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State Representative Tim O'Driscoll
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7808
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
HOUSE BRIEFS
K-12 Education Shift Repayment Bill Introduction
Greetings!
Next week will be a big week with Friday being the first committee policy deadline for the House and Senate. This means that bills that have not been passed out of at least one committee are "dead" for the session. I'm pleased to report that the bills that I am working for our state and area will all make the deadline cutoff.
Here's a quick update on some key bills we have been working on this week in St. Paul.
K-12 Education Shift Payback Underway? (HF2083)
The February budget forecast that showed that the state of Minnesota has a current budget surplus of $1.2 billion. This budget surplus gives the legislature and Gov. Dayton a unique opportunity to begin paying down the long standing budget shift, which has been accumulating over the last several legislative sessions. A bill announced this week in Minnesota House of Representatives will include a provision that will pay back the entire K-12 budget shift from last session and begin making a down payment on the paying back shifts from previous legislatures.
The bill proposes taking $430 million from the $1.2 billion surplus and paying it to our school districts across the state. While the bill still has a ways to go before becoming law, it’s most definitely a positive step in the right direction.
Mandatory Tier Water Pricing for Cities Modified (HF1923)
Under current Minnesota state law, cities with populations of more than 1000 residents are required to put in place a tiered water pricing system for all city water users beginning in January 2013. HF 1923, which I authored, was passed out of the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee this week and would eliminate a 2008 law that required public water suppliers serving more than 1,000 people to adopt “conservation rate structures”.
These “conservation rate structures” are pricing tiers that increase block rates, seasonal rates, and excess use rates. This law was implemented with the intent of conserving water, but has the potential of being financially harmful to larger water users such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools and other high volume water users. This bill is headed for the House floor for a vote. I'd like to thank Sen. John Pederson (St. Cloud) for carrying this bill in the Senate.
If this bill signed by Gov. Dayton, it would still encourage water conservation measures. The law would be effective Jan. 1, 2015.
Land Trust Bill - It's for the Kids (HF2244)
My school trust land bill (HF2244) will be heard in Ways and Means Committee next week, which is the last step before the House floor. HF2244 will separate out the school trust lands from other lands managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. These lands were meant to be managed in such a way that they would generate financial benefit to our public school students. Those who are supporting this management change believe that forming a separate commission would allow for more focus on managing trust lands, which would provide more benefit for our students.
This bill is widely supported by both republicans and democrats in the House.
Senator Gary Kubly
I was deeply saddened to learn of Senator Gary Kubly’s passing last week after a hard fought battle with ALS. Minimal legislative business was conducted on Wednesday this week so that members of the legislature could attend his funeral service. Please keep Sen. Kubly and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Until next week…Best Wishes!
-Tim
News Items
- Rep. O'Driscoll Statement on Omnibus Pensions Bill (SF489) - (Posted: May 18 2013 2:59PM)
- Legislative Survey Results - (Posted: May 17 2013 1:52PM)
- HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS RESPOND TO PASSAGE OF JOBS, ENERGY OMNIBUS BILL - (Posted: May 16 2013 10:16AM)
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