Democrats make progress on free school meals, carbon-free energy and numerous other bills

The Democratic-led House and Senate continued pushing forward major legislation on housing, abortion, education and health care. Here are some highlights from the Legislature’s work this week:

• Gov. Tim Walz signed the bill (HF7/SF4) requiring utilities to produce 100% of electricity through carbon-free sources by 2040 (with some fine print) and show that at least 55% of energy sales are from renewable sources (no nuclear) by 2035.
• The Minnesota House passed a bill (HF5/SF123) guaranteeing all students, regardless of income, would receive free breakfast and lunch. 
• A bill (HF96/SF49) to allow anyone to buy into the state’s public health insurance program, MinnesotaCare, passed the House Commerce Committee and heads to health finance next week. Currently, only low-income people are eligible for the public option. It has not been heard in the Senate.
• The cannabis legalization bill (HF100/SF73) passed a fifth Senate committee (environment) and the House workforce development committee. It has eight more committees to go through in the House.
• A $2 billion per year bill (HF11/SF11) guaranteeing low-income Minnesotans pay no more than 30% of their income on rent was heard in the House’s housing committee and laid over for possible inclusion in a larger housing bill.
• A bill (HF91/SF70) repealing regulations on abortion (many of which have already been deemed unconstitutional in the courts) passed the Senate Finance Committee and is waiting to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee.
• Another abortion bill (SF165/HF366) aimed at protecting people who travel to Minnesota from out of state for abortions passed the House judiciary committee and local government committee. It heads to House Ways and Means but has not been heard yet in the Senate.
• A bipartisan bill (SF1171/(no House companion) to study the feasibility and environmental impact of new nuclear plants was heard by the Senate energy committee and laid over for possible inclusion in a larger budget bill.
• A bill (HF30/SF5) aimed at cracking down on catalytic converter thefts with new regulations for scrap yards cleared the Senate Commerce Committee and is also on its way to the House Ways and Means Committee. Even though the bill has bipartisan support, it faced some interesting challenges last year.
• House Taxes held a hearing on the child tax credit (HF1369) equal to $3,000 for kids up to age five and $1,000 for older kids, depending on household income.
• House Taxes held a hearing on increasing Local Government Aid and County Program Aid by $150 million each (HF1377). It was laid over for possible inclusion in a larger tax bill.
• A bill providing up to 24 weeks of paid family leave (HF2/SF2) passed the House labor committee and state government committee. It also passed the Senate judiciary committee.
• Attorney General Keith Ellison will get money to hire more prosecutors to help outstate counties prosecute crime after Walz signed a bill (HF29/SF33) this week.
• A bill “fully funding” the state’s beleaguered public defense system (HF90/SF355) passed the House floor 131-0 on Monday. It provides an additional $96 million over the next two years to allow the state’s Board of Public Defense to raise wages and hire more attorneys and support staff.
• A bill aimed at keeping Native American children in the foster care system with Native American families (HF1071/SF667) passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee with bipartisan support.