Week in Review Feb. 24-28

Action on the House Floor picked up this week with a couple of bills receiving a bipartisan OK from the chamber.

On a 130-3 vote, the House passed HF72 to prohibit any organization that receives state funding from making political contributions or expending money for a political purpose. But bill passage on the floor is still rare. Of note, the House failed to garner the needed 68 votes for HF21, which would require a three-fifths supermajority by the House and Senate to extend a peacetime emergency beyond 14 days.

Bills again brought the crowds to the Capitol to testify before committees. The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee meeting room was filled as it heard a couple of divisive bills this week. The committee approved HF13 to allow a person to use reasonable force in self-defense regardless of whether they have a reasonable possibility to retreat and laid over HF435 to require only inmates born as female to be housed at the state’s only women’s prison in Shakopee.

Have a great weekend, and here’s a look at what happened in the House this past week:

AGRICULTURE

Avian flu surge, other issues prompts call for more emergency agriculture funding

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18526

BONDING

Minnesota Zoo seeks state funds for upgraded animal care facility

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18516

EDUCATION

Minnesota tutoring tax credit plagued by fraud, bill sponsor says

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18519

Lawmakers seek solutions to high child care costs in Minnesota

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18521

Lawmakers consider funding for culinary career prep in schools

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18524

SHIELD Act proposes security grants for Minnesota schools

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18530

ELECTIONS

Minnesota legislators consider shift to bipartisan redistricting commission

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18510

Legislation aims to clear voter confusion over election mailings

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18527

House passes bill to bar state-funded organizations from making political contributions

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18538

EMPLOYMENT

Program seeks $1.5 million to help bridge health care workforce gap

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18514

ENERGY

House bill seeks to expand ‘carbon-free’ energy definition to include burning wood waste

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18518

Energy panel advances bill to recycle wind, solar waste

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18536

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Coalition pushes legislation targeting waste left on Minnesota’s frozen lakes

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18517

Responsible foraging on state lands subject of potential task force

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18537

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Proposed grant program aims to prevent rural ambulance services from going further into red

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18511

House committee digs into who should pay for care evaluation coverage

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18525

Bill would unleash dog training volunteers from some HOA restrictions

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18531

Amendment saves new nursing home standards board from chopping block

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18534

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local governments seek funds for cybersecurity amid rising threats

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18533

PUBLIC SAFETY

Bill seeks to ban transgender inmates from state women’s prison

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18522

Improved training for identifying signs of child maltreatment, abuse goal of House bill

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18528

Divided public safety committee approves bill broadening self-defense rights

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18532

STATE GOVERNMENT

House oversight panel targets child care fraud after reports of misuse

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18508

House GOP bill would shift emergency authority from governor to Legislature

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18523

Bill to change MN emergency powers falls short in House

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18539

TAXES

Bill would offer Minnesota companies different way of earning research tax credit

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18515

Proposed tax credit for construction materials aimed at boosting Minnesota homebuilding

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18520

House panel mulls modifying tax breaks to include state’s largest data centers

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18535

TRANSPORTATION

House bill proposes earlier driver’s test booking, heftier cancellation penalties

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18509

Bill to halt new light rail projects stalls on House Floor

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18512

End of the line for faltering Northstar Commuter Rail service could be in sight

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18513

Transportation committee votes to repeal clean care rules before expiration

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18529