SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — The Minnesota House voted today to allow the state’s medical cannabis program to offer flower, with the Senate expected to follow suit. The change is expected to bring down costs and improve access for what is considered the most restrictive medical program in the nation. Since its establishment in 2014, Minnesota’s medical program has only allowed for liquids, oils, and pills.
“Over the course of 12 public hearings this year and a statewide tour visiting 15 communities, Minnesotans were loud and clear that our state’s medical cannabis program was too expensive, and that allowing flower could significantly improve access,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “As a result of Minnesotans who made their voices heard over the course of years — whether you are a veteran suffering from PTSD, a person with a serious health condition, or a parent with a sick child — more people will gain the ability to live healthy, fulfilled lives. Without Minnesotans’ activism and personal stories, and without a historic vote in the Minnesota House to legalize cannabis for adult use, this accomplishment would not have been possible.”
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statement on today’s bipartisan budget agreement:
“I am pleased we have reached an agreement on the framework for a bipartisan budget that prioritizes students, families, workers, and small businesses,” said Speaker Hortman. “After a year of unprecedented challenges, we have the resources to help the Minnesotans who have sacrificed the most while investing in a Minnesota that works better for everyone. This budget makes significant investments in E-12 education to help our students recover from a difficult year and works to close our opportunity gaps. House DFLers also remain committed to including meaningful criminal justice reforms in our final budget. While this agreement does not contain everything we would have liked and the need for ongoing investment in the future remains, we worked together and achieved a compromise that is in the best interests of Minnesotans.”
“Families and workers are finding it more difficult to get ahead. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, there are significant resources to help Minnesotans who are struggling the most, but it doesn’t change the fact that Minnesotans’ needs are not being met by current levels of investment,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “For too long, Minnesota put the rich and well-connected first. Thanks to the House DFL Majority and Governor Walz, Minnesota is now moving in a direction that provides a world-class education, affordable child care, and financial security for all — no matter where you live or what you look like.”
Budget negotiations in the Legislature are ongoing. With less than three days until adjournment, we’re working hard in the House to wrap up major bills and find compromise with the Senate on various provisions in each major area of the state budget. Direction for the use of the federal COVID relief funds are also coming into play as the House, Senate, and Governor work on final budget ‘targets’ or framework. While we are constitutionally required to adjourn on May 17, conference committees will continue to work on reconciling their differences so that we can get a state budget set before July 1.
Energy Conservation and Optimization Act of 2021
The Minnesota House of Representatives approved the bipartisan legislation I authored on a vote of 88-46 to improve energy efficiency and cost savings opportunities across the state. The Energy Conservation and Optimization Act of 2021 updates the conservation and improvement program (CIP) statutes providing utilities with flexibility to meet energy savings goals instead of conservation spending goals. The new focus on outcomes, instead of spending, will allow utilities to pursue more effective energy savings opportunities.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House of Representatives approved the House/Senate Conference Committee Report 88-46 to improve energy efficiency and cost savings opportunities across the state.
The Energy Conservation and Optimization Act of 2021 updates the conservation and improvement program (CIP) statutes providing utilities with flexibility to meet energy savings goals instead of conservation spending goals. The new focus on outcomes, instead of spending, will allow utilities to pursue more effective energy savings opportunities.
“I’m grateful for the bipartisan collaboration that resulted in restoring Minnesota’s leadership in energy conservation,” said. Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids), chief House author of the bill. “Utilities benefit from conservation by avoiding the cost of building new infrastructure, such as new power plants, transmission lines, natural gas lines and distribution systems as energy demands increase. Minnesotans deserve more choice and an opportunity to protect our planet from environmental damages that result from burning fossil fuels.”
Some of the changes to CIP under Rep. Stephenson’s proposal include allowing utilities to improve service by implementing efficient fuel switching and load management within CIP, establishing separate sections in statutes for investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Minnesota Power, Great River Energy, CenterPoint, and others) and customer-owned utilities (municipal and cooperative-owned) that better reflect their needs. The bill also expands opportunities for low-income households to benefit from energy-efficient improvements.
I hope this finds you and yours well, and with an opportunity to enjoy the budding trees and chirping birds with spring in full bloom in Minnesota.
Budget negotiations in the Legislature are ongoing. With less than three days until adjournment, we’re working hard in the House to wrap up major bills and find compromise with the Senate on various provisions in each major area of the state budget.
As you know, I’ve been focused primarily on the environment and natural resources portion of the budget, as I’m serving as a House conferee to find a deal with my Senate counterparts. You may have seen in the news recently that Senate Majority members have indicated their intent to cut funding for state parks and closing the Minnesota Zoo if any clean cars provision is a part of final negotiations, despite a recent ruling that permits the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency the authority to implement clean car planning.
