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Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs

EIGHTEENTH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 14, 2007

STATE OF MINNESOTA EIGHTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND METRO AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MINUTES



Representative Debra Hilstrom, Chair of the Local Government and Metro Affairs Committee, started the eighteenth meeting at 12:30pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 in the Basement of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

HILSTROM, Debra, Chair
TSCHUMPER, Ken, Vice-Chair
BEARD, Mike
BUESGENS, Mark
DOMINGUEZ, Augustine
HAUSMAN, Alice
HOLBERG, Mary Liz
HOWES, Larry
KOENEN, Lyle
LANNING, Morrie
LENCZEWSKI, Ann
MARQUART, Paul
OLSON, Mark
SCALZE, Bev

Members excused:

SOLBERG, Loren

Chair Hilstrom recessed the meeting to the call of the chair.

Chair reconvened the Committee on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 12:39pm in the Basement of the State Office Building.

HF1984 (Dill): Cook County local sales tax extension authorized.

Representative Dill presented HF1984, and took questions from the committee.

A quorum was present at 12:53pm, and the meeting was officially called to order.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1894 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.

Chair Hilstrom moved to amend HF1894 (see SCS1771A-1).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1894, as amended, be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF2059 (Dill): Ely local sales and use tax authorized.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF2059 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.

Representative Dill presented HF2059, and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF2059 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF1820 (Leider): Crookston sales and use tax authorized.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1820 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.

Representative Leider presented HF1820, and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1820 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.


HF1819 (MURPHY): Proctor sales taxes authorized.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1819 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.

Representative Murphy presented HF1819, and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1819 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF1492 (Hornstein): Metropolitan Council discount bus passes authorized for charitable organizations.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1492 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.

Representative Hornstein presented HF 1492 and took questions from the committee.

Bryon Laher, Public Policy Director for United Way, testified on behalf of HF1492 and took questions from the committee.

Judd Schetnan, Director of Government Affairs for the Metropolitan Council testified on HF1492 and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1492 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

HF1597 (Hornstein): Southwest Transit Way included as a top priority Metropolitan Council item.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1597 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.

Representative Hornstein presented HF1597and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom laid HF1597 on the table.

HF1611 (Hornstein): Light rail transit planning, design and construction provisions modified.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1611 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.

Chair Hilstrom moved to amend HF1611 (see H1611A1).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Hornstein presented HF1611 and took questions from the committee.

Judd Schetnan, Director of Government Affairs for the Metropolitan Council testified behalf of HF1611 and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1611, as amended, be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

HF1279 (Hornstein): Metropolitan transit police law enforcement agency jurisdiction clarified, and transit police included in distribution of forfeited items.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1279 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Civil Justice.

Representative Hornstein presented HF1279 and took questions from the committee.

Judd Schetnan, Director of Government Affairs for the Metropolitan Council testified behalf of HF1279 and took questions from the committee.

David Indreas, Chief of Transit Police, Metro Transit, testified on behalf of HF1279 and took questions from the committee.

Bill Gillespie, Executive Director of the Minnesota Peace & Police Officers Association testified in opposition to HF1279.

Chair Hilstrom laid HF1279 on the table.

HF1159 (Hornstein): Transportation Advisory board membership modified, metropolitan area transportation services evaluation provisions modified, and special transportation service clarified.

Representative Hornstein provided an informational overview of HF1159 and took questions from the committee.

Judd Schetnan, Director of Government Affairs for the Metropolitan Council testified behalf of HF1159 and took questions from the committee.

HF269 (Howes): County office appointment and consolidation provided subject to notice, hearing and reverse referendum.

Representative Howes moved that HF269 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.

Representative Howes moved to amend HF269 (see H0269DE2).

