Deadline looms; Voting amendment may go on ballot

Yesterday at the Capitol

With only two more days left before the first policy bill deadline midnight on Friday, both bodies are busy hearing bills. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, said budget discussions will start to heat up again once the policy bills are out of the way.

Also yesterday, a bill was introduced by Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, that would propose an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution requiring people to show photo identification when voting. If the bill passes the Legislature, a question about whether or not Minnesotans should show a photo ID would be put to the people on the 2012 ballot. Proposed constitutional amendments do not require approval by the governor to be placed on a ballot. This is a back-up plan for Republican lawmakers in case Gov. Dayton vetoes the photo ID bill moving through the Legislature.

Today at the Capitol

8:00 AM
Conference Committee on H.F. 42: Omnibus tax bill
Room: 15 Capitol
Chairs: Rep. Greg Davids, Sen. Julianne Ortman
Agenda: HF42 Omnibus Tax Bill

8:15 AM
House Education Reform
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Sondra Erickson
Agenda: HF1381 (Erickson) Prekindergarten through grade 12 education policy provided, including general education, education excellence, special programs, facilities and technology, early childhood education, and student transportation.
*Note: HF1381 will become the omnibus education policy bill. The agenda will be mark-up and passage of the omnibus.

8:15 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Morrie Lanning
Agenda:
HF554 (Johnson) Mississippi River Parkway Commission expiration date changed.
HF1411 (Kahn) Geospatial advisory council provisions changed and expiration date extended.
HF1331 (Benson) State agencies required to enter into contracts to provide consulting services for improvements to state-operated systems and services.
HF1376 (Leidiger) E-Verify use required by state contractors.
HF1506 (Banaian) Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy new duties assigned, duties transferred from executive agencies, and money appropriated.

10:15 AM
House Government Operations and Elections
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Joyce Peppin
Agenda:
HF233 (Sanders) Department of Human Services required to issue a request for proposals for a Medicaid fraud detection and business intelligence contract.
HF182 (Beard) State and local water management study required.
HF1391 (Downey) State agency program designation authorized as performance-based organizations.
HF545 (Downey) State budget document required to include federal insolvency contingency planning.
HF1360 (Torkelson) Environmental Quality Board modified and duties eliminated and reassigned.
HF1238 (Fabian) Subsurface sewage treatment systems ordinance adoption delay extended.
HF716 (Gunther) Mandatory environmental assessment worksheet category rulemaking required.
HF997 (Westrom) State agency civil penalty imposition regulated, fees and expenses awarded to prevailing parties in actions involving state agencies and municipalities.
HF1577 (Cornish) Sex offender policy task force established.
HF1498 (Liebling) Human services agency provisions modified, agency hearing and appeals provisions modified, and Disparities Reduction Advisory Council created.
HF1359 (Barrett) Stimulants and hallucinogens added as Schedule I controlled substances.
HF1545 (McNamara) Energy Reliability and Intervention Office established within Department of Commerce to replace Energy Issues Intervention Office and energy reliability administrator, and conforming changes made.

10:30 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther
Agenda:
HF844 (McFarlane) Public library representative provided for the Governor's Workforce Development Council.
HF1164 (Murdock) JOBZ provisions modified.
HF1032 (Torkelson) Prevailing hours of labor requirements modified.

12:30 PM
House Civil Law
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Torrey Westrom
Agenda: HF1466 (Scott) Data practices technical changes made.
HF1370 (Paymar) Law enforcement data sharing permitted.
HF1130 (Nornes) Student record and data use provided.
HF1060 (Beard) "Personnel data" definition modified; data obtained for design-build transportation projects, adopt-a-highway program related data, and mileage-based road users data classified; and traffic accident related data provisions modified.
HF1533 (Peppin) Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board procedures and requirements changed.
HF601 (Holberg) Optional disclosure of public appraisals provided by a government entity.
HF210 (Kiffmeyer) Voter picture identification required before receiving a ballot, identification cards provided at no charge, provisional ballot procedures established, challenged voter eligibility list created, election administration procedures specified, electronic polling place rosters allowed, electronic polling place roster standards set, electronic roster implementation legislative task force created, recount procedures enacted, and money appropriated.
*House Files: 601, 1060, 1130, 1370, 1466 and 1533 were heard in the Data Practices Subcommittee on 4/26 and referred to Civil Law. No additional public testimony will be taken on these bills.

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda:
S.F. 939-Nienow: Pupil transportation provisions modification.
S.F. 946-DeKruif: School districts joint operation and innovative delivery of education pilot project establishment.
S.F. 1073-Nelson: School districts transition planning for high school students to successfully pursue postsecondary education and employment.
S.F. 408-Wolf: Teacher's union financial reporting requirement.
S.F. 612-Benson: Youth athlete concussion policies establishment.

3:00 PM
House in Session

6:00 PM
Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Mike Parry
Agenda:
S.F. 1244-Dahms: Environmental review and solid waste land disposal facility permits rulemaking requirement.
S.F. 158-Ingebrigtsen: Outdoor heritage fund appropriations and provisions modifications.
S.F. 657-Ingebrigtsen: Clean water fund appropriations; clean water legacy act modifications; clean water council duties and membership modifications.
S.F. 174-Fischbach: Electronic linked bingo, electronic pull-tabs and video lottery terminals establishment.
S.F. 1319-Daley: Veterans homes special revenue account for facilities and programs operations appropriation transfer authorization.
S.F. 1320-Daley: Veterans homes work therapy programs funding support authorization.
S.F. 1321-Daley: Veterans affairs commissioner federal funds acceptance authorization.
S.F. 346-Senjem: Mississippi River Parkway commission expiration date extension.


Looking Ahead

Friday, April 29

8:15 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Morrie Lanning
Agenda:
HF182 (Beard) State and local water management study required.
HF1332 (Hansen) Legislative auditor governing provisions modified.
HF1579 (McFarlane) Counties given authority to provide for general welfare, and alternative service delivery pilot program for waivers established.

8:30 AM
House Government Operations and Elections
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Joyce Peppin
Agenda: HF1544 (Kiel) Marshall County; process provided for making county offices appointive.
HF1597 (Kiffmeyer) Voters required to present photographic identification, photographic identification provided to voters at no charge, equal verification standards required for all voters, and constitutional amendment proposed.

9:00 AM
Senate Health and Human Services
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. David W. Hann
Agenda:
Social Costs of Casino Gaming Informational Hearing
S.F. 731-Hann: Nursing facility rate equalization phase out.
S.F. 477-Howe: Food, beverage, and lodging establishment statutory governance exemptions modifications.
S.F. 1212-Brown: Adult children of deceased person patient definition addition.
S.F. 1201-Senjem: Dental therapists practice provisions modifications.
S.F. 1169-Hann: Special family day care homes licensure classification expansion.
S.F. 1170-Hann: Case management and personal care assistance services appeals conference requirement.

12:00 PM
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: 10 State Office Building
Agenda: Organizational Meeting
Election of 2011-2012 Commission Officers

Tuesday, May 3

2:30 PM
Legislative Audit Commission - Topic Selection Subcommittee
Room: 112 State Capitol
Chair: Sen. Roger Reinert
Agenda: Working session to select 5 - 6 evaluation topics for
consideration by the full Legislative Audit Commission

3:30 PM
Legislative Audit Commission
Room: 112 State Capitol
Chairs: Rep. Michael Beard, Sen. Roger Reinert
Agenda: Approve Evaluation Topics for 2011