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In the final weeks of the legislative session, lawmakers are continuing to work on the high profile bills of the session — the bonding bill, the second omnibus tax bill and the supplemental budget bill. The Women's Economic Security Act conference committee report was passed out of the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor. Medical marijuana legislation was passed by the Senate. The House version was being debated by the House at the time of publication.
Bonding Bill
The House has two capital investment proposals scheduled for floor debate next Tuesday. Both are authored by the chair of the capital investment committee, Representative Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul). HF2490 totals $850 million in general obligation bonds, and HF1068 spends $125 million in cash remaining from the budget surplus for other capital projects. HF2490 will need a supermajority of 81 votes to pass on the House floor, while HF1068 requires a simple majority.
The Senate released two bonding bill proposals this week authored by Senator LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer). SF2065 allocates $846 million in general obligation bonds, and SF882 spends an additional $200 million in one-time cash from the state budget surplus. The bills will be heard on the Senate floor sometime next week. SF2065 will need a supermajority of 40 votes to pass on the Senate floor, while SF882 requires a simple majority.
Second Omnibus Tax Bill
The second omnibus tax bill, HF3167, authored by Representative Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) and Senator Rod Skoe (DFL-Clearbrook), was heard in conference committee this week. Thus far, they have discussed and adopted many of the provisions found in the House and Senate versions of the bill. Although the work is effectively done, the bill will remain in Conference Committee in case last minute adjustments are needed. Overall, the bill includes several property tax provisions and specific sales tax exemptions. It also adopts federal tax policies, various tax increment financing provisions for municipalities, and "unsession" provisions to eliminate redundant or unnecessary laws and regulations currently in law. The committee rejected a House provision that would have lowered property taxes on low value commercial properties and their tenants while shifting the burden to high value properties and their tenants.
Supplemental Budget
The conference committee has been slow to make progress toward completion of the supplemental budget omnibus bill, HF3172, authored by Representative Lyndon Carlson (DFL-Crystal) and Senator Richard Cohen (DFL-St. Paul). Last week, Governor Mark Dayton wrote a letter to the conferees stating that he was uncomfortable with the price tag of $293 million for the spending package and indicating he would like a bill that totaled $241 million. The conferees have difficult decisions to make in order to balance spending concerns from the Governor while choosing between approving permanent spending, one-time spending or leaving money on the bottom line for the upcoming biennium. Look for those decisions to be made next week.
Women's Economic Security Act
On Thursday evening, the Senate considered passage of the conference committee report for the Women's Economic Security Act. The bill provides increases in unpaid leave from six to 12 weeks and expands family leave and reasonable accommodations for pregnant and nursing employees. The bill also increases the enforcement of equal pay laws for state contractors, allows victims of domestic violence to qualify for unemployment, and enacts a study of a state retirement savings plan for women who do not have an employer-provided option.
During the debate, Senator Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center) moved to send the conference committee report back to the committee. Rosen stated that the House provisions adopted in the conference committee made the bill inferior to the original Senate version. After much discussion, the motion ultimately failed by a vote of 34-33. The Senate ultimately adopted the report by a vote of 43-24. The House passed the report earlier in the week by a vote of 104-24. Governor Dayton has indicated he will sign the bill into law in the coming days.
Medical Marijuana
Last Wednesday, the Senate passed SF1641, authored by Senator Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) after hours of debate and numerous amendments. The bill passed by a vote of 48-18. The Senate bill would allow qualifying patients to apply for an identification card from the State Health Department to obtain medical marijuana from a network of alternative treatment centers.
On Friday, the House debated SF2470 authored by Representative Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing). Last week, a compromise was reached that created the Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Research Act. The bill allows patients qualifying for clinical trials to be given the drug in pill or oil form. Some would be allowed to use a vaporizer, but only with a health care professional present. The House was still debating the bill at the time of publication. It is unclear at this time what form of a compromise will be reached if the two bodies decide to go to a conference committee.
Social Media Updates
The government relations team at Faegre Baker Daniels has launched a Twitter account to provide live updates and information of news and events happening at the Capitol. Make sure to follow us at @FaegreBD_MNGov to receive our tweets.