Mandate reduction bill heard; Reforms to be discussed

Yesterday at the Capitol

The House Higher Education Policy and Finance committee heard HF 849 yesterday, a bill introduced by Committee Chair Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, that attempts to eliminate mandates in statute. Nornes said as committee chair he has been looking for relief from mandates this session and chose to eliminate four that include; the prohibition of higher education institutions entering into agreements with credit card companies to market to undergraduate students; the mandate that requires notice to be provided to students regarding possible impact of obtaining a job in certain fields for students with a criminal record; the requirement that to the extent possible bookstores sell clothing made in America; and the requirement that a public employer, including the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, is prohibited from knowingly purchasing or acquiring , furnishing, or requiring an employee to purchase or wear while on duty, any items not made in America.

The bill was amended to remove the repealer of the mandate that requires notice to be provided to students regarding possible impact of obtaining a job in certain fields for students with a criminal record, and was then laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.


Today at the Capitol

At 3:00 p.m. today, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, Majority Leader Matt Dean, Representatives Keith Downey, Tara Mack, Tim Sanders and Joyce Peppin will hold a news conference to highlight reform efforts.

8:00 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Morrie Lanning
Agenda: HF2 (Banaian) Zero-based budgeting required, and sunset advisory commission and sunset process established for state agencies.
Minnesota House of Representatives budget overview
General Fund Budget overviews by:
Teachers Retirement Association (TRA)
Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS)
Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA)
Governor’s Office budget overview

10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda:
S.F. 694-Tomassoni: Opportunities industrialization centers appropriation.
S.F. 783-Lillie: Enterprise Minnesota, Inc. small business growth acceleration program grant appropriation.
S.F. 803-Howe: Small business loan guarantee program establishment and appropriation
S.F. 800-Harrington: St. Paul summer youth employment program appropriation
S.F. 761-Torres Ray: Neighborhood development center appropriation.
S.F. 790-Metzen: Small business investment tax credit provisions modifications.

12:00 PM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda:
HF945 (Petersen) Teacher licensure, evaluations, and tenure modified.
HF1029 (Kelly) Board of Teaching funding provided from the special revenue fund for activities associated with licensure by portfolio.
HF669 (Loon) Early childhood education scholarship finance system created, early education worker training and retainment tax credits provided, early childhood education programming quality improved, and money appropriated.

1:00 PM
Senate Local Government and Elections
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Ray Vandeveer
Agenda:
S.F. 509-Limmer: Voter photo identification requirement; picture identification issuance provisions; provisional balloting procedure establishment; electronic polling place roster use requirement; recount procedure enacting; appropriating money.
S.F. 479-Howe: Voter photo identification and issuance requirement; picture identification and issuance at no charge; provisional balloting procedure establishment.

1:00 PM
Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Mike Parry
Agenda:
S.F. 805-Hann: Public employees health insurance program modification.
S.F. 755-Lillie: Federal offset program; revenue commissioner authority to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the federal government for collection of unpaid debts.
S.F. 811-Thompson: State employee group insurance plan (SEGIP) dependent eligibility verification audit services proposals and contract requirement.
S.F. 798-Jungbauer: State real estate lease evaluation services contract requirement; state lease cancellation length of time for notice modification.

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda:
Governor's education finance bill
S.F. 618-Hann: Learn-to-read grant program; general education access grants; compensatory revenue repeal; appropriation.

4:30 PM
House in Session

Looking Ahead

Thursday, March 17

10:15 AM
House Government Operations and Elections Committee
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Joyce Peppin
Agenda:
HF1041 (Mack) State employee suggestion system for making state government less costly or more efficient established.
HF962 (Howes) Municipal tobacco license suspensions for sales to minors limited upon compliance with requirements.
HF681 (Downey) Minnesota pay for performance pilot program established, funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF1074 (Westrom) Advisory Committee for Technology Standards for Accessibility and Usability expiration date extended, advisory committee codified, and money appropriated.

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda:
HF1130 (Nornes) Student record and data use provided.
HF1133 (Vogel) Undergraduate stable tuition rate provided.
HF560 (Downey) Government agency energy forward pricing mechanisms provisions modified.

12:30 PM
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther
Agenda: Presentation from Elim Transitional Housing, INC.
*Additional items may be added to the agenda*
HF872 (Anderson) African Development Center training and program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF667 (Mahoney) Conservation Corps Minnesota statewide job skills development program grant administration money appropriated.
HF112 (Barrett) Taylors Falls; border city development zone powers established, and money appropriated.
HF1076 (LeMieur) Administrative, rulemaking, enforcement, and safety and health provisions modified.
HF1037 (Sanders) Department of Employment and Economic Development required to issue an unemployment compensation payment and business intelligence contract proposals request.
HF1110 (Mahoney) Small business investment tax credit provisions modified.

12:30 PM
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda: HF1078 (Garofalo) Perpich Center for Arts Education status changed from a state agency to a charter school.
HF1056 (Davnie) Targeted family outreach activities grant program created and money appropriated.
HF558 (Downey) Graduation-Required Assessment for Diploma mathematics exception removed.
HF947 (Erickson) Alternative teacher pay system modified.

3:00 PM
House in Session