Dear Neighbors,
Last week, the House of Representatives passed three major finance bills. Traditionally, an omnibus bill- a bill that is a compilation of prioritized ‘stand-alone’ bills heard in previous committee hearings, is dedicated to each finance subject category (ie: Education, Public Safety, Environment). This year, the House Majority decided to condense all of these subject areas into three “super-sized” omnibus bills: 1. Agriculture, Environment and Jobs; 2. Public Safety, Health and Human Services, and State Government Finance; and 3. Higher Education and E-12 Education. Some felt this was an efficient and quick method to passing large bills, while others were disappointed that such differing subject areas and extensive content was rolled into three large bills.
The Transportation House and Senate Conference Committee met on Friday to do another overview of the differences within each body’s transportation bill. With three weeks remaining in the session, compromise will be key to accomplish the goal of an equitable and long term transportation plan for Minnesota’s infrastructure.
Transportation Conference Committee hearing on April 29, 2016
It is an honor to represent you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Ron Erhardt
State Representative