STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-FOURTH 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 1:02 P.M. on Tuesday, March 31, 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
Haws, Larry
Mahoney, Tim
McFarlane, Carol
Murphy, Mary
Nornes, Bud
Norton, Kim
Obermueller, Mike
Poppe, Jeanne
Reinert, Roger
Slocum, Linda
Welti, Andy
Members excused:
Gunther, Bob
A quorum was present.
Chair Rukavina asked Representative Torkelson to come forward to present HF 1587.
HF 1587 (Torkelson)
Representative Torkelson presented HF 1587, relating to economic development; appropriating money for the Minnesota Inventors Congress.
Representative Champion introduced Deb Hess, Executive Director, Minnesota Inventors Congress, who would be testifying regarding HF 1587.
Deb Hess, Executive Director, Minnesota Inventors Congress, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 1587. Handouts were provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Brian Flanagan, Eden Prairie, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1587.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 31, 2009
Page Two
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Dettmer moved that HF 1587 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.
Questions and discussion followed.
HF 1251 (Pelowski)
Representative Murphy moved that HF 1251 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Taxes Committee.
Representative Murphy moved to amend HF 1251 with the amendment
H1251DE1, attached. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Pelowski presented HF 1251 as amended, relating to economic development; authorizing the economic development authority to become a member of a limited liability company.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Murphy renewed her motion that HF 1251 as amended be recommended to pass and be referred to the Taxes Committee.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Murphy again renewed her motion that HF 1251 as amended be recommended to pass and be referred to the Taxes Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1785 (Norton)
Representative Norton moved that HF 1785 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.
Representative Norton presented HF 1785, relating to economic development; requiring accountability measures and reports as a condition for receiving state funds.
Questions and discussion followed.
Mark Lofthus, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1785.
Questions and discussion followed.
HF 939 (Mahoney)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF 939 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.
Representative Mahoney presented HF 939, relating employment; appropriating money to job training programs.
Art Berman, President and CEO, Twin Cities RISE!, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 939. A handout was provided.
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 31, 2009
Page Three
Mr. Berman asked two graduates of Twin Cities RISE! to testify regarding HF 939.
April Lucas, graduate of Twin Cities Rise!, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 939.
Questions and discussion followed.
Roy Barker, graduate and employee of Twin Cities RISE!, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 939.
Questions and discussion followed.
HF 1635 (Dettmer)
Representative Dettmer moved that HF 1635 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.
Representative Dettmer presented HF 1635 as amended, relating to higher education; providing for certain improvements in the human resources systems at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Questions and discussion followed.
Linda Skallman, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 1635.
Questions and discussion followed.
HF 744 (Mullery)
Representative Slocum moved that HF 744 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.
Representative Mullery presented HF 744 relating to employment; appropriating money for a transitional employment training project.
David Zander, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 744. A handout was provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Sunny Sinh Chanthanouvong, Executive Director, Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 744. A handout was provided.
Questions and discussion followed.
Joe Vang, CAPI, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 744.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Slocum moved to amend HF 744 as follows:
Page 1, line 10, after "of" delete "human" and insert "employment"
Page 1, line 11, delete "services" and insert "and economic development"
Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
March 31, 2009
Page Four
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Slocum moved to amend HF 744 as follows:
Page 1, line 6, before "Southeast" insert "commissioner of employment and economic
development for a grant to"
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Questions and discussion followed.
Lynne Batzli, Legislative Liaison, Department of Employment and Economic Development, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 744.
HF 1963 (Winkler)
Representative Mahoney moved that HF 1963 be recommended to pass, and a discussion occurred about the referral process for the bill.
Representative Mahoney moved that HF 1963 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Civil Justice Committee.
Representative Winkler presented HF 1963 relating to employment; providing new requirements for employers in the early warning system; applying new penalties for any employer failing to comply with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, United States Code, tiele 29, section 2101; enhancing oversight authority to the commissioner of employment and economic development.
Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF 1963 with the amendment
H1963A1, attached. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Winkler continued his presentation of HF 1963.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina moved to lay over HF 1963 temporarily.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina renewed his motion to lay over HF 1963.
Representative Dettmer moved that the minutes of March 26, 2009 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 P.M.
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair
Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant