Dear Neighbors,
It is hard to believe that the fourth week of the 2016 session is coming to a close. Much of our work this week has been in committees as the first committee deadline is Friday. Despite this, the House passed a handful of bills this past week.
On Tuesday, the House voted 125-2 to favor of legislation that would allow Minnesota to prepare for the implementation of REAL ID.
Coming into the 2016 session, addressing REAL ID was a top priority. Tuesday’s vote allows the legislature and state agencies to review standards and bring Minnesota into compliance in advance of the 2018 deadline. I am committed to working with my colleagues to ensure Minnesotans’ privacy is protected while also meeting federal ID standards.
To be clear, your current Minnesota driver’s licenses will allow you to board an airplane until at least 2018. By that time, Minnesota will have a plan in place that will bring the state into federal compliance.
Bill Hearings
I had a bill heard by the Property Tax Committee on Wednesday that would repeal the agricultural facilities tax exemption.
Since 1992, agricultural containment facilities used to store certain agricultural chemicals have been exempt from taxation. Currently, storage facilities without a containment system are taxable.
As the agricultural industry has changed and expanded, we have seen large storage facilities erected that, due to this policy, are exempt from property taxes. As this occurs, many small rural communities are seeing their property tax base shrink, thus causing property taxes to rise for homeowners in order to make up the difference in lost revenue.
Additionally, I had a bill heard in committee this week that would expand the state’s Corridors of Commerce program and allow smaller cities, like those in our area, to be eligible for funding.
Current practice calls for projects located outside of MnDOT’s Twin Cities metropolitan district to be located on an interregional corridor.
Relief for Iron Range Workers and Unemployment Insurance Fix
Last week, the House passed a bill that extends unemployment benefits for impacted out-of-work Iron Range steelworkers by an additional 26 weeks. The extension would be made retroactive to the start of the recent steel-industry downturn.
It is estimated that over 2,100 employees have been out of work since last year and I am pleased that we are able to get them the help they so desperately need.
In addition to this bill, we also passed legislation that corrects the state's overfunded unemployment insurance trust fund, which currently is carrying a nearly all-time high of $1.6 billion.
The bill credits approximately $270 million to employers and reduces future obligations, giving our small, local businesses the ability to reinvest in employees and our communities.
Visits and Staying in Touch
A number of local Soil and Water Conservations District folks visited in the last week to discuss water quality and other environemental issues. Thanks for visiting!
That’s all for this week’s update. Please be sure to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding these issues or anything else related to state government. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4929 or via email at rep.jeff.backer@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
Jeff