Paid Family Leave Bill
Aims to Level the Playing Field
for All Minnesota Workers
The Paid Family and Medical Leave Act was
introduced the first week of the 2016 legislative
session. The bill author was joined by more than a
dozen paid family leave advocates on Monday at
a press conference to unveil the bill.
The legislation would create a system that allows
workers to meet the needs of their families
without jeopardizing their economic security.
The proposal, which calls for up to 12 weeks of
paid leave, was designed with the principle
“everybody contributes, everybody benefits” in
mind. All Minnesota workers would be eligible to
join the program, allowing workers to take leaves
for a new baby, an illness, or to care for an aging
loved one.
The bill calls for the creation of a statewide
insurance program which would be maintained by
equal employee and employer contributions.
Employees would contribute a percentage of their
income. For the average worker, the weekly
contribution would be about the cost of a cup of
coffee.
Currently in the U.S., only 13% of workers have
access to paid family leave, and 40% of workers can
access paid medical leave. Usually, these
workers are already some of the highest paid-- an
inequity that contributes to economic disparities in
our state.
Paid family and medical leave helps level the
playing field so that all parents, not just the
wealthy, can spend time with newborns and care
for loved ones when they are sick.
(S.F. 1006)
2016 Session Priorities
The Minnesota Senate convened the 2016 Legislative Session on March 8 with a structurally balanced
budget, a $900 billion surplus, and $1.56 billion in the budget reserves to protect the state from future
economic downturns.
One of the primary functions of the 2016 legislature is to decide how to allocate the surplus in a way
that is structurally balanced, keeps our fiscal house in order, creates jobs that support families, and
addresses transportation infrastructure and mounting student loan debt.
Going into session with a budget surplus might suggest we have funds to meet many needs. However,
there are some disquieting figures below the surface. Most of the surplus money is one-time funding
and actually came from additional receipts in the last fiscal year of the previous biennium. For
responsible planning, we must also look at the estimated inflationary constraints. If the inflationary
numbers on the state’s current commitments hold up, the money available for new investments is
reduced considerably.
A key priority of this session will be to pass a bonding bill to make key investments in core public
infrastructure across the state. Bonding bills are also important because they create good-paying jobs,
which helps both local and state economies. In the next few weeks, difficult decisions will have to be
made as to what projects will be funded to help local communities and move Minnesota’s economy
forward.
Transportation is also a top priority. Minnesota’s 12,000-mile state highway system has reached a
critical point and requires wise investment. Many of our major roadways are more than 50 years old.
Passing a comprehensive transportation bill that supports our aging network—including roads, bridges,
and needed transit—is critical. We cannot keep using short-term fixes for our long-term transportation
funding problem. We need a long-term, comprehensive funding solution that will ensure our roads and
bridges are safe to drive on, our transit network can handle growing demand, and our businesses do not
incur unnecessary costs.
The Senate’s focus will also be on jobs and employment to help create an economy that works for
everyone, not just the wealthy few. This session, the legislature will focus on how we can help create
workplaces that support families by advocating for paid family leave, which provides workers the ability
to take paid time off to care for a sick family member or new child. Nearly all workers need to take time
away from work at some point to deal with a serious personal or family illness or to care for a new child.
Establishing a paid family and medical leave program in Minnesota would allow workers to meet these
needs without jeopardizing their economic security.
Although Minnesota’s economy continues to perform better than the national economy, too many
Minnesotans are being left behind. The state’s future economic success depends on broader
participation in the workforce. Our tax and budget choices should prioritize strategies that expand
economic opportunity for working Minnesotans across the state.
Sound education policies are vitally important to the Senate DFL. The legislature needs to focus on how
we can eliminate the achievement gap, expand learning opportunities, and ensure Minnesota continues
to have one of the most highly educated workforces in the nation. In addition, we must look at ways to
make college more affordable for our students by reducing student loan debt.
I am hopeful we will come to an agreement on a tax bill this year. Several proposals in the Senate’s 2015
tax bill remain priorities this year, including increases in state aids to local governments and direct
assistance that will benefit homeowners, businesses, renters, farmers, and all other property tax payers.
What Minnesota doesn’t need are large, unsustainable tax cuts. Only six years ago, Minnesota was in a
budget deficit. We have learned our lesson that when we cut taxes too far in good times, things get
much worse in economic downturns. Our recovering economy is too fragile to support deep tax cuts.
