House Finance passes bonding bill

Yesterday at the Capitol

The House Finance committee met yesterday evening and after minor amendments, passed the omnibus bonding bill on a split voice vote. Next stop for the bill is the Ways and Means committee today after the governor's State of the State address, and then the bill will head to the floor. As a reminder, the Senate passed the bill Tuesday and laid it on the table until the House passes their version of the bill.

An updated 2010 Capital Investment spreadsheet can be found here. Keep in mind the numbers on the spreadsheet do not include user financing.


Today at the Capitol

8:30 AM
House State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Gene Pelowski
Agenda: Overview on the financial status of the retirement systems of Minnesota: Public Employees Retirement Association, Minnesota State Retirement System, Teachers Retirement Association.

8:30 AM
House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: SciMathMN briefing: Lessons from Minnesota Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) Science results - Dr. Bill Schmidt, Michigan State University
Closing the achievement gap in math and science education - Dr. Natalie Rasmussen, teacher, Minneapolis North Community High School
HF2360 (Davnie) Minneapolis; Special School District No. 1; Two member appointment provided on the Minneapolis reapportionment commission, and standards established.

8:30 AM
Senate in Session

10:30 AM
House in Session

11:00 AM (televised live)
Governor’s State of the State address

10:30 AM (televised live)
Meeting Time Note: one hour after session
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Loren Solberg
Agenda:
HF2700 (Hausman) Bonding bill; providing capital improvement funding, new programs established and existing programs modified, previous appropriations canceled and modified, bonds issued, and money appropriated.

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda:
OLA Report: MnSCU Central Office-Joel Alter
OHE: College-going Rates of Minnesota High School Students and Fall 2009 Enrollment-Mark Misukanis and Alexandra Djurovich

1:00 PM **Canceled**
House Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda: Fiscal condition of state financial aid programs
David Metzen, Director of the Office of Higher Education

Looking Ahead

Friday, February 12

10:00 AM
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room 107 Capitol
Chair: Senator Don Betzold
Agenda:
1. Approval of prior Commission meeting minutes.
2. LCPR10-005: MSRS; Retirement-related administrative provisions.
3. S.F. 2474 (Betzold); H.F. 2739 (Murphy, M.): PERA; Service credit purchase procedures.
4. S.F. 1407 (Tomassoni); H.F. 1358 (Mahoney): MSRS-Unclassified; Transfer option to MSRS-General.
5. Other items as designated by the Commission chair.

10:30 AM
House in Session

Monday, February 15
10:30 AM
House Ways & Means and Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Loren Solberg and Rep Lyndon Carlson
Agenda: Governor’s supplemental budget

1:00 PM
House in Session

Tuesday, February 16

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda:
State Grant Shortfall
Achieve Program

1:00 PM
House Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda: Economic Development and Job Creation
Natural Resources Research Institute - Michael Lalich, director
Green energy development and other innovative natural resources strategies
Status and needs of the Minnesota manufacturing sector
Central Minnesota Maufacturers Association - Les Engel, president

7:00 PM
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen Betzold
Agenda: One-person/small group legislation:
SF1374/HF1569 - PERA-P&F; Joint and survivor annuity for the divorced spouse of a deceased retiree who elected a single life annuity.
SFXX/HF2550 - MSRS/MnSCU/TRA; Permitting the repayment of certain member contribution refunds; authorizing a second chance option to elect TRA retirement plan benefit coverage; mandating certain contributions.
SFXX/HFXX - PERA; Authorizing a late disability benefit application in certain cases.
SFXX/HFXX - SPTRFA; Service credit purchase for uncredited prior teaching service
SFXX/HFXX - PERA-P&F; Revise Social Security leveling option to single-life annuity.
SFXX/HFXX - PERA; Purchase of prior service credit for a period of omitted member deductions for certain Inver Grove Heights public school employees.
SFXX/HFXX - TRA; Alternative retirement annuity computation for former Red Lake Senior High School principal.

Wednesday, February 17

10:30 AM
House Bioscience and Workforce Development
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda: Office of the Legislative Auditor report: Workforce Programs

12:30 PM
Senate Business, Industry and Jobs
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. James P. Metzen
Agenda: Unemployment Trust Fund Update
Legislative Auditor's Report: Workforce Programs

Thursday, February 1810:30 AM
House in Session

1:00 PM
House Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda: Fiscal condition of state financial aid programs
David Metzen, Director of the Office of Higher Education