Dear Neighbor,
Work this week at the Capitol has focused on ironing out differences in House and Senate versions of omnibus finance bills so they can be put up for votes on final approval and be sent to the governor for his consideration.
Nine of my bills remain in consideration for enactment this year after receiving preliminary approval from the full House as components of various omnibus bills. Eight of the bills I have drafted as the chief author have bipartisan sponsorship. In addition to the omnibus provisions, two more bills I have authored remain under consideration if and when a bonding package is assembled this year or next.
Much can change between now and when the budget bills are all in their final form. Until then, I will continue to monitor my bills and advocate for them along the way.
Here is a quick overview of bills I have authored that remain in the mix for passage this session:
- Telecommunications equipment exemption expanded (H.F. 1250): Expands the sales tax exemption for telecommunications equipment to wire, cable, fiber, poles, and conduit for telecommunications services to maximize the effectiveness of investments made in broadband expansion; in the tax bill.
- Heartland State Trail funding (H.F. 1114): Appropriates $3.3 million in bonding to design, develop and complete the Heartland State Trail from Detroit Lakes to Frazee; potentially in a bonding bill.
- Minnow license requirements and rulemaking (H.F. 1077): Provides an exemption from minnow retailer license requirements for resorts that transport minnows purchased from minnow dealers directly to the resorts, provided they keep detailed receipts available for inspection upon request; in the environment/natural resources bill.
- Class 1c seasonal rec. property requirements modified (H.F. 1830): Changes the language for determining which lands may qualify for a Class 1c commercial seasonal-recreational residential designation to obtain tax-exempt status; in the tax bill.
- Beltrami County land (H.F. 940): Allows Beltrami County to sell certain tax-forfeited lands bordering public water; in the environment/natural resources bill.
- Popple River bridge funding (H.F. 367): Appropriates $385,000 in bonding for a grant to Itasca County to design and construct a bridge over the Popple River in the city of Squaw Lake for multi-recreational use; potentially in a bonding bill.
- Walker local sales/use tax authorization (H.F. 242): Allows the city of Walker to impose by ordinance a sales and use tax of 1-1/2 percent for costs of underground utility, street, curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements; in the tax bill.
- Support our Troops account flexibility (H.F. 1527): Expands how grant funds from the Support Our Troops account can be used to benefit a Minnesota National Guard member; in the state government finance bill.
- Veterans Journey Home (H.F. 1526): Appropriates in $350,000 in both 2018 and 2019 to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the grants to Veterans Journey Home; in the state government finance bill.
- Veterans’ Voices radio program funding (H.F. 2302/2415): Provides $50,000 to promote the Veterans’ Voices program; Senate companion in its state government finance bill.
- Minnesota Humanities Center funding (H.F. 806): Provides $2 million in the next biennium to the MHC for statewide humanities programs and to support and expand the ongoing work of the center’s Veterans’ Voices program; in the Legacy bill
I also continue working to advocate for a measure which would provide Bemidji with approximately $340,000 more annually for transporting students to help mitigate a transportation shortfall in the district. I will keep pushing for its inclusion in the finished product even though I am not an official author of that specific provision in the House’s K-12 finance package.
Also, I mentioned in my last email that I was pleased to have met with BSU students and staff during a recent visit to the campus. The input I received was very much appreciated and I have relayed information to higher education leaders as we shape that section of a new state budget.
Look for more as we make our way to this session’s final month.
Sincerely,
Matt