A variety of projects for northern Dakota County could be funded through a bonding bill this session, but packages have yet to pass off of either the House or Senate floor. A bonding bill is traditionally passed in the even year, and is likely to be an area of focus when legislators return this week from the Easter/Passover break. Bonding is when the state borrows money to finance capital investment projects like road and bridge repair, maintenance of public buildings and flood mitigation. The House proposal would spend about $220 million, significantly less than the approx. $775 million in …

Legislators received news last week that state economists expect a $323 million surplus from the 2012-2013 biennium. That will be good news for schools, according to Sen. Jim Metzen (D-South St. Paul) and Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul). Some Republican legislators were quick to attribute the improved financial picture to conservative fiscal policies passed last year. The report by the Minnesota Management and Budget attributes most of the state surplus to lower enrollment than anticipated for a Medical Assistance program through the federal Affordable Care Act. That has resulted in …

The Minnesota Senate passed a bill last Thursday lowering the threshold for use of deadly force by civilians, an expansion of Minnesota law commonly known as the "castle doctrine." Both Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul)  and Sen. Jim Metzen (D-South St. Paul) have voted against the proposal.  Metzen and other opposition refer to the proposal as the “shoot-first bill.” “I think there’s enough laws and regulations on the books today,” said Metzen. “This is really loosely written.” The castle doctrine already in law allows use of deadly force to prevent a felony from happening in one’s home. …

Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul) presented a bill last week to help Minnesota ice arenas pay for repairs and upgrades to their HVAC systems. Bad air inside ice arenas has made the news a number of times in recent years. Last year, Linda Davis, a West St. Paul figure skater, testified to a health committee that she was poisoned by carbon monoxide in ice arena air and now undergoes daily oxygen treatment. Minnesota passed rules in the '70s regulating sports facility air quality standards. This would help facilities pay for the upgrades necessary to meet those standards, said South St. Paul's…

Minnesota party caucus meetings Tuesday night meant it was a short week for legislators at the capitol. Mendota Heights legislators Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul) and Sen. Jim Metzen (D-South St. Paul) attended the DFL caucus at Henry Sibley High School, where they said the mood was good and turnout looked comparable to two years ago. Both reported that redistricting is on the minds of voters. The Minnesota Supreme Court will release new district maps Feb. 21 realigning the boundaries of representation. “They were concerned about the district being cut up,” said Hansen of caucus …

A proposed constitutional amendment to require voters to present photo identification drew nearly five hours of testimony last week in a Senate hearing. Meanwhile, on the House side, District 39A Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul) said he received 78 emails as of last Thursday night opposing the initiative. “That makes opposition to that the number one thing I’ve heard from so far this year,” said Hansen. If the Legislature passes the initiative, voters will decide in November whether to add a fourth criteria to determine voter eligibility into the constitution. Referendums bypass the veto …

Mendota Heights legislators agree, the session before them will likely be short—especially in contrast to the drawn-out budget debacle last year that spilled over deadlines and ended with a special session. Typically the even-year session of a biennium is dedicated to crafting a bonding bill for capital projects throughout the state as well as major policy initiatives. However Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul), who represents Mendota Heights, said Republicans present at a number of legislative forums in recent weeks have cast doubt on the future of a bonding bill. “We had members of the …

Legislators are waiting right now for leadership to negotiate a budget deal that would bring them back to St. Paul for a special session. A number have come forward to address the question of whether or not to accept their “per diem,” or stipend, for days worked in a special session. During regular session House members may accept up to $77 a day, while senators can receive a payment up to $96. Legislators receive a salary of $31,140. “I think personally, if we didn’t get our work done, we don’t get paid,” said Sen. Jim Metzen (D-District 39). “I want my constituents to know that if its one …

The need for a special session and the looming possibility of a government shutdown became clearer last week at the state Capitol. Legislators returned to their districts after the session closed May 23. The following day, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed eight finance bills and the tax bill passed by the Republican majority to fund such sectors as education, health and human services, transportation and the environment. The agriculture finance bill is the lone omnibus finance bill to be signed this session. “I expected they would be vetoed,” said Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A). “ I didn’t know he …

