Capitol Letter for April 25, 2022

The Capitol Letter™ is a recurring publication that provides reports from LWV Minnesota volunteer Observer Corps and Lobby Corps members on what is happening in the current legislative session.

Climate Change 

Drought relief helps farmers combating the climate crisis

Last summer, a drought greatly affected farmers across the state. Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz run a cow-calf operation in southwest Minnesota and offer their experience utilizing rotational grazing and covering crops to cope with extreme rainfall and water shortages while building soil health and sequestering carbon. The drought assistance bill being reconciled by the House and Senate in a conference committee (HF3420 and SF3479) will appropriate money to drought-affected areas that the Breitkreutzs and other farmers can use to build resilience for future weather events. The main difference between the House and Senate bills is that the House allocates over $13 million to the Department of Natural Resources, whereas the Senate does not offer any money to the department. Legislators will have to ensure livestock farmers, small farmers, and non-agricultural land get the assistance that they need. 

High speed rail in Minnesota? 

Presidents from the Anoka area, Minneapolis Regional, and Duluth Chamber of Commerce urge state lawmakers to fund an $85 million from this year’s surplus for a two-and-a-half hour train trip between the Twin Cities and Duluth. The transportation omnibus, HF1683, which would restore the Northern Lights Express, rolled into a DFL-supported $225 million package with state government and veteran and military affairs, HF4293. $340 million could be available from the federal government to “revitalize Minnesota’s rail service, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and connect businesses and consumers throughout the state”. Business and environmental communities would both greatly benefit from renewing the railroad; but the governor and lawmakers must act quickly. 

Lack of concern for climate change in an election year 

Retired StarTribune editorial writer and League of Women Voters champion Lori Sturdevant reminds us that politicians must address the climate crisis regardless of political party or election considerations. Sen. David Senjem (R–Rochester) offers a clean energy proposal that highlights the severity of the latest IPCC reports when gas tax holidays and releasing oil reserves from Governor Walz and President Biden attempt to win short-term votes. Sanctioning oil-producing Russia is an opportune time to invest in a clean energy future and make it more affordable for middle- and lower-income Minnesotans using state funds, Sturdevant says. 

Crucial energy spending differences between the House and Senate 

There is a bipartisan agreement in the legislature on providing financial support for ratepayers saddled by the cost of last year’s winter storms. The Senate is unlikely to fund weatherization and fall around $100 million short of the House’s compromised energy spending bill. Public safety and tax relief are the top priorities for Republicans with a $9.25 billion budget surplus, according to Senate energy lead Sen. David Senjem (R–Rochester). 

Comments accepted this week on Minnesota’s Climate Action Plan

Minnesota’s Climate Action Plan Framework, developed by Governor Walz’s Climate Change Subcabinet is due out this summer with recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The public is invited to read the 65-page draft and submit comments to climate.mn@state.mn.us until April 29. Many of the action plan points look similar to the House Climate Action Plan in energy, farming, and transport and training underrepresented and clean energy workers for equitable and healthy communities with some of the priorities, like building codes, needing Legislative approval.  

Democracy 

DFL pushes to add Minnesota as an early presidential primary state  

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is considering adjusting the calendar for the party’s presidential pick. The DNC rules panel approved a resolution allowing five states to hold their primaries before the first Tuesday in March. Previously, Minnesota has held their primaries on Super Tuesday, which means larger states often overshadow us, like California and Texas. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has voiced his support for this, saying the state “deserves to have a powerful voice in deciding who becomes[s] the presidential nominee from every political party”. For the primary to move it will need bipartisan support. 

Racial Justice 

What’s next for George Floyd Square?

It’s been almost two years since George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, turning the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue a protest and memorial area for lives lost to police brutality. The city has started to figure out what to do next with the “complicated intersection of culture, business, and historic trauma”. Previously, Mayor Frey has proposed a permanent memorial, and last week elected officials joined with the Public Works Department and members of the public in a town hall to discuss what’s next for the intersection. Alexander Kado and Trey Joiner have been named project managers for the project. Joiner has described the project as a “blank canvas with no top-down plan”, mainly because they feel the need of public input on what citizens and community members think would be best to balance “community healing” but also with transitional asset management and public transit upgrades. There will be an online town hall tomorrow, April 26, from 5–7 pm. Additionally, there is a survey for citizen’s feedback on the project and community engagement. 

