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This just in from the Minnesota House of Representatives Session Daily:

Proposals designed to boost solar and wind power and tighten greenhouse gas regulations are among the provisions of the omnibus energy bill approved by the House Finance Committee.

HF3661/SF3337*, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hilty (DFL-Finlayson) and Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-Duluth), originally contained language that would require the Commerce Department and Pollution Control Agency to submit regular reports to the Legislature on progress made in meeting the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals. As amended by Hilty, the bill now contains language from several other bills, including:

• a provision that would carve out a small portion of the state's mandated renewable energy standard and dedicate it to solar power (from HF3843, sponsored by Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL-Mankato));

• a provision requiring producers and purchasers of gasses with a high "global warming potential" to report data on sales and use of the gasses to the PCA (from HF3545, sponsored by Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights));
• a provision forbidding the sale or purchase of small canisters of mobile air conditioner refrigerant (also from HF3545, sponsored by Atkins); and
• a provision authorizing the Commerce Department to coordinate and arrange bulk purchases of wind turbines and related equipment (from HF3343, sponsored by Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar)).

The bill now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee.