Capitol Review: How are Minnetonka Lawmakers Faring So Far?

Last week, Minnesota legislators returned to their home districts for their traditional Passover and Easter break. With the break over and the session set to resume today, Minnetonka Patch took a look at some of the key bills authored by your legislators— and . 

Sen. Bonoff: Chief-Authored Legislation

Bill

Bill  Description

Bill Status

SF1271

Requiring the energy division of the Department of Commerce to research, study and report on the feasibility, costs, and potential revenue and other benefits for municipalities to harness the cooling capacity of geothermal/hydrothermal energy extracted from municipal wells.

4/26: Introduced and referred to the Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee 

SF1251

Appropriating money to the commissioner of natural resources (DNR) to acquire land within the statutory boundaries of Crow Wing state park.

4/26: Introduced and referred to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee 

SF1004

Making an exception for children within the Minnesota comprehensive health association (MCHA) six-month preexisting condition limitation.

 3/23: Introduced and referred to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee

SF0666

Requiring transaction agents to disclose information on lenders for residential mortgage loans; requiring additional data in foreclosure notices.

3/9: Introduced and referred to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee

SF0659

Appropriating money to commissioner of transportation (DOT) and authorizing the issuance of state bonds for marked interstate highway #494 reconstruction in order to make additional lanes from the interchange of marked trunk highway #55
to the bridge over East Fish Lake Road

3/9: Introduced and referred to the Transportation Committee

SF0648

Appropriating money to the commissioner of human services and authorizing the issuance of state bonds for grants to construct and rehabilitate early childhood learning and child protection facilities.

3/7: Introduced and referred to the Capitol Investment Committee

SF0489

Requiring the department of education to hire a consultant to work with school districts, charter schools, and employees to study specific services or activities and make recommendations about combining services and activities to promote improved service delivery, efficiency, and economy of operation; 
specifying certain requirements for shared services arrangements, deduction, savings allocation, and competition among school districts; requiring report to the legislature.

2/28: Introduced and referred to the Education Committee

SF0300

"Minnesota science and technology program"; establishing the Minnesota science and technology authority, specifying powers; allowing the authority to establish a commercialized research program to accelerate science and technology products commercialization, a federal research and development support program to increase federal funding, and an industry technology and competitiveness program to advance technological capacity

3/16: Passed through Jobs and Economic Growth Committee and re-referred to the Taxes Committee

 Rep. John Benson: Chief-Authored Legislation

Bill

Bill Description

Bill Status

HF1064

Appropriates money to the Crow Wing State Park land purchase plan.

 3/14: Bill introduced and referred to the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee 

HF0475

Appropriates money to food shelves and food stamp outreach programs.

2/17: Bill introduced and referred to the Health and Human Services Finance Committee

HF0388

Dog and cat breeder standards established: specifying state standards on the care provided and instituting criminal penalties for those who do not comply.

 2/17: Bill introduced and referred to the Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Committee

HF0216

Eliminating the limit on referendum allowances.

1/26: Bill introduced and referred to the Education Finance Committee

HF0172

Establishes a minimum counselor to student ratio in schools.

1/20: Bill introduced and referred to the Education Reform Committee

HF0155

Abolishing levy limits.

1/20: Introduced and referred to the Taxes Committee

1/25: Re-referred to the Property and Local Tax Division Committee

2/24: Motion introduced and passed to return the bill to author