Contract ratification approved; State budget update

Yesterday at the Capitol

The full Senate approved SF 2386 yesterday, the contract ratification bill, by a vote of 48-16. The bill ratifies the contracts and plans for Minnesota State College Faculty or MSCF; the Minnesota State University Association of Administrative and Service Faculty or MSUAASF; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees or ASCFME, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees MAPE; the Middle Management Association; the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Administrators; the Commissioner’s Plan; and the Managerial Plan. In the House, the bill received a second reading yesterday (the third and final reading occurs immediately preceding the final vote on the bill).

The Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy Balanced Budget Subcommittee met yesterday morning to receive an update from Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) about the state's cash situation. MMB Budget Deputy Commissioner Jim Schowalter told committee members that Minnesota will not have to borrow money to pay its bills this spring, but cash flow shortfalls are still a possibility for later this year.
Schowalter said the state has averted a potential cash shortage in the general fund by borrowing more than $1 billion from other state accounts and by delaying $416 million in payments, mostly to school districts.

Schowalter said they won't know for sure whether borrowing is necessary until they see lawmaker's complete solution to the $994 million budget shortfall. The supplemental budget bill signed into law April 1 by Gov. Pawlenty solves approximately $312 million of that shortfall. Lawmakers are waiting to address the health and human services bill until Congress passes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which could include approximately $400 million for Minnesota.

Today at the Capitol

9:30 AM
House Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda:
HF2690 (Sertich) Executive agency appropriations required to include proportionate reductions in expenditures on contracts, and requirements provided during periods of projected deficits.
HF2116 (Hansen) Vehicle transaction fees increased, acceptable methods of payment provided, and surcharge imposed.
HF605 (Hortman) Transportation Department management, priorities, research, and planning provisions modified.
HF2613 (Hilstrom) Mediation provided prior to commencement of mortgage foreclosure proceedings on homestead property, and homestead-lender mediation account created.
HF2600 (Mullery) Licensing and regulation provided for an individual engaged in the business of a mortgage loan originator or the mortgage loan business.
HF3122 (Juhnke) Licensing and regulation provided for appraisal management companies, and real estate appraiser advisory board regulated.
HF2562 (Thissen) COBRA premium state subsidy eligibility extended, and unexpected funds carry forward authorized for COBRA grants.
HF2405 (Reinert) Temporary successors provided to members of the legislature called into active military service, implementation of statutory language provided, and constitutional amendment proposed.
HF2577 (Carlson) Legislators allowed to call a special session, and constitutional amendment proposed.
HF3458 (Shimanski) Minnesota Department of Transportation consultation required on roundabout design.

10:30 AM
Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Karen Clark
Agenda: SF2996 (Urdahl) School concession stands established as a specific category of food and beverage service establishments.
** Discussion on Nanotechnology - removed from agenda, will be heard Wednesday.**

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra Pappas
Agenda: S.F. 3014-Saltzman: Minnesota Science and Technology Authority Act
MnSCU Board of Trustees confirmation: Christopher Frederick

12:30 PM
House in Session

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, April 14

8:30 AM
House Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda:
HF3589 (Kath) Contracts for professional or technical services reporting threshold reduced.
HF3046 (Ruud) Birthing centers licensure established.
HF3739 (Carlson) Bond allocation limits modified, and transfer authorized.
HF3757 (Hilty) Security transaction security exemptions modified, and money appropriated for the state grant program.
HF3448 (Rukavina) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; pilot project established for the local deposit of certain reserves.
HF3702 (Wagenius) Department of Natural Resources long-range land management budgeting required.
10:30 AM
Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Karen Clark
Agenda: Public discussion of nanotechnology

3:00 PM
Senate Economic Development and Housing Budget Division
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. David J. Tomassoni
Agenda:
S.F. 2874-Pogemiller: State government streamlining; employment and economic development (DEED) and labor and industry departments abolishment; task force and employee participation committee establishment; Taxpayers Accountability Act.

Thursday, April 15

8:30 AM
Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
Agenda:
S.F. 2716-Saltzman: Charter school provisions modifications; charter schools facilities authority establishment; credit enhancement account creation; purchasing and borrowing authority authorization; building lease transition aid eligibility authorization.

9:00 AM
House State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Gene Pelowski
Agenda: HF2227 (Hilty) Board of Innovation reestablished, powers and duties imposed, and money appropriated.

12:30 PM
House in Session

Friday, April 16

8:30 AM
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Richard J. Cohen
Agenda:
S.F. 2682-Erickson Ropes: Fillmore county veterans cemetery funding.
S.F. 3079-Sheran: Postsecondary enrollment options program modifications.
S.F. 560-Latz: Criminal records expungement law provisions expansion and modifications.
S.F. 2493-Moua: Crime of identity theft expansion to include scanning and reencoder use to acquire information from payment cards.
S.F. 2725-Moua: Gang and drug oversight council name change to violent crime oversight council; multijurisdictional gang and drug task forces certification process; criminal gang investigative data systems; intrastate data classification; cell phone tracking devices.
S.F. 2620-Bonoff: Service innovation commission establishment.
S.F. 214-Betzold: Notaries public regulations and fees modifications.
S.F. 2364-Pappas: Higher education facilities authority revenue bond limit increase.
S.F. 2940-Fischbach: Zero-based budgeting requirement for state government.