Mandate relief bill passed

Local governments most likely will receive less money from Legislature this session; however, they would also have fewer state mandates to pay for, under a bill passed by the House May 11.

Sponsored by Rep. Michael Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park), HF1849 would provide mandate relief to local governments by eliminating a variety of statutory requirements. The House voted 108-21 to approve the measure, which would make a number of changes, including:

• requiring that any state agency rule changes that affect local governments take effect on one of two set effective dates;

• allowing local governments to use best-value contracting practices more than just twice a year, as currently proscribed by law;

• allowing county commissioners to reduce their own salaries at any time;

• allowing townships to recover the full cost of employing “fence viewers” to help settle private land disputes;

• eliminating minimum salary requirements for sheriffs; and

• striking a cap on booking fees charged to jailed individuals and allowing counties to recover the actual costs of booking.

“We’re passing a lot of cuts in the last few days here to local governments; this is a way of trying to relieve some of the mandates they have to save some costs,” Nelson said.

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) criticized a provision that would ease requirements on local governments to publish information on contracts up for bid in local newspapers.

“We’re again making advantages for government at the expense of the taxpayer,” Emmer said of the provision, which he said would reduce government accountability.

Nelson countered that removing the newspaper publishing requirement will save counties money.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope) is the sponsor.