Minnesota continues to operate under Executive Order 20-99 which took effect at 11:59 PM on Friday November 20 and will continue to Friday December 18 at 11:59 PM with the following restrictions:
- Restaurants: Closed for indoor and outdoor dining – open for take-out and delivery service
- Gyms/Fitness Studios/Public Pools/Recreation Centers: Closed
- Indoor Entertainment Venues: Closed
- Organized Sports: Paused
- Social Gatherings Outside One Household: Discouraged
- Retail Businesses/Salons/Places of Worship: Open with proper precautions
- Schools/Childcare: Open with proper Safe Learning Plan
Find Executive Order 20-99 here.
Management and Budget to Release November Budget Forecast
Tomorrow, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) will release its November budget forecast which provides the Governor and lawmakers with a snapshot of the state’s economic health leading up to the 2021 legislative session. The forecast (released semi-annually in November and February) is expected to show the state facing a budget deficit as the state continues to feel the impacts of COVID-19.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Minnesota, the Governor has requested informal reports from MMB to gauge the economic health of the state throughout the pandemic. Despite small improvements, the expected deficit will set up a difficult session at the Capitol where the state legislature remains the only divided government in the country.
Bakk, Tomassoni Depart Senate Democrats
Long-time Iron Range Senators Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) and David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm) announced Wednesday that they are leaving the Senate Democrats and forming a new, Senate Independent Caucus. Although unprecedent, the move is not surprising to many at the Capitol.
Senator Bakk served as the Senate democratic leader from 2011 until 2020 when Democrats chose Senator Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury) to take over in February before the start of the 2020 legislative session. At the time, the ousting of Bakk solidified what many believe to be a divide within the party between rural, more centrist democrats, and more progressive democrats based in the Twin Cities metro area.
In their joint statement, Bakk and Tomassoni highlighted “the extreme partisanship” at the Capitol as the reason for parting ways with their own caucus. The announcement gives Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelks (R-Nisswa) some breathing room from a tight 34-33 Republican majority as he will rely on both Bakk and Tomassoni to vote with Republicans on certain pieces of legislation during the upcoming 2021 legislative session that starts January 5. Bakk and Tomassoni have been offered committee chairmanships as part of the move (see below).
Senate Committee Structure, Chairs, and Meeting Times Announced
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) released the details of the Senate’s new committee structure, new chairpersons, and meeting times for the upcoming 2021 legislative session. Members of the new committees will be released in the coming weeks. Although most committee chairs will remain the same, some gavels have shifted due to retirements, seniority changes, and the addition of Senators Bakk and Tomassoni. See committee details below:
|
Committee
|
Time/ Room / Days
|
Chair
|
|
Finance
|
8:30-10am 1200 T/W/Th
|
Rosen
|
|
State Government Fin/Pol & Elections
|
10:30-Noon 1100 T/W
|
Kiffmeyer
|
|
Vets/Military Affairs Finance & Policy
|
8:30-10am
G-23 Th
|
Lang
|
|
Human Services Reform Finance
& Policy
|
1-2:30pm 1200 T/Th
|
Abeler
|
|
Health & Human Services Finance
& Policy
|
1-2:30pm 1200 M/W
|
Benson
|
|
Education Finance
& Policy
|
3-4:30pm 1100 M/W
|
Chamberlain
|
|
Energy Finance
& Policy
|
3-4:30pm 1150 T/Th
|
Senjem
|
|
Agriculture Finance
& Policy
|
3-4:30pm 1150 M/W
|
Westrom
|
|
Housing Finance
& Policy
|
1-2:30pm Cap123 T/Th
|
Draheim
|
|
Commerce Finance
& Policy
|
1-2:30pm Cap123 M
|
Dahms
|
|
Higher Education Finance & Policy
|
1-2:30pm
G-3 T/Th
|
Tomassoni
|
|
Judiciary/Pub. Safety Fin. & Criminal Law
|
1-2:30pm
G-15 M/W
|
Limmer
|
|
Jobs Finance
& Policy
|
3-4:30pm
G-23 M/W
|
Pratt
|
|
Environment & Natural Resources Finance
|
10:30am-Noon 1150 T/W
|
Ingebrigtsen
|
|
Enviro & NatRes Policy & Legacy Finance
|
1-2:30pm
G-3 M/W
|
Ruud
|
|
Transportation Finance & Policy
|
3-4:30pm
1100 T/W
|
Newman
|
|
|
|
|
|
Policy Committees
|
|
|
|
Local Government
|
3-4:30pm
G-23 T
|
Jasinski
|
|
->Subcommittee: Metropolitan Governance
|
1-2:30pm Cap123 Th
|
Osmek
|
|
Technology & Reform
|
8:30-10am
G-3 Th
|
Koran
|
|
Human Services Licensing
|
8:30-10am
G-3 T
|
Utke
|
|
Aging & Long Term Care
|
8:30-10am
G-3 W
|
Housley
|
|
Civil Law & Data Practices
|
1-2:30pm
G-15 T/Th
|
Mathews
|
|
Labor & Industry Policy
|
8:30-10am Cap123 W
|
Rarick
|
|
Mining & Forestry Policy
|
8:30-10am Cap123 T
|
Eichorn
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Standing Committees
|
|
|
|
Taxes
|
8:30-10am
G-15 T/Th
|
Nelson
|
|
->Subcommittee: Property Taxes
|
8:30-10am
G-15 W
|
Weber
|
|
Capital Investment
|
As needed
|
Bakk
|
|
Redistricting
|
As needed
|
M. Johnson
|
|
Rules
|
As needed
|
Gazelka
|
|
Total: 29
|
Meetings per week: 43
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please reach out to any of the Larkin Hoffman Government Relations team members with any questions.