Education package, bill boosting annual minimum wage increase on their way to Gov. Tim Walz's desk for signature
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A large education policy package and a bill that would boost the annual minimum wage increase are on their way to Gov. Tim Walz's desk for signature after the state House approved the measures Wednesday.
Lawmakers are nearing the finish line — they must complete the work of the regular legislative session next Monday, according to the Minnesota Constitution. In both chambers, they debated some of the final bills of the year throughout the day.
In the House, they cleared four pieces of legislation by early Wednesday evening, including a 120-page education package that includes requiring school districts to develop cellphone policies to limit their impact on learning, a one-year delay for schools to comply with a new law banning American Indian mascots and mental health instruction for students in fourth through 12th grade, among other provisions.
There are also adjustments to the "READ Act" approved last year and the legislation prohibits book bans in public libraries.
Separately, another measure would increase the minimum wage yearly adjustment so it's linked to inflation, capped at 5%. That's more than the annual boost of 2.5% in current law, but a scaled-back approach to increase the minimum wage from another proposal this year which sought to up it to $15 an hour statewide starting this summer.
In that same bill, employers with 30 or more workers will soon be required to disclose salary ranges when posting a job opening.
Democrats have majorities in both chambers and both bills were approved on a party-line vote.