Today, Governor Dayton signed three bills into law. The first, House File 569/Senate File 588 clarifies and modifies licensing and bond requirements for well/boring contractors.

The second is House File 529/Senate File 916 seeks to improve safety by directing that the State Building code contain a requirement that skylight panels used on pole barns and similar structures must be able to bear the same weight as the surrounding roof.

Governor Dayton also signed Senate file 626/House File 937 which makes three general changes to state law related to nursing facilities. First, the bill authorizes the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner to put nursing home beds on layaway status in the wake of a natural disaster and take them off layaway status as appropriate. Second, this bill sets up criteria and a process for MDH to make exceptions to the nursing home bed moratorium in "hardship areas." Third, the bill revises and clarifies MDH's process for determining budget-neutral nursing facility rates for relocated beds.

Each of the bills signed today by Governor Dayton passed the Minnesota House and Senate with bipartisan support.