Representative Howes moved to orally amend the H0269DE2 amendment as follows:
Page 2, Line 9, strike everything until Page 4, Line 8.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE ORAL AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Representative Howes renewed his motion to amend HF269, as incorporated (see H0269DE2).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

The following individuals testified on behalf of HF269 and took questions from the committee:
Sharon Anderson, Cass County Auditor-Treasurer
Joe Mathews, Association of Minnesota Counties

Chair Hilstrom laid HF269 on the table.

HF446 (Kahn): Outdoor light pollution restricted.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF446 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.

Chair Hilstrom moved to amend HF446 (see H0446DE1).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Kahn presented HF446 and took questions from the committee.

Ray Starr, Minnesota Department of Transportation testified on behalf of HF446 and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF446, as amended, be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

Chair Hilstrom picked HF 1279 up from the table.

Representative Hornstein answered remaining questions on HF1279 from members of the committee.

Chair Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1279 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Civil Justice.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

HF1973 (Carlson): Minneapolis Public Library and Hennepin County library system merger enables; and transfer of employees, property and assets to Hennepin County authorized.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1973 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.

Chair Hilstrom moved to amend HF1973 (see A07-0324).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Hilstrom moved to amend HF1973 (see A07-0323).
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Carlson presented HF1973 and took questions from the committee.

Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County Commissioner testified on behalf of HF1973 and took questions from the committee.

Chair Hilstrom moved that HF1973, as amended be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

HF1814 (Emmer): Rockford sales and use tax authorized.

Representative Olson moved that HF1814 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.

Representative Olson presented HF1814 on behalf of Representative Emmer and took questions from the committee.

Representative Olson renewed his motion that HF1814 be passed to the Committee on Taxes without further recommendation.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Vice-Chair Tschumper assumed the gavel at 2:10pm

HF1309 (Hilstrom): Political subdivision defined relating to state auditor.

Representative Hilstrom moved that HF1309 be passed and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the State Government Finance Division.

Representative Hilstrom presented HF1309 and took questions from the committee.

The following individuals testified on behalf of HF1309, and took questions from the committee:
Mark Kerr, Office of the Minnesota State Auditor
Rebecca Otto, Minnesota State Auditor
Ray Bohn, Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts

Representative Hilstrom renewed her motion that HF1309 be passed and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the State Government Finance Division.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

Representative Howes moved that HF269 be removed from the table and be reconsidered.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Representative Howes answered remaining questions from the committee on HF269.

Representative Howes renewed his motion that HF269, as amended be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE BILL WAS PASSED.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:20pm.


________________________________
Representative Debra Hilstrom
Chair

________________________________
Erin Huppert
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF1819(Murphy, M.) Proctor sales taxes authorized.
HF1820 (Lieder) Crookston sales and use tax authorized.
HF1894 (Dill) Cook County local sales tax extension authorized.
HF2059(Dill) Authorizing the city of Ely to impose a local sales and use tax.
HF1814 (Emmer) Rockford sales and use tax authorized.
HF1492 (Hornstein) Metropolitan Council discount bus passes authorized for charitable organizations.
HF1597 (Hornstein) Southwest Transit Way included as a top priority Metropolitan Council item.
HF1611 (Hornstein) Light rail transit planning, design, and construction provisions modified.
HF1279 (Hornstein) Metropolitan transit police law enforcement agency jurisdiction clarified, and transit police included in distribution of forfeited items.
HF1159 (Hornstein) Transportation Advisory Board membership modified, metropolitan area transportation evaluation provisions modified, and special transportation service clarified. (Informational Hearing)
HF1945 (Tschumper) Counties authorized to own and operate electric power generation facilities.
HF446 (Kahn) Outdoor light pollution restricted.
HF1973 (Carlson) Minneapolis Public Library and Hennepin County library system merger enabled; and transfer of employees, property and assets to Hennepin County authorized.
HF1309 (Hilstrom) Political subdivision defined relating to state auditor.
HF269 (Howes) County office appointment and consolidation provided subject to notice, hearing, and reverse referendum.

HF223 has been removed from the agenda.
HF1254 has been removed from the agenda.