Minnesota
The House and the Senate adjourned sine die on May 10, 2012.
Redistricting: The 2012 state elections will be held in newly drawn districts under the state redistricting plan. Maps, address look up, and Google maps of the new Minnesota districts can be found on this site: Minnesota Redistricting http://www.gis.leg.mn/html/redistricting.html
Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) continuously monitors bills introduced in the Minnesota State Legislature that could affect MRES and our member utilities in Minnesota. Find out who represents your utility interests on the Minnesota State Legislative website. Many legislators now offer their own electronic newsletters that constituents may subscribe to. Simply go to the State of Minnesota website and click on the legislator’s name and follow the directions to subscribe. For state Senators, click here. For state Representatives, click here.
NOTICE: The legislature's website does not necessarily contain the latest status of any given bill. If you need up-to-the-minute information about legislation, call 1-888-234-1112 for Senate information, and 1-800-657-3550 for House information; or contact Deb Birgen at MRES.
Please click on the 2011 Senate and House Bill Introductions tab to view 2011 bills.
2012 Senate Bill Introductions
SF 575 (Newman): Requiring legislative approval of state agency rulemaking. See also companion bill HF 1241.
Status: Introduced 3/3/11; referred to State Government Innovation & Veterans. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Finance. No further action before the end of session.
SF 993 (Newman: The Office of Administrative Hearings will be final decision in contested cases at the PUC. See also companion bill HF 1560.
Status: Introduced 3/23/11; referred to State Government Innovation & Veterans. Committee recommends Do Pass as amended 2/23/12. Second reading 2/23/12. HF 1560 substituted for SF 993 on Senate Floor 3/8/12. See HF 1560.
SF 1483 (Wiger): Exempting certain sales to local government units from sales taxes. See also companion bill HF 2689.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Taxes. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1534 (Brown): Elimination of wind easement limitations. See also companion bill HF 2226.
Status: Introduced 1/26/12; referred to Agriculture & Rural Economies. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications 2/20/12. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Senate floor 3/1/12. Second reading 3/1/12. See SF 2061, Article 1, Section 60. Passed as part of HF 2398. Signed by Governor 4/28/12.
SF 1539 (DeKruif): A bill to require utilities providing one-call service also identify the service lateral location.
Status: Introduced 1/26/12; referred to Judiciary and Public Safety. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1567 (Ingebrigtsen): A bill to streamline environmental permits and review by the MPCA. See also companion bill HF 2095.
Status: Introduced 1/26/12; referred to Environment and Natural Resources. Passed committee 2/2/12; referred to Jobs & Economic Growth. Committee report, Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 2/15/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Senate floor 3/1/12. Second reading 3/1/12. Passed Senate (47-16) 3/8/12. Received by House, compared to HF 2095 3/12/12. SF 1567 substituted for HF 2095 on House floor; second reading 3/13/12. Passed House (79-49) as amended; referred to Senate for consideration of amended bill 3/22/12. Senate not concur with House amendments; conference committee appointed 3/23/12. Senate Conferees (Ingebrigtsen, Gazelka, Carlson, Pederson, Stumpf). House conferees (Fabian, Hancock, McNamara, Torkelson, Dill). Senate adopts Conference committee report and re-passed bill (50-16) 3/29/12. House adopts Conference committee report and re-passed bill (92-36) 3/29/12. Sent to Governor 3/29/12. Signed by Governor 4/2/12.
SF 1620 (Kruse): A bill regarding judicial authority in eminent domain cases regarding relocation assistance; requiring a hearing. See also companion bill HF 1833.
Status: Introduced 1/30/12; referred to Judiciary and Public Safety. Passed committee 2/13/12; referred to Senate floor; second reading. Passed Senate (65-0) 3/14/12; referred to House floor for comparison with HF 1833. SF 1620 substituted on House floor for HF 1833; second reading 3/19/12. Passed House (127-0) 4/16/12. Sent to Governor. Signed by Governor 4/18/12.
SF 1631 (Lillie): A bill imposing a moratorium on state agency rulemaking. See also companion bill HF 2211.
