House passes economic development bill

Changes to eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits are among the many provisions of an omnibus economic development bill passed by the House.

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Obermueller (DFL-Eagan) and Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm), HF2781/SF2510* is the omnibus economic development, labor and industry policy bill. The House passed it 83-39.

The bill would extend eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits to some temporary staffing agency workers who choose not to keep taking temp jobs. It would also make it harder for employers who fire employees to deny benefit claims on the basis of employee misconduct.

The bill also overhauls the state’s licensing fees for contractors working in the various construction trades.

Various other provisions in the bill include:
• allowing veteran-owned businesses to apply for an interest-free loan of up to $20,000;
• establishing a Minnesota Science and Technology Authority; and
• requiring a report on the use of block grants to fund workforce programs.

The bill now returns to the Senate, where a different version was passed 45-21 on April 26.