Legislative preview: Permanent absentee voter list, Senate hears legal marijuana bill

ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Wednesday, lawmakers at the Minnesota Capitol are looking into legislation that previously stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate last session.

That bill would create a permanent absentee voter list. That means if you’re on this list, you would automatically get sent an absentee ballot before an election.

This is part of a sweeping plan to change election law in a way that Democrats say would expand access to the ballot box and that’s coming up for a hearing later Wednesday morning.

Also on Wednesday, we’re getting the first hearing in the Senate on legalized marijuana. That bill has already moved through the process in the House. It’s gotten several committees and it has several more committee stops to go, but this is the very first time the Minnesota Senate is hearing the bill.

Previously, Republicans used to control that chamber and never gave it the time of day.

Also in the mix are mental health bills. One that’s coming up Wednesday would create a new school mental health lead in the Department of Education. That person would help coordinate mental health services among school districts.

This comes at a time when mental health needs are rising in schools and this would also come on top of a separate plan that would boost funding for schools to hire school nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, at 2:30 p.m., the Minnesota House People of Color and Indigenous Caucus is announcing its priorities for the 2023 session.