SESSION WEEKLY
A NON-PARTISAN PUBLICATION OF THE 
MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 10, 1995
VOLUME 12, NUMBER 10


WEEK IN REVIEW. . . MAR. 2 - 9, 1995
HIGHLIGHTS

Redistributing the wealth . . .
Plan shifts tax wealth to central cities, older 
suburbs

A measure that would shift a portion of the 
property tax base from some richer suburbs to less 
wealthy inner ring suburbs, St. Paul, and 
Minneapolis was narrowly approved by a House tax 
division March 7.
     The controversial measure, sponsored by Rep. 
Myron Orfield (DFL-Mpls), was approved on a 7-5 
vote of the Taxes Committee's Property Tax and Tax 
Increment Financing Division. HF431 now moves to 
the full Taxes Committee for consideration.
     The bill would mandate that property taxes drop 
in 85 percent of the metro area. But critics of the 
plan say that means taxes would increase in the 
remaining 15 percent of the region -- particularly 
in the wealthy western suburbs. 
     The "Metropolitan Area Fair Tax Base Act" is the 
latest in a three-year legislative effort by Orfield to 
get the wealthier suburbs to play a greater role in 
sharing the social burden faced by central cities and 
aging, middle class suburbs.
     But while his efforts in the last two years 
focused on housing -- which were both vetoed by 
Gov. Arne Carlson -- this bill is aimed at sharing tax 
wealth. (Orfield does, however, have a second bill 
that addresses housing concerns.) 
     "Any kind of taxing should be related to justice," 
said the Rev. John Buttrey of United Church of 
Christ in New Brighton, who testified in support of 
Orfield's bill.
     The Orfield measure is designed to shift 
property taxes collected on expensive homes to 
areas where the homes are generally more modest. 
     Here's how it would work:
     Local communities would keep the property tax 
revenue generated on the first $200,000 of market 
value of homesteaded property.
     But tax revenue generated from the value of 
homes that is greater than $200,000 would be 
shifted into an area-wide pool that would then be 
redistributed.
     That redistribution would occur in the same way 
as is currently the practice under the 1971 "fiscal 
disparities" law, which served as the model for 
Orfield's bill.
     Under that law, individual communities in the 
seven-county area share with other communities a 
portion of the taxes raised on commercial and 
industrial property.
     While that program results in a pool of about 
$270 million that is shared every year, it is 
estimated that Orfield's bill would initially produce 
just $44 million -- or about 16 percent as much 
revenue to be shared.
     Orfield argues that distributing the wealth 
throughout the region will help stem the exodus of 
businesses and people from older communities to 
newer ones. State Farm Insurance of Roseville, for 
example, moved its headquarters to Woodbury, and 
West Publishing recently moved to Eagan from 
downtown St. Paul. 
     As for counties, the losers would be Carver and 
Hennepin, while Anoka, Dakota, Ramsey, Scott 
would stand to gain. (The effect on Washington 
County is too close to call.)
     That led Hennepin County Commissioner Mike 
Opat to call the bill "a misplaced effort."
     And as for cities, the losers would largely be in 
western Hennepin County (see chart, page 4).
     But affluent areas in nearly every county -- 
except Anoka and Scott -- would also suffer losses.
     That led several Independent-Republican 
committee members, who represent some of those 
wealthier communities, to sharply criticize Orfield's 
plan.
     Rep. H. Todd Van Dellen (IR-Plymouth) said 
residents in many of the wealthier areas already 
pay a greater share of their incomes in property 
taxes than do residents in many of the poorer, 
northern suburbs, which would gain under Orfield's 
bill (see chart, page 4).
     "If anything, they [the statistics] should cause 
the Legislature to reconsider whether current tax-
base sharing programs have overcompensated 
northern tier suburbs," Van Dellen wrote in a memo 
to committee members.
     Orfield's plan would cause taxes in the Plymouth 
area to jump even higher, which would drive more 
senior citizens from their homes, he said. 
     Van Dellen characterized Orfield's bill as a "meat 
ax approach" to a problem that would be better 
served through a program similar to the "circuit 
breaker" tax break, which is designed to give 
property tax relief for people with modest incomes.
     Orfield, however, attempted to minimize the 
partisan rift by repeatedly referring to former 
Republican Rep. Charlie Weaver Sr., who authored 
the original fiscal disparities law after which his bill 
is patterned.
     "We should expand gently that wonderful 
program of Mr. Weaver's," he said.

-- Grant Moos 

BUSINESS

May I see some ID, please?

