Minnesota House Approves $20 Million In Heating Aid

ST. PAUL (AP) - The Minnesota House has quickly passed a bill to send emergency heating aid to Minnesotans suffering the long, cold winter.

The House and Senate opened the 2014 legislative session Tuesday. Within an hour of opening, the House voted unanimously to pump $20 million into a state fund that helps low-income people pay heating bills.

The Senate is likely to vote on it early next week. The federal government deposited $115 million into the fund in January, but Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman says that money will run out by early March. Forecasts call for subzero temperatures to linger into next week.

The quick action on heating aid could set a pace for a short legislative session. Many legislators are not eager to linger in St. Paul with elections on the horizon.