MN House DFL readies 10 bills for first-week rollout
Democrats in the Minnesota House are ready to roll out their first 10 bills of the 2019 legislative session when it opens next month.
House Speaker-designate Melissa Hortman said the initial bills from the new DFL majority will mirror the Minnesota Values Plan that her caucus released in September. That plan emphasized accessible and affordable health care through a MinnesotaCare buy-in option, paid sick time and family leave, education investments and improvements to public infrastructure.
Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said a gun violence prevention measure and a bill to change the legal standard for sexual harassment cases will also be included.
She said the plan is to unveil the bills on Jan. 9, one day after the session starts and one day before bill filing begins.
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Hortman said she discussed the bills last week with DFL Governor-elect Tim Walz.
“We’re very much on the same page with regard to what’s in House files 1-10,” Hortman said.
The Minnesota Senate, where Republicans remain in charge, is another matter. But Hortman stressed that the House bills introduced next month will look different at the end of the five-month session.
“The legislative process is a process of change and amendment,” she said. “There are values that we will hold to during the session. But we expect the language will change as we work with the senate and the governor’s office.”