This week we can expect legislative committees to have long agendas focused on passing bills ahead of the first committee deadline, which is scheduled for Friday, March 15. In order for a bill to advance this session, committees must act favorably on policy bills in the house of origin by the first deadline. The deadline that finance bills must be out of committee is not until April 12.
Both the Senate and House higher education committees will be taking up a variety of bills this week, including bills that would freeze tuition, amend the state grant program, provide for mental health services on college campuses, support programs of college admission and graduation for low-income students, and loan forgiveness for aviation students and mental health professionals. The complete committee agendas can be found below. The House Higher Education Finance and Policy committee meets today and Wednesday. The Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy committee meets today and Thursday.
Yesterday, the House passed
HF 232
, by a unanimous vote of 123-0. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin, provides additional
mental health counseling and advocacy services for farmers
, their families and agriculture businesses. The bill appropriates $100,000, which includes $15,000 to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees to increase compensation for the counselor currently providing statewide mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators through the Minnesota State Agricultural Center of Excellence. An additional $40,000 is appropriated to the Board of Trustees to provide additional statewide mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators. $30,000 is for farmer mental health marketing and training coordination, and $15,000 is to increase funding for farm advocate services and farmer-lender mediators. The bill heads next to the Senate.
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This Week at the Capitol
Tuesday, March 5
8:00 a.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda:
HF 422
(Brand) Child care in rural Minnesota funding provided, and money appropriated
(Informational Hearing Only)
HF 423
(Brand) Greater Minnesota child care facility grand program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated
(Informational Hearing Only)
HF 825
(Kotyza-Witthuhn) WomenVenture Grant to establish women run child care in low income urban areas:
Pending Referral
HF 908
(Kotyza-Witthuhn) WomenVenture Business Training:
Pending Referral
HF 1594
(Richardson) YWCA funding provided for job skills training in early childhood education, and money appropriated:
Pending Referral
8:00 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
Governor's 2019 Capital Budget Recommendations
9:45 a.m.
House Government Operations
Room: Basement hearing room State Office Building
Chair:
Rep. Mike Freiberg
Agenda: HF769 (Carlson):
Public Employment Relations Board data modified, and money appropriated.
HF90 (Schultz)
PENDING REFERRAL
:
Health care and home care bills of rights, home care licensing provisions, Office of Health Facility Complains duties and powers, house with services registration requirements, vulnerable adult consumer protection, and the Vulnerable Adults Act modified; assisted living title protection clarified; task forces established; and reports required.
HF70 (Kunesh-Podien):
Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women created, annual report on violence against indigenous women and girls required, and money appropriated.
HF758 (Persell):
Mississippi Headwaters Board jurisdiction over headwaters area ensured.
HF136
(Stephenson):
Internet service providers servicing Minnesota customers and those under contract to the state or political subdivisions certain activities prohibited.
HF804 (Lesch):
Data practices legislative commission expiration delayed, and money appropriated.
9:45 a.m.
Room: Capitol 120
Chair: Rep. Jean Wagenius
Agenda:
HF1798 (Wagenius) - Energy; incorrect statute references corrected
HF1787 (Acomb) - University of Minnesota Board of Regents goals and benchmarks for renewable fuels transition establishment funding provided, and money appropriated
HF1788 (Acomb) - Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees establishment of goals and benchmarks for renewable fuels transition required, and money appropriated
HF1570 (Loeffler) - Green roofs task force established, report required, and money appropriated
Note: The committee will recess and reconvene at 4:30 in Capitol 120 if necessary.
9:45 a.m.
House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jeanne Poppe
Agenda:
HF 1530 (Poppe) Animal cruelty reporting immunity
Ag Innovation During Changing Times
- Minnesota Corn Growers
- Minnesota Soybean Growers
- U of M Regional Sustainable Development Project
- Developing Industrial Hemp Industry
1:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Paul T. Anderson
Agenda:
S.F. 1473-Draheim: Tuition for online higher education courses modification.
S.F. 1583-Anderson, P.: Tuition reduction for University of Minnesota (U of M) and tuition reduction and freeze for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU).
S.F. 1702-Clausen: Mental health training program for University of Minnesota (U of M) pediatric residents appropriation
1:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda:
S.F. 1746-Benson: Human services grant programs evaluation requirement.
S.F. 1782-Anderson, P.: Public radio station grants appropriation.
S.F. 1789-Nelson: Minnesota Public Radio emergency equipment grants appropriation.
S.F. 1876-Koran: Collective bargaining agreements and compensation plan information submission to the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) requirement.