Status: Introduced 1/30/12; referred to Jobs and Economic Growth. Passed committee 2/13/12 as amended; referred to State Government Innovation & Veterans. Committee Report Do Pass As amended; referred to Finance. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1788 (Howe): A bill to study PUC regulatory burdens. See also companion bill HF 2202.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Senate Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications. Committee report, Do Pass as amended; referred to Senate floor 2/21/12. Second reading 2/23/12. Passed Senate (65-0) 3/15/12; referred to House Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy and Finance. Bill withdrawn by author 3/22/12.
SF 1800 (Pappas): A bill extending the funding for the Renewable Development Fund. See also companion bill HF 2285.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Senate Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1815 (Brown): A bill giving incumbent transmission owners the Right of First Refusal (ROFR). See also companion bill HF 1989.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Senate Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications. Set for hearing 2/21/12. Committee reports Do Pass as amended; second reading 3/21/12. Passed Senate (65-0) 3/27/12. SF 1815 substituted on House floor for HF 1989; second reading 3/29/12. Passed House (116-0) 4/5/12. Signed by Governor 4/18/12.
SF 1853 (Dibble): Incentive payments for the installation of solar panels on public buildings. See also companion bill HF 2317.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1906 (Benson): A bill removing the 100 MW limit on hydroelectricity that counts as renewable. See also companion bill HF 2190.
Status: Introduced 2/16/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee reports Do Pass; referred to Senate floor; second reading 3/8/12. No further action before the end of session.
SF 1922 (Pederson): A bill modifying review of state agency rules and modifying reporting methods. See also companion bill HF 2169.
Status: Introduced 2/16/12; referred to State Government Innovation & Veterans. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 3/1/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended 3/29/12; second reading 3/29/12. Passed Senate (50-12) 4/19/12; SF 1922 substituted for HF 2169 by House on floor. Second reading in House 4/20/12. Passed House (88-40) 4/23/12. Signed by Governor 4/27/12.
SF 2098 (Sparks): Modifying REC IRP requirements. See also companion bill HF 2747.
Status: Introduced 2/27/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee report Do Pass; second reading 3/21/12. Passed Senate as amended (65-0) 4/20/12. Received by House; referred for comparison with companion bill HF 2747 4/23/12. SF 2098 substituted on House floor for House bill (HF 2747). Passed House (96-34) 4/27/12. Signed by Governor 5/2/12.
SF 2181 (Rosen): Making changes to the distribution of funds from the Renewable Development Fund; requiring PUC approval of expenditure; requiring auditing of the Fund by the contributing utility (Xcel). See also companion bill HF 2650. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 3/12/12.
Status: Introduced 3/1/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 3/12/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended; second reading 3/28/12. Passed Senate (65-0) 3/29/12. SF 2181 substituted for HF 2650 on House floor; second reading 3/30/12. Passed House (85-46) 4/17/12. Signed by Governor 4/20/12.
SF 2187 (Koch): A Resolution urging Congress to enact legislation for the storage of used nuclear fuel. See also companion bill HF 2734.
Status: Introduced 3/1/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee reports Do Pass; referred to Rules & Administration 3/8/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended; second reading 3/29/12. Passed Senate (63-0) 4/18/12. Referred to House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
SF 2216 (Magnus): Requiring $500,000 from the Renewable Development Fund to be invested in energy technical assistance and outreach grants for communities.
Status: Introduced 3/5/12; referred to Senate Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 3/19/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended; second reading 3/28/12. See HF 2371.
SF 2315 (Benson): Requiring utility rates (IOUs) be based on cost with no customer class distinction; modifying low income affordability program.
Status: Introduced 3/8/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. See also companion bill HF 2769. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Finance 3/19/12. No further action before the end of session.
SF 2336 (Skoe): Adding Indian tribes to the list of groups that may for joint action agencies with municipal utilities. See also companion bill HF 2724.
Status: Introduced 3/8/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. Committee report Do Pass, second reading 3/15/12. No further action before the end of session.
SF 2371 (Brown): A bill to study the ability to add solar installations to the distribution grid.
Status: Introduced 3/12/12; referred to Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. No further action before the end of session.
SF 2422 (Vandeveer): A bill to remove public service corporations exemptions from eminent domain law. See also companion bill HF 2839.
Status: Introduced 3/13/12; referred to Judiciary & Public Safety. No further action before the end of session.
