ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Legislature heard a wide array of bills this week as it approaches mid-April committee deadlines, including bills on medical debt, higher education tuition and housing.
Minnesotans rally for ‘debt reset’ bill
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, lawmakers and faith leaders rallied Wednesday, April 2, at the Capitol in support of the “Minnesota Medical Debt Reset Act,” / , which of Minnesotans’ medical debt.
ADVERTISEMENT
The bills, authored by Sen. Liz Boldon, DFL-Rochester, and Rep. Liz Reyer, DFL-Eagan, would appropriate $5 million to Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization, to purchase up to $500 million in Minnesotans’ medical debt at a discounted rate.
To qualify for the relief, Minnesotans must have household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, or have medical debt equal to or exceeding 5% of their household income. Those stipulations would apply to an estimated 250,000 to 400,000 Minnesotans, according to the attorney general’s office.
“The federal government is abandoning the American people, particularly when it comes to health care,” Ellison said after the rally Wednesday. “This will be relief to the consumer sector of the economy, unburdened by debt.”
Neither of the bills have received hearings in committee.
North Star Promise tuition program
The House Higher Education Committee heard two bills Tuesday that would add more eligibility parameters to the Minnesota North Star Promise tuition program.
The North Star Promise Tuition program, passed in 2023, applies to Minnesota residents with a family-adjusted gross income below $80,000, according to the program website. It is open for all Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, all University of Minnesota campuses and all Tribal Colleges, the website says.
, sponsored by Rep. Ben Bakeberg, R-Jordan, would limit the North Star tuition program to students in high-demand industries and occupations.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When we have a looming $6 billion deficit … We have to be wise about the realities that we’re facing in every single committee,” Bakeberg said Tuesday.
, sponsored by Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover, would ask that students who receive North Star tuition stay in the state one year after graduation for every year they receive free tuition.
“Minnesota is a generous state, but for something that is so indicative of future success as post-secondary education, I do not think it is too much to ask these students who receive this valuable asset that they stay and work and get back by contributing to Minnesota’s economy for as little as one year,” Scott said in committee.
Shae Horning, a junior at the University of Minnesota and director of state government affairs for the Undergraduate Student Government, said these bills would “complicate a program designed to remove barriers.”
“We don’t impose these kinds of residency requirements on the state grant program or workforce scholarships because they’re impractical and impossible to enforce,” she said in testimony to the committee. “North Star promise should be no different. Adding red tape only undermines its purpose and limits opportunities for students in need.”
Both bills were laid over for possible inclusion in a higher education committee bill.
Senate hears omnibus housing bill
The Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee voted to advance its omnibus housing bill, , on Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The bill, authored by Sen. Lindsey Port, DFL-Burnsville, would appropriate $180 million from the general fund to various state-run programs and grants. According to the grant, $46 million would go to the Bring It Home Rental assistance program, $31 million to the Family Homeless Prevention program, $26 million to the Economic Development & Housing Challenge program and $23 million to the Housing Trust fund.
“This bill meets the moment of our budget realities, but not the reality of Minnesotans' lives,” Port said in committee Tuesday. “The cost of housing is higher than ever in Minnesota, and the dream of homeownership is slipping out of reach for more and more families.”
The Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention committee advanced the bill Thursday, and it now heads to the Senate Finance committee.
Sen. Eric Lucero, R-Saint Michael, said that the bill isn’t going to solve the “root causes” of housing struggles and that conversations will need to continue before voting yes on the bill.
“For now, I think this is probably the best that we could have come up with,” he said in committee Thursday.
Bills in motion this week
House
: Bans pet shops from selling cats and dogs. The House Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee laid the bill over on Tuesday for possible omnibus bill inclusion.
ADVERTISEMENT
: Omnibus education policy bill that creates a substitute teacher pilot program, among other provisions. It passed out of committee Wednesday and heads to the House floor.
: Establishes regulatory requirements for large-scale data centers in the state, including water use, energy use and environmental review. The House Energy Finance and Policy Committee laid over the bill for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill Tuesday.
: Allows schools the option to start the school year before Labor Day until 2027. The bill passed out of the Education Policy Committee unanimously Wednesday and heads to the House floor.
: Allows the commissioner of corrections the authority to revoke earned incentive credits granted under the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act. The bill passed unanimously and heads to the House floor.
Senate
: Designates the Giant Beaver designated the state fossil. The bill was laid over on Tuesday for possible inclusion in the State and Local Government omnibus bill.
: Omnibus Veterans bill which includes appropriations for health care, facility maintenance and enlistment incentives. The bill passed out of the Veterans subcommittee and now moves to the Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development Committee.
ADVERTISEMENT
: Modifies the definition of carbon-free to include biomass. The bill was laid over in the Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate on Wednesday for possible inclusion in the energy omnibus bills.
: Prohibits access to AI nudification technology. The bill was laid over in the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee for possible inclusion in a larger bill.
: Requiring removal and disposal of abandoned boats. The bill passed out of the Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate on Monday and moves to Judiciary.
The Trust Project
