Week in Review: March 17-21

The House was at its full capacity this week for the first time in the 2025 session.

Rep. David Gottfried (DFL-Shoreview) took the oath of office Monday to fill the vacant District 40B seat. The addition of Gottfried returned the chamber to a 67-67 tie, ending the Republican’s one-vote majority, and set in motion the House plan to operate under a tie. That meant Republican and DFL co-chairs began overseeing committees on Tuesday.

The House had its first 67-67 tie vote on the floor Monday. The deadlocked chamber failed to pass HF4, which proposes a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot asking if a portion of projected future budget surpluses should be returned to state taxpayers.

Committees continued to be a flurry of activity this week as the deadline for first two deadlines for committees to approve bills is April 4.

A bill requiring warning labels on social media received the thumbs up from the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee. The House Health and Finance Committee laid over a bill proposing to create a state dementia program manager. And the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee voted favorably for legislation to overhaul the state’s DWI requirements for ignition interlock devices, in response to the fatal crash at a popular St. Louis Park bar last year.

Have a restful weekend. Here’s a look back at this week:

AGRICULTURE

Decontaminating nitrate-polluted private wells in southeast Minnesota is bill’s aim

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18606

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Stopgap funding proposed for local community television stations

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18622

BONDING

St. Paul officials seek more than $400 million in state funds for sports facility upgrades

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18634

BUDGET

Deadlocked House halts proposal to automatically return surpluses to taxpayers

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18609

CIVIL LAW

Bill supporters say confidentiality critical to success of restorative justice programs

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18614

EDUCATION

Facing late Labor Days, legislation would allow districts to start school year early

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18616

Students advocate for adding overdose response, prevention to health curriculum

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18627

Lawmakers debate future funding for school worker summer unemployment benefits

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18636

ELECTIONS

Elections panel considers tighter rules for handling absentee ballots

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18624

EMPLOYMENT

Workforce bill seeks to expand access to skilled trades training

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18612

ENERGY

Making Minnesota a ‘Silicon Valley of clean energy’ goal of House bill

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18615

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Changes to off-highway vehicle trail development, management may be down the road

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18637

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Families dealing with dementia face ‘maze’ of services. A House bill aims to simplify the system.

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18608

House lawmaker pushes for county-level technology upgrades across state

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18611

Funding boost sought for early intervention program

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18629

Bill would expand power of MN attorney general’s office to prosecute Medicaid fraud

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18630

Bill would add tools to fight fraud in state human services programs

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18633

HIGHER EDUCATION

Bill seeking to expand college grant program faces funding challenge

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18617

House, Senate hearing recommends candidates to serve as U of M regents

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18620

HOUSING

Landlords could be required to warn tenants of nearby water hazards

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18618

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

‘Sacred communities’ would face new local oversight under House bill

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18607

MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

Lawmakers propose ‘1st Minnesota Day’ to honor legacy of Gettysburg heroes

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18610

Minnesota lawmakers target ‘claim sharks’ exploiting veterans

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18621

PUBLIC SAFETY

Minnesota legislators consider new funding to stabilize funding for victims of crime

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18619

Bill proposes funding violent crime enforcement teams across state

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18628

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

House lawmakers show bipartisan support for proposed warning labels on social media

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18631

Digital equity the objective of proposed state broadband office expansion

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18625

STATE GOVERNMENT

Walz proposes $39 million anti-fraud plan that includes new centralized investigations unit

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18635

TAXES

Left on cutting room floor in ’24, tax committee dusts off omnibus bill provisions for another look

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18613

Minnesota farmers could see a clean water tax break

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18623

Bill could have new parents asking, ‘Who’s my little tax credit?’

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18632

TRANSPORTATION

ATVs could go to town under bill proposing to expand access to some roads

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18605

Legislature looks to crack down on repeat DWI offenders

https://www.house.mn.gov/SessionDaily/Story/18626