Friday, May 7, 2010

Trustees confirmed; PSEO bill passed; Budget discussed

Yesterday at the Capitol

On the Senate floor yesterday, the full Senate confirmed Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees members David Paskach and Christopher Frederick.

Also on the Senate floor yesterday, members passed SF 3079 by a vote of 62-0. The bill modifies the postsecondary enrollment options program. The bill eliminates the language from statute that says a postsecondary institution may not advertise or otherwise recruit or solicit secondary students to enroll in postsecondary programs on financial grounds. The bill also allows a postsecondary institution to bill students for any textbooks and equipment that are not returned by the student.

Meeting twice yesterday were legislative leaders and the governor to discuss the deficit that still needs to be resolved. The governor, majority and minority have all characterized the budget situation as a crisis given the Minnesota Supreme Courts ruling to overturn the governor's $2.7 billion unallotments last year. Gov. Pawlenty has asked lawmakers to ratify the $2.7 billion in unallotments, however House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said leaders are checking to see whether there is enough support among lawmakers to do so.

In a press conference yesterday, the governor's Deputy Chief of Staff Brian McClung, said the governor is looking at the deficit in three parts and then finding ways they can all agree. The three parts include the $1.8 billion K-12 school aid payment shift, $700 million in unallotment cuts and the remaining $536 million deficit. McClung said he is hopeful lawmakers will at least ratify the $1.8 billion shift, however while the shift has majority support in the House, there is not widespread support in the Senate. McClung said the governor has cleared his schedule to accommodate further negotiations.

Today at the Capitol

8:30 AM
House Ways and Means
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Loren Solberg
Agenda: HF2431 (Greiling) Omnibus K-12 Education bill

9:00 AM
House Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda:
HF2227 (Marquart) Board of Innovation reestablished, powers and duties imposed, and money appropriated.
HF3795 (Eken) FEMA Public Assistance Program money appropriated.
SF1679 (Carlson) Retirement incentives authorized.
2072 (Greiling) Education finance reference updated.
HF3699 (Greiling) School district discretionary levy authorized.

9:30 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Phyllis Kahn
Agenda:
HF2227 (Marquart) Minnesota Innovation and Research Council established, powers and duties council imposed, and money appropriated.
SF3134 (Kahn) State government programs or activities money appropriated or reduced, and provisions changed relating to expenses of governor-elect, income earned by the permanent school fund, lease-purchase agreements, general services, resource recovery, payment of aids and credits to school districts, tax return preparers, and implied consent.

10:00 AM
Conference Committee on S.F. 2510
Room 318 Capitol
Chairs: Sen. David J. Tomassoni and Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda: S.F. 2510-Tomassoni: Omnibus employment and economic development policy bill

12:00 PM
Senate in Session

2:00 PM
House in Session

Looking Ahead

Monday, May 10


9:00 AM
House Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda:
SF2891 (Mullery) Interstate Compact for Juveniles adopted.
SF3134 (Kahn) State government programs or activities money appropriated or reduced, and provisions changed relating to expenses of governor-elect, income earned by the permanent school fund, lease-purchase agreements, general services, resource recovery, payment of aids and credits to school districts, tax return preparers, and implied consent.
HF2866 (Carlson) Executive branch authority modified to reduce unexpended allotments.
HF2922 (Thissen) Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund; administrative functions transferred to the Public Employees Retirement Association, consolidation account created within the Public Employees Retirement Association, and money appropriated.

Tuesday, May 11

12:30 PM
Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda:
University District Alliance report
HEFA confirmations

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