Ewald at the Capitol/April 17

Budget Update

The House Ways and Means Committee met this week to get an update on the latest state budget news. Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) reported that General Fund revenues for February and March were $103 million below the original forecast in February. The state’s macroeconomic consultant believes that economic recovery will begin in the third quarter of this year, assuming that social distancing restrictions begin to reverse at that time.

Under normal circumstances, the next official budget and economic forecast would not be released until November. However, now that the state is starting to see the effects of the pandemic — including the spending needed for relief — many lawmakers have called for an updated forecast. Gov. Walz has answered that request by directing MMB to release an updated projection in May. The question is now how accurate the read will be if it is released so soon.

"I hope things settle off and by July and August we got it all figured out. If that happens it’ll be great for us, but it might not," said MMB Commissioner Myron Frans.

Bills Passed

Gov. Walz signed two bills into law this week. The first is HF3100, an emergency insulin package, and the second is Minnesota’s fourth COVID-19 response bill, HF4556, which covers an extensive variety of topics. Provisions include adjustments to the open meeting law, an additional $1.25 million appropriation to Second Harvest Heartland, requiring reports to the legislature from some commissioners on their use of temporary powers during the peacetime emergency and allowing marriage license applications without an in-person oath, to name only a few.

In addition, the Senate passed the following bills:

SF3125: Provides medical assistance coverage for routine patient costs incurred in qualified clinical trials.
SF4489: Allows restaurants that are still selling food during this time to also sell beer and wine to go.

The House will meet in session today and is likely to pass SF4489 as well.

Debate on the House Floor

Due to COVID-19 social distancing standards, the House of Representatives is currently only allowing the few members seated in the chamber to participate in debate. Most House members are joining and voting via phone but are not given an opportunity to share their personal opinions during floor sessions. The few voices on the floor proved mighty this week when House floor debates lasted nearly three hours.

Members debated HF4556 and two resolutions to end the peacetime emergency, which was recently extended by the governor until May 13. The debates touched on the safety and well-being of Minnesotans, when and how to rebuild the economy, and whether members believe the Legislature is acting as a co-equal branch of government. In the end, neither version of the resolution moved forward.

The Senate is operating in a different manner. Because the body is smaller, they are able to safely fit (using social distancing guidelines) in rooms near the chamber so that each member has an opportunity to vote in person and debate if they wish to do so. Senate members also have the option to vote remotely.

Executive Orders Update

The governor’s latest Executive Orders include:

20-34 shares addresses of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, and presumed still contagious, with the Commissioner of Public Safety for the use of the department, 911 dispatchers and first responders. The Minnesota Department of Health will notify the Department of Public Safety when an individual can be considered no longer contagious. At that point, DPS is instructed to delete that individual’s personal information from its database.
20-35 extends the peacetime emergency that Gov. Walz originally declared on March 13. The new end date for the peacetime emergency is May 13, 2020. The emergency could also be terminated if both bodies of the Legislature vote to do so; however, with a split majority this is unlikely.
20-36 reduces the salaries of the governor, governor’s chief of staff, the state chief information officer and commissioners by 10% for the remainder of the year.