The Minnesota Senate approved a proposal May 11 that would put a constitutional ban on gay marriage in front of voters in the 2012 election. The measure to define marriage in the constitution as between one man and one woman could be before the state’s House of Representatives any day. Mendota Heights legislators said they are opposed to the measure.   Sen. James Metzen (D-District 39) was one of 27 votes against passage in the 38-27 roll call vote. Hundreds of protesters opposed to the ballot question gathered in front of the House chambers Monday. “They were at full force, full force,” said…

The GOP redistricting plan in the Minnesota House of Representatives was released last week, followed by the Senate's released today.  The House bill, HF1425, passed last week along a party line vote, but it's unlikely that the proposals will get past the governor, said legislators. Redistricting is a process taken on every ten years to rebalance the boundaries of local, state and national representation after the results of official Census data are released. This year's redistricting effort would be in place for the primaries of 2012. The new Senate and House maps submitted are largely the …

Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39) introduced a bill last week to revive discussion of targeted fee increases and new license options for game and fish. The same provisions were at one time part of the Department of Natural Resources agency bill, but were stripped in committee. The executive branch recommendations are supported by Gov. Mark Dayton.  “I felt it was important to introduce the governor’s initiative,” said Hansen. “I know it’s never easy to ask for a fee increase, but it’s important because the game and fish fund is going to be out of balance in the near future. As we move toward …

This week's Capitol Review is presented in a two-part video. For the first segment, Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) explained how a bill ends up in committee. For the second segment, learn more about where things can get confusing and what a conference committee is.

This week's Capitol Review is presented in a two-part video. For the first segment, Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) explains how a bill ends up in committee. For Wednesday's segment, learn more about where things can get confusing and what a conference committee is.

Both major state political parties hosted nominating conventions last year during the Minnesota Legislature’s session. The pomp and circumstance of choosing party nominees was a distraction from the work at the capitol, and created a partisan backdrop that Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) wants to avoid in the future. “I think having major political endorsement battles during the session is not good etiquette,” said Hansen. “You have people who are running for statewide office distracted from the task at hand.” A bill submitted by Hansen last week would prohibit any party that uses public …

Mendota Heights-area legislator Rep Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) said he received the most emails last week in regard to the omnibus game and fish bill. He described the bill as “a grab bag. There’s some prizes in there, but there’s a lot of junk too.” Among the provisions that Hansen is opposed to, the bill allows for spearing in Cass Lake, gives counties the authority to establish coyote bounties and directs the Department of Natural Resources to remove antler point restrictions in southeast Minnesota.  Hunting and fishing license fee increases and new license options that Hansen supports …

The DFL legislators representing the Mendota Heights area vote against each of the major budget bills debated on the House and Senate floors last week. The finance bills are clipping along and the debates have continued into this week. Once passed in each body, the bills will go to conference committees where their differences will be reconciled. The reconciled bills will then need to be passed on both floors before heading to the governor for a signature or veto. Last Tuesday alone, the House passed their higher education, k-12 education, environment and agriculture budget bills. Rep. Rick …

Last week, committees at the Capitol focused on compiling spending proposals into the larger finance bills being debated this week on the House and Senate floor. Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) sits on the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee where the omnibus spending bill includes deep cuts to state water quality programs and the Pollution Control Agency. Hansen sits on the Capital Investment Committee that reviews bonding proposals, which are funded through borrowing at the state level. Funding appropriations for a portion of the Central Corridor …

District 39 legislators were largely focused on water quality and other environmental issues last week. Both Sen. Jim Metzen (D-District 39) and Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) are sponsoring a bill to fund inflow and infiltration project grants for private residents through the Legacy Amendment’s Clean Water Fund. This has particular impact on older residents, and those in West St. Paul, said the legislators. “(Those on fixed incomes) just can’t handle this, and it’s really not their fault,” said Metzen. “These systems were put in years and years ago.” The benefit, according to Hansen, is …

The GOP’s budget targets were released last week in the Minnesota House and Senate. In the House, Republicans would make deep spending cuts in the areas of state government, energy and the environment and higher education. Spending for health and humans services would see a modest increase from the current biennium's budget, though less than its projected growth. The set of budget targets released by Senate Republicans are similar, with the largest cuts to higher education and state government. Cuts to state aid would cause a big impact on the city of Mendota’s modest budget, and could …