Voter ID bill passes Senate; Higher Education conference committee set to meet

Yesterday at the Capitol

The Senate passed the voter ID bill yesterday by a partisan vote of 37-26. The bill would amend statute to require all Minnesota residents to present photo ID when voting. Author of the bill Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said the legislation would modernize the state voting system and bring back integrity. In the House, the most recent stop for the companion bill was a hearing in Civil Law committee yesterday. The bill now awaits action by the full body. The more recent bill, which puts to the voters a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution requiring voters to present photo ID when voting, will be heard today in the House Government Operations and Elections committee.

A higher education conference committee has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 3 at 1:00 p.m. Conferees are expected to take public testimony.

Today at the Capitol

At 10:00 a.m. today, legislative leaders will hold their weekly media availabilities to talk about the week and look ahead to next week.

8:15 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Morrie Lanning
Agenda:
HF174 (Peppin) Department of Revenue required to issue a request for proposals for a tax analytics and business intelligence contract.
HF182 (Beard) State and local water management study required.
HF1332 (Hansen) Legislative auditor governing provisions modified.
HF1579 (McFarlane) Counties given authority to provide for general welfare, and alternative service delivery pilot program for waivers established.

8:30 AM
House Government Operations and Elections
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Joyce Peppin
Agenda: HF1544 (Kiel) Marshall County; process provided for making county offices appointive.
HF1097 (McNamara) Land acquisition by exchange provided; peatland protection, recreational vehicle enforcement provisions, local recreation grant cash match requirement, and Mineral Coordinating Committee modified; Blakeley State Wayside repealed, and money appropriated.
HF1532 (Simon) Secretary of state duties imposed, and lists of registrants with challenged voting statuses due to felony convictions required.
HF1597 (Kiffmeyer) Voters required to present photographic identification, photographic identification provided to voters at no charge, equal verification standards required for all voters, and constitutional amendment proposed.

9:00 AM
Senate Health and Human Services
*Note: Committee will recess for an hour at noon and reconvene at 1:00 p.m. in Room 123, Capitol
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. David W. Hann
Agenda:
Social Costs of Casino Gaming Informational Hearing
S.F. 731-Hann: Nursing facility rate equalization phase out.
S.F. 477-Howe: Food, beverage, and lodging establishment statutory governance exemptions modifications.
S.F. 1212-Brown: Adult children of deceased person patient definition addition.
S.F. 1201-Senjem: Dental therapists practice provisions modifications.
S.F. 1169-Hann: Special family day care homes licensure classification expansion.
S.F. 1170-Hann: Case management and personal care assistance services appeals conference requirement.

12:00 PM
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: 10 State Office Building
Agenda: Organizational Meeting
Election of 2011-2012 Commission Officers

Looking Ahead

Monday, May 2

10:15 AM
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Liz Holberg
Agenda: HF4 (Downey) State workforce reduction required, and early retirement program created.
HF66 (Drazkowski) Political contribution refund repealed.
HF873 (Garofalo) Education finance obsolete language removed.
HF874 (Garofalo) Education finance obsolete language removed.
HF1230 (Fabian) State land disposition of receipts modified; state parks, state recreation areas, state forests, and state wildlife management areas added to and deleted from; Mississippi River management plan modified; and public and private sales and conveyances authorized for certain state lands.
HF1234 (Downey) Commissioner of administration required to issue a request for proposals and enter into a contract for strategic sourcing consulting services.
HF632 (Howes) Maintenance plumbers licensed, and fees modified.
HF210 (Kiffmeyer) Voter picture identification required before receiving a ballot, identification cards provided at no charge, provisional ballot procedures established, challenged voter eligibility list created, election administration procedures specified, electronic polling place rosters allowed, electronic polling place roster standards set, electronic roster implementation legislative task force created, recount procedures enacted, and money appropriated.

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Transportation Policy and Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Michael Beard
Agenda: HF1283 (Hackbarth) Recreational vehicle operating provisions modified, dual registration of off-highway motorcycles provided, and special vehicle use on roadways modified.
SF67 (Nornes) Waterfront structure transportation on trunk highways authorized with annual special permits.
HF232 (Kriesel) Gold star license plates eligibility expanded to surviving legal guardians and siblings.
SF478 (Shimanski) Disability motorcycle plate provided.
HF1036 (Sanders) State passenger vehicle fleet management and consolidation provided.
HF977(Cornish) State Patrol prohibited from closing or consolidating dispatch centers.

1:00 PM
Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans
Chair: Sen. Mike Parry
Agenda:
H.F. 786-Daley: Charitable organizations financial statement modifications and compensation information reporting requirements.
S.F. 878-Higgins: Honorary military service prior offense presumption of rehabilitation.
S.F. 904-Lillie: State depositories bond requirements modifications.
H.F. 1362-Lillie: Workers' Compensation Advisory Council recommendations adopted.
S.F. 1283-Benson: State Capitol complex security advisory committee creation; state patrol protection to government officials authorization.

1:00 PM
Conference Committee on S.F. 1030: K-12 education omnibus bill
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chairs: Sen. Gen Olson and Rep. Pat Garofalo
CONFEREES:
SENATE: Olson; Nelson; Thompson; Kruse; Wolf
HOUSE: Garofalo; Kelly; Doepke; Fabian; Erickson
Agenda: Review Literacy Initiatives

3:00 PM
House in Session


Tuesday, May 3

1:00 PM
Conference Committee on H.F. 1101: higher education omnibus bill
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chairs: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach and Rep. Bud Nornes
CONFEREES:
SENATE: Fischbach; Robling; Senjem; Carlson; Brown
HOUSE: Nornes; Dettmer; Daudt; Hancock; Mazorol
Agenda: Public testimony on H.F. 1101-Fischbach: Omnibus higher education appropriations and policy provisions modification.

2:30 PM
Legislative Audit Commission - Topic Selection Subcommittee
Room: 112 State Capitol
Chair: Sen. Roger Reinert
Agenda: Working session to select 5 - 6 evaluation topics for
consideration by the full Legislative Audit Commission

3:30 PM
Legislative Audit Commission
Room: 112 State Capitol
Chairs: Rep. Michael Beard, Sen. Roger Reinert
Agenda: Approve Evaluation Topics for 2011