Lommen Abdo Attorneys Testifying Before Legislative Committees

4/10/2009

Lommen Abdo attorneys have testified before several legislative committees this session on issues ranging from economic development for film production to probate and guardian issues.

Dan Satorius
On April 8, 2009, Dan Satorius testified before of the Senate Economic Development Committee, Economic Development and Housing Budget Division, chaired by Sen. David Tomissoni.

The bill, presented by Sen. Dick Cohen, the head of the Senate Finance Committee, was entitled FILM PRODUCTION INVESTMENT GRANTS and will provide cash grants to investors who invest at least $100,000 in Minnesota motion picture productions. Dan was invited to testify by Lucinda Winters, the Executive Director of The Minnesota Film Board, who introduced the bill. Similar incentives for investors exist in Iowa and other states. The bill was passed by the committee.

Scott Nelson
As chair of the Probate & Trust section legislation committee, and a member of the Probate & Trust Council, Scott Nelson oversees the legislative drafting initiated and monitors the activities that may affect the probate & trust practice at the legislature during the session (e.g. bills covering tax law, guardianships/conservatorships, medical assistance, etc). For 2009/2010, they already have subcommittees looking at improvements to the Minnesota versions of the Uniform Trust Act, Uniform Probate Code, Uniform Tax Apportionment Act, Uniform Principal and Income Act, and Uniform Power of Attorney Act.

For this year's session, he has testified in the House Civil Justice Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee on changes to Minnesota's Uniform Probate Code (the most significant change raising the threshold for Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit to $50,000, from its current level of $20,000) and their version of the Uniform Disclaimer Act (which will allow “non-qualified disclaimers” and replace two separate sections of our current statutes). He has also testified on the proposed changes to the life settlement market, and worked on the adoption of the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act and changes to our existing Guardianship/Conservatorship law which include a new Bill of Rights for Wards/Conservatees. He has also worked on comments to proposed Department of Revenue changes to taxation of nonresident owners of LLCs, and a proposed change in the definition of “marital property” for medical assistance estate recovery purposes.