The Legislature adjourned in the early morning hours after more than 15 hours of debating the remaining budget bills. The Jobs and Energy budget bill was the first bill considered and it easily passed both houses, 78-47 in the House and 50-14 in the Senate. Included in this bill is $800 K for three MnSCU customized training grants.
The Senate initially failed to pass the Agriculture and Environment bill (33-32, bills require 34 votes for passage). Eventually, the Senate voted to reconsider the bill and amended it to remove provisions that were a concern to several members. The House, in turn, amended the bill back to its original form and sent it back to the Senate. Sen. Majority Leader Tom Bakk and Minority Leader, Sen. David Hann worked to garner the requisite votes and the bill, in its original form and it passed the Senate by a vote of 38-29. There is language in this bill that related to Farm Business Management .
The bonding bill was the last budget bill to pass prior to adjournment and there was overwhelming support for the bill in both chambers. The bill passed 96-25 in the House and 48-18 in the Senate. The bonding bill contains funding for the top four projects approved by MnSCU Trustees .
Bills that also passed includes E-12, Legacy and the reviser’s bill
Governor Dayton held a press conference this morning and announced that he will sign all of the special session bills today. He thanked legislators from both parties who worked “countless hours” on the compromise bills in an effort to avoid a government shutdown.
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