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Education Finance

TWENTY FIRST MEETING

2021-2022 Regular Session - Thursday, February 25, 2021

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY FIRST MEETING
MN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY SECOND SESSION

EDUCATION FINANCE
MINUTES

Representative Julie Sandstede, Vice-Chair of the Education Finance Committee, called the virtual meeting to order at 10:30am on February 25, 2021 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting is being broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:
DAVNIE, Jim
SANDSTEDE, Julie
KRESHA, Ron
BENNETT, Peggy
DANIELS, Brian
DEMUTH, Lisa
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve
ERICKSON, Sondra
FEIST, Sandra
JORDAN, Sydney
MARQUART, Paul
MUELLER, Patricia
RICHARDSON, Ruth
THOMPSON, John
WOLGAMOTT, Dan
XIONG, Tou
YOUAKIM, Cheryl

A quorum was present.

Rep. Feist moved that the minutes from February 24, 2021 be approved. Motion prevailed.

HF 1312 (Davnie) A school district’s general education aid is reduced by the amount of any money the school district receives from the county through the county apportionment process. HF 1312 removes an obsolete reference to the subtraction of proceeds from the wind energy production tax from the general education aid offset contained in the county apportionment subdivision. The 2014 Legislature eliminated the portion of the wind energy production tax that was distributed to schools (before its elimination, 6.0% of the wind energy production tax was paid to school districts). As a result, there is no wind energy production tax revenue to offset general education aid.

Chair Davnie moved that HF 1312 be presented before the committee; be referred to Taxes.

Chair Davnie presented HF 1312.

Chair Davnie renewed the motion that HF 1312 be referred to Taxes. A roll call vote was taken. Motion prevailed.

Roll Call Vote Count (HF 1312); ‘aye’ – 16, ‘no’ – 0, not present – 1:
DAVNIE, Jim (aye)
SANDSTEDE, Julie (aye)
KRESHA, Ron (aye)
BENNETT, Peggy (aye)
DANIELS, Brian (aye)
DEMUTH, Lisa (aye)
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve (aye)
ERICKSON, Sondra (aye)
FEIST, Sandra (aye)
JORDAN, Sydney (aye)
MARQUART, Paul (aye)
MUELLER, Patricia (aye)
RICHARDSON, Ruth (aye)
THOMPSON, John (aye)
WOLGAMOTT, Dan (aye)
XIONG, Tou (not present)
YOUAKIM, Cheryl (aye)

HF 1313 (Davnie) Local optional revenue is one part of each school district’s general education revenue and is provided through an equalized aid and levy. A school district’s local optional revenue equals $724 per pupil unit. HF 1313 eliminates an obsolete provision.

Chair Davnie moved that HF 1313 be presented before the committee; be referred to Taxes.

Chair Davnie presented HF 1313.

Chair Davnie renewed the motion that HF 1313 be referred to Taxes. A roll call vote was taken. Motion prevailed.

Roll Call Vote Count (HF 1313); ‘aye’ – 17, ‘no’ – 0:
DAVNIE, Jim (aye)
SANDSTEDE, Julie (aye)
KRESHA, Ron (aye)
BENNETT, Peggy (aye)
DANIELS, Brian (aye)
DEMUTH, Lisa (aye)
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve (aye)
ERICKSON, Sondra (aye)
FEIST, Sandra (aye)
JORDAN, Sydney (aye)
MARQUART, Paul (aye)
MUELLER, Patricia (aye)
RICHARDSON, Ruth (aye)
THOMPSON, John (aye)
WOLGAMOTT, Dan (aye)
XIONG, Tou (aye)
YOUAKIM, Cheryl (aye)

HF 1065 (Davnie) HF 1065 is the Governor’s K12 Education Finance bill for the 2021 session.

Chair Davnie moved that HF 1065 be presented before the committee; be laid over for further consideration at a later time.

Chair Davnie moved that the A21 amendment to HF 1065 be presented to and adopted by the committee. Motion prevailed; the amendment was adopted.

Chair Davnie presented HF 1065, as amended.

Chair Davnie renewed the motion that HF 1065, as amended by the A21 amendment, be laid over for further consideration at a later time.

Testifiers:
Heather Mueller, Deputy Commissioner, MN Department of Education
Adosh Unni, Director of Government Relations, MN Department of Education
Terry Yetter, Director of School Finance, MN Department of Education
Becky Mendoza, School Counselor, St. Paul Public Schools; Chair, Anti-Racism & Equity
Christy McCoy, MSW LICSW; President,School Social Work Association of America;
Legislative Chair, MN School Social Work Association of America
Paula Cole, Executive Director, Educators for Excellence,
Ramona Kitto Stately, Project Director, We Are Still Here – Minnesota
Jodi Wambeke, Early Childhood Manager, Willmar Public School District, ISD 347
Kevion Ellis, Lobbyist, Education Minnesota
Christine Tucci Osorio, Superintendent, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, ISD 622
Jose Alvillar, Lead Organizer, Unidos MN
Deb Mehr, President, School Nurse Organization of MN (SNOM)
Cheryl Polzin, Director, MN School Boards Association; Board Member, Wayzata School
District
Ann-Marie Foucault, Superintendent, St. Michael-Albertville
Elisabeth Lodge Rogers, Assistant Superintendent, ISD 287


The meeting of the Education Finance Committee was adjourned 12:07pm.


______________________________________________
Representative Jim Davnie, Chair

______________________________________________
Brittney Sunderland, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF1065 (Davnie) - Omnibus education finance bill.
  • HF1312 (Davnie) - General education aid clarified.
  • HF1313 (Davnie) - Local optional revenue clarified, and obsolete language removed.
House TV Video:
View Archive

02:53 - HF1065 (Davnie) Prekindergarten through grade 12 education funding provided; general education, education excellence, teachers, special education, facilities, nutrition and libraries, early childhood, community education, and state agency provisions modified; reports required; and money appropriated.
05:46 - HF1313 (Davnie) Local optional revenue clarified, and obsolete language removed.
08:11 - HF1312 (Davnie) General education aid clarified.
Runs 1 hour, 37 minutes.


HF 1065 (Davnie) Prekindergarten through grade 12 education funding provided; general education, education excellence, teachers, special education, facilities, nutrition and libraries, early childhood, community education, and state agency provisions modified; reports required; and money appropriated.
HF 1313 (Davnie) Local optional revenue clarified, and obsolete language removed.
HF 1312 (Davnie) General education aid clarified.
*More items may be added*

Instructions to the public on testimony:
• If you wish to testify on a bill, please contact brittney.sunderland@house.mn and copy sarah.burt@house.mn by close of business (COB) the day prior to the hearing to get instructions. Clearly indicate the House File number you will be speaking to in the subject of your email. Due to technology constraints testifying on multiple bills is not possible.
• Written testimony is welcome, please see the template saved under permanent committee documents and submit your comments by COB the day prior to the committee by emailing them to: sarah.burt@house.mn

This meeting will be held in accordance with House Rule 10.01, which may be viewed here: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/permrule/1001.htm

Public Viewing Information:
This remote hearing will be live-streamed via the House webcast schedule page: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/schedule.asp

NOTE: Channels HTV 1 and HTV 2 will provide live closed captioning. Video archives of meetings streamed on HTV 3, 4, and 5 will have closed captions added. Other reasonable accessibility accommodations may be made with advance notice. If you have questions about the accessibility of remote hearings or require an accommodation, please contact Jenny Nash at: jenny.nash@house.mn or by leaving a message at 651-296-4122.