This week featured the third deadline at the Minnesota Legislature. This means that budget bills need to be passed out of their respective committees as well as the Ways and Means committee in the House and the Senate Finance committee. The next step is for each of the finance bills to be given a full vote in each chamber by the end of April.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Senate Finance committee heard Sen. Bruce Anderson’s SF 2358, the Omnibus Veterans and Military Affairs bill. The committee considered and passed an amendment which shifted funding from the Veterans Health Care division to the Programs & Services Division and added language to include an explicit appropriation to the State’s Veterans Cemeteries. The State Cemeteries are now being funded at MDVA’s requested amount, while the Programs and Services request still falls short. The committee approved the bill and sent it to the Senate floor.

On Friday, the House Ways and Means committee heard the companion to SF 2358. HF 2086 is authored by Rep. Rob Ecklund. The bill was passed and laid over for incorporation into HF 1935, the State Government Finance omnibus bill. HF 1935 was approved and sent to the House floor.

The Legislature will begin Easter/Passover break on Saturday, April 13 and will reconvene on Tuesday, April 23. During this time committees will not meet and legislative action will not take place.