We just have to look to Wisconsin for proof. Wisconsin cut taxes in an effort to stimulate the economy,
and it backfired. Today, Minnesota is experiencing a stable budget and a $900 million budget surplus
while Wisconsin has a $2.2 billion budget deficit and their job growth, income growth, and GDP trails the
rest of the country.
We are facing short session with a May 23 adjournment date. This creates tight timelines with a lot to
accomplish. However, we are confident this session will allow us to pass some great legislation, be
prudent with our modest surplus, and invest our limited dollars into areas of greatest need.
Senate Prioritizes Teacher Quality, Aims to End teacher Shortage Crisis
As the 2016 Legislative Session gets into gear, the Senate Education Committee already has a full slate of
committee hearings scheduled for the next few months. Education priorities are taking shape as well,
with an emphasis on teacher quality, training, and development. As discussion about the disparities gap
becomes more prominent in our state, the Senate DFL is focused on ensuring high quality teachers are
in every Minnesota classroom.
This session, the discussion around the state’s teacher shortage will continue. A package of bills hoping
to address the shortage will likely become a major priority of the committee. The package includes
several initiatives including grants for students who are student teaching in shortage areas (math,
science, and special education) and expanding the existing teacher loan forgiveness program, as well as
an expansion of the Grow Your Own program which provides paraprofessionals a pathway to teacher
licensure.
Minnesota’s disappointing ranking of 46th in our student-to-counselor ratio will also be a priority this
legislative session. Some legislators hope recent media coverage on this ranking and its connection to
the state’s disparities gap will raise the prominence of the counselor issue. Counselors offer needed
student support services that range from serving the social and emotional needs of students to helping
prepare them to learn in the classroom. Minnesota spends just 2.6 percent of our education dollars on
pupil support, a smaller portion than every other state. While 40 percent of our state’s budget goes to
education – those dollars aren’t filtering down into this critical category.
Finally, legislators plan on continuing discussions from last year about early education this session. There
is consensus that a greater focus on early education leads to more young people being prepared for
kindergarten. This session, there will be several bills that address this need. One proposal calls for
increasing aid to the early childhood home visiting program. Another proposal parallels Governor
Dayton’s calls for half day 4k for all Minnesota 4-year-olds. However, until Senate committees are given
budget targets – specific proposals with large price tags will be on hold.
Overall this spring, the Senate DFL is hoping to implement policies that will narrow and eventually
eliminate the achievement gap, expand learning opportunities, and ensure that Minnesota continues to
have one of the most highly educated workforces in the nation.
OLA Report Examines Complicated Nature of
Minnesota’s Teacher License Structure
The Office of the Legislative Auditor recently released a report on the Board of Teaching and the
Department of Education. The report gave strong recommendations on how to best streamline the
teacher licensure process and provide pathways to put quality educators in Minnesota classrooms.
Minnesota faces a teacher shortage, and the current licensure structure has hampered the legislature’s
efforts to put appropriately licensed and qualified teachers in schools. The OLA report gives legislators
appropriate recommendations to streamline the process and redesign the complicated relationship
between the Board of Teaching and the Minnesota Department of Education without sacrificing teacher
quality.
The Minnesota Senate Education Committee held its first session hearing on the OLA report, as well as a
bill that will begin the process of implementing the OLA recommendations. The Legislative Audit
Commission recommended the audit after serious concerns were registered and lawsuits filed because
of the complicated nature of Minnesota’s licensure structure.
Getting Transportation Done in 2016
A comprehensive funding package for Minnesota’s transportation network will be a major priority for
the 2016 session. While there is agreement between the House, Senate, and Governor on the need for
new funding, finding the needed revenue will be the biggest difficulty over the next 10 weeks.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the state faces a shortfall of more
than $16 billion over the next 20 years to meet the growing demands being placed on our roads and
bridges. Without a comprehensive funding approach, Minnesota’s transportation network could fall
behind.
While Minnesota has been unable to pass any major transportation funding packages recently, other
states have. Since 2012, 23 states have passed transportation bills that increased funding for their
transportation systems. Twelve of these states added revenue through increasing or reforming the gas
tax. (H.F. 4)
Dedication Amendment Press Conference
A press conference was held last week on the proposed Dedication Amendment, which is the first
solution that has been offered to fund long-term care for Minnesota’s aging population. By 2030, the
state will see a dramatic demographic shift as more than 1.3 million Minnesotans will be over the age of
65, nearly doubling our senior population. Of those 1.3 million Minnesotans, approximately 70% will
need some type of long-term care – but funding is exceptionally inadequate to meet the growing
demand. To address this lack of funding, the Dedication Amendment would allow Minnesota voters to
decide the question:
“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate funding to long-term care for seniors and
people with disabilities?”