Session is coming to a close and we have yet to have budget targets for our committees. This means that we will be coming together in special session, likely June. We must complete our budgets and come to an agreement in June because if we do not and enter July, we risk a government shutdown of state services in Minnesota.
I am confident we will come to agreement on the many important issues before us and that we will move forward together. This does give us more time to work on these issues and ensure we have completely and thoroughly vetted every budget and each bill before passing it.
Governor Tim Walz announced the end of Minnesota’s statewide mask requirement, aligning Minnesota with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on face coverings. Minnesotans who are not fully vaccinated are strongly recommended to wear face coverings indoors. Private businesses and local municipalities may still put in place face covering requirements. And Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan, along with the existing face covering guidance for schools and child care settings, remain in effect.
If every Minnesotan who can continues to get vaccinated, and those who aren’t yet vaccinated to mask we will soon be able to return normal. We still aren’t out of the woods, but we are very close!
Direct Scheduling for Vaccinations Now Available
Minnesotans can now use the Vaccine Connector to directly schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the state’s Community Vaccination Program locations. You can visit VaccineConnector.mn.gov to directly schedule appointments at Community Vaccination locations around the state. Here is how you can get your shot:
Yesterday, the CDC released updated mask guidance. If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask in most settings. If you are not vaccinated, the CDC recommends that you wear a mask indoors. Later that day, Governor Walz announced the end of the statewide mask mandate. As of today, Friday, May 14, the mask mandate has been lifted for the state.
Over two million of Minnesotans are fully vaccinated right now, including many who are the most at risk of serious illness. Millions more are well on their way to full immunity. As of now, individuals ages 12 and up can receive the vaccine. For more information on how and where to get the COVID-19 vaccine please visit VaccineConnector.mn.gov.
As we round out the final full week of the legislative session before we adjourn for sine die, it is clear that we are far from the end. Not all conference committees have been meeting. Some conference committees have not adopted the same and similar provisions because they insist on waiting until we have budget targets and with the recent guidance on how states can spend federal funds for the American Rescue Plan, we are at an impasse. Conference committees could still be meeting to adopt policy provisions, these have nothing to do with budget targets, but some committee chairs are reluctant. We should be finishing this legislative session on time, and yet we are waiting for an agreement on how to end the Governor’s emergency powers instead of focusing on passing a state budget for the next biennium. We are waiting for the majority party to show up to conference committees and complete the work we were sent to do.
I am beyond disappointed, Minnesotans deserve an on-time budget and policy provisions that help our communities during these difficult times. We are also waiting for additional federal guidance on the State Fiscal Recovery Funds (SFRF) provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds will help Minnesota recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and we will have until 2024 to use the funds. The majority party also wants to change how these federal funds will be used, without an agreement, we do not fully know how the entire budget will be funded. I will continue to keep you updated on what is going on at the Capitol until the final hours. We will be meeting throughout the weekend to continue to work on a compromise.
Sincerely,
Melisa
Senate District 49 Town Hall
Senate District 49 legislators will be hosting a Zoom Town Hall on Monday, May 24 at 7:00 PM. While the event will occur on Zoom, we will make sure it is live-streamed and posted on each legislator’s Facebook pages for those unable to join us.
Pre-submitted questions will be given priority and you will receive a link to the Zoom meeting a day before the event through the email you enter during registration.
Senate District 49 Mask Mandates
Bloomington: as of now, Bloomington has not announced any guidance
Eden Prairie: announced there will be no city-wide mask mandate
Edina: announced there will be no city-wide mask mandate
Minnetonka: announced there will be no-city wide mask mandate
Celebrating Senator Newton’s first time on the Senate floor this session with Senator Hoffman and Senator Abeler
Conference Committee Updates:
Agriculture (SF 958):
Met on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to adopt some agreed upon policy provisions:
Pesticide applicator licensing
Cottage food laws
Waiting on target before starting budget work in earnest
Commerce/Energy (SF 972):
Met briefly on Monday to adopt some noncontroversial provisions
No meetings for the remainder of the week.
Housing (HF 1077):
Met on Monday and adopted some/similar provisions
No meetings for the rest of the week.
Jobs and Economic Development (SF 1098):
Met on Monday and adopted some provisions related to:
fire sprinklers in public high rise apartment
wedding barns
certified building officials continuing education
donations to State Services for the Blind.
The conference committee did not meet for the remainder of the week.
Judiciary (SF 970):
Met on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday with the House, making additional offers each time the House had the gavel.
Senate majority has yet to respond to any of the House offers.
The Senate Chair did not meet on Wednesday, saying the Senate needed time to consider the provisions in the House offer and that he would prefer to see a global offer.
The Senate Chair did not meet on Friday, mentioning that they are still waiting for a budget target.
