With just days remaining until the combined first and second legislative deadlines, your Housing First Minnesota advocacy team is very active at the Capitol in St. Paul.
On Tuesday, the House State and Local Government Committee will hear a bill that would dramatically change the criteria for independent contractors in many sectors of the economy, but especially in the construction industry. Last week, Housing First Minnesota’s legislative counsel, Peter Coyle, testified with serious concerns in multiple committees.
Additionally, the Senate Housing Committee will hear a bill that is a combination of four zoning-related bills that the committee heard last week. At the same time, the Senate Labor Committee will hear three bills related to the state residential building and energy codes.
Finally, on Wednesday, the Senate Energy Committee will hear a bill that would protect natural gas as a fuel source for residential construction. The House Environmental Committee will be the first House Committee to hear a bill to fix the Minneapolis 2040 Plan.
“The impact of the bills before the legislature this week cannot be understated,” said Mark Foster, vice president of legislative & political affairs. “Our team is closely working with legislators to protect the industry against harmful provisions and to promote more ways to continue building the safest, most durable, and energy-efficient homes in the country.”
