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Week in Review: April 20-24

By Lisa Kaczke
It was a “tree-for-all” as some 200 saplings were distributed to House members and staff following Thursday's floor session in recognition of Friday’s Arbor Day. White pine, red pine, American Plum and white oak saplings were available. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)
It was a “tree-for-all” as some 200 saplings were distributed to House members and staff following Thursday's floor session in recognition of Friday’s Arbor Day. White pine, red pine, American Plum and white oak saplings were available. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)

The pace of the House slowed this week with a few committee meetings each day and a few floor sessions throughout the week.

The House Capital Investment Committee wrapped up its regularly scheduled meetings and approved two vehicle bills, in addition to hearing a proposal for a new pediatric psychiatric treatment facility in HF4896.

The governor’s tax bill proposal was presented to the House Taxes Committee. The slate of local sales tax requests heard by the committee this week also included HF4194 to rescind funding for a Rochester sports complex.

The House Ways and Means Committee was busy with bills it received from other committees this session. It sent some bills like the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill, HF3426, to the House Floor, while others didn’t make the cut, including funding for Greater Minnesota public television stations in HF3936.
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Recent Dailies

Small-business carveout for paid leave fails, opponents say it would strip benefits from many
By Margaret Stevens
Lauren Richards, co-owner of independent bookstore Tropes & Trifles, testifies March 25 against HF2113 to exempt employers with 15 or fewer employees from the Minnesota Paid Leave Law. Rep. Kristin Robbins, left, is the sponsor. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Megan Horsager farms with her father in western Minnesota. Her mother is an employee and could take off any time for any reason. But implementing Minnesota’s new Paid Family and...
Commanders Task Force seeks statutory codification after 38 years of activity
By Mike Cook
Barry Henriksen, state adjutant/quartermaster and legislative chair at the Department of Minnesota VFW, testifies in support of HF4492 that would codify the Commanders Task Force in statute. Rep. Matt Bliss, left, is the sponsor. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Created in 1988, the Commanders Task Force has advised the Legislature, governor, Department of Veterans Affairs and others on veteran-related issues.  Nearly 40 years later...
Support given to no permit fees for home upgrades to accommodate veteran with a disability
By Mike Cook
Mark Foster, vice president of legislative and political affairs at Housing First Minnesota, speaks for a bill sponsored by Rep. Kari Rehrauer to waive permit fees for home upgrades to accommodate veterans with a disability. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Local permit fees can be barriers to critical home improvement projects. That expense could be nixed for people who served our country, but have a disability because of that...
Effort to expand campus firearm restriction authority fails in committee
By Margaret Stevens
Inter Faculty Organization President Jenna Chernega testifies March 24 before the House higher education committee in support of HF4362, sponsored by Rep. Nathan Coulter, right. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Rep. Nathan Coulter (DFL–Bloomington) paused Tuesday as he recalled being 12 years old when the Columbine High School shooting occurred. This year’s first-year college stude...
Public safety panel fails to advance bill prohibiting possession of ‘ghost guns’
By Tim Walker
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara testifies March 24 before the House public safety committee in support of HF3407. The bill to prohibit the sale and possession of ghost guns is sponsored by Rep. Dave Pinto, right. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) So-called “ghost guns” are firearms lacking serial numbers that can be 3D printed or assembled at home from kits sold online. HF3407, which would ban the sale and possession...
Not enough committee appetite to prohibit SNAP purchases of chips, candy and Coke
By Winter Keefer
With tasty props, Pat Garofalo, president of the Minnesota Grocers Association, testifies in opposition to HF3603, a bill sponsored by Rep. Bjorn Olson, right, that would prohibit the purchase of certain items with SNAP benefits. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) It turns out a lot of candy contains wheat. Legislators learned this as testifiers poked holes in a bill that attempts to prohibit the purchase of candy, chips and pop with ...
House Education stalls over funding for anonymous reporting system bill
By Graham Johnson
Rep. Danny Nadeau House Education Policy Committee members across the aisle agree on the importance of anonymous reporting systems. The devil is in the details, however, or in the case of the...
Skilled trades classwork could equate to student grants and scholarships
By Graham Johnson
Trevor Quesnell, who attended Dunwoody College of Technology, testifies March 24 before the House Education Finance Committee in support of HF1791, sponsored by Rep. Peggy Scott. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) When Erik Trost started his manufacturing class in 2017, his goal was to be able to pay students for the work they did in class. In Trost’s industrial technology class at St...
Thermal energy could become a utility-scale thing under bill
By Rob Hubbard
Rep. Athena Hollins Last year, thermal energy was a hot topic at the Capitol. The House Energy Finance and Policy Committee discussed several bills related to tapping into the earth to heat and coo...
Tax panel considers creating a new exemption for school supplies
By Rob Hubbard
Alec Williams, a policy researcher at We Make America, testifies before the tax committee March 24 against a bill sponsored by Rep. Elliott Engen, right, that would provide a sales and use tax exemption for all school supplies. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) Every parent knows that kids can get expensive. But school teachers tend to say the same thing, when you consider how often they purchase school supplies for their students out ...
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How short are the Legislature's short sessions?
By Lisa Kaczke
Rep. Ron Kresha (R-Little Falls) was ready to end the session March 25, making the motion to adjourn sine die. But not enough of his colleagues shared that sentiment, defeating ...
Stable budget outlook projects $3.7 billion surplus now, no deficit in next biennium
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