The first week of the 2013 session has come and gone and as promised, it was a slow and ceremonial start. The pace will pick up some next week as committee chairs hold hearings so members can get to know each other on their newly appointed committees. Several committees also are holding hearings to conduct overviews of their jurisdictional subject matter. Mostly, they are buying time until the Governor unveils his budget plan, which must come out by Jan. 22.
The first round of bill introductions have arrived and they signal the new DFL majorities priorities:
- SF 1 calls for the creation of a state run health insurance exchange which will function as an on-line, competitive shopping center for about 1.3 million Minnesotans.
- HF 1 calls for repaying the school shift to the traditional 90/10 schedule.
- SF 2 calls for state aid to schools that provide all day, every day kindergarten.
- HF 2 calls for property tax refunds.
- Legislation to increase the minimum wage, expand the sales tax and reform how constitutional amendments are dealt with were introduced this week as well.
Click on the committee name below to see what they have scheduled for this week:
House Education Finance
House Education Policy
House Early Childhood and Youth Development Policy
Senate Education
|Senate E-12 Budget Division
To view a list of the members, click on the committee below:
House K-12 Ed Finance
House Education Policy
House Early Childhood and Youth Development Policy
Senate Finance E-12
Senate Education