In This Issue:
- Catalytic Converter Legislation Update
- Local Government Salary Cap Bill Heard in Senate
- Bills Amend Requirements for Capital Investment Projects
- Senate Housing Committee Hears Tenant Protection Bills
- Workforce and Affordable Homeownership Bill Heard
- Metro Cities Board of Directors Openings
- Bills of Note
Catalytic Converter Legislation Update
HF 30 – Richardson was passed by the House of Representatives on Monday with a vote of 113-15. The bill makes it illegal to possess or purchase catalytic converters without documentation showing that the catalytic converters were legally obtained. There are also provisions included that prohibit cash payments for catalytic converters, require a five-day delay for payments, and require converters to be held on the dealer’s premises for seven days after they are acquired. Click HERE for a summary of HF 30, as passed by the House. Metro Cities provided written testimony in support of this bill at all its committee hearings.
SF 5 – Marty, the senate companion to HF 30, was passed by the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. The bill was amended to add a general fund appropriation of $298,000 in 2024 and 2025 for the Department of Public Safety to perform the auditing and registration responsibilities outlined in the bill. SF 5 now waits for action on the Senate floor. The House and Senate bills are slightly different, so if SF 5 is passed a conference committee would likely be formed. If the House or Senate accepts the other body’s language, a conference committee would not be necessary.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
Local Government Salary Cap Bill Heard in Senate
SF 1086-Cwodzinski, which would repeal the local government salary cap, was heard earlier this week in the Senate State and Local Government Committee and laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. Metro Cities provided written testimony in support of the legislation. The bill generated concerns from some committee members about the potential for geographic disadvantages in salaries and the ability to attract candidates for employment, and fiscal impacts on local taxpayers. Members also asked about the number of waivers that have been requested and granted over the years. The bill was heard last week in the House State and Local Government Committee and was moved to the House floor. SF 1086 was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. Contact Patricia Nauman at [email protected] with any questions.
Bills Amend Requirements for Capital Investment Projects
The House State and Local Government Committee will hear bills that would amend capital investment project requirements next Friday, March 3rd. HF 1131 – Lee, F. amends state law so that the state share for capital projects requested by political subdivisions cannot exceed half of the total project cost. The bill also requires that political subdivisions include the percentage of local funding that has been secured when requests for state assistance are submitted.
HF 1132, Lee, F. requires the state to withhold grant funds for capital projects until grantees receive approval from the Center for Sustainable Building Research, who must state that the project complies with sustainable building design guidelines. The bill requires a grantee of state funds to hire qualified cost-estimating professionals as part of the project planning process if a project’s construction cost is less than $1.5 million.
HF 1133, Lee, F. contains an open appropriation for Minnesota Management and Budget to increase the agency’s capacity to raise awareness about the capital budget process and provide technical assistance around requirements for general fund or general obligation bond funding. Metro Cities will monitor these bills and the committee’s discussion on March 3rd.
Metro Cities will provide updates on the status of bills as they are considered.
Senate Housing Committee Hears Tenant Protection Bills
On Tuesday, the Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee heard a variety of tenant protection bills. These bills include policy to do the following:
- Require a landlord to provide a fourteen-day notice to the renter before bringing an eviction action.
- Prohibit landlords from discriminating against tenants who participate in public assistance programs.
- Improves the ability to expunge eviction actions from a person’s record.
- Prohibits landlords from charging a tenant nonrefundable fee for non-optional services.
These bills were heard and laid over for the potential inclusion in an omnibus renter rights bill, and then will be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee. We will keep you informed as this process unfolds. Questions? Please contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected].
Workforce and Affordable Homeownership Bill Heard
The House Housing Committee heard a bill on Tuesday, HF 1635 (Norris - Blaine) that would increase the amount of the state’s portion of proceeds derived from the mortgage registry tax and the deed tax to the workforce and affordable homeownership development account. This bill would grant authority for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to issue loans in addition to grants and would appropriate $15 million from the general fund to the program in each fiscal year starting in 2024 and ending in 2034. This program provides funding for new construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and resale of single-family homes, providing for more affordable homeownership across the state.
Please contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected] with any comments or questions.
