Lots of ground was covered this week with bills heard on subjects as varied as doxing, therapy dogs, rainbows, roadable aircraft and carbon capture, to name just a few. A bipartisan fix to clarify the rules governing school resource officers was also passed off the House Floor.
We are now two weeks from the first committee deadline, by when committees must act favorably on bills that are not major appropriations or finance bills. That could well mean some evening and/or Friday hearings during the next fortnight.
And an early reminder that Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, so don’t forget to set your clocks ahead and alter your sleep schedule, or not, accordingly.
Have a good weekend and here’s a look back at what happened over the past week.
AGRICULTURE
Tax incentives offered as possible solution to nitrate contamination on SE Minnesota farmland
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18130
BUSINESS AND COMMERCE
Commerce panel OKs bill proposing to ‘put some guardrails' on social media algorithms
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18121
CIVIL LAW
Anti-doxing bill to protect judges clears judiciary panel
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18147
CONSUMERS
Proposed ban on flavored tobacco products moves ahead in House
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18127
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
With civic competition fierce, local officials seek funds to secure more world-class sporting events
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18135
EDUCATION
Funding boost sought to boot up additional high school computer science courses
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18149
Proposal aims to help high school coaches prevent eating disorders among students
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18141
House passes — by wide margin — bill clarifying use-of-force rules for school resource officers
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18120
ELECTIONS
‘Minnesota Voting Rights Act’ seeks to guarantee equal opportunity at the ballot box
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18132
EMPLOYMENT
Legislation calls for state’s larger employers to include salary ranges in job postings
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18151
House labor panel approves bill to bar businesses from misclassifying employees
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18129
Judiciary panel spotlights ‘shadow’ non-compete clauses, approves bill to close loophole
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18125
ENERGY
Bill sponsor says proposal could make Minnesota ‘carbon negative’
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18133
Minneapolis building could go from zero to geothermal with funding boost
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18128
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Plan to replace MN’s aging electronic waste recycling program gains environmental committee’s OK
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18142
FAMILY
Funding kinship care a priority for children and families committee
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18124
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Lawmakers aim to tap Medicaid for novel nutrition, prisoner health care programs
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18152
To earn or not to earn: House health committee debates HMOs in Minnesota
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18150
Proposal would raise ‘age of delinquency’ by three years
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18145
Bill to mandate abortion coverage by health care plans clears commerce panel
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18140
More beds for civilly committed individuals would be afforded under bill
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18136
Bipolar disorder and psychoses treatment focus of bill to establish support program
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18119
HIGHER EDUCATION
Student grant program could soon see red ink, higher education officials say
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18146
HOUSING
Corporations, developers could be prohibited from purchasing single-family homes for conversion to rentals
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18138
Low-income seniors ask lawmakers to change rent control calculations
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18131
Legislation seeks $500 million in housing infrastructure bonds to help meet state’s affordable housing deficit
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18118
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
New veterans cemetery proposed for NW Minnesota under bill that advances in House
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18117
PUBLIC SAFETY
Funds for more four-legged friends could help MN law enforcement, victims deal with trauma
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18126
STATE GOVERNMENT
Handful of public employee group compensation plans clear state government committee
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18144
Don’t go banning rainbows, says sponsor of bill that clears local government committee
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18123
TAXES
House panel approves corporate tax fix
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18148
Full disclosure? Bill would require it of top-earning corporations
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18139
What’s a land bank and should it pay property taxes? House tax panel weighs in
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18134
TRANSPORTATION
House transportation panel ponders ground rules for flying cars
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18143
Cross-Range expressway would memorialize ‘Defender of the Range’
https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18122