Ewald at the Capitol

Revenue and Economic Update

Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released a revenue and economic update, which showed a 4.3 percent increase over projection for general fund revenues in November and December. A huge variance over projection were net corporate tax receipts, which came in at a whopping 36.1 percent above forecast.

The next full Budget and Economic Forecast will be conducted in February and should be released in early March. Even with a more positive outlook in revenues than originally projected during the beginning of the pandemic, the state still faces a large budget shortfall to deal with in the current legislative budgeting cycle.

First Bill Movement

Most committees in both bodies are waiting until the February Budget and Economic Forecast is released prior to moving bills forward. However, there have been a few instances in which committees have gotten straight to work.

SF26 was unanimously passed in the Senate this week, the first bill to be taken before a whole body for a vote this session. The bill would extend a waiver that allows couples to obtain a marriage license without at least one person appearing in person for application. The extension in this bill would run through the end of May 2021. The waiver was originally put in place due to COVID-19 and the peacetime emergency.

The bill has been sent to the House floor and awaits action.

Vaccine Pilot Program

A Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine pilot program launched this week. In partnership with local public health and school districts, the state has set up nine pilot sites that will initially serve adults 65 years of age or older, as well as prekindergarten through grade 12 educators, school staff, and child care workers.

What we know:

The structure of the pilot program will be used as the basis for distributing vaccines to Minnesota communities once supply allows.
Education and child care workers who are eligible to participate will receive information about signing up for an appointment from their employers.
Education and child care workers who are eligible to participate will receive information about signing up for an appointment from their employers.
While Minnesota is expanding eligibility for a vaccine, the state will continue to prioritize health care workers and long-term care residents and staff in Phase 1a. The state still plans to offer a first dose of the vaccine to this group by the end of January, for those who wish to receive it.

A small number of doses are currently available at pilot sites. Currently, demand is exceeding supply. Eligible Minnesotans should not visit a health care provider or pilot site unless they have an appointment.