Metro Cities Board of Directors Openings
The Metro Cities Board of Directors has openings for terms beginning July 1. The Board is 19 members and comprised of elected and appointed officials. The association’s by-laws require the Board to be balanced by city size and population. The Board is responsible for overseeing Metro Cities’ operational budget, strategic goals and legislative policies and priorities. The Board also has statutory authority for appointing municipal officials to the regional Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). A nominating committee will meet in March to recommend candidates for election at the April 19th annual meeting. Interested applicants are asked to provide a (1) resume, (2) cover letter and to complete an (3) application form. Applicants may also provide letters of reference. For more information, contact Patricia Nauman, Executive Director at [email protected]. Applications should be sent to Jennifer Dorn at [email protected] by March 10th.
Bills of Note
HF 1967, Petersburg/SF 1345, Jasinski: Bill requires a cost-benefit analysis be conducted for proposed transit guideways.
HF 1972, Brand: Bill allocates 5% of motor vehicle registration taxes to small cities.
HF 1976, Norris: Bill relates to manufactured housing policy by providing limits to rent increases, billing for water, and modifies notices.
HF 1992, Hornstein/SF 1946, Dibble: Bill establishes a budget for transportation.
HF 1999, Lillie/SF 1682, Hawj: Bill appropriates money from the clean water, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage funds.
HF 2000, Stephenson/SF 1949, Klein: Bill establishes legal sports betting in MN and includes local preemption language.
HF 2004, Jordan: Bill clarifies application of environmental review statutes as they relate to the adoption of regional and local comprehensive plans.
HF 2022, Norris/SF 2007, Housley: Bill provides funding for a manufactured home park revolving loan fund.
HF 2045, Tabke: Bill establishes program to address safety concerns on LRT.
HF 2048, Gomez/SF 129, Fateh: Bill prohibits governments from acquiring or using facial recognition technology.
HF 2063, Jordan: Bill modifies the drinking water revolving fund law to address replacement of lead service lines.
HF 2092, Hornstein/SF 1624, Dibble: Bill provides for the election of Metropolitan Council members.
HF 2096, Jordan/SF 669, Morrison: Bill prohibits PFAS in ski wax.
HF 2098, Sencer-Mura/SF 2026, Mohamed: Bill authorizes a speed safety enforcement pilot program.
HF 2119, Koegel: Bill amends the major local bridge requirements for the local bridge program.
HF 2124, Baker/SF 234, Draheim: Bill establishes a housing infrastructure grants pilot program for developers and provides funding.
HF 2127, Sencer-Mura: Bill modifies the Minnesota youth program and provides funding.
HF 2133, Koegel/SF 1358, Carlson: Bill establishes a large cities assistance account and allocates filing fee and surcharge revenue to that account as well as the small cities assistance account.
SF 1846, Pratt/HF 1916, Tabke: Bill expands the service area for Metro Mobility.
SF 1859, Jasinski/HF 1822, Torkelson: Bill modifies the selection process for Corridors of Commerce projects.
SF 1888, Oumou Verbeten/HF 1833, Frazier: Bill requires the release of body camera recordings when there is a deadly force incident.
SF 1896, Hawj/HF 1514, Hansen: Bill creates a new inflow and infiltration grant program for metropolitan cities.
SF 1901, Putnam/HF 1947, Koegel: Bill appropriates $26 million for intercity passenger rail projects.
SF 1907, Kunesh/HF 817, Feist: Bill provides residents an opportunity to purchase manufactured home parks.
SF 1959, Dibble/HF 1234, Her: Bill modifies peace officer duty disability provisions.
SF 1963, Dibble/HF 401, Hornstein: Bill contains various transportation-related policy changes.
SF 1994, Seeberger: Bill establishes a grant program for the mapping and replacement of lead drinking water service lines.
SF 2028, Limmer: Bill establishes the crime of carjacking and includes new criminal penalties for this offense.
SF 2031, Mohamed: Bill authorizes the termination of a lease upon the loss of income of a tenant, and modifies landlord obligations and liabilities.
SF 2040, Mohamed: Bill provides funding for the family homeless prevention and assistance program.
SF 2047, Seeberger: Bill prohibits modification of water use permits for cities impacted by the White Bear Lake court case and establishes a work group to study the issue.