House Omnibus Bill Advances, Senate Advances ‘Literary Focused Bill’
Legislature Breaks Until April 19
The first act of the 2022 legislative session has come and gone as the third bill deadline (April 8) is now in the rearview mirror. The legislature is taking their traditional Passover/Easter break between April 8 and April 18, resuming business on Tuesday, April 19. When they return, they’ll have five weeks to try and finish work on any legislation they hope to see enacted into law. The session must adjourn “sine die” on Monday, May 23 which means they can pass bills until midnight on Sunday, May 22.
The budget and policy positions for the Governor, House DFL majority and Senate GOP majorities are firmly established. For Governor Walz, facing re-election, a one-time tax rebate, more money for schools, a large bonding bill, replenishing the state’s unemployment trust fund and sending ‘HERO’ pay to pandemic front-line workers would be a clean sweep. The Senate GOP wants a permanent income tax for all income taxpayers in Minnesota and to eliminate income taxes on social security income. The House DFL wants to go big on education spending and is looking at a more targeted tax relief bill, focused on tax aids and credits instead of broad-based rate cuts.
A deal on replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund and HERO pay remains elusive. As it always happens, the major deal cutting, and decision making will likely pile up in the final days of the legislative session.
House Education Omnibus Bill Advances: HF 4300
Last week the House DFL announced details for a massive E-12 funding plan. The bill, HF 4300, calls for $1.155 billion in new education spending in the next fiscal year (FY ’23), which would grow to $2.125 billion over base in the ‘tails budget’ or FY 24-25. The largest component of the bill is a major buy-down, $422 million, of the special education cross-subsidy. Other funding highlights include:
FY ’23 and On-Going Support Includes:
- Special Education CrossX reduction = $422M
- ELL CrossX reduction = $76M
- Mixed Delivery VPK= $67M
- Student Personnel Aid = $96M
- BOLD Literacy = $4.75M
- MTSS = $21M
- CEP Meals Mandate = $18.5M
Here’s a link to the school district fiscal run for several of the aids in HF 4300.
FY ‘23 One-Time Support Includes:
- $61.5M one-time for Grow Your Own
- $50M one-time for Full Service Community Schools
- $25M one-time for Declining enrollment aid
Senate Education Advances Literacy Support: SF 4113
The Senate Education committee did not bother with a traditional omnibus bill this session. Instead, the GOP majority is advancing a “literacy focused bill” according to Senate Education Chairman Roger Chamberlain. The bill spends $30 million one-time money for LETRS literacy training and another $700,000/year in on-going money for literacy support staff positions at the Regional Centers of Excellence.
