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State Representative Michael Beard
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8872
For more information contact: Jodi Boyne 651-296-0640
HOUSE BRIEFS
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HOUSE SPENDING BILLS
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’re at that time of the legislative session when we pass the first drafts of major spending bills that will fund state government for the next two years. It’s hard to summarize these bills, which can number several hundred pages, but I will try to do so below for the bills we acted on last week.
K-12 Education - My support for this bill (I voted yes) is not without some reservation. I am strongly behind the increased funding and property tax relief, but the provisions of mandated sex education, (very graphic and starting with 7th grade), and a reliance on tax increases give me cause for concern.
Environment, Energy and Commerce - I voted no on this bill for several reasons. I think it goes way too far with regulation and mandates while raising too many fees, including making mortgages more difficult to get, investments more expensive to buy, and redefining wetlands to include puddles as small as 200 square feet!
Ag and Veterans - Our district is largely removed from agricultural issues, but they still have a dramatic impact on our state and I think the bill does good for our farmers. It also contains some vital veterans programs that we need in advance of our soldiers’ return later this year. I voted yes.
Public Safety - Like the energy bill, I think this one goes too far in raising fees and also contains some language that could cause car insurance rates to jump significantly. I think we can do better for public safety and I hope the conference committee for this bill can do good work making this a better bill.
Health & Human Services - This bill spends too much money, raising spending by 41 percent over four years. Part of the increase comes from a plan to take people who already have private health insurance and move them onto various government-run insurance programs. I don’t think it is wise or fiscally responsible to ask taxpayers to pay the bill for people who already have their own health insurance, and I voted no.
Higher Education - Our higher education bill does a lot of good things, but contains a plan to give illegal immigrants tuition rates lower than the rates we charge some American citizens. I think that is wrong and so do most of my Republican colleagues, but the majority can include the provision because there aren’t enough Republicans to keep it out. However, the governor is on our side and said he will veto the entire bill over this unfair provision. I hope my friends on the other side of the aisle realize that tuition relief for Minnesotans is more important than tuition relief for illegal immigrants and that they drop the poison pill so we can do good.
Government Finance - This bill almost failed on a bi-partisan basis because of its plan to authorize so-called domestic partner benefits. It also raises funding for the Legislature at a higher percentage than the funding increase for schools. I think that shows misplaced priorities.
So that’s where we stand right now. Conference committees will start meeting this week to work out differences between the House and Senate. With all the vetoes looming, I hope they get their work done quickly. We will have to start all over again once the vetoes come down, so we will need time in order to avoid a special session. If you’re wondering why we are spending all this time passing bills that we know will get vetoed and be rebuilt from scratch, you’re not alone. Many legislators are frustrated by this as well and the only ones who can answer that question are the House Speaker and the House Majority Leader. They, unfortunately, aren’t forthcoming.
News Items
- 2013 Legislative Survey Results - (Posted: May 14 2013 9:07AM)
- State Budget Round Two: Increased taxes, spending on the horizon - (Posted: May 3 2013 10:27AM)
- Tax increases unnecessary with positive budget news - (Posted: Mar 11 2013 12:00AM)
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