This care will be funded by closing a tax loophole for a small group of wealthy individuals. Currently,
individual income above $118,500 is exempt from the tax supporting Social Security. Only the top four
percent of income earners receive this special treatment. Everyone else is required to pay this tax on all
of their earned income. Closing the loophole, and treating the top four percent the same as everyone
else, will fund the care needed to help our most vulnerable citizens.
The press conference was held to begin a conversation on how to best address the ominously increasing
need for long-term care funding.
Wild Animals Trapping Changes Bill Awaits Vote on Senate Floor
A bill to modify the use of body-gripping animal traps awaits a vote on the Senate floor this session.
Passed by the Judiciary committee last year, and re-referred to the floor this week, the bill is the central
point of an effort by hunters to make trapping on public lands safer for their dogs. Advocates of the bill
point to DNR reports of the deaths of seven dogs in 90 days and are pushing for the use of safer
alternatives. The legislation prohibits the placing of traps or snares on private land without the owner’s
written permission and changes the size of legal traps to better protect animals that aren’t the target of
trapping. The bill also requires a person who finds a dog in their trap to notify a conservation officer
within 24 hours and assigns new penalties for failure to abide by the law. (S.F. 1325)
Drone Use by Law Enforcement Glides to Senate Floor
A bill that restricts the use of drones by law enforcement passed out of the Judiciary Committee on
Tuesday and now heads to the Senate Floor. The legislation defines very specific guidelines on how law
enforcement agencies are allowed to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Privacy advocates say
drone use is akin to mass surveillance, while law enforcement say they are a necessary tool for some
investigations. The legislation says search warrants must be obtained before using drones, except in an
emergency or if they are used in a public area where there is a reasonable suspicion that illegal activity is
occurring. Furthermore, the subject of surveillance must be notified within three days of the action and
lays out guidelines on the retention, deletion, and disclosure of the data collected from the UAV. (S.F.
1299)
Building a Better Economy: We Can’t Afford to Follow Scott Walker’s Lead
During the last biennium, our Legislature focused on rebalancing the state’s tax system to increase tax
fairness for Minnesotans and improve the state’s long-term budget stability. Minnesota now has a
structurally balanced budget with a healthy rainy day fund and a mechanism for responsibly saving
money in the future. In addition, the gap between what the average Minnesotan pays in income taxes
compared to the wealthiest earners in our state has been reduced for the first time since the 1990s.
In the face of this economic progress, we now have some legislators calling for tax cuts, eliminating the
fair share of taxes the rich currently pay. One only needs to look at Wisconsin to our east to see the
ramifications of excessive tax cuts. Since Scott Walker’s swearing in, he has cut taxes by $4.7 billion and
plunged Wisconsin into deficit. In the face of a reeling economy, Gov. Walker ordered the state skip
more than $100 million in debt payments just to balance his budget. His tax breaks have not helped
average Wisconsinites, and poverty levels have hit their highest point in 30 years – even as the nation
continues to recover from the Great Recession.
Walker and Minnesota House Republicans have a lot in common: the tax cuts in the House GOP’s $4.8
billion tax bill benefit corporations and the wealthiest among us while mortgaging our state’s future.
Regular Minnesotans would see tax relief of 22 cents a day – for just one year – while corporations and
property developers would benefit from permanent tax giveaways with a huge $2.1 billion price tag.
In Minnesota, we are proud of our state. Our fair and responsible policy making, along with the hard
work of everyday Minnesotans, have ensured our employment, pay, and production outpace that of our
Wisconsin neighbors. The Senate DFL is building on the success of the last biennium to continue to make
Minnesota work for everyone, and our tax bill focuses on targeted property and income tax relief for
working Minnesotans – not just big businesses and the well-off. Minnesota has worked hard to be
consistently ranked as one of the best places to live, work, and play, and we can’t afford to follow in
Wisconsin’s footsteps.
One Minnesota Conference Brings Legislators Together
Now an annual tradition at the Minnesota Legislature, the One Minnesota conference is held the day
after session begins, and is a yearly favorite of DFL Senators who look forward to working across the
aisle for the betterment of our state. Legislators of both houses and both parties gather to hear from
speakers and spend the day getting to know each other in a spirit of bipartisanship. This year, legislators
heard from the state economist, panels on transportation and mining, and business leaders. The day’s
keynote speaker was New York Times columnist Tom Friedman in a lecture titled, “What makes
Minnesota work?” With the annual success of the One Minnesota conference, it’s clear that one of the
many things that makes this state work so well is legislators’ ability to work alongside each other despite
differences in party affiliation or opinion.
