Updates from the Government Relations team are sent periodically during the legislative session
Legislative Update: March 20, 2019
Governor’s State of the State Address April 3


Legislative leaders announced earlier this week that Governor Tim Walz will deliver his first State of the State Address in the chamber of the Minnesota House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m. The Governor is expected to lay out his budget and spending initiatives for his first two years in office focused on three major priorities – education, healthcare, and community prosperity.

Nelson wins House District 11 Special Election


Republican Nathan Nelson prevailed in yesterday’s special election in House District 11B over DFL nominee Tim Burkardt 68 percent to 32 percent. 

Nelson is a third-generation cattle farmer and is the president of the Pine County Farm Bureau. He has served as a member of the Clover Township Board for nine years. Nelson and his wife live in Clover Township, just east of Hinckley, with their five children.

House District 11B includes almost all of Pine County as well as the eastern portion of Kanabec County. The vacancy for House District 11B occurred when then-state Representative Jason Rarick, R-Pine City, resigned his House seat after winning a special election to the Minnesota Senate on February 5.

With Nelson's victory, the Minnesota House will return to having 75 Democrats and 59 Republicans – just as it was following the 2018 election.
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This Week at the Capitol


Wednesday, March 20
 
8:30 a.m.
Senate Finance
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Julie A. Rosen
Agenda:
S.F. 2307-Chamberlain: Trichloroethylene (TCE) emissions response account and stakeholder group creation; TCE emissions fines disposition.
S.F. 75-Osmek: Cell phone use while driving provisions modifications; texting while
driving penalties increase; improper use of wireless communications devices while driving crimes are not payable offenses; criminal vehicular operation crime expansion; driver education and driver's manual to cover distracted driving requirement.
S.F. 445-Ingebrigtsen: Security screening systems addition to ionizing radiation-producing equipment fees; examination requirement exemption; appropriation.
S.F. 1004-Ingebrigtsen: License reinstatement diversion pilot program permanency authorization (pending referral).
S.F. 307-Limmer: Disaster contingency account funds transfer.
S.F. 111-Limmer: Criminal sexual conduct crimes provisions modifications.
 
 
9:45 am
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
HF 1207 (Olson) Independent School District No. 709, Duluth; special education formulas modified, fiscal year 2016 base adjusted, and money appropriated.
HF 1559 (Youakim) Paraprofessionals paid orientation required, paraprofessional training funding provided, and money appropriated.
Informational hearing - HF 814 (Edelson) School-linked mental health grants, section 245.4901 - Subdivision 5
HF 732 (Jurgens) School-linked mental health grants funding provided, and money appropriated. (See attached author's amendment.)

12:00 p.m.
Senate in Session
 
12:00 p.m.
House in Session

2:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Connie Bernardy
Agenda:
HF2427 - Bierman: Postsecondary institutions offering graduate training to concurrent enrollment course teachers, report required, and money appropriated.
HF2366 - Pryor: Hunger Free Campus Act established and designation requirements established, campus food shelves at Minnesota State community and technical colleges required, grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF706 - Dehn: University of Minnesota's Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center funding provided, and money appropriated
 
 
2:30 p.m.
House Education Policy Committee
Room: State Office Building Room 5
Chair: Rep. Cheryl Youakim
Agenda:
HF1369 (Christensen) - Public schools required to maintain monthly utility consumption data.
HF2259 (Backer) - Independent School District No. 846, Breckenridge; postsecondary enrollment options with higher education institution agreement allowed.
 
3:00 p.m.
Senate E-12 Finance and Policy
Room: 1100 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Carla J. Nelson
Agenda:
S.F. 355-Jensen, S.: Mental health education instruction requirements modification.
S.F. 2139-Jensen, S.: Education shared time aid applicable location of services modification.
S.F. 546-Anderson, P.: Sanneh Foundation grant.
S.F. 1647-Anderson, P.: Parent-child home program appropriation.
S.F. 939-Nelson: Education partnership program modification and appropriation.
S.F. 1772-Clausen: Specialized instructional services program alternative delivery student participation modification.
S.F. 1273-Ruud: Permanent school fund compensation appropriation for certain lands based on general fund forecast
 
6:30 p.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
HF2158 (Quam) Oronoco; wastewater infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2326 (Persell) Bemidji; drinking water well construction grant funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF408 (Poppe) Austin; Cedar River Watershed District funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF383 (Marquart) Flood hazard mitigation grant funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1600 (Marquart) Buffalo-Red River Watershed District flood hazard mitigation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF948 (Backer) Barnesville; Buffalo-Red River Watershed District flood hazard mitigation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1158 (Backer) Redpath impoundment flood hazard mitigation project funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1079 (Morrison) Reinvest in Minnesota reserve program funding provided, working grasslands easements acquired, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1593 (Considine) Mankato; Minnesota River-Mankato watershed water quality mitigation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1828 (Lien) Moorhead; flood hazard mitigation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2030 (Nornes) Otter Tail County; flood hazard mitigation project reimbursement grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF2431 (Lien) Multi-county flood hazard mitigation grant funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF960 (Edelson) Washburn Center for Children new facility funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF409 (Hassan) St. Paul; Family Tree Clinic funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1854 (Hansen) Dakota County; pedestrian and bicycle trails funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2528 (Murphy) Rice Lake; water, sewer, and utilities extension funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.