Other Legislative News 

State of the State 2022

Governor Tim Walz delivered his fourth State of the State yesterday, April 25, where he called for unity among state lawmakers to address the various impacts of the pandemic for Minnesotans. This year’s legislative session has unsurprisingly been met with partisan gridlock, stalling efforts from either party to make much leeway. Specifically, the governor urged lawmakers to find some common ground on frontline worker bonuses and reviving the unemployment insurance trust fund. DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she sees a compromise “still possible” but challenging amidst a divided government. On the other hand, many wonder if the division will be too great to tackle the issue of crime, as the Republican and DFL proposals differ greatly in spending and strategy. Governor Walz hopes the state can come to an agreement to get tough on crime by getting “serious about the causes of crime”, which the DFLers have had more emphasis on whereas Republicans proposals have focused on recruiting officers and funding public safety directly. 

Governor Walz is up for re-election this November after a turbulent first term as he dealt not only with the pandemic but also the murder of Geroge Floyd and the “racial reckoning” that followed. There are already a number of Republicans eyeing the opportunity to challenge Walz. 

Bonding bill on top of lawmakers to-do list 

As legislators return from spring break, the clock is ticking before session ends. The session’s adjournment deadline, however, continues to become “more of a suggestion than mandate” in recent years. Historically, bonding bills are passed in even-numbered years and decisions typically come closer to the end of session.  Bonding bills are essentially infrastructure funding packages, with the House proposing their bill first before the Senate offers theirs. These packages cover construction needs, road and bridge repairs, parks and trails, transit, hospital and prison upgrades, sewer and water, and more. 

Sen. Tom Baak (I–Cook) doesn’t think bonding discussions will get serious until around the Fishing Opener on May 14, saying “it’s just always the last thing out of town…everyone will tell you it’s the most important thing of the session, it’s the thing we’re here for—it’s still always the last thing”. 

What the legislature can get done before session ends 

With just over four weeks left before adjournment, many wonder if politics will get in the way of dealmaking with election year on the mind of lawmakers. MinnPost has identified six big issues the legislature can still pursue: budget and taxes, public safety, drought relief, booze and gambling bills, unemployment insurance and essential worker bonuses, and the bonding bill. 

Senate Republicans and House DFLers have starkly different plans for how to spend the state surplus. Governor Walz has favored one-time rebate checks, whereas Republicans are advocating for permanent income tax breaks and ending Social Security taxation. Other DFLers want to focus tax cuts on low-income families and paying off student debt. 

Public safety is still a top priority for both parties, but there has yet to be some common ground in what their bills are proposing. The latest DFL plan in the House has $150 million that would go to recruiting police officers, funding violence interruption nonprofits, aiding homelessness, and providing mental health aid. Across the aisle and across the legislature, Senate Republicans are proposing a $71 million package that would fund police departments to help with hiring, training, and rewarding officers, with a small amount for youth intervention programs. This also comes with new proposed laws and tougher sentencing and penalties that could increase the state’s prison population. 

Farmers are still waiting to receive their promised relief from the 2021 drought. The DFL House wants to fund drought programs and local governments to increase water efficiency, plant shade trees, and restoration efforts. The funding for water and trees has not been met with agreement from the Senate Republicans, as they want to focus on loans for farmers and fund the UMN to test for animal diseases amid the avian flu rise. There are plans for a conference committee with hopes of finalizing legislation that both parties can agree to. 

The effort to lessen alcohol laws and legalize sports betting has continued over recent years, but there is hope for this session to make a move. What does make this year’s effort different is that tribes with casino operations are no longer opposed to sports betting as they have been in previous years. Republicans are less apt to lessen these laws. 

There is a general consensus among the House, Senate, and governor on unemployment insurance and Hero Checks: all agree some amount of money needs to go back in the trust fund and avoid borrowing additional funds. Additionally, they all agree to provide bonus checks to essential workers who worked on the front lines during the pandemic—it is now a matter of how much and who should receive them. There is hope that middle ground can be found to pass these measures. 

Finally, the bonding bill. Governor Walz has proposed a $2.73 billion bonding plan, but neither the House or Senate have released their plans. The state constitution requires a 60% majority vote on bonding bills. While this means the majority of either chamber gets to add their projects to the list, it also means minority members have the power of veto if they don’t get enough of what they want.