State Government (HF 1952):
On Monday, the committee unanimously adopted the same and similar language related to elections policy that was vetted by the Secretary of State, mostly derived from the OSS technical bill.
Tuesday, the committee heard testimony on the Veterans Restorative Justice Act (VRJA) language.
On Wednesday, the committee heard testimony from state agencies, unions, and other stakeholders on a proposal in both the senate and house language to implement a reverse auction for a pharmacy benefit manager through SEGIP. No agreement was reached.
On Friday, the committee adopted Veterans Restorative Justice Act compromise language by a unanimous voice vote.
This language contains the House provisions supported by advocates.
It takes clarifying language from the Senate bill that is non-controversial. MDVA testified on their concerns that their new duties under the bill will require additional funding.
Plan to meet Saturday to discuss Senate proposal to transfer historical duties from the Historical Society to SHPO.
Taxes (HF 991):
Met each day to discuss details of the bills. The U.S. Treasury released final guidance on how states are allowed to spend federal funds passed through the American Rescue Plan.
On Friday MMB Commissioner Schowalter spoke more about the interim final rule on federal funds via this slide deck.
Revenue Commissioner Doty spoke about this filing season. He said the DOR will be putting out guidance by Monday telling taxpayers to file their returns with the expectation they may need to file an amended return once the legislature passes a bill.
Meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday (Senate gavel) to receive full accounting of all federal dollars received since last year.
Transportation (HF 1684):
Met on Monday to adopt various non-controversial House and Senate only provisions that had all been previously agreed upon.
On Friday the committee heared a MnDOT presentation on project selection, trunk highway spending, and contracting issues.
Environment Legacy (HF 1709):
Has not met since May 5.
Health and Human Services (HF 2128):
Met each day to discuss the differences between both bills.
Same and similar policy language has slowly been adopted over the week.
Changes to office of medical cannabis to allow raw cannabis, HCMC direct payment arrangement, removing interest charging for child support judgement.
Conferees passed the committee report on a unanimous vote. All items included were agreed upon by House and Senate, no appropriations are carried in this report.
Environment (SF 959):
Met several times, though the Senate conferees left early on during the meetings when the House held the gavel – if they attended at all.
Clean Cars rulemaking continues to be a sticking point, and the Senate refuses to negotiate anything with a fiscal impact, including pieces that do not impact general fund spending.
The House has now made four offers
The Senate has made two – both of which were entirely contingent upon the House accepting the Senate’s position on Clean Cars.
E-12 Education (HF1065):
Met each day but made very little progress.
Non-exclusionary discipline procedures remain a sticking point, with the Senate Republicans refusing to accept the K-3 non-dismissal requirement.
The House presenting their offer on Friday.
Sen. Chamberlain refused the offer and to even discuss most of it.
He said that the House hadn’t responded to the Senate offer of 5/13/21 and “expanded” that offer dramatically.
He then said that he did not plan to meet on Saturday.
Higher Education (SF975):
Met only twice this week; adopted a $6,500 cap for the child care grants.
Discussion on Thursday about federal COVID-19 funding and guidance for institutional use.
Edina COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
On Friday I visited the vaccination clinic at South View Middle School in Edina. I am thankful for everyone that has been helping Minnesotans get vaccinated.
Visitor at the Capitol!
On Wednesday, my son Philip came to the office with me. I showed him around the Capitol and he watched the floor session. Here’s a comparison of my time with Philip on Wednesday at the Capitol compared to in 2016 at the Capitol.
We still have a large amount of work to complete at the Capitol with only a few days remaining in the legislative session, which is scheduled to end on Monday at midnight – it’s almost certain that we will return for a special session in June such that we can pass Minnesota’s two-year budget in time to avoid a government shutdown.
None of the conference committees have yet completed their work, which is unfortunately almost entirely thanks to my Republican colleagues in the Senate, who have spent these last few weeks setting ultimatums for their DFL House counterparts and refusing to negotiate on budget targets (the spending agreements that must be reached by the House majority, Senate majority, and Governor as a prerequisite for conference committees to complete their omnibus bills).
The legislative session is set to adjourn on Monday, but we still have much work ahead. Earlier this week, we received news indicating Minnesota will receive additional federal money as part of the American Recovery Plan Act. Those funds will be factored into our budget talks as we go forward. Right now, legislative leaders are determining legislative ‘budget targets’ which will set the funding for each budget area.
Conference committees are still working to craft final budgets. This week in the Education Conference Committee, we discussed religious freedoms in schools and the significance of traditional tobacco for Native American students. We also reviewed similar provisions in the House and Senate bills for possible adoption.
Work on conference committees and in floor session will continue over the weekend as we get closer to our adjournment date.