     Store owners would have to tell their employees 
it is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors, under 
a bill the House Commerce, Tourism and Consumer 
Affairs Committee approved March 7.
     Another part of the proposal would require 
cities and counties to conduct "sting" operations 
(send underage teens into stores to try to purchase 
cigarettes) to test compliance with state law barring 
tobacco sales to minors. 
     Sponsored by Rep. Wayne Simoneau (DFL-
Fridley), the bill (HF108) would make employers 
"conduct a training program" for their employees 
that "instructs them about the law, the related 
penalties, and the employer's policy with regard to 
tobacco sales."
     "Is there a store that doesn't do that already?" 
asked Assistant Attorney General Doug Blanke.
     The Office of the Attorney General, along with 
anti-smoking groups, is supporting an alternate bill 
(HF903) that would license tobacco sellers and 
institute graduated fines against retailers who sell 
to minors.
     Simoneau told the committee that his measure 
was part of the omnibus health and human services 
bill that passed the House and Senate in 1994, but 
was vetoed by the governor.
     Although HF108 eventually won approval by a 
large margin, most of those testifying criticized the 
proposal.
     A flyer distributed to lawmakers by the Smoke 
Free 2000 Coalition characterized the measure as a 
"tobacco industry bill . . . a sham solution to the 
problem of reducing illegal sales to minors."
     Judy Knapp, the coalition's director, said "minors 
can easily purchase tobacco products 50 to 75 
percent of the time" both in the Twin Cities 
metropolitan area and in greater Minnesota.
     A store employee who sells tobacco to a minor 
can be charged with a gross misdemeanor, 
punishable by one year in jail and a $3,000 fine, 
but "current law puts no responsibility on the retail 
establishment itself," said Blanke. He suggested that 
tougher measures are needed to "break the cycle of 
teenage cigarette addiction."
     Rep. Jim Rice (DFL-St. Paul) termed the bill a 
"thinly veiled attempt to keep us from doing 
something meaningful to help our kids." 
     Committee chair Rep. John Sarna (DFL-Mpls) 
assured members they will have an opportunity to 
vote on the more stringent HF903, which will be 
considered by the committee on March 14.
     HF108 now goes to the House floor.

'Corporate welfare'

     What goes for people on welfare should go for 
"corporate welfare" recipients, according to Rep. 
Karen Clark (DFL-Mpls).
     Clark is sponsoring a bill (HF869) to require 
businesses that receive state money for economic 
development and job creation to meet standards 
concerning the addition of new jobs and employee 
salaries.
     "If we're going to invest in a business, then let's 
get something back and let's know what it is," Clark 
told members of the House International Trade and 
Economic Development Committee March 8.
     The bill stipulates that companies receiving 
more than $25,000 from the state in the form of 
grants, loans, or some tax breaks such as tax 
increment financing, must pay employees "a livable 
wage" and produce net job growth within two 
years.
     The bill does not spell out a livable wage, but 
committee members discussed figures between $7 
and $14 per hour.
     The wage and job growth standards would not 
apply to companies that receive other tax cuts or 
other waivers, but the bill would require the 
legislative auditor to report on the jobs created and 
wages paid by companies receiving all forms of 
corporate help. 
     Mel Duncan, executive director of the Minnesota 
Alliance for Progressive Action, said scrutiny of 
state spending should not stop with the "spotlight 
focused thus far" on reforming the welfare system.
     "We have not yet seen a flashlight that has been 
focused on corporate public assistance," he said 
during testimony in support of the bill.
     Under the bill, companies that fail to pay a 
"livable wage" would have to pay their local county 
human services department a sum double the 
difference between the wages required and the 
wages actually paid.
     Companies that fit the state definition of a small 
business -- those with no more than 20 employees 
and a gross annual revenue of less than $1 million 
-- would be exempt from the requirements.
     Opposition to the bill came from business 
officials who said it would hurt companies and their 
employees.
     Judy Cook, president of Minnesota Retail 
Merchants Association, said the bill could cause 
inflation and job loss and put Minnesota at a 
disadvantage in the "fierce competition among 
states" to attract new businesses.
     "It certainly sends a message to the business 
community. . . that you're not wanted here," she 
said.
     But Gordon Voss, a former House member who 
said he was testifying as a citizen, supported the 
"concept of the bill" to improve accountability in 
state spending. "We're talking hundreds of millions 
of dollars with very little reflective look back on it," 
Voss said.
     The committee is expected to take up the bill 
again soon.

