A weekly message from your Senator
Dear Constituents and Friends,
This week we officially began the 2018 legislative session. With much ahead of us, I am optimistic about the opportunities we have to make progress in Minnesota. As of just yesterday night, we have passed a budget bill to fund the Senate and House of Representatives. We have also began to move the important conversations surrounding subjects such as elder care, tax conformity, gun violence, and bonding projects forward.
I will continue to serve on the Senate Tax and Transportation committees, respectively. I look forward to delving into the details of tax conformity and how it might affect Minnesotans. It’s a bonding year and I am ready to work in tandem with my colleagues to prioritize the dynamic needs of our state.
As always, I welcome you to share your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Melisa
Legislative budget bill passes committee
A conference committee convened Wednesday evening and passed a report to both the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives. The bill includes appropriations for the Senate and House that were line-item vetoed by Governor Dayton at the end of the 2017 session. The total appropriation for both years of the biennium and both chambers amounts to $129.1 million.
The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the Governor’s veto in a ruling last November and determined the Legislature had enough funding available to operate until the start of the 2018 session. Due to this funding availability, the Supreme Court did not address the issue of whether the veto was an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers.
The Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) passed a resolution on the same day of the Supreme Court ruling to borrow $20 million from the LCC carryforward account and the office’s fiscal year 2019 appropriation. These funds are transferred back for the core functions of the LCC in the conference committee report. The bill also replaces $15 million in general fund money provided through an earlier district court decision.
Bonding
Local governments and state agencies submitted $3 billion in bonding requests during the summer and fall of 2017, demonstrating significant need for public works projects throughout the state. Public works and construction projects are well known as economic development tools that create jobs in local communities.
Governor Dayton released his bonding recommendations this past January, which totaled $1.5 billion. However, with much yet to be negotiated, the size and scope of a final bill remains to be seen.
Tax Committee begins discussing federal tax bill
The Senate Tax Committee dedicated its first hearing of the session to learning more about the federal tax changes passed late in 2017. It’s the first step in what will be a tedious process of analyzing the law’s potential effects on Minnesota taxpayers and considering how the state should react.
The nonpartisan Department of Revenue has estimated that simply matching Minnesota’s tax code to the new federal changes would result in a $463 million state tax increase on Minnesota taxpayers this fiscal year, and up to $1.2 billion in the next budget cycle. That is because the federal government eliminated many deductions and credits that previously flowed through to state taxes to reduce Minnesota tax liabilities.
If Minnesota doesn’t conform to federal changes, state tax obligations would not change but tax filing could become quite complicated. Lawmakers from both parties are interested in finding a middle ground that better aligns state tax policies with the new federal changes but does not penalize taxpayers. That would likely require a batch of new state tax benefits to neutralize the increases caused by federal changes.
Because Congress passed this bill in about six weeks’ time and without public input, states are still trying to understand all of the implications for their own residents. This conversation will be a top priority this session as more information is available and lawmakers can better understand what changes will be best for Minnesota taxpayers.
Addressing sexual harassment at the Minnesota Capitol
Several high-profile allegations of sexual misconduct have renewed efforts to ensure a safe space for legislators, staff, and all who work at or visit the Minnesota Capitol. I firmly believe this is an important, bipartisan issue that must be addressed in a timely matter. While some legislators have supported the creation of a public, nonpartisan task force on sexual harassment, the majorities in the House and Senate have chosen to handle sexual harassment policy updates internally.
All Minnesotans deserve workplaces free of harassment and discrimination, no matter their field of work or place of employment. Current Senate policy requires senators and staff to attend a sexual harassment training upon being sworn in or hired and again every five years. My colleagues and I were asked to attend one of the available trainings whether we’ve been trained in the last five years or not. It is likely that training attendance will be discussed in an upcoming public Subcommittee on Rules and Administration hearing.
Governor Dayton will propose legislation this session to establish a central administrative body responsible for ensuring stronger protections against sexual harassment, more immediate responses to complaints, and more consistent consequences for offenders.
Gun Violence prevention advocates rally at the Capitol
Advocates for sensible gun regulation have had a busy week at the Capitol. The Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense held a rally at the Capitol on Feb. 20, the first day of the 2018 Legislative Session. More than 200 people attended the rally and greeted legislators with a petition urging them to support restrictions on gun sales and tougher background checks. On Thursday, Protect Minnesota drew an even larger crowd, calling for regulation and research to effectively prevent and reduce harm from gun violence.
Given the tragedies we have seen in the past few years as the trend of mass shootings continues across the United States, some of proposed legislation to stem the tide of violence while recognizing the importance of responsible gun ownership, include:
- Creating a system of universal background checks for all gun sales between private parties, including internet sales and sales across state lines. (SF 1261)
- Prohibiting people who have certain types of restraining orders against them, or pose a significant risk of harming others, from possessing firearms. (SF 1262)
- The Taylor Hayden Gun Violence Prevention Act, named for Sen. Hayden’s sister who tragically lost her life to gun violence. The bill provides $200,000 in grants for non-profit organizations working on gun violence prevention, awareness and education. (SF 1263)
- Banning “bump stocks,” devices that increase how fast a gun can fire bullets, effectively making firearms into machine guns. (SF 2601)
- Allowing people with mental health issues to voluntarily add themselves to a registry that would prohibit them from purchasing guns. This is similar to existing registries casinos make available to people who are addicted to gambling.
- Allowing the Minnesota Department of Health to collect information on firearm ownership for gun-related injury research.
- Providing $100,000 to study and reduce trauma caused by firearms with a pilot program housed in the Minnesota Department of Health.
Members of the public raise voices on elder abuse
Legislators are diligently working to understand the full scope of elder abuse in the state’s long-term care facilities. Members of the public were invited to share their stories this week in the Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care to inform discussions about ways to ensure the health and safety of Minnesota’s seniors. The experiences of family members and caregivers conveyed a powerful message that the time to act is now.
Late last year, Governor Dayton asked AARP to convene a working group in response to media reports about abuse and neglect in assisted living and nursing homes around the state. The group submitted their recommendations shortly before the legislative session to advise lawmakers on possible paths forward. Several bills are expected in the coming weeks.