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For the week of Monday, January 30, 2012

The Session Kicks Off

Last Tuesday, the Minnesota Legislature began what many believe will be a short, but action packed legislative session.  Both Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers and new Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem began proceedings in their respective bodies by commenting on a renewed need for bipartisanship and the desire to move efficiently through the issues before the legislature.  However, that spirit of cooperation deteriorated within hours in as a Senate operating budget that cut DFL staffing levels was introduced. Senate as DFL Minority Leader Tom Bakk decried this proposal as unfair.  Capitol insiders believe the session may move quickly as the November budget forecast did not demonstrate the need for additional cuts and both parties are eager to get back to their districts and begin campaigning.

While bonding bills and capital investment projects traditionally take center stage during the second session of the biennium, this session will bring numerous other issues to the forefront.  Within minutes of his session-opening press conference, Gov. Mark Dayton was asked about the potential legislation supporting a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium.  The same press conference also touched on the potential expansion of gambling as well as proposed constitutional amendments requiring photo identification to vote and a 60% legislative supermajority to increase state taxes.

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House Committees Available on Twitter

The House Committees are now making their daily schedules available on Twitter. This allows interested parties quick access to information as it is released. At this time, Senate Committees are not using Twitter.

If you are interested in subscribing to a committee, please use the links below. If you would like to view all the committees latest Twitter activity, please click here.

 

·         Agriculture Committee: @MNHouseag

·         Bonding Committee: @mnhousebonding

·         Commerce Committee: @MNHouseCommerce

·         Education Finance Committee: @mnedufinance 

·         Energy Committee: @MNHouseenergy

·         Environment and Natural Resources Committee: @MNHouseeenr

·         Government Operations and Elections Committee: @MNHousegovops

·         Health and Human Services Finance Committee: @mn_hhsfinance

·         Health and Human Services Reform Committee: @MNHousehhsreform

·         Higher Education Committee: @mnhousehighered

·         Jobs and Economic Development Committee: @MNhousejobs

·         Judiciary Committee: @MNHousejudcom

·         K12 Reform Committee: @MNHsek12reform

·         Legacy Committee: @MNHouselegacy

·         Public Safety Committee: @mnhousepbsafety 

·         Rules Committee: @mnhouserules 

·         State Government Committee: @MNHouseStateGov

·         Taxes Committee: @mnhousetaxescmt

·         Transportation Committee: @MNhousetranspo

·         Veterans Services Division: @MNHouseVets

·          Ways and Means Committee: @MNwaysmeans

Several Confirmations Expected this Week

The Senate is expected to consider several state agency commissioner nominations this week. The body will take up the nomination of Ellen Anderson as the head of the Public Utilities Commission and rumor is that this nomination will be rejected. Additionally, the Senate will take up several nominations which are expected to be approved. They will hear the nomination of Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel, DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr, and Public Safety Commissioner Ramona Dohman. Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) Commissioner Jim Schowalter will appear before the Senate Finance committee this week for a confirmation hearing.  The judiciary committee will hold hearings on the confirmation of Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy and Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lidsey.

Environment & Natural Resources  For more information, please contact: Annalee Garletz, Policy Analyst

Bill Limiting Land-Use Moratoriums Receives Hearing

Last week HF 389, a bill about moratoria,   was heard in House Government Operations and Elections Committee.  The committee did not have time to get through all the testifiers (local government included) and was laid over to allow the bill author extra time to work with stakeholders.  While AMC and other local units of government oppose the bill as written, we have been in discussions with the bill authors and representatives from the builders association to try to identify language that may work to satisfy interests of private industry while at the same time protecting local government need for flexibility and review of projects.  The bill made the news this week, click here for a link to the article.

General Government  For more information, please contact: Jeff Spartz, AMC Executive Director

Key Issues in the Spotlight

Several of AMC’s key issues will have hearings this week.

 

·         Levy Limits – HF 1911 (Davids) will be heard on Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. in the House Property and Local Tax Division. This bill imposes permanent levy limits without the past exceptions for special levies on all counties, cities, and special districts.  Annual increases are limited to 1.9%.  An exception is made for levies to service debt issued prior to May 1, 2012, and for levies or debt authorized by election.

·         Dakota County Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord will provide an update on the Property Tax Working Group, which she chairs, on Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. in the House Property and Local Tax Division.

·         Voter ID Constitutional Amendment – SF1577 (Newman) will be heard on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Local Government and Elections Committee.

·         Jay Kiedrowski will provide an overview of the Council of Local Results and Innovation in the Senate Taxes Committee on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

·         The bi-partisan House Redesign Caucus met today at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the regional reports, receive an update from the Collaborative Governance Council and formulate action plans for 2012.

·         Audits – On Wednesday, State Auditor Rebecca Otto will make a presentation before the House State Government Finance Committee.  Materials scheduled to be covered include:  (1) the Collaborative Governance Council 2011 report; (2) Best Practices Reviews on Collaboration; and (3) the Auditor’s Survey of Counties.