Let's make a deal

     Businesses receiving more than $25,000 per 
year in state financial assistance -- in the form of 
grants, loans, tax increment financing (TIF) or other 
tax breaks -- would have to pay their employees 
over $7 per hour, under a bill heard by the House 
Labor-Management Relations Committee March 6.
     The bill would require such companies to pay a 
"living wage" to all their employees. A "living wage" 
is defined as the "federal poverty level for a family 
of four" -- or $7.28 per hour.
     The Department of Trade and Economic 
Development (DTED) would have to compile an 
annual list of all businesses that meet the $25,000 
annual aid standard. 
     Rep. Doug Peterson (DFL-Madison), the bill's 
sponsor, said Minnesota supports businesses 
through various subsidies but at the same time tells 
workers that "you have to live on substandard 
wages."
     Many Minnesotans "can't buy the cars, can't buy 
the things on Main Street, can't partake in this 
society" because of stagnant and falling wage levels, 
according to Peterson.
     He said that "if it's good public policy to make 
sure economic development goes forward in the 
state," then companies receiving state aid should 
"pay up."
     It was unclear exactly how many companies 
would be affected by the legislation.
     Jenny Engh, DTED deputy commissioner, said 
that the "definitions are so broad" -- the inclusion 
of all companies within TIF districts, for example -- 
that it's hard to know which businesses would come 
under the law.
     Engh mentioned four DTED programs that 
offered loans and grants to a total of 155 state 
businesses last year. Because some of these 
companies are just starting up, and are paying 
lower starting wages to trainees, the bill "would 
hurt the very companies we're trying to assist," she 
said.
     Representatives of several business associations 
also spoke against the measure.
     The "high cost of doing business in Minnesota" 
forces companies to seek state financial aid, 
according to David Olson, president of the 
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
     Olson suggested that lowering commercial and 
industrial property taxes and workers' 
compensation insurance premiums would be a 
better course than mandating wage levels that 
employers must pay.
     Peterson said that some changes will be made to 
the bill. HF414 will be considered again at a future 
meeting of the Labor-Management Relations 
Committee.

CHILDREN

Collecting child support

     Parents who are at least $1,000 delinquent in 
their child support payments could lose their 
driver's license, under a bill heard by a House panel 
March 8.
     The driver's license suspension is just one of 
several new tools lawmakers are seeking to garner 
the hundreds of millions that are owed to 
Minnesota kids in failed child support payments.
     The "pay it or park it" provision would notify 
those owing at least $1,000 in child support that 
they have 90 days to work out a payment plan with 
the county or the court. Failure to do so would 
result in a suspended driver's license. (The debtor 
may request a hearing on the matter.)
     Attorney General Hubert H. Humphrey III told 
members of the House Judiciary Committee's Civil 
Law Subcommittee that as of July 1994, Minnesota 
kids were owed $551 million in delinquent support 
payments.
     "This is real money. . . This [provision] is welfare 
reform, and would do more for reform than 
anything else [now] being considered," Humphrey 
said.
     There are currently 91,600 Minnesota child 
support cases involving families on public 
assistance.
     The provision of HF966 is modeled after a 
current Maine law which has generated $21 million 
in collections since its 1992 inception. It cost the 
state $70,000 to implement the program. Only 39 
drivers' licenses have been suspended.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Matt Entenza (DFL-St. Paul) 
called the Maine program a successful deterrent. He 
said the goal is to collect money, and to "make sure 
individuals are not unfairly treated."
     But Mark Nygaard, speaking for Remember Kids 
in Divorce Settlements (R-KIDS), called the bill 
punitive, and its methods "Draconian."
     "If you want compliance, you don't treat people 
like a piece of garbage . . . that's what we are doing 
here," Nygaard said. He questioned what percentage 
of non-payment cases were due to "willful 
noncompliance" and how many were simply 
because of an inability to pay.
     Other provisions of the bill include:
-- making the state (or person owed child support) 
a "secured party" listed on the motor vehicle title of 
someone at least $1,000 delinquent in child support 
payments. When such a vehicle, valued at more 
than $4,500, is sold, the seller keeps $4,500 and the 
state or the person owed child support would get 
the rest;
-- establishing a "support or service" pilot project 
which would make able-bodied debtors without 
jobs perform community service work. They could 
be made to work up to 32 hours per week for six 
weeks. Entenza said a similar Wisconsin program 
has proven to be an incentive for debtors to find 
work, and has resulted in improved child support 
compliance;
-- creating a "cooperation for the kids" pilot project 
designed to address issues of custody and visitation 
in a mediation setting without judges or attorneys; 
and
-- creating a centralized employment database at 
the Department of Human Services. Business 
owners must report all new hires to the department 
or face up to a $500 fine, per employee, for 
repeatedly (and intentionally) failing to report. Its 
purpose is to track those who drift from job to job 
to avoid having wages garnished to pay child 
support.
     Further discussion of HF966 is expected next 
week.

