Dear Neighbor,
We plan on working through the weekend here at the Capitol as we look to get a number of important bills across the finish line and on their way to enactment by our Monday adjournment.
Among the remaining items of business is a capital investment bill to fund construction projects throughout the state. The House on Monday approved an $825 million bill that, in part, funds local projects for a Bemidji State University academic learning center and a veterans home in town.
The BSU portion provides $22.5 million to demolish Hagg-Sauer Hall and construct a new academic learning center on the same site. Funding also would be used to renovate, furnish and equip space in Bangsberer Hall, Sattgast Hall, A.C. Clark Library, Bridgeman Hall and Bensen Hall. The veterans homes component uses $26 million in excess reserves from the Vikings stadium account to fund construction of facilities in Bemidji, Montevideo and Preston.
The bonding portion of the bill includes:
- $364 million for asset preservation such as state-owned buildings
- $120 million for road and transportation infrastructure
- $153 million for water and conservation projects
- $188 million for “other” projects, such as:
- $25 million for school safety
- $25 million for mental health centers
With funding such as trunk highway bonds included, the bill provides an additional $254 million for transportation, another $10 million for water/conservation and $127 million in other funding for a total of $1.2 billion.
While the House passed this bill, the Senate was unable to follow suit so it’s now back to the drawing board in the hopes of coming back with an agreement over the weekend.
As plans to fund the construction of new veterans homes remain works in progress, two other vets-related bills I authored are deeper in the process.
On Wednesday, the House provided final approval without opposition for my bill (H.F. 368) prohibiting agreements that assign military pay or benefits to an individual who did not earn them. Another bill (H.F. 3477) I authored was signed into law Monday. It encourages cities and counties to provide parking spaces at government building reserved for Purple Heart recipients.
Look for more news soon and, as always, your correspondence is welcome.
Sincerely,
Matt