 (Albright): Council of Health Boards required to study and make recommendations on increasing access to clinical experiences through the use of technology, and money appropriated.
HF3261 (Miller): Eligibility requirements for services signs modified.
HF3703 (Barr): Statewide highway investment plan revision directed to prioritize mobility investments.
HF2829 (O’Driscoll): Real estate appraisals regulated, advisory board created, and duties prescribed
HF3301 (Urdahl): Educational campaign regarding stopping for school buses funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF3824 (Torkelson): Well and boring provisions changed

Friday, April 13

10:00 a.m.
House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda:
HF3988 (Layman): National Resources Research Institute academic and applied research funding provided, reports required, and money appropriated.
HF4179 (Mahoney): African Economic Development Solutions grant funding provided, and money appropriated
HF3519 (Anderson, P.): Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary District funding provided, and money appropriated
HF3003 (Bahr): Carbon-free energy standard established, definition modified, and conforming changes made
HF3284 (West): Modular home requirements clarified
HF3285 (West): Home park closing provisions modified
HF3807 (West): Manufactured home installer fees modified
HF3810 (Barr): Project Build Minnesota funding provided to encourage students to consider a career in the construction industry, and money appropriated.
HF3865 (Clark): Minneapolis; East Phillips Neighborhood Institute indoor urban farming project funding provided, and money appropriated.
HFXXXX (Mahoney): Business and Workforce Development program provided, money appropriated (pending referral)

3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 3340-Pappas: Grow Your Own pathways to teacher licensure program funding increase and appropriation.
S.F. 3608-Kiffmeyer: Equalization aid enhancement; debt service equalization aid and operating referendum revenue programs state aid increase; appropriation.
S.F. 1579-Hall: Minnesota Alliance with Youth grant appropriation for Minnesota youth council.
S.F. 3040-Housley: Pupil transportation school district revenues increase; appropriation.
S.F. 3369-Anderson, P.: Independent school district #270, Hopkins: additional facilities levy authorization.
S.F. 2703-Anderson, P.: Sanneh Foundation programs funding increase and appropriation.
S.F. XXXX-Nelson: Governor\'s E-12 budget bill.
Important Links:
  • Most recent bill introductions related to higher education (compiled by Government Relations team) can be found HERE (updated April 11, 2018)
  • Committee schedules can be found HERE
  • Many committee hearings and floor sessions are streamed live via the web or broadcast on television. More information and a schedule can be found HERE
Government Relations team:
Jaime Simonsen –  Jaime.Simonsen@MinnState,edu
Bernie Omann –  Bernie.Omann@MinnState,edu
Jim Grathwol – J im.Grathwol@MinnState.edu
Melissa Fahning - Melissa.Fahning@MinnState.edu
Tina Firkus - T ina.Firkus@MinnState.edu