The Minnesota State Legislature will head into its final week of the 2022 session tomorrow, and where there was once real
pessimism that anything would get done this year, there is now some cautious optimism the Democrats and Republicans will be able to compromise on a few of the bills before them.
State Representative Todd Lippert said the House passed two more bills last week, one of which will head directly to a conference committee and should be done well in time to be sent to the governor’s desk, and another that will take more work to pass through the senate.
The first was a bill that made adjustments to the way craft brewers and distillers can sell their products. It changes a law that precludes the largest craft breweries like Surly in the Twin Cities and Castle Danger in Two-Harbors from selling growlers on site. The law had stated any brewery that produces 20,000 barrels of beer or more in a year would not be able to sell growlers, but this bill moves that cap to 150,000 barrels. Conversely, it makes provisions for the state’s smaller breweries, including Chapel Brewing, Imminent Brewing and Tanzenwald Brewing, to offer four and six packs of their beer. It also allows for craft distillers like Loon Liquors to sell their product in 750 milliliter bottles.
Lippert said a very similar bill has passed the Senate and should not take much time in conference committee before being ready for Governor Walz to sign. The sports-betting bill passed by the house on Thursday, however, has a more difficult path.
He said at the beginning of the session, he was unsure of the measure, and in fact earlier this year said he had several hundred priorities in front of the idea, but after many conversations with the bill’s sponsor he decided to support it. The bill, he said would eliminate the black-market gambling that has existed in Minnesota for quite some time, and he was pleased to see the age of legality set at 21 instead of 18.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority leader Jeremy Miller has specified several conditions in order for a bill to be passed by the Senate, the most significant would allow for sports books at Racetracks as well as tribal-nation casinos, which would most likely be a non-starter with the Democrats.
Despite the differences between the House and the Senate, there has been enough movement that Lippert believes a bonding bill will come together in the next week. It’s mostly up to the Legislative Leadership at this point.
“I do expect there will be a bonding bill. I remain optimistic about it. That should be wrapped up in conversations about how much money are we going to be spending overall. That’s really what the leadership is negotiating right now, and the bonding bill conversation will be a part of it.”
The legislature is mandated to adjourn one week from today, on May 23rd.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Todd Lippert can be heard here
LBSA Flannel Gala will be an ‘open house’ style event to benefit 125 years of service
Laura Baker Services Association will host its Flannel Gala on Thursday evening at Armory Square. The event is one of two
major fundraisers held by LBSA each year.
In contrast to the formal gala held each December, the Flannel Gala is a more relaxed experience. Instead of an in-depth program that looks at all the aspects of what Laura Baker Services does, LBSA Director of Community Services Andrei Sivanich said the Flannel Gala is as much about socializing and having fun as it is about raising money.
“It is a casual event,” he said. “It’s meant to be fun. And really when you look at the history of Laura Baker, two of the common themes over the now 125 years that we’ve been in existence have been community and music. This event really highlights those two things.”
Indeed, the entertainment will come from different sections of Northfield’s deep musical community. The Zillionaires, a local band led by Wendy Smith and her husband Dave Drentlaw, will perform on Armory Square’s outdoor stage, as will the student-led a Capela groups Catty Wampus and BCG form Northfield High School.
The event, said Sivanich, will feature a scavenger hunt. There will also be a silent auction where attendees will be able to to bid on tickets to the Twins and the Saints, artwork, and what Sivanich called “a couple surprises.”
While the gala is scheduled to run from 5-9pm, Sivanich said this is an open house style event, so people can arrive and depart whenever they see fit.
“We’ll wrap up a little before 9, and we won’t keep anybody too late. And you don’t have to stay late. You can show up a little later if you have to wrap some things up at work. You can leave a little early if you need to. That’s okay. It’s sort of a come and go event.”
Tickets for the event are a $20 donation to Laura Baker and can be purchased on the organization’s website. The event will be held rain-or-shine, as Armory Square is an indoor-outdoor facility. For more information, please visit laurabaker.org.
City Council to discuss Heritage Lofts Tax Increment Financing
And the Northfield City Council will meet tomorrow tonight in the Council Chambers in City Hall, with a relatively light agenda. 
After hearing a pair of presentations, one honoring the graduating seniors and youth who are coming off off the city’s boards and commissions, and another regarding an EV vehicle sharing program called HOURCAR, the council will hold a public hearing regarding the Development Program for the Master Development District and Tax Increment Financing Plan for the Heritage Lofts project. That will be followed by consideration of a resolution approving the expansion of the Master Development District and the creation of the Heritage Lofts TIF District.
As always, the city and the council are asking to hear opinions and comments from the public. Anyone who wishes to do so is invited to come to the meeting and address the council on any topic they see fit. Those wishing to voice their opinions without addressing the council should email their councilors directly or post a comment through the eComment button on the “Agendas” section of the City Council website.
The meeting tomorrow night will begin at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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