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CEEM's Director of Policy & Public Affairs provides an update on the end of the 2020 MN Legislative Session.
Small victories and missed opportunities

In what will go down in history as one of the most tumultuous times in our state’s economic history, the 2020 legislative session started and ended in very different places. COVID-19 changed conversations about many different aspects of daily life, including work at the Capitol. The state of Minnesota started the 2020 legislative session with over a $1 billion surplus, but recent forecast numbers have shown the immediate impact of job losses and business closures have resulted in a $2.4 billion deficit. 

Despite these hardships, the 2020 session did end with some small victories for the clean energy community. The Renewable Development Account bill included $15 million in funding for Solar*Rewards. Funding this program will stimulate jobs and expand market opportunities for clean energy providing both immediate and long-term benefits for Minnesota. We are grateful for the bipartisan work of the House and Senate energy committee leads who helped make this happen. 

The biggest disappointments of the session included running out of time to pass the bipartisan-supported Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act or a bonding bill. We are hopeful a bonding package, which included a large portion of clean energy and efficiency-related projects at Minnesota’s public college and universities, will be passed during a special session.
Read Our Full Statement Here
Bills that passed:
RDA or Renewable Development Account

The Solar*Rewards program received financial support this year. We’re supportive of this program because it helps expand solar development in the state of Minnesota. The program helps  clean energy businesses attract new customers and grow their businesses, creating jobs and strengthening local economies. The bill passed thanks to the hard work and strong leadership from Representative Wagenius, Senator Osmek, and Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley. 

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Bills that did not pass:

ECO or Energy Conservation and Optimization

The bipartisan-supported Energy Conservation and Optimization Act or ECO ran out of time for a Senate vote before the end of session. The House had previously passed the bill on May 11.

This legislation would provide new energy efficient options to businesses and residential customers, while also driving local job growth through technological innovation and the development of new utility programs.

ECO was designed as an expansion of the state's Conservation Improvement Program or CIP and would have allowed for energy savings through efficient fuel switching and load management. ECO provides the policy direction to allow traditional energy efficiency and electrification to work together better than they currently do.

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State Bonding

Neither chamber could pass a bonding bill. This is a significant missed opportunity for the clean energy sector. For example, the 2020 capital request for the state’s Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) funds detailed $350 million in total, with significant energy efficiency and clean energy improvement projects. This work keeps 59 campuses warm, safe, and operating efficiently and effectively, and employs local laborers.
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Questions? Want to get involved?
If you have any questions about the legislative process or a particular bill, of if you have specific ideas about a policy that might help your business during this pandemic, please reach out to:

Benjamin A. Stafford
Director of Policy & Public Affairs

 
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