Legislative Update: January 28, 2020

Original article from January 24, 2020

Legislative leaders set 2020 committee deadlines

The Legislature is required to establish by concurrent resolution deadlines for each regular session. The deadlines do not apply to the House committees on Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration, nor to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration.

These deadlines help set parameters for getting bills through the committee process. House and Senate leaders have agreed on the following dates:

• Friday, March 13: Committees must act favorably on bills in the house of origin.
• Friday, March 20: Committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body.
• Friday, April 3: Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.

The final deadline is just prior to the annual Easter/Passover break that is scheduled to begin Saturday, April 4, and go through Monday, April 13.

The 2020 session is scheduled to begin Feb. 11.

Minnesota Climate Action Caucus to hold hearing on climate and higher education

The House DFL Climate Action Caucus is holding a higher education and climate hearing on Friday, January 24 at 10 am in Room 200 of the State Office Building. This meeting will focus on the intersection of climate and the state’s higher education institutions, with an opportunity to hear from Minnesota State, University of Minnesota and private colleges and universities.

Minnesota State participants will include:

• Rose Patzer, Interim Executive Director for the Energy Center (www.energycareersminnesota.com)
• Bruce Peterson, Dean of Minnesota Energy and Industry, Minnesota West Community and Technical College
• Courtney Kowalczak, Environmental Institute Director, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
• Kevin Maki, Faculty & Program Coordinator, Electric Utilities Technology degree program and Clean Energy Technology certificate program, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

You can view the hearing at the below links:

Channels: HTV2; YouTube Live

More information about the Minnesota Climate Action Caucus can be found HERE.