ST. PAUL, Minn. (KFGO) – The Minnesota House had a busy Friday night, sending multiple bills to the Senate or to Gov. Walz for approval.
The House passed the conference committee’s report Education Supplemental Budget bill on a 70-58 vote. The bill adds new funding for the READ Act, as well as expands voluntary pre-K programs starting in 2025 and establishes a program to pay student teachers.
Rep. Cheryl Youakim, chair of the House Education Finance Committee, said, “Minnesotans deserve the resources to meet their students’ unique needs. That’s why we are continuing our commitment to deliver world-class public schools for every community in every corner of the state.”
The report now will go to Gov. Tim Walz to sign.
The House also passed its Higher Education Policy and Budget bill, thanks to a bipartisan 72-57 vote.
The bill makes significant investments in the state’s Kids on Campus Initiative, allocating $500,000 for the Minnesota State system to create Head Start programs on college campuses. Additionally, the bill includes a ‘Ban the Box’ legislation that aims to reduce hurdles for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in accessing higher ed.
The Natural Resources Budget and Policy bill sets aside $46 million to help protect Minnesota’s air, soil and wildlife, including $12 million for tree planting across the state. The bill includes stiffer penalties for repeat pollution violations and gives more oversight power to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The legislation now heads to the state senate.
The House also passed legislation that aims to strengthen the state’s gun laws via a 71-59 vote. The bill makes straw purchasing a felony, while also targeting so-called “binary triggers,” which allows a semiautomatic weapon to fire multiple rounds.
Bill author, Rep. Kayla Berg said, “This common-sense legislation is an important step in keeping guns out of the hands of people who want to harm themselves or others, and to help protect our first responders.”
The bill now will go to the Minnesota Senate.
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