Week in Review: Feb. 13-17

After 2023’s longest floor session yet, the House passed another of the DFL’s top priorities Thursday, voting 69-54 to send HF19 on to the Senate after more than seven hours of debate. The bill would require almost all Minnesota employers to provide paid sick time to their employees.

This past week also saw the first hearing of a nearly $2 billion capital investment proposal from Gov. Tim Walz and a proposal to bump up the funding formula for K-12 schools that could result in more than $1 billion in additional education spending. Child care, homelessness, stadium funding and tax breaks were among the many other issues that were discussed over the past several days as well.

A reminder that although Monday is President’s Day, it will be business as usual in the House with several meetings planned along with a 3:30 p.m. floor session and five bills on the Calendar for the Day. Those include HF16 that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for children and vulnerable adults and HF55, which would create an office for missing and murdered Black women and girls.

You can find the complete schedule here.

Have an enjoyable weekend and here’s a look back at what you may have missed.

AGRICULTURE
Incentives for next generation products in bioeconomy could get funding boost

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17688

Amidst historic demand, bill proposes funding increase for MN’s Farm to Food Shelf program

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17667

BONDING

After two years and no bonding bill, House DFL unveils nearly $2 billion capital investment package

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17654

CIVIL LAW

Panel hears request for more resources to address crises facing judicial branch

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17683

When identity theft strikes a ‘daunting’ process for victims to clear names in court records awaits, lawmakers hear

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17662

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Child care shortage in Greater Minnesota could be eased with additional $20 million

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17675

EDUCATION

Education committee OKs proposed shakeup of distribution, use of compensatory revenue

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17679

House DFL proposes school funding formula hike that would boost K-12 spending by over $1 billion

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17673

House lawmakers consider proposal to remake literacy curriculum across the state

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17668

ELECTIONS

Can deep fakes be regulated? House lawmakers consider ways to tame emerging technology

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17672

Reducing confusion over absentee and sample ballots is goal of bill

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17669

EMPLOYMENT

House passes statewide paid sick leave mandate after vigorous debate

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17689

Legislation to combat employers’ hush money payout schemes wins bipartisan support

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17682

Jobs program aims to keep released felons from returning to prison

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17670

‘We have the right to work in a safe environment,’ meatpacking workers tell lawmakers

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17665

ENERGY

Competitiveness fund could strike a match for renewable energy projects

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17676

Homeowner associations couldn’t block residential solar installations under new bill

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17666

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Accessibility — as much as creature comforts — behind a $28 million Minnesota Zoo request

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17677

For hands-on-education, MN’s children’s museums could secure annual funding

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17674

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Plan seeks to cut out middle man, terminate managed care contracts

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17685

Joint panel hears testimony on legislation to codify protections of Native American children

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17659

House votes to raise reimbursement rates for child care providers

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17657

House passes $52 million to bolster child care for families while helping providers

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17656

Bill proposes $25-a-month cap on co-pays for life-saving prescription drugs

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17655

HIGHER EDUCATION

College building bonding authority could add health care facilities to portfolio

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17680

HOUSING

Keep those claws — under bill, landlords couldn’t require declawing, devocalization of animals

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17678

Minnesota’s family homeless prevention program could see $100 million boost

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17664

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local government officials urge lawmakers to remove compensation cap

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17660

MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

Proposal seeks to end fees for burial in state veterans cemeteries

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17653

PUBLIC SAFETY

‘Game-changing’ proposition would provide for early release of rehabilitated inmates

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17687

House passes bill to create crime of labor trafficking resulting in death

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17686

STATE GOVERNMENT

Paying off stadium bonds early could be a touchdown for MN taxpayers, lawmakers say

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17681

Pair of labor agreements win committee support

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17661

TAXES

This time they mean it: No taxes on construction materials for local government projects

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17684

Tax refunds could grow for Minnesota’s homeowners, renters

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17671

Historic fixer-uppers could again see state tax credit

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17663

TRANSPORTATION

An updated ‘stuff-out-of-the-car’ bill gets transportation panel’s OK

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/17658