Session Begins.  The first day of the 2014 legislative session went off largely without a hitch.  No drama.  No political intrigue.  Just a ton of bill introductions, a long House Tax Committee hearing where repeal of the business-to-business and sales tax on farm implement repairs were discussed, and the passage of a bill for emergency energy relief.  I'll cut right to the bill introductions below:

SF 1751 (Wiger)/HF 2264 (Halverson):  Increases Revenue for Early Childhood Family Education Program:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1751&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1761 (Bonoff)/Currently No House Companion:  Creates and Funds Alternative Compensation Plans:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1761&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0&format=pdf

SF 1795 (Clausen)/HF 2229 (JoAnn Ward):  Increases Building Lease Levy:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1795&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0&format=pdf

SF 1812 (Hoffman)/HF 1882 (Murphy):  Provides Funding for Universal Preschool for 4-year-olds:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1812&session=ls88&version=latest&session_number=0&session_year=2014

SF 1829 (Kent)/Currently No House Companion:  Appropriates Money for Early Childhood Literacy Program:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1829&session=ls88&version=latest&session_number=0&session_year=2014

SF 1835 (Sieben)/HF 2180 (Murphy): Education Minnesota Health Insurance Transparency Act (described in yesterday's blog): https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1835&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1861 (Saxhaug)/HF 2309 (Persell):  Increases Funding For Transportation:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1861&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1889 (Torres Ray)/Currently No House Companion:  Department of Education Technical Bill:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1889&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1891 (Johnson)/HF 1922 (Newton):  Increases Funding for School Breakfast Program: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1891&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1894 (Wiger)/Currently No House Companion: Providing for Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1894&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1895 (Johnson)/HF 1917 (Newton):  Increases Safe Schools Levy from $36/PU to $56/PU:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1895&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1902 (Wiger)/HF 2283 (Selcer):  Creates Task Force to Better Align Alternative Compensation and Teacher Evaluation Programs: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1902&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1913 (Wiger)/HF 2325 (Sawatsky): Brings Back 50%/25%/25% Staff Development Allocation: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1913&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

SF 1925 (Eaton)/HF 2326 (Slocum):  Provides Additional Funding for Recovery Schools:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF1925&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

HF 2271 (Erickson)/Currently No Senate Companion:  Creates Performance-based Pay System for Teachers:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF2271&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

HF 2280 (S. Anderson)/Currently No Senate Companion:  Authorizes School Districts to Seek Reimbursement for Unpaid School Meals from the Minnesota Department of Education:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF2280&version=0&session=ls88&session_year=2014&session_number=0

The next few sessions will be introduction-heavy, but things should slow down after a couple of weeks.  If you have questions about any of these bills, don't hesitate to contact me at 612-220-7459.