Yesterday at the Capitol
The February budget forecast was released yesterday projecting a shrinking budget deficit of $627 million for fiscal years 2014-2015, which is an improvement of $463 million from the $1.1 billion deficit projected in November. Due to the 40 percent reduction in the deficit, Gov. Mark Dayton said he plans to release a revised budget within a couple weeks. Dayton said increased spending for education is still a priority for him.
For the current biennium, 2012-2013, the February forecast showed a balance of $295 million, of which $290 million will go toward paying back the K-12 school shifts. House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he wants to pay back the remaining $810 million that will still be owed to schools after the $290 million payment. He also said priorities will include job development, property tax relief and education.
Republican legislative leaders urged Dayton to completely overhaul his budget, not just revise it. House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said it would be a mistake, as the economy is recovering, to change the Republican approach they held when they were in the majority of no tax and spending increases.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said his priority is still a significant tax overhaul to help stabilize the state economy and put an end to the cycle of budget deficits.
You may find the February forecast documents at: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/forecast-documents-feb13
Today at the Capitol
10:30 a.m.
Senate and House legislative leader media availability
Room: 125 State Capitol
11:30 a.m.
House Data Practices
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Steve Simon
Agenda: Note: HF604 and HF695 are continued from the Feb. 27 subcommittee meeting.
HF604 (Myhra) Personnel data disclosure provisions modified.
HF695 (Simon) Library-maintained private data classification extended to a vendor providing electronic data services under contract with a library.
HF584 (Hortman) Data collected from or provided by applicants, users, and customers of transit services in the metropolitan area classified.
HF589 (Kahn) Genetic information provisions changed.
HF782 (Norton) Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee expiration extended, and early hearing detection and intervention program data classified.
HF804 (Scott) Department of Corrections allowed to access data to track employment of offenders sentenced to probation for the purpose of case planning.
Looking Ahead
Monday, March 4
10:00 a.m.
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda: Overview of February forecast by MMB
11:00 a.m.
Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs
Room: 400N State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Ryan Winkler
Agenda: The committee will hear the completion of a presentation on economic and workforce trends by Steve Hine of the Department of Employment and Economic Development
11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session
Immediately Following Session
Senate Rules and Administration
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Thomas M. Bakk
Agenda:
S.F. 715-Bonoff: Omnibus higher education bill.
S.F. 845-Schmit: Omnibus agriculture appropriations.
S.F. 53-Reinert: Tax expenditure advisory commission establishment; tax expenditures review and sunset provisions.
S.F. 677-Sieben: Polling place challengers training and additional requirements.
12:30 p.m.
House State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda: HFxxx (Kresha) Additional funding for Minnesota Military Museum (pending introduction on 2/28)
HF525 (Erhardt) Active duty service members allowed to take a peace officer reciprocity examination.
HF150 (Lillie) Prisoner of War – Missing in Action; Congress of the United States memorialized to appoint an independent counsel to investigate the POW/MIA issue.
HF60 (Dettmer) Military retirement pay income tax subtraction phased-in.
HF59 (Dettmer) Military retirement pay income tax subtraction provided.
HF61 (Dettmer) Past military service income tax credit income-based reduction modified.
HF145 (Newton) Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans funding provided for continued outreach to homeless veterans and those in danger of homelessness in Minnesota, and money appropriated.
HF371 (Newton) Veterans service office grant program modified, and money appropriated.
HF532 (Wills) Veterans job tax credit provided.
HF533 (Bernardy) Veterans job tax credit provided.
HF851 (Wills) Veterans jobs tax credit provided.
HF62 (Dettmer) Past military service tax credit eligibility modified
3:00 p.m.
House in Session
3:30 p.m.
House Energy Policy
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Melissa Hortman
Agenda: HF880 (Hornstein) Renewable energy standard increased and extended to 2030, solar energy standard established, renewable energy projects exempted from the certificate of need process, uniform reporting required of rate impacts of meeting the renewable energy standard, and treatment and trading of renewable energy credits modified
3:00 p.m.
Senate Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Dan Sparks
Agenda:
S.F. 658-Dziedzic: Labor and industry commissioner authority to issue compliance orders for violations of misrepresentations of employment relationships.
S.F. 613-Scalze: Public facilities authority provisions modifications; wastewater treatment projects total maximum daily load grants reorganization; small community wastewater treatment grant requirements modification.
S.F. 640-Hoffman, J.: Trade policy advisory group establishment.
S.F. 644-Tomassoni: Employment support services for persons with mental illness modifications and appropriation.
S.F. 352-Bonoff: Minnesota Film and TV board appropriations and film production jobs program oversight transfer to department of employment of economic development (DEED).
S.F. 730-Bonoff: Small business investment credit modification.
Tuesday, March 5
8:15 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Paul Marquart
Agenda: HF247 (Mariani) Integration revenue replacement advisory task force recommendations implemented, and integration revenue repurposed by establishing the “Achievement and Integration for Minnesota” program to increase student performance and equitable educational opportunities and prepare all students to be effective citizens
HF895 (Marquart) Referendum equalization revenue calculation obsolete language removed.
