STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTYTHIRD MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND
FINANCE DIVISION
MINUTES
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division, called the meeting to order at 12:37 P.M. on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, in Room 5 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
Rukavina, Tom, Chair
Poppe, Jeanne, Vice-Chair
Atkins, Joe
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Clark, Karen
Dettmer, Bob
Eastlund, Rob
Gunther, Bob
Haws, Larry
McFarlane, Carol
Mahoney, Tim
Moe, Frank
Murphy, Mary
Norton, Kim
Ruth, Connie
Severson, Dan
Slocum, Linda
Welti, Andy
Members excused:
Hortman, Melissa
Nornes, Bud
A quorum was present.
HF 1352 (Moe)
Representative Moe moved that HF 1352 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill.
Representative Moe presented HF 1352, appropriating money for a grant to administer a statewide program for youth job skills development.
Representative Moe introduced Leonore Potter, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Club.
Leonore Potter, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Club, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 1352.
Sara Shomburg, student at J.W. Smith Elementary School, Bemidji, Minnesota introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 1352.
Zach Garrison, student at Bemidji Middle School, Bemidji, Minnesota introduced himself and provided testimony in support of HF 1352.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
March 7, 2007
Page Two
Tracy Lommel, student at Apollo High School, St. Cloud, Minnesota introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 1352.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Moe renewed his motion that HF 1352 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1168 (Haws)
Representative Haws moved that HF 1168 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Vice Chair Poppe assumed the chair at 12:45 P.M.
Representative Haws presented HF 1168, appropriating money for the Minnesota Youth Program.
Representative Haws introduced Jerry Vitzthum, Director, Job Training Center, Anoka County; Barb Chaffee, CEO, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services; Marge Kuethe, Youth Programs Coordinator for Workforce Development Inc.; Jeff Xiong, Camp Director, Youth CARE; and Norm Champ, Director, Minnesota Youth Program Tree Trust.
Jerry Vitzthum, Director, Job Training Center, Anoka County introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 1168.
Barb Chaffee, CEO, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services introduced himself and provided testimony in support of HF 1168.
Marge Kuethe, Youth Programs Coordinator for Workforce Development Inc. introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 1168.
Jeff Xiong, Camp Director, Youth CARE, introduced himself and provided testimony in support of HF 1168.
Norm Champ, Director, Minnesota Youth Program Tree Trust, introduced himself and provided testimony in support of HF 1168.
Jerry Vitzthum, Director, Job Training Center, Anoka County provided assistance in responding to questions from members.
Representative Haws renewed his motion that HF 1168 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 850 (Clark)
Representative Clark moved that HF 850 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Representative Clark presented HF 850, appropriating money for youthbuild.
Representative Clark introduced Allen Selinski, Executive Director, Guadalupe Area Project, YouthBuild, and student participants in the YouthBuild program.
Allen Selinski, Executive Director, Guadalupe Area Project, YouthBuild, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
March 7, 2007
Page Three
Questions and discussion followed.
Chris Anderson, YouthBuild program participant, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Taya Ortiz, YouthBuild program participant, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Ron Benson, YouthBuild Instructor, Wabasha and Goodhue Counties, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Jordan McCray, YouthBuild participant, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Joyce Eissinger, Program Manager, Carver-Scott Cooperative, provided testimony in support of HF 850.
Questions and discussion followed.
Lynne Batzli, Legislative Director, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, provided assistance in responding to questions from members.
Further questions and discussion followed.
Representative Clark renewed her motion that HF 850 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 459 (Johnson)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF 459 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Representative Johnson presented HF 459, appropriating money for summer employment for at-risk youth.
Representative Johnson introduced Patricia Brady, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions, Ramsey County, and student program participants.
Patricia Brady, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions, Ramsey County, introduced herself and provided testifimony in support of HF 459.
Justine Fair, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions program participant, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 459.
Savanthia Moore, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions program participant, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 459.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF 459 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1020 (Johnson)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF 1020 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
March 7, 2007
Page Four
Representative Johnson presented HF 1020, awarding grants for the summer youth employment program; appropriating money to the city of St. Paul.
Representative Johnson requested that the bill be amended to reflect the author's intent by deleting "workforce development" on line 1.17 and inserting "general".
Representative Rukavina moved to amend HF 1020 as follows:
Page 1, line 7, delete "workforce development" and insert "general"
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Johnson introduced Bill Wilson, Director, Solutions School, City of St. Paul.
Bill Wilson, Director, Solutions School, City of St. Paul, provided testimony in support of HF 1020.
Amani Mohamed, student, provided testimony in support of HF 1020.
Ruth Murphy, Executive Director, Community Design Center, provided testimony in support of HF 1020.
Lee Helgen, Council Member, St. Paul City Council, provided testimony in support of HF 1020.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF 1020 as amended be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 47 (Mullery)
Representative Brynaert moved that HF 47 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Representative Mullery presented HF 47, appropriating money for learn to earn.
Representative Mullery introduced Linda Pkaczik, Executive Director, Learn to Earn Program; and Molly Eytcheson, student participant, Learn to Earn Program.
Linda Pkaczik, Executive Director, Learn to Earn Program, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 47.
Molly Eytcheson, student participant, Learn to Earn Program, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 47.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Brynaert renewed her motion that HF 47 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 743 (Mullery)
Representative Brynaert moved that HF 743 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance omnibus bill.
Representative Mullery presented HF 743, appropriating money for grants to encourage women to enter nontraditional careers.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
March 7, 2007
Page Five
Andrea Lindgren, Office of Economic Status of Women, introduced herself and provided testimony in support of HF 743.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Brynaert renewed her motion that HF 743 be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Moe moved that the minutes of March 6, 2007 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:07 P.M.
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair
Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant