Votes

Funding for State Energy & Commerce Agencies | SF 972

Senate voted Yes
| April 14, 2021
About this Legislation

The 2021 Senate Commerce & Energy Omnibus bill contains the FY22 and FY23 budget proposals for a number of state agencies including the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. It also includes many policy proposals related to those state agencies and spending proposals using the Renewable Development Account. The bill creates policy changes to guide energy investment and regulation while providing funding for energy-related agencies and programs.

Relevant policy proposals within this Omnibus include the Natural Gas Innovation Act (SF421—Weber), the repeal of the state prohibition on building new nuclear facilities to generate electricity (SF225—Kiffmeyer), the Minnesota Efficient Technology Accelerator (SF1667—Rarick) and a requirement that energy utilities must provide information to the PUC about efforts to minimize economic impacts to workers (SF1612–Matthews).

The bill also proposes spending funds from the Renewable Development Account including but not limited to: Solar on Schools (SF2144—Miller), wood pellet plant production incentive (SF1163—Utke), Solar Rewards Production Incentive (SF2074—Senjem), state building energy conservation improvement revolving loan account (SF543—Frentz), and compensation for the closure of the Benson biomass facility (SF1015—Lang).

Several amendments were made to this Omnibus bill. The following amendments all failed:

Status

The Senate version of the Commerce & Energy Omnibus bill significantly differs from the House version, and the differences are expected to be worked out in conference committee.

What a yes means

A "yes" vote passes the SF 972 Energy & Commerce Omnibus Bill through the Minnesota State Senate. Once passed, the bill will be reviewed against the House version of the omnibus bill and debated through a Conference Committee, from which compromise legislation will be produced.

What a no would have meant

A "no" vote does not pass the SF 972 Energy & Commerce Omnibus Bill through the Minnesota State Senate.

Vote Tallies

All Votes R. DFL Ind.
Yes = 39 34 3 2
No = 28 0 28 0
Abstain = 0 0 0 0
Absent = 0 0 0 0