STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-FIRST MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
Committee on Agriculture, Rural Economies, and
Veterans Affairs Finance
MINUTES
Representative Al Juhnke, Chair, called the twenty-first meeting to order at 10:05AM on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 in Basement of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
JUHNKE, Al MAGNUS, Doug
WELTI, Andy OLIN, Dave
DOTY, Al OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
FAUST, Tim PETERSON, Aaron
FINSTAD, Brad POPPE, Jeanne
HAMILTON, Rod SHIMANSKI, Ron
HANSEN, Rick
HEIDGERKEN, Bud
A quorum was present.
Representative Faust moved that the minutes of March 20, 2007 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1759 (Olin); a bill relating to agriculture; appropriating money for a grant for agronomic research on native plants.
Representative Olin moved that HF 1759 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Olin moved the
H1759DE2 amendment (attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Olin presented HF 1759.
Marvin Zutz, Minnesota Turf Seed Council, testified on HF 1759. Discussion and questions followed.
Representative Olin renewed his motion that HF 1759, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
HF 1350 (Eken); a bill for an act relating to energy; authorizing a grant to the White Earth Band of Chippewa to study the feasibility of a renewable energy facility.
Chair Juhnke moved that HF 1350 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Eken presented HF 1350.
Erma Vizenor, Tribal Chairwoman, White Earth Band of Chippewa, testified on HF 1350. Discussion and questions followed.
Chair Juhnke moved an oral amendment to HF 1350 as follows:
Page 1, line 15, delete "existing"
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Chair Juhnke renewed his motion that HF 1350, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
HF 1664 (Kalin); a bill for an act relating to energy; authorizing grant to Chisago, Isanti, and Pine Counties to study feasibility of a renewable energy facility.
Chair Juhnke moved that HF 1664 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Chair Juhnke moved the
HF1664A2 amendment (attached). Discussion and questions followed. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Kalin presented HF 1664. Discussion and questions followed.
Dave Whitney, citizen in Chisago County, testified on HF 1664.
Lynn Shultz, Commissioner, Chisago County, testified on HF 1664.
Greg Bernu, Land Commissioner, Pine County, testified on HF 1664. Discussion and questions followed.
Chair Juhnke renewed his motion that HF 1664, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
HF 2155 (Hackbarth); a bill for an act relating to bioenergy production; appropriating money for study of plasma gasification process to convert cellulose, plastics, and other components of municipal solid waste into methanol for use in biodiesel production.
Chair Juhnke moved that HF 2155 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Hackbarth presented HF 2155.
Wayne Hanson, Program Director, Minnesota Generation of Great River Energy, testified on HF 2155. Discussion and questions followed.
Next meeting: Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 10:00AM.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:56AM.
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Al Juhnke, Chair
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Dana Wilson, Committee Legislative Assistant