S.F. 474-Kiffmeyer: State lottery prize winner privacy authorization.
S.F. 1747-Kiffmeyer: Unfilled government agency positions appropriation reduction authorization.
S.F. 1727-Westrom: Legislature accessibility measures working group establishment; accessibility standards for technology legislature compliance requirement and appropriation.
S.F. 1803-Howe, J.: Election day registrants challenge process establishment.
S.F. 1545-Hall: Dan Patch as the official state horse designation.
S.F. 894-Newton: Minnesota amateur sports commission Mighty Ducks grants appropriation.
2:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Connie Bernardy
Agenda: HF 971 - Pryor: College mental health services funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 787 - Lillie: Teacher preparation program for blind or visually impaired teaching license funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 614 - Huot: Sexual assault victim notification required to include availability of legal advocacy services.
HF 573 - Mariani: State grant stipends amended.
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy
Room: State Office Building Room 5
Chair:
Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda:
HF1496 (Edelson) -
Dyslexia screening required in school.
HF1412 (Daniels) -
Dyslexia screening required.
HF329 (Daniels) -
Dyslexia specialist duties modified.
HF1495 (Kunesh-Podein) - Teacher training required to implement instructional strategies to meet dyslexic needs in all teaching license tiers.
Governor's Education Policy Bill
HF1868 (Youakim) - Student journalists in grades 6 through 12 speech and press rights clarified.
3:00 p.m.
Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy
Room: 1150 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Bill Weber
Agenda:
S.F. 1748-Kiffmeyer: Center for Rural Policy and Development grants appropriation.
S.F. 1368-Housley: Metropolitan agricultural preserves expiration modification for park and trail purposes.
S.F. 1995-Ingebrigtsen: Farmed Cervidae requirements modification and chronic wasting disease test development appropriation
S.F. 1698-Westrom: Dairy producer margin coverage premium assistance program establishment and appropriation.
S.F. 1699-Goggin: Dairy stabilization conservation assistance program establishment and appropriation.
S.F. 1611-Goggin: Housing supports for persons with mental illness appropriation.
S.F. 1669-Draheim: Housing infrastructure grants pilot program appropriation.
S.F. 1644-Weber: Minnesota Bond Allocation Act housing bonds modification.
S.F. 1887-Weber: Second Harvest Heartland appropriation.
5:00 p.m.
Room: TBA
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
Presentations by the retirement system administrators.
Presentation by Minnesota Management & Budget Commissioner Myron Frans.
Pending scheduling confirmation: Presentation by Minnesota State Demographer Susan Brower.
Presentation by State Board of Investment Executive Director Mansco Perry III.
Wednesday, March 6
8:00 a.m.
House Taxes
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Paul Marquart
Agenda:
HF 1795 (Brand) Working family tax credit calculation modified
II. HF 1620 (Gomez) Working family tax credit calculation modified.
III. HF 1825 (Loeffler) Working family tax credit calculation modified.
IV. HF 1476 (Noor) Collegiate ticket purchasing rights tax exemption provided.
2:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 10 State Office BuildingChair: Rep. Connie Bernardy
Agenda:
HF 0684 - Rep. Alice Mann: Relating to health; requesting the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to establish an advisory council on rare diseases; appropriating money
HF 0977 - Rep. Samantha Vang: Low-income students college admission and graduation programs funding provided, report required, and money appropriated.
HF 1201 - Rep. Bud Nornes: Aviation degree loan forgiveness provisions modified, and money appropriated.
HF 1540 - Rep. Tina Liebling: University of Minnesota pediatric resident mental health training program funding provided, report required, and money appropriated.
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy
Room: State Office Building Room 5
Chair:
Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda:
HF1883 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) - Foster care student enrollment in school required, and foster youth school enrollment report required.
HF1422 (Baker) - Seizure training required in schools.
HF692 (Poppe) - Pupils enrolled in career and technical education courses extended time use expanded.
HF73 (Gunther) - Pupils enrolled in career and technical education courses extended time use expanded.
HF246 (Bennett) - Vocational enrichment program established, and money appropriated.
HF1120 (Youakim) - Compulsory instruction requirements modified, and school districts required to offer kindergarten.
HF1982 (Christensen) -
Instruction days and hours calculation modified for students affected by 2018-2019 school year snow days, and affected school districts required to report to commissioner.
HF566 (Wazlawik) -
School safety assessment teams required, and money appropriated.
HF1848 (Bierman) -
Professional Educators Licensing and Standards Board directed to adopt endorsement standards enabling licensed high school teachers to provide high school dual enrollment instruction.
