ST. PAUL – The Minnesota House on Monday overwhelmingly passed legislation allowing state taxpayers to take advantage of numerous tax provisions already approved at the federal level.
State Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, said federal conformity is needed in Minnesota to ease filing compliance burdens and to help industries that were hardest hit from pandemic shutdowns – especially restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment industries.
“This bill will help update our tax code to help out both our tax preparers and also our tax filers,” Swedzinski said. “We’re hoping to actually do a lot more on taxes this year. We’re working hard on getting the social security fixes done so that people aren’t taxed on their social security benefits, among a lot of other things. If we can take care of that, here in January, that would help a lot of people as we enter tax season.”
Swedzinski said 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 Swedzinski said is the longest the state has been out of conformity in decades. Language the House passed Monday indicates taxpayers have until Dec. 31 to file an amended return.
State officials indicate approving the bill (H.F. 31) by Jan. 13 allows tax software to be updated in time for the 2023 filing season. With 132-0 passage in the House, the bill is now in the hands of the Senate and, pending that body’s approval, will be presented to the governor for enactment.
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