State of the State
Dayton Shares the Senate DFL’s Vision for Minnesota
This week, Governor Mark Dayton laid out his vision for the people of Minnesota and discussed his
priorities for the 2016 Legislative Session. The Senate DFL is proud of the work we’ve done to make
Minnesota one of the best states to live, work, and play in, and we stand with the governor in his aim to
continue building an economy that works for all Minnesotans.
Unemployment is at a 15-year low, and Minnesota has added 210,000 new jobs since January 2011, but
not everyone is sharing in Minnesota’s economic recovery. Laid-off workers on the Iron Range and
people of color across Minnesota are struggling to be part of the economic recovery seen across the
country, while far too many Minnesotans lack basic access to high-speed broadband. It is imperative
that we make significant investments to eliminate racial economic disparities and ensure communities
across Minnesota have modern, reliable infrastructure.
The key to Minnesota’s past economic successes, and the key to our future, is a world-class education
system – but we have not done enough over the last decade to deliver on the promise of excellent
education for all students. It is time now to build on our investments in early learning, and make
necessary improvements to our college classrooms and labs to be sure all our students receive the
excellent educations they need and deserve.
We cannot afford to wait any longer to fix our aging roads and bridges. If we wait longer, and do nothing
– or next to nothing – they will only get worse. We need long-term, sustainable solutions to our
transportation funding shortfall, but we need to have real solutions with real revenue – anything less
would be unacceptable and insufficient.
After a decade of deficits, Minnesota is finally on sound fiscal footing. We cannot allow our state to slip
back into the same fiscal mess. Over the last five years, the only Minnesotans who have seen a tax
increase have been the wealthiest two percent – 98% of Minnesotans have seen no increase in their
income taxes and over two million low- and middle-income Minnesotans have received a tax cut. With a
$900 million budget surplus, we will focus our tax cuts again this session for everyday working families –
those who need and will benefit from tax cuts the most.
Unemployment Extension Provides Needed Help
In direct response to the crisis facing thousands of Iron Range workers, the Senate passed legislation
extending unemployment insurance benefits off the floor Thursday. This extension will provide up to 26
weeks of coverage for those directly affected by mine layoffs and the people affected in related
industries.
The Iron Range is facing an economic crisis as the global steel industry faces a slowdown in economic
activity and the dumping of cheap steel in American markets. While efforts are being made to address
this illegal dumping, several mines on the Range have been idled or dramatically slowed production. This
slowdown has forced the layoff of thousands of miners since the summer of 2015.
Many of the workers affected by the earliest round of layoffs have exhausted their unemployment
benefits. This legislation would extend those benefits from the current $1.6 billion available in the
state’s unemployment fund. The total coast of the extension would be approximately $29.6 million. (S.F.
1006)
REAL ID Reform Moves Forward
Minnesota moved one step closer to complying with federal ID standards this week, thanks to a bill
moving forward in the Transportation Committee today. The bill deletes the prohibition that prevented
the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) from planning for compliance with federal
REAL ID standards. This move allows Minnesota to begin needed reforms to comply with these
standards.
Privacy advocates and legislators remain wary of providing information on Minnesota residents for a
federal database. To help alleviate these concerns, the legislation also ensures any planning activities
cannot be implemented until they receive legislative approval. The bill also requires DPS to be ready to
issue licenses on Oct. 1, 2016, or another possible date.
The bill will now move on to the Judiciary Committee. (S.F. 1646)
U of M Research Standards Examined
The Higher Education Committee heard testimony from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA)
Thursday to give an update on their progress toward reforms in treating human subjects involved with
research. The report outlined several areas of concern for the U of M’s practices, around issues such as
conflicts of interest, oversight, and the existing culture of the research program.
More than 60 recommendations were made for the U of M’s practices. To address these issues, the U of
M has created a Human Research Protection Program which lays out a roadmap for the necessary
reforms.
In response to some issues raised by the report, legislation was introduced to amend current law to
prohibit clinical drug trial participation for persons subject to emergency holds or apprehend and hold
orders.
The bill moved to the Judiciary Committee. (SF 2412)
Contact Me:
Committee Assignments:
(651) 296-2556
[email protected]
95 University Ave. W
St. Paul, MN 55155
E-12 Finance Division
Education Policy
State & Local Government
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