2012 House Bill Introductions
HF 203 (Westrom): Requiring legislative approval for certain rulemakings to take effect. See also companion bill SF 261.
Status: Introduced 1/24/11; referred to Civil Law. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Government Operations & Elections 2/2/11. Committee report Do Pass; second reading in House 2/14/11. Passed House (77-54) 3/3/11. Referred to Senate Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; second reading 3/15/12. Passed Senate (35-25) 4/2/12. Conference committee appointed 4/3/12. House conferees (Westrom, Drazkowski, Hosch); Senate conferees (Senjem, Gazelka, Stumpf). Conference committee report presented; House adopts conference report and re-passes bill (82-45) 4/27/12. Senate adopts conference report; re-passed bill (43-20) 4/28/12. Vetoed by Governor 5/3/12.
HF 1241 (Shimanski): Requiring legislative approval of state agency rulemaking. See also companion bill SF 575.
Status: Introduced 3/21/12; referred to Government Operations & Elections. No further action before the end of session.
HF 1560 (Wardlow): The Office of Administrative Hearings will be final decision in contested cases at the PUC. See also companion bill SF 993. Status: Introduced 4/26/11; referred to Government Operations & Elections. Committee report Do pass as amended; referred to State Government Finance 1/30/12. Committee report Do Pass 2/8/12; second reading. Passed House (70-62) 3/1/12. Referred to House Rules & Administration. Committee report Do Pass; substituted for SF 993 on Senate floor; second reading 3/8/12. Passed Senate (36-28) 3/15/12; returned to House. Vetoed by Governor 3/20/19. Returned to Legislature.
HF 1817 (Kelly): A bill requiring that CBED projects that have been certified as eligible, file yearly proof with the MPUC that it continues to meet the definition of a CBED project.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 1831 (Wardlow): A bill requiring legislative review and approval of any agency rule that may have an adverse financial impact on the private sector economy or would cause a significant increase in consumer cost or prices. See also companion bill SF 2167.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Government Operations and Elections. Passed committee as amended 2/8/12; referred to Commerce & Regulatory Reform. No further action before the end of session.
HF 1833 (Dittrich): A bill regarding judicial authority in eminent domain cases regarding relocation assistance; requiring a hearing. See also companion bill SF 1620.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Civil Law. Committee report Do Pass; second reading on House floor 3/7/12. Referred to House Clerk for comparison with SF 1620. See SF 1620.
HF 1891 (Kelly): A bill modifying county siting of wind, allowing an “off-ramp” due to lack of suitable sites for renewables to meet RES.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 1973 (Drazkowski): Repealing the CBED law.
Status: Introduced 1/26/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 1989 (Hackbarth): A bill giving incumbent transmission owners the Right of First Refusal (ROFR). See also companion bill SF 1815.
Status: Introduced 1/30/12; referred to House Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy and Finance. Committee report Do Pass; second reading on House floor 3/7/12. See SF 1815.
HF 2095 (Fabian): A bill providing for environmental permitting efficiency. See also companion bill SF 1567.
Status: Introduced 2/8/12; referred to House Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy and Finance. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Ways & Means 2/20/12. Committee report Do Pass as amended; second reading on House floor 3/7/12. Withdrawn in favor of SF 1567. See SF 1567.
HF 2119 (Quam): Limiting city’s power of eminent domain outside of city limits.
Status: Introduced 2/8/12; referred to House Government Operations & Elections. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2120 (Quam): A bill requiring personnel data to be shared with other governmental entities on request.
Status: Introduced 2/8/12; referred to House Civil Law. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2190 (Beard): A bill to eliminate the size limitation on hydroelectric power eligible for the Renewable Energy Standard. See also companion bill SF 1906.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2202 (Beard): A bill requiring the MPUC to open a docket on reporting requirements of utilities. See also Companion bill SF 1788.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. See SF 1788 in House.
HF 2211 (Swedzinski): A bill imposing a moratorium on state agency rulemaking. See also companion bill SF 1631.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Government Operations & Elections. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to State Government Finance 2/15/12. Committee report Do Pass; referred to Commerce & Regulatory Reform 2/20/12. Committee report Do Pass; referred to State Government Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2226 (Vogel): Elimination of wind easement limitations. See also companion bill SF 1534.