AMC Hires New General Government Policy Analyst

AMC is pleased to announce that Beau Berentson will be joining AMC as our new General Government Policy Analyst. Beau joins AMC with nearly a decade of extensive legislative experience from working at the Minnesota Senate as a media relations specialist and a policy researcher, with a demonstrated ability to form strong relationships with legislators, local officials, key staff and members of the Capitol press corps.  He earned his Master’s Degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership at the University of Minnesota Duluth and brings a background in state-level economic development and finance issues to the position.   We’re looking forward to welcoming Beau to the AMC team on February 9.

Health & Human Services  For more information, please contact: Julie Ring, Legislative Coordinator/Policy Analyst

Last Week

The House Health and Human Services Finance Committee met last week to review the DHS Forecast. Legislators learned there was lower than expected enrollment in Early Medical Assistance.  DHS testified that they projected a larger number of individuals not currently being served by either MinnesotaCare or General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) to have enrolled in Medical Assistance.  The Senate HHS committee did not meet during the first week of session.

 

This Week

The House HHS Finance committee will meet on both Tuesday and Wednesday to hear status updates on the following programs:

·         Minnesota Medical Assistance Reform Waivers;

·         County Service Delivery Authority (SDAs);

·         White Earth Human Services Delivery;

·         Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA);

·         PCA Relative Care 20 percent Reduction;

·         Corporate Foster Care Moratorium; and

·         Low Needs Reduction.

Counties will testify on Service Delivery Authorities (SDAs) –Chris Sorenson, Southwest Health and Human Services Director will highlight redesign work in southwestern Minnesota and Charity Floen (Steele County) and Terry Smith (Wabasha County) will provide updates about the potential cooperative model of service delivery in southeastern Minnesota. Hennepin County will provide testimony regarding Emergency Medical Assistance.

The House HHS Reform Committee will hear testimony regarding the payment of union dues for child care providers who participate in the child care assistance program. On Wednesday the committee will hear HF 1986, a bill making eligibility modifications to the Healthy Minnesota Contribution Program passed last session.

The Senate HHS Committee will hear overviews from state agencies this week, including the following:

·         Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman will provide an update on the Health Care Exchange  (Monday);

·         Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger will report on Abortion Clinic Inspections (Wednesday);

·         DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jessen will provide an update on the Health Reform Task Force (Wednesday); and

·         DHS will provide update on the defined contribution program.

Public Safety  For more information, please contact: Ryan Erdmann, Policy Analyst

Quiet Start to Legislative Session

The Legislature is getting off to a relatively quiet start on the public safety side of things.

The House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee considered a bill that would allow county attorneys to carry firearms while on duty (HF 1829) and another that would enhance penalties for the assault or murder of a prosecuting attorney (HF 1879). Both of these ideas have been around for a while but there is renewed interest this session in light of the tragic situation in Cook County last month. Beyond that, the House committee has been hearing state and local bonding proposals, which will continue this week.

In the Senate, the Judiciary committee spent time last week on a number of forfeiture proposals. This week they will turn their attention to and will have the first hearings on the confirmation of Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy and Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey. Commissioner Roy spent his entire career prior to this appointment in County Community Corrections and his tenure thus far has been a positive for the state/county relationship in this area.

Transportation & Energy  For more information, please contact: Abbey Bryduck, Policy Analyst

Last Week at the Capitol

The Senate Transportation Committee met last week and heard updates on activities during the interim since the last legislative session.  There was a brief review on the November Forecast for Transportation Funds from MnDOT. State revenue for County State Aid Funds is down slightly compared to the end of session forecast by $4.4M. The Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) fund used for Transit Assistance is down $1.1M and the Greater MN Transit portion of the fund is up $15.6M. There may be adjustments to the budget passed last year based on forecast changes, but the February forecast is where the official numbers will be reported.

There was also an update on the MnDOT’s claims process for suspended transportation projects due to the government shutdown. It was reported that 165 projects were impacted, 117 of which have now been completed. It is hard to estimate an overall dollar number, which may not be realized for as long as 1-2 years, as some claims may go into litigation. Although the shutdown impact to the general fund has been reported as virtually “breaking even”, the impact to the Trunk Highway fund was not included in the analysis, and the claims payouts will continue to draw down available construction funds.

The House Transportation Committee will meet for the first time this session today to hear fiscal updates from MnDOT and two DVS bills. The Senate plans to pick up last years’ Transportation Policy Omnibus bill on Tuesday. 

Transportation Highlights from Governor’s Bonding Proposal

Gov. Mark Dayton’s Bonding Proposal came out last week. Transportation related projects include:

·         $25 million in GO bonds for the Local Bridge Program

·         $10 million in GO bonds for Greater Minnesota transit facilities

·         $2.5 million in GO bonds for highway/rail grade crossing system upgrades

·         $3 million in GO bonds for port development assistance

·         $17.5 million in trunk highway bonds for truck stations and maintenance facilities

·         $16.1 million in trunk highway bonds for the Rochester maintenance facility

·         $25 million in GO bonds for the Southwest light rail transit line

·         $10 million in GO bonds for the Transportation Economic Development program

·         $5 million in GO bonds for roads and bridges under DNR’s jurisdiction

Missing from his recommendations were appropriations for Local Roads and the Wetland Replacement Program. We will continue to communicate the importance of these programs at the Capitol and look for their inclusion in the House and Senate bonding proposals.

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