Week in Review ending April 3, 2009

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

The Capital Investment Committee passed H.F. 855, the 2009 Capital Investment Bill, which provides $200 million in General Obligation bonding.

COMMERCE & LABOR

The Commerce Committee passed a bill (HF 1056-Howes) to assure that electricians, plumbers and other subcontractors get paid in a timely manner. It also passed the annual Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill (HF 1678-Nelson).

CULTURAL AND OUTDOOR RESOURCES

The Omnibus Finance Bill was presented on Wednesday. It cuts $12 million from the Historical Society, Arts Board, Amateur Sports Commission, Humanities Commission, and ethnic councils to contribute toward balancing the state budget.

EDUCATION — EARLY CHILDHOOD

The Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division heard a bill requiring the Departments of Human Services and Education to create an inventory of early childhood services.

EDUCATION — K-12 POLICY & OVERSIGHT

On a 13-9 roll-call vote, the K-12 Education Policy & Oversight Committee passed the “Safe Schools for All Bill” (HF 1198-Davnie).

EDUCATION — K-12 EDUCATION FINANCE

The committee heard a number of bills for possible inclusion in the forthcoming Omnibus K-12 Finance Budget Bill.

ENERGY

The Energy Committee passed its Omnibus Policy bill and its Omnibus Finance bill. The Policy bill (HF 863-Hilty) includes many different bills, including bills that: 1) encourage Xcel Energy’s interest in investing more in solar energy, 2) support the development of small, renewable energy projects, and 3) allow utilities to provide rebates to customers who install solar thermal facilities.

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES FINANCE DIVISION

The committee heard a number of bills that carry requests for funding from the new Parks and Trails Fund and the Clean Water Fund, as well as funding for the Environment Bill.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES POLICY & OVERSIGHT

The Policy Committee finished off its work for the Session with many significant bills.

The Committee passed a bill (HF 1002– Murphy, E.) to create a new, high-tech nursing curriculum at the College of St. Catherine and the College of St. Scholastica.

Another bill (HF 504 – Kahn) passed by the Committee would establish a heart disease risk screening program for uninsured women.

The Committee also passed (HF 657 – Thissen) to create a critical access nursing home designation for very remote rural nursing homes.

Lastly, the Committee rejected a bill based on Article 6 of the Governor’s budget (HF 1571 – Abeler) that would have made significant changes to Minnesota’s county-based child welfare funding formula.

On Thursday, the Committee passed a huge Omnibus Continuing Care Policy Bill (HF 1760 – Thissen).

HEALTH CARE AND HUMAN SERVICES FINANCE

The Committee passed a bill (HF 8 – Simon) to implement important and highly cost-effective measures for preventing fraud and false claims in Minnesota’s Medicaid system.

PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY & OVERSIGHT

The Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee heard the Primary Seatbelt Bill [HF 108 – Norton] on Thursday. The Committee voted on a divided voice vote to remove the provisions in the bill related to data collection by law enforcement.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, REFORM, TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTIONS

The Committee and Local Government Division overwhelmingly passed HF 1849 (Nelson), the Omnibus Local Government Mandate Relief Bill.

The Committee also passed HF 1137 (Hilty), the Secretary of State’s Recount Bill. The bill addresses several issues in response to the US Senate recount. The bill: (1) lowers the threshold for triggering an administrative recount, (2) requires that candidates request all recounts in writing, and (3) clarifies the types of distinguishing marks that void a ballot.

Finally, HF 512 (Simon), the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, was defeated on a tie vote. The bill established a contract among states that, when triggered, would have used the Electoral College system to guarantee the presidential candidate winning the national popular vote would also win the Electoral College and the Presidency. Debate on the bill was covered by many media outlets, and the bill received bipartisan support and opposition.

TAXES & PROPERTY TAX DIVISION

This week, the Tax Committee heard a presentation of the Governor’s 21st Century Tax Commission. The Commission has proposed $1 billion in tax cuts for businesses, which it pays for with a $1 a pack cigarette tax increase and expansion of the sales tax base.

Property & Local Sales Tax Division:

The Property Tax Division released the Division Report on Monday. The center piece of the report was the new County Option Revenue Reform proposal. The reform initiative gives all counties the option of imposing a 1/2 cent sales tax, subject to a reverse referendum, rather than raising property taxes to recoup cuts in state aid proposed by the Governor. Counties choosing this revenue option would retain a portion of county aid, aid payments would be adjusted to equalize for varying sales tax capacity between the counties, and roughly 50% of new revenues would go to eliminate property tax increases that would occur under the Governor’s proposal. The bill contains cuts to LGA, CPA and the MVHS program, but it also beefs up the Property Tax Refund program, and provides more accountability, efficiency and transparency for property tax payers and local units of government.

The Snapshot is a weekly edition to the blog. It is intended to provide constituents with a glimpse of major pieces of legislation or legislative activity that was discussed in committee(s) during the previous week. For those of you that would like more in-depth coverage of information you can refer to the House website.