10:00 a.m.
House Government Operations
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Michael V. Nelson
Agenda:
HF414 (Hornstein) April designated as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month.
HF310 (Moran) Cultural and Ethnic Leadership Communities Council for the Department of Human Services created.
HF84 (Lesch) Dog and cat breeder licensing and inspection provided for, and money appropriated.
HF789 (Dorholt) Open Education Resource Council established, and money appropriated.
HF834 (Fischer) Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee sunset date extended.
HF83 (Freiberg) Tenant remedies provided, single point of contact and various notice provisions provided relating to mortgage foreclosures, mortgage foreclosure dual tracking prohibited, and mandatory mediation required prior to commencing a mortgage foreclosure.
HF462 (Poppe) Cellulosic ethanol production goal sunset date provided, definitions established, ethanol minimum content requirement converted to a biofuel requirement, petroleum replacement goal expanded, biofuels task force required, and E20 mandate language repealed.
HF441 (Hilstrom) Employees and officers of local public pension plans required to report unlawful actions to the state auditor.
HF796 (Davnie) Minneapolis and St. Paul; process provided for joint governance of entertainment facilities.
HF477 (Davnie) Adult high school diploma requirements standardized, and advisory task force established.
HF624 (Rosenthal) House of representatives district boundaries adjusted within senate district 49, and obsolete district description repealed.
HF669 (Simonson) Statewide Radio Board expanded and updated to include the latest emergency communication technologies, Statewide Radio Board authorized to elect to become a statewide emergency communication board, tribal governments included in regional board structure, and comprehensive authority provided under board to address all emergency communications.
HF697 (Mullery) Homeless Youth Task Force established.
HF738 (Isaacson) Metropolitan Council miscellaneous technical corrections made, and obsolete language removed and modified.
HF765 (Laine) Office of Collaboration and Dispute Management created in the Bureau of Mediation Services, and money appropriated.
HF1028 (Loeffler) Hennepin Soil and Water Conservation District discontinued and duties transferred.
10:00 a.m.
House Education Policy
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: HF688 (Winkler) Schools allowed to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors, and immunity from liability provided.
HF957 (Dettmer) School construction near former landfills prohibited, and notice required for schools located near former landfills.
HF361 (Slocum) Education provided in care and treatment settings, and money appropriated.
HF166 (Slocum) Resident pupils temporarily placed in a care and treatment center allowed to continue participation in district extracurricular activities.
3:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Terri E. Bonoff
Agenda:
Community Partners:
Citizens League – Presentation by Sean Kershaw, Executive Director
Center for Policy Studies – Presentation by Curtis Johnson, Senior Fellow
S.F. 899-Bonoff: Labor market information publication by employment and economic development department (DEED) requirement; Minnesota state colleges and universities (MnSCU) labor market use and dissemination requirement; workforce center credential assistance servic.
S.F. 721-Wiklund: Minnesota state colleges and universities (MnSCU) undecided students assistance requirement.
S.F. 518-Clausen: Higher education workforce development plan and mental health issues summit requirement.
Wednesday, March 6
12:30 p.m.
House State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Murphy
Agenda: HF112 (Hansen) Mighty Ducks grant for new or renovated air handling systems of indoor ice facilities funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF868 (Hansen) Mighty Ducks grant funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF98 (Sundin) Big Lake Sanitary District public infrastructure funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF117 (Gunther) Truman; storm water project funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF822 (Simonson) Spirit Mountain Recreation Area Authority water facilities funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF172 (Peppin) State budget documents required to include federal contingency planning, and federal fund loss report required.
HF94 (Anderson) Fiscal year 2013 general fund surplus use restricted.
HF845 (Schoen) State employees whose dependent coverage was denied pursuant to an audit reimbursed for insurance costs.
HF756 (McNamara) State employees reimbursed for insurance costs.
Thursday, March 7
8:15 a.m.
House Capital Investment
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Alice Hausman
Agenda: Debt service guidelines update, Minnesota Management and Budget
Informational-only hearing: HF409 (Norton) Medical center development authority established and organization, powers, and duties provided for; medical center development districts provided for; bonds and state assistance authorized; tax increment financing provided for within a medical center development district; funding provided; bonds issued; and money appropriated. (only provisions under the committee’s jurisdiction)
Amateur Sports Commission bonding update
3:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Terri E. Bonoff
Agenda:
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
edX – Presentation by Anant Agarwal, President
S.F. 548-Miller: Free educational, instructional, and training courses regulation exemption.
S.F. 824-Eken: Open educational resource council establishment and appropriation.
Bill Introductions
Please see the attached spreadsheet for the most recent higher education bill introductions.
Thank you.
Melissa Fahning, (651) 201-1757
melissa.fahning@so.mnscu.edu
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