Good morning. Today was the date set last December as the 2012 session adjournment date; however, both House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and Senate Majority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, said they are willing to let the session go an “extra day” if that’s what it takes to resolve the remaining big issues; the tax bill, bonding bill and Viking’s stadium bill. Lawmakers officially have until May 21 to wrap things up. By all accounts, negotiations between Gov. Dayton and legislative leaders broke down over the weekend, and the Capitol was quiet yesterday with neither body meeting.
Negotiations are expected to continue today, and Dayton has said he’s willing to accept some tax cuts if legislative leaders agree to fund a larger bonding bill. Dayton would like to see a bonding bill in the neighborhood of $775 million, while the Republican Legislature prefers to keep a bonding bill just under $500 million. The Minnesota constitution prohibits lawmakers from passing bills the day they adjourn for the biennium, so if they pass any bills today, they cannot officially adjourn until tomorrow.
Both the House and Senate are scheduled to meet at 12:00 p.m. today. We will continue to keep you posted.
A bill related to higher education was introduced over the weekend that requires a study of the implementation of Title IX in Minnesota public postsecondary education. The bill appropriates $20,000 to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education for the study. The bill can be found at:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H3034.0.html&session=ls87. The bill tracking document is also attached for your reference.
Thank you.
Melissa Fahning
Legislative Communications
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
30 7th St. E., Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 201-1757
(612) 483-3741 cell
melissa.fahning@so.mnscu.edu
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