Legislative session is under way

The 2024 Legislative Session is underway. It was great to be back in Saint Paul representing your voice at our Minnesota State Capitol.
It was a joy to be joined by my granddaughters, Winter and Piper, my son, Joshua, and his wife, Chelsea, and my husband, Terry, as we gaveled into the 93rd Legislative Session.
I will continue to serve you on the Taxes, Capital Investment (AKA Bonding), and Jobs Committees, as well as the joint Senate & House Pension Commission.
I look forward to the opportunity and responsibility to serve you again in our Minnesota State Senate. Please reach out to me to share your priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session or for assistance with any state issue or agency: sen.carla.nelson@mnsenate.gov 651-296-4848
It is a privilege to serve you!?
Read on for:
“Fix it Session” Priorities
MN Revenue Re-issuing Rebate Checks
Childcare Crisis Panel
Constituent Meetings
“Fix it Session” Priorities
Last year was a whirlwind session, with a lot of legislation rushed through the Senate. I’m hopeful we can review and fix some of the things passed last session. Indeed the 2024 Legislative Session has already been dubbed the “Fix It Session.”
The safety of school students remains a top issue due to the 2023 law that limited school resource officer’s (SRO) ability to protect students.
New mandates like Earned Safe & Sick Time (ESST) and Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) hit employees and employers with new payroll taxes. Instead of flexible market- based options that would have worked for everyone, the 2023 legislature created one-size-fit-all expensive mandates that hurt workers and employers. ESST is so convoluted that neither employers nor the state know the full cost of the mandate. PFML payroll tax rates have already increased even prior to its 2025 start date! Common sense fixes to Paid Family Medical Leave, Earned Safe and Sick Time should be on the agenda.
And of course, Marijuana legalization, its state supported marketplace, public health and safety concerns, need attention.
Additionally, as it is a traditional bonding year, I am championing local safety infrastructure projects in Senate District 24:
Highway 14 interchanges at County State Aid Highway 3 and 5
Dodge Center Northeast Improvement Zone road improvements
Stewartville road improvements
Rochester airport parking & energy improvements
Graham Park safety improvements
Waste to Energy facility enhancements
Revenue Department reissuing rebate checks
The Minnesota Department of Revenue will be reissuing over 128,000 one-time tax rebate checks that have gone uncashed and subsequently expired after their November and December issuance dates. The mailing of reissued checks will start this week and should be completed by mid-March.
What do the checks look like?
Unlike previously mailed checks, these will be mailed from the State of Minnesota. The checks are still protected by standard banking safeguards that help detect and deter fraud.
Is the one-time tax rebate taxable?
This rebate payment is not taxable on your Minnesota income tax return.
The Internal Revenue Service determined this rebate to be taxable on the federal return. Due to this decision, all rebate recipients were sent a Form 1099-MISC to use when filing their 2023 individual income tax returns. If you include this payment in your federal adjusted gross income, subtract it from Minnesota taxable income on line 33 of Schedule M1M and on line 10 of Form M1PR on your state returns.
What if an eligible taxpayer still has not received a rebate?
The Department of Revenue will work with taxpayers who are eligible but did not get their rebate. If a taxpayer thinks they are eligible and didn’t receive a rebate by May 1, 2024, they should contact the department at 651-556-3000.
Childcare Crisis Panel
I was glad to have the opportunity to participate in a panel focused on Minnesota’s childcare crisis alongside Representatives Zeleznikar and Mueller. Affordable childcare is one of many challenges Minnesotans are facing.
I have been a leader on the issue of expanding funding for early childhood learning programs and scholarships which help children be kindergarten ready and help families afford high-quality targeted childcare, which has been dubbed the ‘Minnesota model.’ However, we still have more work to do!
This session, I will be introducing legislation to provide grant funding for businesses to expand or develop childcare programs for their employee’s children.
Carla Nelson represents Dodge County and portions of Olmsted County in the Minnesota State Legislature.