Latest bonding bill to the floor

published 3/9/2010

The latest nearly billion-dollar bonding bill should be on the House floor Thursday.

A conference committee approved a revamped capital investment bill that provides more money for the sex offender treatment facility in Moose Lake, but also creeps closer to $1 billion in general obligation bonds.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants $89 million for the sex offender project; the bill calls for $47.5 million. That is still an $11.5 million increase from last week's working group offer.

That offer totaled nearly $986.43 million; this bill is up to $999.66 million. Pawlenty has repeatedly said he does not want a package larger than $725 million. A previous conference committee report sought almost $999.92 million. Before the House and Senate passed that bill Feb. 22, Pawlenty warned them he would veto the whole thing. On a procedural move, legislators did not send that bill to the governor.

Sponsored by Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. Keith Langseth (DFL-Glyndon), the latest version of HF2700*/ SF2360 also includes $10 million for security improvements at the Oak Park Heights State Prison and more than $9 million to expand the Minneapolis Veterans Home. Both are gubernatorial priorities.

The governor has been silent on whether he would veto a bill this big in its entirety or use his line-item veto authority.

However, Rep. Larry Howes (R-Walker), who unsuccessfully tried to amend the bill to include an additional $13 million for the sex offender program, said that the governor would also veto this bill, and House Republicans will uphold the veto.

- Mike Cook