St. Paul, MN - Yesterday, the House Capital Investment Committee completed their 14th and final day on the road this fall, visiting communities throughout the state to learn about regional project proposals for potential inclusion in the 2024 Capital Investment Bill.
Since September, the committee had been conducting regional tours every other week, meeting with local officials and legislative colleagues in their own communities to gain firsthand knowledge on how these candidates for capital investment could benefit the region and state.
“For the work our committee has to do next year in crafting a package of legislation to invest in Minnesota’s needs, it’s important for us to get out of the committee room and into the communities that are directly impacted,” said Rep. Fue Lee (DFL - Minneapolis), chair of the committee. “This is my second statewide tour as chair of the committee, and though specific projects change, the need for us to create partnerships across Minnesota in building a better state has never been greater. These projects are about preserving what we have, building what we need, and ensuring every Minnesotan, regardless of zip code, sees the type of investment in their community that makes it a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Earlier this year, the House Capital Investment Committee successfully passed a $2.6 billion investment in infrastructure projects and jobs. This package of legislation largely dealt with unfinished business due to a substantial capital investment bill - typically passed the second year of the legislative biennium - having not been passed since 2020.
As of this summer, preliminary capital budget requests submitted by state agencies and political subdivisions alone totaled nearly $7.4 billion. The committee will begin preparing its package of Capital Investments when the 2024 legislative session convenes on February 12.
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