HF1940 (Huot) -
Student receiving specialized instructional services programs allowed to participate in service area outside individualized education program.
3:00 p.m.
Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance
Room: 1150 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Torrey N. Westrom
Agenda:
S.F. 469-Koran: Manufactured home parks as housing improvement areas eligibility
clarification; housing infrastructure bonds usage for manufactured home
parks authorization.
S.F. 1871-Koran: Manufactured home park infrastructure grants appropriation.
S.F. 1843-Jasinski: Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation local food promotion and
education event grant appropriation.
S.F. 1840-Dahms: Agriculture research, education, extension and technology transfer money
allocation.
S.F. 1693-Johnson, M.: Agricultural Utilization Research Institute appropriation.
S.F. 694-Frentz: Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. agriculture related business assistance grant appropriation.
Thursday, March 7
8:00 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
NOTE: All bills will be heard on an informational-only basis.
HF944 (Stephenson) Champlin Mississippi Point Park improvements funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1159 (Lislegard) Northeast Regional Corrections Center funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF777 (Lislegard) Virginia regional public safety center and training facility funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF101 (Sundin) Cloquet Area Fire District funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1075 (Gunther) Martin County justice center renovation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1459 (Bahner) Maple Grove North Metro Range expansion funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF773 (Koegel) Blaine regional public safety training facility funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF668 (Dehn) Minneapolis Emergency Operations Center and Fire Training Facility expansion funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
8:00 a.m.
House State Government Finance
Room: Basement hearing room State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Michael Nelson
Agenda:
Minnesota Management and Budget, Department overview and Governor's budget recommendations
8:30 a.m.
Senate Finance
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Julie A. Rosen
Agenda:
Overview of February forecast
Myron Frans, Commissioner, Minnesota Management & Budget
Dr. Laura Kalambokidis, State Economist
Britta Reitan, State Budget Director
9:45 a.m.
House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. John Lesch
Agenda:
HF 11 (Lesch) Earned sick and safe time [PENDING REFERRAL]
HF 998 (Ecklund) Sentencing veterans for criminal offenses related to a service-related disorder court guidance provided
HF 804 (Lesch) [PENDING REFERRAL] Delaying expiration of legislative commission on data practices
HF 1404 (Lesch) Establishing a Legislative Commission on Intelligence and Technology
HF 1567 (Lesch) Modifying location tracking to include GPS service or cell-site location information service
9:45 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
HF 789 (Carlson, L) Independent School District No. 281, Robbinsdale; authorized to transfer money from postemployment benefits irrevocable trust fund to general fund.
Informational Presentations from:
Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board
Minnesota Board of School Administrators
Perpich Center for Arts Education
Minnesota State Academies
9:45 a.m.
House Government Operations
Room: Basement hearing room
Chair: Rep. Mike Freiberg
Agenda:
HF1644 (Long): United States Census employee access to multiunit residential facilities required, Census 2020 Mobilization Partnership program established, encouraging participation in 2020 federal census outreach initiatives funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1150 (Xiong, T.): County board allowed to temporary fill a county commissioner vacancy by appointment.
HF1863 (Lillie): State employee salaries in nonappropriation event funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1538 (Sandstede): Hospital board terms of office modification.
HF1656 (Persell) PENDING REFERRAL: State buildings renewable energy provisions modified, outdoor recreation grant provisions modified, game and fish law modified, and beaver and beaver dams causing damage removal provided.
HF973 (Persell): Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizens Board reinstated.
HF1587 (Hansen): Citizen oversight committees extended.
HF1267 (Lippert): Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force extended.
HF1723 (Claflin): Mississippi River Parkway Commission member terms modified, commission expiration date repealed, and trunk highway fund appropriations modified.
11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session
1:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Paul T. Anderson
Agenda:
S.F. 1880-Draheim: Mental health professional loan forgiveness program establishment.
S.F. 973-Miller: University of Minnesota (U of M) advisory council on rare diseases establishment request and appropriation.
S.F. 2024-Cohen: Low-income students College Possible admission and graduation support and appropriation.
Friday, March 8
8:30 a.m.
House Education Policy
Chair:
Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda:
HF247 (Kunesh-Podein) - Student access to library media specialists grant program established, and money appropriated.
HF768 (Edelson) - Child age range increased for school-age care programs, funding for school-age care programs increased, and money appropriated.
HF199 (Urdahl) - Teachers of concurrent enrollment students provided a temporary refundable credit.
