Legislature Looking Ahead to Third Deadline
With the first round of legislative deadlines behind them, the Minnesota Legislature is on a short Easter break, returning April 2. The next three weeks will include short intermissions for Eid and Passover as the legislature works towards the third committee deadline on April 19th, the date by which committees must act favorably on major appropriation or finance bills.
Marking the halfway point in the 2024 legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature will return with roughly seven weeks to complete their work, including the passage of a biennial capital investment and infrastructure package. Committees will continue to hear bills over the next three weeks as they consider various supplemental appropriations and related policy changes.
Gov. Walz Delivers State of the State Address
On Wednesday evening, Gov. Tim Walz traveled to Owatonna High School in south central Minnesota to deliver his sixth State of the State address. During his address, Walz touted numerous legislative accomplishments from the 2023 legislative session in an effort to highlight the impact of Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s “trifecta” in anticipation of November’s election. Focusing on education funding, free school lunches, investment in public infrastructure, and paid leave programs, Walz centered much of the discussion on Minnesota’s future. He also highlighted legislative enactments focused on reproductive health as well as background checks and “red flag” laws for gun ownership.
Republican leaders, including Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman David Hann, responded with criticism of the significant increases in state spending passed by the DFL legislature in the last session. They also critiqued the governor for what Chairman Hann called “increased partisanship” and a “permanent campaign for higher office.”
Supplemental Budget Bill Making Progress
Last week the House Ways and Means Committee adopted on a party line vote, the supplemental budget resolution memorializing the “joint budget targets” previously released by Gov. Walz and legislative leaders. The budget resolution would call for increased spending totaling $512 million, including approximately $53 million in tax aids and credits, $43 million in education spending, $42.13 million more for human services, $36 million for judiciary, and almost $31.46 million for one-time educator pension contributions.
Other Key Bills Moving Through Committee
Several significant proposals advanced through the committee process this past week, including:
H.F. 4757 (Stephenson) / S.F. 4782 (Port) would make changes to the cannabis law passed last session. Brought forward by the newly created Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), this proposal would provide clarity on the new licensing processes, the transfer of the state’s medical cannabis program from the Minnesota Department of Health to the OCM, and some additional technical “fixes” to the 2023 legalization law. The proposal was heard in and passed by the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee and the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee last week.
H.F. 3766 (Hanson) / S.F. 4734 (Oumou-Verbeten) would change the number of cannabis plants an individual enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis program can grow and who can grow them. The bill would allow medical cannabis patients to possess 16 plants, and transfer half of their allotment to a registered designated caregiver approved to assist patients enrolled in the medical cannabis program. The House Commerce Committee heard the bill last week and laid it over for possible inclusion in a cannabis omnibus bill.
H.F. 3335 (Hicks) / S.F. 3984 (Boldon) would require the Department of Human Services to issue a request for proposals by Aug. 1, 2024, for the design, implementation, and administration of a continuous improvement study of access to disability services. It would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2025 for the study. The proposal is intended to collect the information needed to improve accessibility of services for individuals with disabilities. The bill was heard in the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee and was laid over for possible inclusion in a supplemental appropriations bill.
HF 3947 (Nelson) / S.F. 3852 (McEwen) would seek to address several employment-related issues. This bill is the Labor and Industry Policy Omnibus bill that is made up of smaller bills introduced by members and heard in the House Labor Committee. It passed the House Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee last week and is headed to the House floor for a vote. A version of the bill also passed the Senate Labor Committee and is on the Senate floor for a vote as well.
The following are selected bills that have been incorporated in part or in whole into the labor and industry policy bill:
S.F. 3994 (Champion) / H.F. 3527 (Greenman) would make changes to voting laws and is titled the “Minnesota Voting Rights Act.” The bill prohibits political subdivisions or other governmental officials or entities responsible for election administration from taking actions that result in voter suppression or vote dilution and establishes a right of action to enforce the newly established laws. S.F. 3527 was passed by the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee last week.
Important Dates to Remember
April 2, 2024 at 12pm Easter Recess Ends
April 9, 2024 at 5pm Eid Recess Begins
April 11, 2024 at 12pm Eid Recess Ends
April 19, 2024 Third Deadline
April 22, 2024 Passover Recess Begins
April 24, 2024 at 12pm Passover Recess Ends
May 20, 2024 Deadline to Adjourn Legislative Session