Status: Introduced 2/13/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. Committee report Do Pass; second reading 3/22/12. Compared with companion bill SF 1534; SF 1534 substituted for HF 2226 4/17/12. See SF 1534.
HF 2285 (Kahn): Authorizing a disbursement to the University of Minnesota from the Renewable Development Fund. See also companion bill SF 1800.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2317 (Knuth): A bill providing incentives for installing photovoltaic devices on public buildings. See also companion bill SF 1853.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2330 (Westrom): Extending the date to fund University of Minnesota Renewable energy research from the Renewable Development Fund.
Status: Introduced 2/16/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2370 (Hackbarth): Regulating cost allocation of underground high-voltage transmission lines.
Status: Introduced 2/20/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2413 (Hackbarth): Extending the REPI, establishing funding, and paying for installation of solar energy on public buildings.
Status: Introduced 2/20/13; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2630 (Drazkowski): Regulatory taking compensation provided which do not arise to level of taking under constitutional analysis.
Status: introduced 3/1/12; referred to Civil Law. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2650 (Beard): Making changes to the distribution of funds from the Renewable Development Fund; requiring PUC approval of expenditure; requiring auditing of the Fund by the contributing utility (Xcel). See also companion bill SF 2181.
Status: Introduced 3/5/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. Committee report Do Pass as amended; second reading on House floor 3/21/12. See SF 2181 in the House.
HF 2689 (McFarlane): A bill to eliminated sales tax on purchases by political subdivisions. See also companion bill SF 1483.
Status: Introduced 3/5/12; referred to Taxes. Referred by Chair to Property & Local Tax Division 3/6/12. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2711 (Quam): Excepting certain social media participation from the definition of a “meeting.”
Status: Introduced 3/7/12; referred to Government Operations & Elections. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2722 (Mazorol): Regulating the liability of certain municipal employees. See also companion bill SF 2484.
Status: Introduced 3/7/12; referred to Government Operations & Elections. Committee report To Pass; referred to Civil Law. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2724 (Eken): Adding Indian tribes to the list of groups that may for joint action agencies with municipal utilities. See also companion bill SF 2336.
Status: Introduced 3/7/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2731 (Torkelson): Requiring funds from the RDF be spent on community energy technical assistance and outreach. See also companion bill SF 2216.
Status: Introduced 3/7/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. Committee report Do Pass as amended; referred to Ways and Means 3/21/12. Committee report Do Pass; second reading 3/29/12. Passed House (118-3) 4/5/12. Passed Senate (63-0) 4/19/12. House concurred and re-passed (125-3) 4/23/12. Signed by Governor 4/27/12.
HF 2734 (B. Anderson): A resolution for Congress and the President to enact legislation on the storage of used nuclear fuel. See also companion bill SF 2187.
Status: Introduced 3/7/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. See SF 2187.
HF 2747 (Murray): Exempting certain RECs from filing IRPs. See also companion bill SF 2098.
Status: Introduced 3/8/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. Committee report Do Pass; second reading 3/22/12. See SF 2098.
HF 2839 (Dettmer): Removal of eminent domain law exemptions for public corporations. See also SF 2422.
Status: Introduced 3/13/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy & Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2922 (Vogel): Modifying energy efficiency conservation requirements—allowing programs that do not result in direct savings to meet up to 50% of the savings or spending goals, file plans for coops and munis every four years, and may invest up to 10 percent of the spending requirement in research.
Status: Introduced 2/19/12; referred to Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Policy and Finance. No further action before the end of session.
HF 2972 (Kahn): A comprehensive bill to open all legislative meetings to the public, revise lobbying rules, and revise campaign contribution laws.
Status: Introduced 3/27/12; referred to Government Operations and Elections. No further action before the end of session.
HF 3037 (Hausman): A job creation bill including job creation through green energy investments.
Status: Introduced 4/30/12; referred to Capital Investment. No further action before the end of session.
Regulatory
C-BED
MRES cooperates with the effort of the State of Minnesota to develop community-based wind energy projects by communities within the state. This effort is known as Community-Based Energy Development or C-BED. To learn about MRES participation in C-BED, click here.