Winners and losers of the 2017 Minnesota legislative session

Compromises left some priorities on cutting table for both sides as DFL Gov. Dayton worked with the GOP-controlled Legislature to wrap up the $46 billion state budget.

Cashier Janet Mesmer checked out a customer at the Lakeville Municipal Liquor Store. Lakeville, MN on March 12, 2013. ] JOELKOYAMA•joel koyama@startribune.com There are several bills in the House and Senate related to Sunday liquor sales, including one authored by Rep. Pat Garofalo of district 58B/Farmington which asks that Sunday liquor sales be allowed only on Superbowl Sunday 2014. With the Minnesota public generally in favor of Sunday liquor sales and liquor store owners a
Winner: Sunday alcohol sales will be allowed beginning July 1, ending a 159-year-old, increasingly unpopular state law. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Winner: Air travelers. Minnesota will finally be in compliance with uniform ID standards implemented by the federal government after 9/11. That means travelers will be able to continue to use a state driver's license instead of U.S. passports to get on domestic flights or enter federal buildings.

Loser: Illegal immigrants who want to drive legally. The Legislature limited their access to driver's licenses by making law of what had been an administrative rule.

Winner: Consumers of liquor. For the first time in state history, liquor stores will be able to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays, beginning July 1. Super Bowl revelers next winter will also be able to enjoy a temporary 4 a.m. bar closing time.

Loser: State workers on paid parental leave. The new benefit required legislative ratification, but Republicans incorporated that into a bill that also would restrict Minnesota cities from setting their own workplace standards. Gov. Mark Dayton opposes the latter measure and promises to veto it, calling it "unconscionable" that Republicans linked it to paid leave.

Winner: The individual health insurance market, which received about $880 million in premium relief for its customers and a "reinsurance program" aimed at keeping insurance companies in the market.

Loser: Local control. The Legislature passed a range of bills that interrupted local government actions. The most high-profile casualty is likely to be a plastic bag ban set to take effect June 1 in Minneapolis; if Dayton signs the jobs and economic development budget bill as expected, it won't happen.

Winner: Prekindergarten students. The school budget bill included $50 million to further expand prekindergarten classes in public schools, a major priority of Dayton's.

Loser: Education Minnesota, the teacher's union that saw two measures it opposed end up in the final public school budget bill: less onerous licensing provisions for new teachers and a provision that bolsters the ability of local school districts to opt out of "last in first out" seniority rules in hiring.

Winner: Big Tobacco. Minnesota has one of the highest cigarette taxes in the country with increases tied to inflation. But the 2017 tax bill eliminated the automatic yearly hike. Lawmakers also approved a tax cut on cigars.

Loser: Service Employees International Union home-care workers. Their raises were cut in half.

Winner: Historic Fort Snelling received $4 million to begin design for a new visitor and field trip center as well as upgrades in time for the 2020 bicentennial.

Protesters listened to speakers during a rally against cuts to public education Saturday. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com Education Minnesota and labor allies held a rally protested cuts to public education Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the State Capitol Rotunda in St. Paul, Minn.
LOSER: Education Minnesota lost its battles against less onerous licensing provisions for new teachers and over seniority rules in hiring. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writers

about the writers

Rochelle Olson

Reporter

Rochelle Olson is a reporter on the politics and government team.

See More

J. Patrick Coolican

Reporter

See More

More from Local

card image