Election laws reviewed, Job growth focus

Yesterday at the Capitol

MSUSA testifies on the 2008 election
Yesterday afternoon, the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Operations and Oversight heard testimony by a number of election officials relating to the successes and disappointments of the 2008 election. Holly Davis, director of Research and Policy at the Minnesota State University Student Association, spoke on student voter registration. "Voter registration was a big thing on our campus last fall," said Davis. "I was excited to see so many young people interested in the election this year, she said." Before adjourning, Chair Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, announced that the committee would meet again to discuss absentee balloting and how to move forward in the future to ensure ongoing election success in Minnesota.

Bioscience and Workforce Committee will focus on job growth
Members of the House Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division announced plans yesterday to focus on developing the state’s high-tech workforce during the 2009 legislative session. Chairman Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, expressed his hope that division members could build bipartisan consensus on ways to spur job growth in the state’s bioscience industries. "With our nation struggling, we have a challenge, and an important task in front of us this year," Mahoney said, adding, "If we provide trained workers to the businesses of this state, the state will prosper."

Committee Structure
If interested, the Senate and House committee structure has been released.
Senate

House

Today at the Capitol
**Please note the Senate Higher Education committee meets today at 12:30 in Room 123 of the Capitol to listen to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and the University of Minnesota about consequences from the 2003 funding reductions in the 04-05 budget, the reaction to the current unallotment of $20 million to each system, and responses to possible reductions in the upcoming biennium. Vice Chancellor and CFO, Laura King, along with President Ann Wynia, co-chair of the Finance and Administration Leadership Council Committee will testify.

At the Capitol:
Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.