Metro Cities News 2/1/19

In This Issue:

• Metropolitan Council Nominating Committee Schedule
• Senate Committee Discusses Emerald Ash Borer
• Bills Addressing Metro Inflow-Infiltration Mitigation Introduced
• Elections Administration Bill Heard in House
• EVENT: Cleanup Webinar - February 6
• Bills of Note

Metropolitan Council Nominating Committee Schedule

The nominating committee to recommend members for the Metropolitan Council held its first public meeting on Monday evening to interview applicants for Council districts 1, 2, 9, and 10. Applicants selected for interviews are being given five minutes to answer questions on issues of specific interest to the applicant, how and what amount of engagement the applicant will conduct with his or her district, and how the applicant has worked to advance equity in his or her district or community.

The meeting scheduled for last Tuesday was cancelled due to the weather, and is rescheduled for Monday, February 11th at 6:00 pm at the Metropolitan Council building. See Metro Cities January 11th newsletter for a list of nominating committee members and applicants identified for interviews.

Senate Committee Discusses Emerald Ash Borer

Staff from the MN Department of Agriculture (MDA) provided updated information to the Senate Agriculture Committee on invasive species, including Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), this week. According to Department staff, the state is home to approximately one billion ash trees, all of which are in danger of being infested by EAB. The seven metro counties are all within the federal quarantine area. MDA is currently working with local communities to train professionals and educate the public. For more information on EAB, click here. Metro Cities supports state funding to assist cities with EAB mitigation.

Bills Addressing Metro Inflow-Infiltration Mitigation Introduced

Bills to assist with inflow-infiltration mitigation on local public infrastructure as well as private properties in the metropolitan area have been introduced. SF 700-Klein/HF 582-Hansen appropriate $10 million in capital funding for grants to cities in the metropolitan area to assist with inflow-infiltration mitigation. Metro Cities supports this legislation and supports legislation introduced by Rep. Mike Freiberg and Sen. Ann Rest to appropriate $5 million from the Clean Water Fund to assist with private property inflow-infiltration mitigation in the metropolitan area.

Please contact Patricia Nauman at [email protected] with any questions.

Elections Administration Bill Heard in House

This week, Rep. Nelson and Rep. O’Driscoll brought forth a bill that would allow the Secretary of State to spend federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds. These funds help states meet the Act’s mandatory minimum standards for elections administration. The Secretary of State explained that Minnesota is one of six states requiring legislative approval to spend money that comes from the federal government and that Minnesota is the only state that has not approved and received HAVA money. The Secretary of State, League of Minnesota Cities and the Association of Minnesota Counties all testified in support of this bill. The Secretary of State has a working group, including local governments, to decide how the HAVA funds will be spent. The bill was re-referred to Ways and Means with the recommendation to be added to the general register. A companion, SF 93, awaits action by the Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections committee.

EVENT: Cleanup Webinar – February 6

DEED and the Metropolitan Council will be hosting a webinar on cleanup funding from 10:00 - 11:00 am this Wednesday, February 6. The webinar will cover local public grants that help pay the cost of cleaning up contaminated sites known as brownfields. In the Minnesota metropolitan area, there are multiple opportunities for funding to remediate contaminated sites. The webinar will discuss how to apply for public financing. Cities, Counties, EDAs, HRAs, and Port Authorities are eligible applicants. Private organizations redeveloping real estate are encouraged to work with eligible applicants to apply. Applications for the next competitive Met Council grant round are due May 1.

Meeting Link
Registration is not required.

