House passes HF 2624 to fund water related research and related online education

Yesterday at the Capitol

On the House floor yesterday, members debated the annual bill that funds projects based on recommendations from the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Lawmakers passed the bill by a vote of 91-39. Of the more than 240 proposals submitted to the commission, the bill, HF 2624, appropriates funding for approximately one-fifth of the submitted projects. The funding comes primarily from the state lottery’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Included in the list of projects in the House bill is $340,000 to the University of Minnesota in cooperation with St. Cloud State University to determine the chemical and biological fate of phytoestrogens in surface waters and the impacts on fish. Also in the bill is $594,000 to the commissioner of health for department activities and for an agreement with the U.S. Geologic Survey in cooperation with St. Cloud State University to develop quantitative data on septic system discharge of estrogenic and pharmaceutical compounds and assess septic and watershed influences on levels of contamination and biological responses in Minnesota lakes. And $124,000 is included in the bill for the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota State University, Mankato to develop online educational materials on the Minnesota River for schools and outreach centers.

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Today at the Capitol

8:30 AM
Senate Education
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
Agenda:

• S.F. 2757-Bonoff: Teaching board teacher preparation and licensure programs authorization.


• S.F. 3104-Saltzman: School and parent conciliation conference requirements clarification.


• S.F. 2698-Koch: Graduation required assessment for diploma (GRAD) retake requirement modification.


• S.F. 3002-Bonoff: School desegregation and integration advisory task force establishment.

8:30 AM
House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda:

• HF2867 (Newton) Child with a disability definition clarified and obligations to children with disabilities specified.


• Presentation by Margaret Bird, the director of Utah's Children's Land Alliance Supporting Schools (CLASS) and Kevin Carter, director of the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration on Utah school trust land governance and land management practices

8:30 AM
House State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Gene Pelowski
Agenda:

• HF3389 (Mahoney) Minnesota Science and Technology authority created, and money appropriated.


• HF3106 (Bigham) Implied consent, driving while impaired, and ignition interlock provisions modified.


• HF3124 (Dill) Aquaculture provisions modified, provisions for taking, possessing, and transporting wild animals modified, fish and wildlife management plans requirements modified, and game and fish license provisions modified.


• HF3475 (Dittrich) Independent agency created to oversee management of Minnesota's permanent school fund lands.


• HF1828 (Hornstein) Municipal comprehensive plan for affordable housing amendments authorized to be approved by a simple majority.


• HF2660 (Thissen) Minnesota Coalition for Innovation and Collaboration created, rule and law waivers provided, and money appropriated.


• HF3055 (Thissen) State-County Results, Accountability, and Service Delivery Redesign Act changes made, and public employee status specified for service delivery units.


• HF2510 (Gardner) Threats of reprisal against a person who is or is considering being a candidate prohibited.

9:00 AM
Joint Senate Finance and Taxes
Room: 15 Capitol
Chairs: Sen. Richard Cohen and Sen. Tom Bakk
Agenda:

• Discussion with David Walker, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Former Comptroller General of the United States, Former head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO)

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda:

• MHEC: Discussion of purchasing and CREST agreements


• Discussion of MnSCU purchasing agreement


• Discussion on salary freezes and furloughs at MnSCU and U of M


• S.F. 2941-Saltzman: 4-H funding procedure modification; county and state fair surcharges authorization; University of Minnesota extension service policy modification for 4-H programs support.

1:00 PM
House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda:

• HF3216 (Masin) Report required on at-risk businesses and a fast-action economic response team created.



• HF3570 (Newton) Loan program expanded to veteran-owned small businesses.



• HF2781 (Obermueller) Labor and industry licensing provisions modified, and license fees modified and imposed.



• HF3324 (Brynaert) Minnesota investment fund expanded, and construction mitigation pilot program grants restriction removed.

2:45 PM
House Capital Investment Finance Division
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Alice Hausman
Agenda:

• Discussion on bonding policy issues

6:30 PM
House Tax Committee
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Ann Lenczewski
Agenda:

• Supplemental Budget

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Looking Ahead

Wednesday, March 17

8:30 AM
House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda:

• HF3421 (Mariani) High school assessments established to determine college and career readiness.

8:30 AM
Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
Agenda:

• S.F. 3045-Wiger: Prekindergarten through grade 12 education policy provisions modifications; general education, education excellence, special programs and early childhood education.


• S.F. 3087-Senjem: Student maltreatment parent notification requirements modifications; disciplined teachers mental health screening requirement; teaching license revocations; mandatory child maltreatment reporting district policy development requirement.


• S.F. 3131-Clark: Early childhood education and care advisory council statewide school readiness report card creation and implementation recommendations.


• S.F. 3119-Rummel: Early childhood education and care advisory council membership and duties modifications.

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House in Session

12:30 PM
Senate State Government Budget Division
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Don Betzold
Agenda:

• S.F. 2858-Robling: State agency deposit receipts amount requirement change; state employee combined charities campaign use of fees clarification.


• S.F. 3096-Robling: State owned buildings disposal process.


• S.F. 2188-Betzold: State webmaster position establishment and appointment; state chief information officer policy and report development requirements.

Thursday, March 18

8:30 AM
House State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Gene Pelowski
Agenda:

• HF2952 (Murphy) State employees retirement plan contribution rates increased,
  interest rates on refunds and certain benefit accrual rates reduced, vesting requirements and early retirement reduction rates increased, and certain amortization periods extended.


• HF3281 (Murphy) Volunteer fire relief associations technical corrections made, break-in-service return revised, Minnesota deferred compensation plan service pension transfers authorized, payout defaults revised in survivor benefits, and corrections of certain special fund deposits authorized.


• Recommendations from the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement.

10:30 AM
House in Session

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda:

• Budget Plan Report (March 15th Report)


• Discussion on absence of federal stimulus funds


• OLA Report on MnSCU Workforce Programs


• S.F. 3205-Bonoff: College textbook price availability to students requirement.

1:00 PM
House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda:

• HF3629 (Poppe) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities reorganized, salaries adjusted, central office established, and age increased for free classes.



• HF3533 (Rukavina) Joint powers agreements may not circumvent or impinge upon the rights of employees covered by certain collective bargaining agreements.
  


• Other bills may be added

2:45 PM
House Education K-12 Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Agenda:

• HF3043 (Kalin) Computer-adaptive assessments provided for general education students.


• HF3267 (Newton) Advisory task force established on school desegregation and integration.


• HF3163 (Mariani) Prekindergarten through grade 12 funding provided, including general education, education excellence, special programs, and early childhood education.