Week in Review: March 15-19

If long days at the Legislature are taking their toll, take heart because you can choose from several reasons to celebrate this weekend. Today is the second committee deadline and it’s also the last official day of winter. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, nearly 60 degrees and, with last week’s time change, you’ll have an hour more daylight to enjoy it.

Committee activity is also beginning to wind down as the meeting schedule next week — for now — is notably lighter than it has been for the last month or so. But there is plenty going on Monday with two meetings (the capital investment committee and property tax division) that begin at 8:30 a.m. followed by the ways and means committee at 10:30 a.m.

There are three more meetings planned after lunch, all at 1 p.m. The agriculture committee has four bills on its agenda including HF670 that would ban the sale and use of chlorpyrifos. The health finance and policy committee is scheduled to hear three bills including HF2113 which would establish requirements for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and the workforce committee is to hear two bills that include HF1342, the omnibus workforce and business development finance bill.

There is also the usual Monday 3:30 p.m. floor session, and three bills on the Calendar for the Day.

House budget targets are scheduled to be unveiled Tuesday.

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

AGRICULTURE

Regulations on small meat processors catering to hunters could be eliminated

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15805

Meat inspections, pesticide management would get boost under omnibus agriculture finance bill

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15787

BUSINESS AND COMMERCE

Grants to counties could assist small businesses in recovery from COVID-19

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15803

CIVIL LAW

Interpreter pay increase aims to assist in assuring court system fairness

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15819

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

State officials, lawmakers give Launch Minnesota program A+ on mid-term report card

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15822

'Long-standing structural inequities' the target of Women of Color Opportunity Act

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15804

Economic development panel OKs $120 million for rural broadband expansion

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15800

$15 million in matching funds proposed for minority-owned businesses

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15785

EDUCATION

Sanneh Foundation mentoring program could receive ongoing state funding

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15814

Grant program aims to support young adults with learning differences and autism

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15808

Educators paying out-of-pocket for school supplies could get additional tax relief

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15806

Seeking to aid post-COVID catch-up, House panel approves summer school funding bill

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15799

Eligibility for substitute teaching licenses could be expanded

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15786

ELECTIONS
Candidates with ‘reasonable fear’ may be able to keep their home address private

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15789

EMPLOYMENT

DFL lawmaker renews push to ensure disabled workers earn minimum wage

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15821

Benefits for injured police officers would be studied under bill advancing in House

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15809

ENERGY

Natural gas utilities could go local with alternative sources

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15813

Lawmakers seek way to soften blow of spikes in price of natural gas

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15810

Closed landfills could go solar if pilot project flies

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15791

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Funding boost requested to fill statewide gaps in mental health services

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15802

DFL bill to cap copays on drugs for chronic diseases clears committee along party lines

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15797

Teachers included in proposed funding increase for school-linked mental health grants

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15792

HIGHER EDUCATION

Lawmakers elect four new U of M regents during joint House, Senate session

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15788

HOUSING

Single-family home repair funds could be allocated to rural cities

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15812

Bill could boost temporary housing program for low-income people with mental illnesses

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15793

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public safety panel OKs measure to keep parolees out of jail for minor probation violations

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15820

House passes bill to permit MN to enforce Canadian orders for protection

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15818

Working group urged to study training practices, certification for 911 dispatchers

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15816

Bill would boost ‘woefully inadequate’ funds for crime victims by $8 million

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15794

RECREATION AND TOURISM

Minnesota Zoo could get another state funding boost

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15817

Tourism businesses could receive grants to help with post-pandemic marketing

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15795

STATE GOVERNMENT

Long-standing partnership between state, tribal nations could become state law

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15811

TAXES

Whether you rent or own your home, your tax refund could grow

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15807

State lawmakers could make four MN tax credits bigger — and simpler

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15798

TRANSPORTATION

Committee considers a boost in funding — and a revamp — to Corridors of Commerce program

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15815

New proposal targets drivers who ignore school bus stop-arms

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/Story/15796