Meeting number: 598 304 269
Meeting password: brownfield
Audio connection: 1-888-742-5095 Call-in toll-free number
Conference code: 176 233 5404

Bills of Note

HF 390, Zerwas: Bill increases penalties for obstructing trunk highway, airport, or transit traffic.
HF 393, Hausman: Bill provides $60M in GO bonds for housing and $90M in housing infrastructure bonds.
HF 395, Hansen/SF 710, Dziedzic: Bill appropriates general fund money to mitigate EA. Metro Cities supports state funding to mitigate the effects of EAB.
HF 411, Poppe/SF 587, Dahms: Bill appropriates money to the Public Facilities Authority for water infrastructure programs.
HF 414, Stephenson: Bill provides appropriation for the business development competitive grant program.
HF 420, Freiberg/SF 619, Franzen: Bill would allow individuals 21 years of age or older to cultivate, consume, use, and possess cannabis, cannabis products, and cannabis accessories. Also provides for regulation of cannabis for commercial purposes and taxes certain cannabis sales. 
HF 427, Gruenhagen: Bill prohibits public officials from using public funds to help pass or defeat a ballot question. 
HF 447, Becker-Finn: Bill expands the tax exemption for firefighting equipment. 
HF 456, Hansen: Bill provides a onetime grant to the city of Lilydale.
HF 457, Runbeck /SF 705, Nelson: Bill requires light rail transit operators to comply with certain traffic regulations and establishes alcohol concentration limits for light rail transit operators. 
HF 458, Bernardy: Bill allows shareholders of manufactured home park cooperatives to include a portion of ground lease payments when filing for the homestead credit state refund.
HF 461, Hansen: Bill provides temporary increased payments to the city of West St. Paul. 
HF 465, Liebling: Bill proposes an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution to allow individuals 21 years of age or older to consume and possess cannabis and cannabis-infused products and provides regulation of cannabis for commercial purposes. 
HF 466, Quam: Bill would impose an alternative fuel vehicle tax. 
HF 477, Theis: Bill prohibits state building code or a city from requiring sprinklers in single family, two-family or accessory structures.
HF 484, Dettmer: Bill modifies expiration of metropolitan agricultural preserves.
HF 510, Grossel: Bill prohibits municipal identification cards for undocumented immigrants.
HF 511, Elkins: Bill repeals the prohibition on local ordinances banning plastic bags and similar materials.
HF 529, Mahoney: Bill appropriates funds for the East Metro Rail Corridor.
HF 601, Hausman: Bill includes housing funding initiatives, including state tax credit, Challenge Program, state match for local housing trust funds, workforce and home ownership account.
HF 625, Long: Bill provides for automatic voter registration of applicants for a driver’s license, instruction permit, or state identification card.
HF 626, Grossell: Bill requires law enforcement officers to record country of citizenship and immigration status of felon arrestees and requiring peace officers to report suspected immigration violations.

SF 404, Nelson: Establishes a private contribution state tax credit for housing.
SF 501, Dibble: Bill requires local units of government to establish law enforcement citizen oversight councils.
SF 520, Rest/ HF 226, Freiberg : Bill appropriates $5 million for local inflow and infiltration reduction programs.
SF 586, Hawj: Bill increases the number of voters an individual may assist in marking a ballot.
SF 589, Osmek: Bill defines light rail transit and streetcars and prohibits the use of state funds for operating costs of future light rail lines. Bill also prohibits the use of state funds for capital costs of light rail.
SF 612, Laine/ HF 45, Schultz: Bill provides for automatic voter registration of applicants for a driver’s license, instruction permit, or state identification card.
SF 614, Laine: Bill provides residents an opportunity to purchase manufactured home parks.
SF 618, Newton: Bill eliminates the Transportation Advisory Board from the Metropolitan Council.
SF 621, Jasinski: Bill appropriates $14.6 million for reimbursements to deputy registrars for costs related to the MNLARS rollout.
SF 632, Bigham: Bill allows for early termination from the metropolitan agricultural preserves program.
SF 637, Bigham: Bill modifies Metropolitan Council governance.
SF 655, Rest: Bill establishes a noise barrier maintenance account in the trunk highway fund.
SF 660, Sparks: Bill appropriates money for various economic development programs, including the metro region.
SF 674, Abeler: Bill prohibits the use of automated driving systems.
SF 695, Hall: Bill authorizes data sharing between the Department of Human Services and the Metropolitan Council for special transportation services.
SF 700, Klein/HF 582, Hansen: Bills provide capital funding for inflow and infiltration grants in the metropolitan area.