Politics & Government

Republican-Backed Budget Bills Get Nays From District 39A DFLers

Omnibus spending bills are making their ways to the House and Senate floors.

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 Hansen (D-District 39A) said that Tuesday floor sessions began at 10:30 a.m. and ran well past midnight.

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Hansen, who sits on the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee and Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Committee said he voted against the agriculture bill because of ethanol production payments of about $13 million. In the face of the other programs being cut, “payment to ethanol plants is not a priority,” said Hansen. He said he is also opposed to a $10 million allotment for an agriculture account designed to fund grants.  Those funds could not necessarily be redistributed to another area of the budget however, under a policy rule passed earlier in the session.

Hansen voted against the environment bill because of what he called “misguided priorities.” He is also opposed to using lottery revenue to backfill general fund expenditures.

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In the Senate, the jobs and economic development bill was passed last Monday. Sen. Jim Metzen (D-District 39), who chaired that committee last year, voted against it.

“It wasn’t very good,” said Metzen. “It’s hurting the wrong people.” The bill provides funding to community and business development as well a workforce training and support. The cuts to programs designed to help the poor and unemployed are too deep for Metzen.

 

Sen. Jim Metzen

Existing bills authored by Sen. Jim Metzen

— Jobs and economic development appropriations. SF899 awaits a hearing in the Jobs and Economic Growth Committee. introduced March 16

—Inflow and infiltration reduction program metropolitan area grants appropriation. SF797 awaits a hearing in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. introduced March 14

—Water quality enhancement citizen participation in the Star Lakes pilot program appropriation. SF796 awaits a hearing in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. introduced March 14 

—Small business investment tax credit provisions modifications. SF790 awaits a hearing in the Jobs and Economic Growth Committee. introduced March 14

—A bill for elevator code changes compliance timeline modification awaits a hearing in the Jobs and Economic Growth Committee. SF617 introduced March 4

—A bill for probate and appointment proceedings time period modification awaits a hearing in the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. SF587 introduced March 4

—A bill for trunk highway #55 and county state-aid highway #63 (Argenta Trail) interchange construction environmental impact statement and scoping bond issue and appropriation awaits a hearing in the Transportation Committee. SF484 introduced Feb. 28

—A resolution urging support for the Republic of China as a part of the global community awaits a hearing in the State Government and Innovation Committee. SF483 introduced Feb. 28  

—A bill for an act relating to capital investment; appropriating money for the Darvan Acres Nature Center; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds. SF482 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill relating to natural resources; appropriating money from the Outdoor Natural Heritage Fund for Darvan Acres Nature Center awaits a hearing in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. SF481 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill relating to capital improvements; appropriating $250,000 in bond proceeds for a transit facility on the Robert Street Corridor awaits a hearing in the Capital Investment Committee. SF531 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill relating to energy; regulating projects funded by renewable development
account awaits a hearing in the Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee. SF495 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill providing Trunk highway #52 noise barrier replacement bond issue and appropriation of $3 million awaits a hearing in the Capital Investment Committee. SF391 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill providing bonding money for inflow and infiltration projects awaits a committee hearing in the Capital Investment Committee. This is the companion bill to HF74. SF49 introduced Jan. 18

— A bill providing $240,000 for Inver Grove Heights historical buildings rehabilitation and capital improvements grant bond issue and appropriation of $240,000 awaits a committee hearing in the Capital Investment Committee. SF297 introduced Feb. 10

 

Rep. Rick Hansen

New activity

A technical bill to modify Legislative auditor governing provisions. HF1332 awaits a hearing in the Government Operations and Elections Committee. introduced March 30

Existing bills authored by Rep. Rick Hansen

Phase 1 Capitol security and access improvements money appropriated. HF1287 awaits a hearing in the State Government Finance  Committee. introduced March 23

—Water supply and groundwater degradation prevention provided, and money appropriated from the clean water fund. HF1127 Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. introduced March 14

Legislative Environment Commission established; Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, Clean Water Council, and Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources eliminated; water system improvement loan program eliminated; appropriations from outdoor heritage fund modified; and appointments provided. HF1073 awaits a hearing in the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. introduced March 14

—A bill to provide funds for the state Capitol building was reviewed and laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus appropriations bill in the Legacy Funding Division. HF777 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill to provide competitive grant money for arts education to k-12 students awaits a hearing in the Legacy Funding Division. HF778 introduced Feb. 28

—A bill to allow Mighty Duck grants to be used for new or renovated air handling systems of indoor ice facilities awaits a hearing in the State Government and Finance Committee. HF684 introduced Feb. 24

— A bill providing bonding money for Highway 52 barrier replacement awaits a hearing in the Transportation Policy and Finance Committee. HF477 introduced Feb. 14

—A bill providing $1 million to the city of South St. Paul to replace a pumping station on the floodwall awaits a hearing in the Jobs and Economic Development Committee. This is the companion bill to SF145. HF277 introduced Jan. 31

— A bill providing bonding money for inflow and infiltration projects awaits a committee hearing in the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. HF74 introduced Jan. 13

—A bill providing $25 million in bonds for conservation easements to be purchased by the Board of Water and Soil Resources, with priority given to flood prone land in southeast Minnesota awaits a hearing in the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. HF109 introduced Jan. 18  


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