STATE OF MINNESOTA EIGHTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SIXTH SESSION
HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCE AND POLICY DIVISION
MINUTES
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division, called the meeting to order at 1:05 P.M. on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, in Room 5 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
Rukavina, Tom, Chair
Bly, David, Vice Chair
Anderson, Sarah
Atkins, Joe
Brynaert, Kathy
Clark, Karen
Dettmer, Bob
Downey, Keith
Eastlund, Rob
Gunther, Bob
Haws, Larry
Mahoney, Tim
McFarlane, Carol
Murphy, Mary
Nornes, Bud
Norton, Kim
Obermueller, Mike
Poppe, Jeanne
Reinert, Roger
Slocum, Linda
Welti, Andy
Members excused:
A quorum was present.
Chair Rukavina asked Representative Norton to come forward to present HF72.
HF72 (Norton)
Representative Norton moved that HF72 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation for re-referral to the Taxes Committee.
Representative Norton presented HF72, relating to workforce development; establishing a lifelong learning account program; allowing tax credits to employers and employees for contributions to lifelong learning accounts; appropriating money.
Amy Brenengan, Office on the Economic Status of Women, introduced herself and testified regarding HF72.
Questions and discussion followed.
Vice Chair Bly assumed the chair at 1:10 P.M.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 10, 2009
Page Two
Questions and discussion continued.
Representative Norton renewed her motion that HF72 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation for re-referral to the Taxes Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1292 (Davids)
Representative Davids presented HF1292, relating to capital investment; transferring a 2005 appropriation to the city of Rushford for a nanotechnology facility to a community center project.
Representative Brynaert moved that HF1292 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina discussed bill prioritizing and hearing procedures.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Brynaert renewed her motion that HF1292 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1042 (Slocum)
Representative Slocum moved that HF1042 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Slocum presented HF1042, relating to capital improvements; appropriating money for a grant to the city of Richfield to construct a new arterial street, authorizing issuance of state bonds.
Representative Slocum introduced Mike Eastling, Director of Public Works, City of Richfield.
Mike Eastling, Director of Public Works, City of Richfield, introduced himself and presented testimony regarding HF1042. A handout was provided.
Representative Slocum renewed her motion that HF1042 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1227 (Rukavina)
Representative Rukavina moved that HF1227 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee.
Representative Rukavina presented HF1227, relating to unemployment insurance; conforming Minnesota law to the requirements necessary to receive federal stimulus funds; appropriating money.
Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF1227 with amendment
H1227A1, attached.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 10, 2009
Page Three
Representative Mahoney explained the amendment
H1227A1.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Poppe assumed the chair at 1:30 P.M.
Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF1227 with the attached amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Rukavina continued presenting HF1227 as amended.
Lee Nelson, Director of Legal Affairs, Unemployment Insurance Division, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF1227 as amended.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Rukavina renewed his motion that HF1227 as amended be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Rukavina resumed the chair at 1:55 P.M.
HF242 (Anzelc)
Representative Anzelc presented HF242, relating to capital investment; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds; appropriating money for Coleraine downtown corridor redevelopment.
Representative Brynaert moved that HF242 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Brynaert renewed her motion that HF242 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1130 (Persell)
Representative Obermueller moved that HF1130 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Persell presented HF1130, relating to capital improvements; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds; appropriating money for capital improvements at Bemidji State University.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Obermueller renewed his motion that HF1130 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1319 (Kiffmeyer)
Representative Anderson, S. moved that HF1319 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 10, 2009
Page Four
Representative Kiffmeyer presented HF1319, relating to capital improvements; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds; appropriating money for the Big Lake Regional Ice Center.
Representative Kiffmeyer introduced Lori Kampa, Mayor of Big Lake, and Chris Stalpes, Big Lake, and students from Big Lake.
Chris Stalpes, Big Lake Ice Association, introduced himself and presented testimony regarding HF1319. A handout was provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Matt Green, a junior student from Big Lake High School and a hockey player, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF1319.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Anderson renewed her motion that HF1319 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1203 (Falk)
Representative Clark moved that HF1203 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Falk presented HF1203, relating to capital investment; authorizing the sale of state bonds; appropriating money for a grant to the city of Benson to reconstruct a city street.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Clark renewed her motion that HF1203 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Chair Rukavina moved that HF147 (Doty), HF232 (Brown), HF299 (Kalin), HF717 (Haws), HF450 (Liebling), HF485 (Anderson, Paul), HF957 (Olin), and HF1109 (Eken), all of which were heard at the March 5, 2009 meeting, be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina renewed his motion that HF147 (Doty), HF232 (Brown), HF299 (Kalin), HF717 (Haws), HF450 (Liebling), HF485 (Anderson, Paul), HF957 (Olin), and HF1109 (Eken), all of which were heard at the March 5, 2009 meeting, be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF712 (Thao)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF712 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Thao presented HF712, relating to capital improvements; appropriating money for an Asian Pacific Cultural Center; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds. A handout was provided.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 10, 2009
Page Five
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF712 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1243 (Obermueller)
Representative Obermueller moved that HF1243 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Obermueller presented HF1243, relating to economic development; providing for redevelopment; authorizing bonds; appropriating money.
Jennifer O’Rourke, League of Minnesota Cities, introduced herself and presented testimony regarding HF1243. A handout was provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Obermueller continued his presentation.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Obermueller continued his presentation.
Representative Obermueller renewed his motion that HF1243 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1335 (Gunther)
Representative Gunther moved that HF1335 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Gunther presented HF1335, relating to capital improvements; appropriating money for waste water treatment piping in the city of Winnebago; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Gunther renewed his motion that HF1335 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1337 (Mahoney)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF1337 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division.
Representative Mahoney presented HF1337, relating to capital investment; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds; appropriating money for redevelopment of the former 3M site in
St. Paul.
Questions and discussion followed.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 10, 2009
Page Six
Lorrie Louder, Director of Business and Intergovernmental Affairs, St. Paul Port Authority, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF1337. A handout was provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF1337 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Capital Investment Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Eastlund moved that the minutes of March 5, 2009 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED
The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 P.M.
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair
Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant