Today

HOUSE



The Education Reform Committee will hear three bills at 8:15 a.m.: HF 133, a bill providing for trial placements for eligible children at Minnesota State Academies; HF 183, a bill to require teacher candidates to pass basic skills exam; HF 300, Comprehensive eye exams recommended for early childhood development screening.


The Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee will hear four bills relating to fishing regulations at 8:15 a.m. for possible inclusion in an omnibus game/fish bill - no votes will be taken on individual proposals. HF 16, HF 107, HF 225 and HF 242.


The Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee will hear HF 68, a bill making careless driving that results in a death a gross misdemeanor, at 8:15 a.m.


The State Government Finance Committee will hear HF 4, a bill reducing the state workforce, at 8:15 a.m.


The Government Operations and Elections Committee will hear two bills at 10:15 a.m.: HF 192, the Reinventing Government Employment Act, which reduces the work force, removes contract restrictions and proposed a right to work constitutional amendment, and HF 102, a bill establishing a state science and technology program.


The Public Safety and Crime Prevention and Policy Committee will hear HF 306, a bill establishing Emily's Law and lowering the age for some juvenile offenders, at 10:15 a.m.


The Taxes Committee will hear two bills at 10:15 a.m.: HF 258, a bill authorizing licensed ambulance services to submit claims directly to the state, and HF 394, a bill expanding the public safety radio system exemption.


The Education Finance Committee will hear three bills at 12:30 p.m.: HF 407, a bill repealing the reduction of state short-term borrowing through school district payment changes; HF 341, a bill repealing the MMB school district state-aid payment reduction requirement; HF 257, a bill creating the early graduation achievement scholarship program.


SENATE


The Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will hear three bills at 1 p.m.: SF 229, a bill authorizing eminent domain portion of easement discharge; SF 137, a bill modifying mortgage foreclosure redemption periods; SF 136, technical changes to the Minnesota Common Interest Ownership Act.


WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY






STATE OF THE STATE: In his first State of the State address, Gov. Mark Dayton doubled down on his campaign promise of building "a better Minnesota" -- complete with increased investment in education and transportation -- and made clear his intention to tax the state's wealthiest residents to pay for it.


"If we do so, by working together, we can rightfully tell the people of Minnesota that we succeeded. We did the very best we could, given the very difficult circumstances we inherited," Dayton said. "And if we all succeed together, the people of Minnesota will win. If we fail, the people of Minnesota will lose. It's that simple. It's that inescapable."


But it took less than an hour for the political realities at the Capitol to bring the rhetoric of Dayton's speech -- some 5,000 words long, and reportedly written by Dayton himself -- back down to earth. "It was a little shy on details," Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said of the speech. "I'm not sure how he can keep [those promises]," she added, citing the state's crushing budget deficit and rejecting his call for higher taxes.


Dayton surprised Republican legislative leaders by taking aim at an early-session committee hearing -- of the House HHS Finance panel chaired by Jim Abeler -- that included an overview of government shutdown procedures. Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers said they were blindsided by that, and that the subject had never come up in their many conversations in recent weeks. Koch called it "odd." See more PIM coverage of the speech and reaction from lawmakers here.


RITCHIE'S PROMOTION: Laughter erupted just before Gov. Mark Dayton entered the House chamber, when a House sergeant-at-arms inadvertently announced the arrival of Gov. Mark Ritchie.


FEINWACHS' HMO CLAIMS: PIM's Paul Demko recently wrote about the crusade of former MN Hospitals Association counsel Dave Feinwachs to crack open the books of the HMOs that currently administer about $6 billion in state health care spending per biennium. How worried are the health plans? Following Feinwachs' appearance before the House HHS Finance Committee on Tuesday, we're told, committee members were blitzed with visits from HMO lobbyists on Wednesday. And House GOP freshman Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen has already introduced a bill, HF 412, to increase the reimbursement rates that the HMOs pass on to service providers.


FEINWACHS LAWSUIT: Feinwachs has also filed a lawsuit against the health plans, alleging defamation in retaliation for his claims. Details.


HOUSE PASSES BUDGET BILL: Following impassioned debate, the House of Representatives passed the GOP budget-reducing bill that would trim more than $800 million of the state's $6.2 billion deficit. The Senate is expected to take it up today, with the goal of sending it to Gov. Mark Dayton before he delivers his budget next week. Three GOP reps voted against the bill: Debra Kiel of Crookston, King Banaian of St. Cloud and Rich Murray of Albert Lea. Mound Republican Steve Smith was not present for the vote.


WESTROM BILL WHISPERS: Lobbyists and child advocates have been buzzing about a little-noticed bill that's up for a hearing in the House Public Safety Committee today. Rep. Torrey Westrom's HF 306 would reduce the age at which juveniles can be charged as adults for certain violent offenses. While Westrom introduced a similar bill in 2008 that would've lowered the age to 13, this one would allow prosecution of children age 10 and older for some crimes.


VIKES IN THE RATHSKELLER: In the Capitol cafeteria yesterday, Lester Bagley of the Minnesota Vikings was seen in earnest conversation with Nick Riley, a lobbyist for Ramsey County, amid piles of paperwork. One of the Vikes' proposed stadium sites is in the Ramsey County community of Arden Hills.


NEW BILLS: Rep. Keith Downey has introduced two new government-reduction bills: HF 418, which would consolidate some "back office" functions in the Department of Administration, and HF 419, which would eliminate or merge nine current state agencies. Other new House bills here.


TEACHER TENURE: Teacher tenure was a hot topic in the Senate Education Committee. Senate Republicans want to revisit this job security issue, which some feel allow less-than-stellar educators to remain in their posts. No action was taken, but look for lively testimony in meetings ahead.


CRAVAACK APPLAUDED: One northern Minnesota mining lobbyist praised U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack for his cooperation in streamlining the environmental permitting process at the federal level. The feds have a history of coming into the process late in the game, the lobbyist noted -- and if they have concerns, the permitting process can screech to a halt.


CHAMBER CONCERNS: Several folks in the know have commented recently that regional chambers of commerce around the state have growing differences with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. One former state senator noted that greater Minnesota chambers have "a very different agenda" than their statewide representative body, since the economies of smaller communities depend on state revenues from colleges and universities, and local government aid, all of which face cuts this session.


HAUSMAN ON DNR: Earlier in the week, we got word on who would fill out the top staff slots in Gov. Mark Dayton's DNR, and by Wednesday at least one DFLer was miffed at some of the names included on the list. DFLer Alice Hausman (pictured right) told PIM she had some strong concerns about the new roles of former state Sen. Bob Lessard and ex-Pioneer Press outdoors writer Chris Niskanen, who will serve as special assistant to the commissioner for outreach and communications director, respectively.


In Hausman's view, Lessard -- a longtime hunter who runs fishing resorts -- will likely work to benefit sportsman groups over others, increasing the already substantial political clout of those interests at the Capitol. She called Niskanen a mouthpiece for the same outdoors groups and the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. Niskanen used the newspaper to go after House members who questioned such groups, she said.


"Now the taxpayers are going to be paying for their offices and their salary," she said. "It's a coup that's complete, and it's been accomplished right under taxpayer's noses."


One mining lobbyist we spoke to said that he and his colleagues were mostly content with Dayton's picks, but that Lessard -- who is referred to as the "Old Trapper" -- is clearly cut from hook-and-bullet cloth, and therefore bound to upset enviro-minded members from the Twin Cities.


NEWMAN: GOP Sen. Scott Newman, who had been in hot water over an e-mail from his office that said the freshman lawmaker wouldn't meet with the Minnesota Nurses Association because they backed his opponent in November, was cleared by a Senate subcommittee Wednesday. The four-lawmaker panel -- which includes Sens. Michelle Fischbach, Linda Scheid, Bill Ingebrigtsen and Kathy Sheran -- found unanimously that there was no probable cause that Newman broke ethics rules, and no reason to move forward with an investigation.


The decision came after an hours-long hearing that saw DFL Sen. Ron Latz questioning Newman as if he were deposing him. Newman, and his attorney Fritz Knaak, repeatedly acknowledged that the e-mail was a political mistake, unsavory and even "foolish," but said there was no ethics violation.


BILLS IN COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY


HF 9: Nuclear power plant moratorium repealed. Passed Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee. Referred to House floor.


HF 88: School personnel maintenance of effort requirements changed and financial decisions referred to school districts. Passed Property and Local Tax Division. Referred to House floor.


HF 89: Voter photo identification required. Passed Government Operations and Elections. Referred to State Government Finance.


HF 180: Criminal offenses committed near county lines may be charged in the county of offense or the county of the arresting law enforcement agency. Passed Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance. Referred to Judiciary.


HF 203: Legislative approval for certain rules to take effect. Passed Government Operations and Elections. Referred to House floor.Thursday, February 10
(source: politics in minnesota)