Dear Neighbor,
A brief special session is in the books after the Legislature approved six bills Friday and early Saturday and sent them to the governor for his approval.
The six bills include:
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Agriculture and Environment
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Capital Investment
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Jobs and Economic Development
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K-12 Education
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Legacy
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Revisor's technical corrections bill
The K-12, ag./environment, and jobs/economic development bills are components in our state's new two-year budget. The finished product is not all that different from what the Legislature passed during the regular session which ended in May. The only reason the special session became reality is because Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed three finance bills after adjournment from the regular session and I am pleased we re-passed those bills and reached a conclusion.
Here is a quick summary of each bill the Legislature passed that was enacted:
AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
Stearns County is one of the state's largest poultry producers and the ag./environment package we passed provides nearly $23 million to combat the avian influenza outbreak that has caused significant damage to Minnesota's turkey industry. The bill also includes provisions to support Soil and Water Conservation District efforts on the ground and overhaul anti-Aquatic Invasive Species decal requirements. The Legislature also reached a compromise with Gov. Mark Dayton on his buffer strip proposal and passed a requirement of 16.5-foot buffers on all public ditches.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
This is an odd-numbered year, meaning this is not a bonding year by definition, but the trend in recent history has been to, relatively speaking, pass smaller bills those years and larger ones in even years. The Legislature passed a $350-plus million package in the special session. Notable projects were $140 million for a highway being rerouted on the Iron Range, $33 million for Capitol renovation, and $23 million to reimburse local units of government for flood damage from last summer.
JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The primary focuses of this bill are to improve job growth statewide and advance us toward cleaner and cheaper energy. Funding is provided to address a shortage of workforce housing in Greater Minnesota, conduct STEM internships and make job training grants available. Unemployment assistance also is available to farmers impacted by the avian influenza outbreak and to workers impacted by Iron Range layoffs. The bill provides $10.6 million in broadband grants to help increase access in Greater Minnesota.
K-12 EDUCATION
The final K-12 package includes $525 million in additional funding, marking a 2-percent increase in each 2016 and 2017. This translates to $388 more per pupil statewide over the biennium. There also is $95 million in targeted funding for pre-K scholarships and school readiness aid to place that money where it is needed most. Additional funding also is provided to help school districts maintain their facilities. Policy measures include reform to address teacher shortages in Greater Minnesota and fewer mandated tests.
I was pleased to support a provision in the bill which provides $1 million in educational partnership funding districts in St. Cloud, Red Wing and Northfield will use to coordinate efforts with local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club.
LEGACY
The Legacy bill appropriates $540 million in revenue derived from the Legacy Amendment voters approved in 2008 to support Minnesota's water, outdoors, arts, and parks and trails.
Funding was appropriated in these amounts:
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Clean Water Fund - $228.3 million
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Outdoor Heritage Fund - $97.8 million
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Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund - $124.8 million
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Parks and Trails Fund - $89.4 million
On a policy note, a new provision passed which protects taxpayers by stipulating recipients of Legacy funding will be prevented from receiving future money if the legislative auditor deems it was not spent appropriately.
Thank you for the continued correspondence throughout the session and I welcome feedback as we make our way through the summer and begin preparation for the 2016 session, which starts in March.
Sincerely,
Jim