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Federal UI & frontline worker pay: The agreement around these issues paves the way for more conversations around energy. The House bill contains important investments and policy changes that are good for Minnesota’s clean energy community and innovators. The Senate bill includes Solar*Rewards funding, but doesn’t include money for the state’s competition fund – an important omission CEEM is trying to rectify.

The Legislature will take a break next week, from April 9 to April 18, and then return to complete their work by May 23. Both bodies have their omnibus bills together in some form and will begin passing them upon returning from break. Negotiations between the House and Senate will then take center stage over the final several weeks of session.

As we hit deadlines for bills to be heard in committee, we will start to see a clearer picture of how this session will play out. We expect a strong, clean energy-focused bill to come out of the Minnesota House Climate and Energy Finance and Policy committee setting up a solid position for negotiations with the Senate. The Legislature will be on break from April 9 to April 18 before returning for a month-long sprint to the finish as they must have their work complete by May 23, 2022.

Global issues continue to dominate the discussion at the Capitol, including what to do with the now $9 billion budget surplus, coming to an agreement on a bonding bill, combating rising prices and public safety. Governor Walz included $897 million in his supplemental budget to address clean energy and climate issues while the DFL Climate Caucus released a $1 billion plan over 30 different proposals.

The legislative session will be dominated by competing public safety proposals, a bonding bill, billions in federal funding available and what to do with the almost $8 billion budget surplus. The House Climate Action Caucus put together a billion-dollar plan to fight climate change and put clean energy forward spread across thirty proposals. Hearings on these proposals have begun and there will be plenty of opportunities to weigh in during these committee hearings.

Expect much of the 2022 Legislative Session to focus on spending the state’s budget surplus and influx of federal dollars. Lawmakers have a lot slated for session, we will be working to push forward clean energy policy with bipartisan support.

If you tuned out during the holiday break, you didn’t miss much. The Build Back Better agenda has suffered a blow, but isn’t dead yet. Negotiations will continue behind closed doors for the next few weeks and even months.

A vote on the Build Back Better bill is not imminent, but CEEM is closely keeping tabs on the situation. We’re also evaluating the Infrastructure Bill which was signed into law last month, and how it can help our member businesses.

CEEM has embarked on five virtual tours across Minnesota, highlighting a diverse array of projects and people. From a seed farmer in Murdock, to PACE financing in Central Minnesota — the stories and examples give a great sense of how CEEM members are showing up in different ways across the state.