Conference action at standstill

After agreeing to approximately $11.8 million in cuts May 1, House and Senate conferees still had not signed off on the omnibus agriculture and veterans finance bill nearly a week later.

Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar) said HF1122, which he sponsors, contains the necessary financing provisions for the state’s five veterans homes, but SF1779, sponsored by Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy), does not. The homes funding is positioned in the omnibus health and human services finance bill, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Huntley (DFL-Duluth) and Sen. Linda Berglin (DFL-Mpls).

Juhnke said the omnibus bill can’t be closed until the issues are resolved with Berglin, and that they are holding discussions; however, no meeting of the conference committee has been scheduled. House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Mpls), said May 6 there is also a problem with a proposal for a new veterans mental health facility in Kandiyohi County. Some House members think any siting of a new veterans home should have further study.

The finance bill would cover 2010-2011 biennial funding for the Veterans Affairs, Military Affairs and Agriculture departments, the Board of Animal Health and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute.

One of the smaller General Fund spending categories, the governor’s funding request is $266.4 million and coming into conference committee, the House proposal was $248.39 million and the Senate’s position was $251.9 million. The bill is projected to come in at approximately $250.5 million.

Agreed upon provisions include:

• changes to the noxious weed law;

• a biennial delay in ethanol producer payments to be made up in deficiency payments at a later date;

• an increase in Rural Finance Authority loan amounts;

• using a portion of the unallocated money in the state’s G.I. bill for other purposes;

• changes to the veterans preference law, including the right to an interview;

• an extension of the sunset on campus veteran representative program to June 20, 2013, and

• some funding for the governor’s Ag21 investment program.