Free School Lunch

Thursday night, the House passed a bill (HF5) to provide free breakfast and lunch in schools to all K-12 students. The bill, which has a price tag of about $200 million, now heads to the Senate for a vote, where it is likely to pass. The Governor included this proposal in his budget and is expected to sign it into law.

Voting Rights for Individuals Convicted of a Felony

Thursday was a busy evening for the House, as the chamber also passed an initiative to restore voting rights to Minnesotans convicted of a felony upon the completion of their incarceration (HF28). Current law requires this group to complete their entire parole or probationary period before their voting rights are reinstated. The bill will next be heard on the Senate floor.

Increased Funding for the Attorney General’s Office

In recent years, the Attorney General’s office has increasingly been asked to aid Greater Minnesota counties with criminal prosecutions. A bill to provide the office with additional funding to help support this function—as well as partially close a general budget gap—passed the Senate in late January. The House went on to pass the bill this past week, and the Governor signed it into law on Tuesday.

Huber Cancels Plan for Cohasset Engineered Wood Plant

A planned development for a new oriented strand board mill in the northwest Minnesota town of Cohasset was canceled by the company this week after a state appeals court ruled that a lengthy environmental impact statement could be required. The $400 million project would have created 150 Minnesota jobs.

Smaller Bills Moving Through

After the breakneck pace of the last several weeks, many of legislative leadership’s cornerstone bills have been passed. While major priority bills like paid family leave and cannabis are still moving through committee, this clears the way for smaller pieces of legislation to start moving in earnest. Expect something of a return to standard session form through the first deadline in early March.

February 10, 2023