Week in Review: March 8-12

You’ll lose an hour of sleep but also an hour of evening darkness this weekend as daylight saving time begins bright and early (2 a.m.) Sunday morning. So don’t forget to set the clock ahead one hour Saturday night.

On the other hand, if you work in the House you may want to unplug that clock and sleep for as long as possible. With the first committee deadline at hand and the second one next Friday – by when committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other house – long meetings and longer days are now the norm.

That won’t change come Monday when the House and Senate plan to gather together at 6 p.m to elect members of the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. It will be the second meeting of the full House that day, as members also have their usual Monday 3:30 p.m. floor session, although there are no bills on the Calendar for the Day.

Stay up-to-date on House news and updates throughout the week at Session Daily.

But before next week arrives, here’s one more look at what you may have missed this week:

AGRICULTURE

Farmers could receive grants to start co-ops under House proposal

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15764

Seeking to boost state's cottage food industry, sales cap could be increased fourfold

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15743

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

State lawmakers consider ‘coordinated effort’ to help communities when power plants shutter

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15765

EDUCATION

Omnibus education policy bill clears committee along party lines

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15783

Proposal would support the Girl Scouts ConnectZ program

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15775

Early Learning Scholarship program would be fully funded under proposal

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15770

House committee begins work on omnibus education policy bill

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15769

Proposal aims to expand students’ access to support personnel

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15762

Rural school districts could receive more transportation aid to help offset busing costs

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15751

House lawmakers consider amending MN constitution to guarantee all kids a ‘quality public education’

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15745

EMPLOYMENT

Legislation would bar preemptive shifting of negligence-related legal expenses to subcontractors

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15781

Legislation proposes raising bar on training requirements for contract labor at state's refineries

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15767

House panel digs bill aiming to fund online heavy equipment courses

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15758

ENERGY

Increased use of biofuels and electric vehicles the focus of Future Fuels Act

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15772

Community solar programs could become more widely available under House bills

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15752

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Watercraft fee increase resurfaces in House panel

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15779

Additional emissions data on large polluters could be provided to PCA

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15777

Legacy committee hears $127 million proposal for Outdoor Heritage Fund

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15759

Some lawmakers don't think pink passes muster on hunters, look to change 2017 law

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15755

FAMILY

Kinship foster families need more support, advocates say — committee considers how to provide it

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15766

Lawmakers consider boost to MN's child care assistance reimbursement rates

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15748

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Duplicative licensing efforts the target of ‘alternative licensing inspection’ proposal

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15761

Dental home pilot projects could offer alternatives for public health program enrollees

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15757

Lawmaker seeks ‘overdue’ cash assistance for MFIP families

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15749

Elimination of copays for HIV drugs could help end spread of disease

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15744

HIGHER EDUCATION

Facing 'instability and struggle,' grant program could assist students in foster care in quest for college

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15756

HOUSING

Housing panel OKs plan to extend eviction ban beyond emergency pandemic order

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15771

Bill proposes $10 million for matching grants to local housing trust funds

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15750

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Competitive bidding change aims to help more small and veteran-owned businesses

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15778

Municipal street improvement districts green-lighted by House division

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15763

Duluth, Rochester get committee OK for park dedication fee on new development

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15747

PUBLIC SAFETY

Emergency medical personnel could be allowed to help K-9s injured in line of duty

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15782

Limits on ‘no-knock’ warrants advance to House Floor

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15780

Bill would permit more data to be added to police misconduct database

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15776

Public safety panel OKs plan to expand state's ignition interlock program

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15753

STATE GOVERNMENT

Statutory gainsharing program could get heave-ho

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15774

A touchdown for taxpayers? Excess stadium reserve dollars could be funneled into payoff fund

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15746

TAXES

Five years too tight for TIF? How about 10

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15768

House division approves $1.50 per pack cigarette tax hike

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15760

Extra unemployment benefits may not be taxed after all

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15754

TRANSPORTATION

Updates to cycling laws headed to House Floor

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15773