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Dear Speaker Hortman, Majority Leader Gazelka, Minority Leader Daudt, and Minority Leader Kent:

The operations of the Minnesota Judicial Branch continue during the current emergency, subject to modifications we have made based on recent guidance from state and national health officials. As modified, court proceedings and hearings are occurring daily in the district and appellate courts of Minnesota. But residents of Minnesota and judicial branch judges and staff face challenges in attempting to meet deadlines established by statute, across civil and criminal matters, due to the impact of the emergency on daily lives. On behalf of the Judicial Branch, I write to ask the Legislature to enact legislation that would toll deadlines as necessary to ensure that rights are protected. The legislation the Judicial Branch requests would toll the expiration of deadlines during the current emergency and for a limited time after the emergency diminishes or abates. This request encompasses two specific areas of tolling.

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The Legislature just completed their third week of policy committee hearings for the session, and have another 3 weeks until the first committee deadline.

Very few of the tort reform bills on your tracking list are expected to be considered this session, with the partisan divide on this issue between the House Democrats and the Senate Republicans.

The House is expected to pass a number of bills expanding rights for employees, including family/pregnancy leave, sick leave, noncompete covenants prohibition, and several human rights law changes; the Senate is not expected to pass those bills.

The February forecast was released on Thursday and shows a $1.513B projected surplus for FY 2020-21, $181M larger than was forecast in November. The Governor is expected to release his supplemental budget/tax proposal in the next 10 days.

Click here to see the MDLA legislative tracking list. Let us know if you have any questions.

Sandy Neren
Patrick Hynes