Dear Neighbor,
It’s been another busy week at the Capitol, with most of the focus on getting committee work with informational meetings and preliminary bill hearings in the mix.
One committee presentation we heard this week concerns the federal electric vehicle infrastructure program. MnDOT, mainly utilizing federal money, is planning to install fast charging stations along the two interstate highways in Minnesota, I-94 and I-35. Current plans call for the stations to be installed at least every 50 miles along the freeway and within one mile of the freeway itself. Along I-94, cities being looked at include Brooklyn Center, Rogers, St. Cloud, Sauk Centre, Alexandria, Fergus Falls and Moorhead.
It’s hoped that once the stations have been installed, they can be operated by private entities. I asked who was going to provide the electricity and if the charging would be free. The MnDOT spokesman indicated that they didn’t plan on getting into the business of selling electricity and operating these stations. Preferably, arrangements will be made to have them operated privately.
One item of note from the floor this week occurred on Monday, when the House showed broad, bipartisan support for passage of legislation allowing state taxpayers to take advantage of numerous tax provisions already approved at the federal level.
Aside from simplifying the process for tax preparers and filers alike, conformity is needed in Minnesota to help industries that were hardest hit from pandemic shutdowns – especially restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment entities. This includes movie theaters in our district that were impacted by the state’s lack of conformity with federal language. Minnesota was the only state in the union that was still taxing these relief grants for shuttered venues, and I am pleased we approved legislation to fix that problem.
At least seven federal bills have been passed into law since Minnesota last enacted legislation to match congressional changes. Tax year 2023 marks five years since our state tax code has been conformed, which is the longest the state has been out of conformity in decades.
Prompt action on tax conformity this session was crucial, and it is good that we are on a path to providing tax providers with ample time to update their software. The Senate also approved the bill this week and the governor enacted today. The bill specifies taxpayers have until Dec. 31 to file an amended return, if necessary.
Watch for more news from the Capitol soon and, as always, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I will be meeting with a group of farmers in Hancock on Friday and may share thoughts from that discussion in an upcoming email.
Sincerely,
Paul