Thursday, March 21
 
8:00 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda:
HF2118 (Koegel) Blaine; National Sports Center funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF613 (Huot) Rosemount Armory funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2085 (Nornes) Otter Tail County; Department of Human Services building purchase funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1929 (Torkelson) Minnesota rail service improvement program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF423 (Brand) Greater Minnesota child care facility grand program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2040 (Brand) St. Peter Regional Treatment Center Minnesota sex offender program facilities Phase 2 improvements funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2328 (Huot) Minnesota Zoo funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1596 (Olson) Duluth Lake Superior Zoo Main Building predesign and design funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2291 (Boe) Carver County; Lake Waconia Regional Park funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2292 (Urdahl) Hutchinson; Otter and Campbell Lake restoration funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF2163 (Lillie) Metropolitan Council regional park and open-space land acquisition and improvement funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF311 (Dettmer) Scandia; Gateway Trail from William O'Brien State Park to Scandia predesign and design funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF353 (Murphy) Public television station equipment grants funding provided, and money appropriated.



8:00 a.m.
House State Government Finance Division
Room: Basement hearing room
Chair: Rep. Michael Nelson
Agenda:
HF 136 (Stephenson) Internet service providers serving Minnesota customers and those under contract to the state or political subdivisions prohibited certain activities, and monetary fines authorized
HF 1863 (Lillie) State employee salaries money appropriated in the event of nonappropriation
HF 893 (Huot) Certified public accounting provisions modified
HF 1644 (Long) U.S. Census employees allowed access to multiunit residential facilities, and Census 2020 Mobilization Partnership program established, money appropriated
HF 2053 (Cantrell) Office of Enterprise Sustainability created


8:00 a.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda:
HF 1693 (Noor) Goodwill Easter Seals funding provided
HF 1505 (Dehn) Summit Academy OIC GED and employment program
HF 1168 (Christensen) 180 Degrees grant
HF 1464 (Lippert) Youthprise Opportunity Reboot initiative grant
HF 2419 (Robbins) Coworking spaces broadband connection pilot grant program

9:45 am
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
HF 692 (Poppe) Pupils enrolled in career and technical education courses extended time use expanded.
HF 73 (Gunther) Pupils enrolled in career and technical education courses extended time use expanded.
HF 246 (Bennett) Vocational enrichment program established, and money appropriated.
Pending Referral - HF 1711 (Youakim) Ed Policy omnibus walk through with House Research. Public testimony and amendments will be offered at a later date during the markup. (40 mins)
HF 2401 (Davnie) General education aid modified.
HF 1133 (Acomb) Solar energy systems installation on school buildings by school districts grant program established, account and a reserve account created, and money appropriated.
 
1:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: G15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Paul T. Anderson
Agenda:
S.F. 888-Eichorn: Postsecondary homeless students emergency assistance grants authorization and appropriation.
S.F. 1225-Bakk: Minnesota State two-year colleges supplemental aid appropriation.
S.F. 1851-Anderson, P.: Workforce development scholarship program provision clarification.
 
1:00 p.m.
Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections
Room: 1200 Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer
Agenda:
S.F. 2111-Koran: Affirmative approval before interim implementation of state employee collective bargaining agreements requirement.
S.F. 2541-Draheim: Public contracting requirements modifications.
S.F. 2523-Ingebrigtsen: Statutory open appropriation for legislator salaries creation.
S.F. 2228-Kiffmeyer: Gambling control board regulatory provisions modifications.
 
6:30 p.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jim Davnie
Agenda:
HF 292 (Kunesh-Podein) Girl Scouts River Valleys ConnectZ program grant funding provided, report required, and money appropriated.
HF 683 (Marquart) Minnesota Youth Council grants made, and money appropriated.
HF 1107 (Fischer) Race 2 Reduce water conservation programming in schools grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1335 (Huot) Minnesota Principals Academy grant provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1416 (Murphy) Minnesota Center for the Book programming funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1016 (Carlson, A) Bloomington Works Museum grant authorized, and money appropriated.
HF 696 (Layman) Grand Rapids Children's Discovery Museum funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 1380 (Kunesh-Podein) Teacher preparation funding directed, report required, and money appropriated.
HF 2531 (Sandell) Minnesota Council on Economic Education grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Tuesday, March 26
 
8:00 a.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda:
HF 119 (Sundin) Helmets to Hard hats
HF 975 (Richardson) Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing funding provided
HF 109 1 (Noor) Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Learn to Earn/Teen Teamworks youth employment program funding provided
HF 1860 (Hansen) Meatpacking worker terms clarified, notification in other than English and Spanish languages provided
HF 2151 (Gunther) Entrepreneurial development funding provided, reports required, and money appropriated.
HF 1253 (Stephenson) Barriers to employment for people with mental illness report required, and money appropriated.
HF 5 (Halverson) Paid Family Medical Leave Act
HF 6 (Mahoney) Wage Theft Prohibited
HF 11 (Lesch) Earned Sick and Safe Time

5:00 p.m.
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: G-3 Capitol
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda: TBA
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I mportant Links
  • Bill introductions as of March 20, 2019 can be found HERE
  • 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:
Bernie Omann –  Bernie.Omann@MinnState,edu
Melissa Fahning - Melissa.Fahning@MinnState.edu
Tina Firkus - T ina.Firkus@MinnState.edu
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