CRIME

'Peeping Tom' law expansion?

     A bill to include hotel rooms and tanning booths 
under Minnesota's 'peeping Tom' law was heard 
March 6 before the House Judiciary Committee.
     Current law applies to those peeping in windows 
or secretly photographing or videotaping outside 
someone's home. Such a crime is a misdemeanor.
     But offenses occurring away from the home 
have frustrated county attorneys, who lack the 
legal tools to slap offenders with real consequences.
     A recent case in Windom, Minn., attracted the 
attention of bill sponsor Rep. Teresa Lynch (IR-
Andover).
     Cyndi Berg was in a tanning bed at a local 
business when she discovered she was being 
watched by the business owner, who was also in 
the room with her. She was the only customer in 
the building, "and he outweighed me by about a 
hundred pounds," Berg told members. She ignored 
him, "concentrating on breathing normally," so he 
wouldn't suspect  she knew he was there. 
Eventually, the man left.
     "It was only 15 minutes, but it has affected the 
rest of my life," Berg said.
     Prosecutors considered charging the man under 
a section of the state's stalking law, but the incident 
didn't quite fit there, either. In the end, the 
business owner agreed to pay a $500 fine to close 
the case. 
     Laurie Middleton, assistant county attorney for 
Beltrami County, said there was nothing else that 
authorities could do. Local police can now spot 
check the business, "but they must call to warn [the 
business owner] they are coming."
     Berg said the same Windom tanning business is 
booming, "filled with girls getting ready for prom."
     HF272 would make it a misdemeanor to secretly 
"gaze, stare, or peep" into a hotel room or tanning 
booth "with the intent to intrude upon or interfere 
with the privacy" of an individual.
     Photographing or videotaping a person in such a 
setting would also be a misdemeanor.
     Members expressed concern that there were 
other places where the law should apply, such as 
dressing rooms, saunas, or bathrooms.
     No vote was taken on the proposal, which is 
without a companion in the Senate. Further 
discussion on the proposal is expected at a later 
date.

A crime to conceal

     Covering one's face in public for religious 
reasons would not be a crime, under a bill approved 
by the House Judiciary Committee March 6.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Matt Entenza (DFL-St. Paul) 
says the law is simply unconstitutional.
     The bill stems from the Sept. 28, 1994, arrest of 
Tayyibah Amatullah, a Muslim. While dressed in 
traditional Muslim attire, Amatullah was 
approached in a downtown skyway by St. Paul 
police officers and asked to uncover her face. When 
she refused, police issued her a citation.
     The local Islamic community was outraged, 
calling the incident a clear violation of her First 
Amendment rights.
     The law, which prohibits concealing one's 
identity by means of a "robe, mask, or other 
disguise," dates to 1923. It targeted the Ku Klux 
Klan, which had a significant presence in the state 
at the time. (See related story, page 17)
     Entenza said that the Ramsey County Attorney's 
Office dropped the Amatullah case when the 
American Civil Liberties Union made clear its 
intention to challenge the law.
     Committee members also added an exception to 
the law for wearing a mask for "medical reasons." 
An exception the Senate adopted -- to allow 
wearing a mask for "protection from weather" -- 
was deleted from the bill. Committee members 
noted that police are "not in the habit" of arresting 
snowmobilers and others protecting their faces 
from the winter elements, and agreed the exception 
was unnecessary.
     HF735/SF214*, which passed the Senate 63-1 on 
Feb. 27, now moves to the House floor for 
consideration.

EDUCATION

Preserving school safety

     New ways to ensure school safety and to battle 
truancy are included in a bill approved March 7 by 
the House Education Committee.
     The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Farrell (DFL-St. 
Paul), would hit truants and their parents with 
stiffer penalties and would allow courts to deny 
driving privileges to habitual truants until they 
turn 18.
     School safety measures in the bill include locker 
searches, criminal background checks on teachers 
and other school employees, and misdemeanor 
charges for parents who fail to control their 
children.
     Much of the debate among committee members 
focused on the proposed penalties for parents who 
fail to "make a good faith effort" to exercise "care, 
supervision, protection and control" over their 
children.
     Rep. John Tuma (IR-Northfield) said he wants 
parents to be held accountable for their children 
but that the bill is too vague in its definition of 
what is required.
     "It opens up far too many areas for arbitrary 
and discriminatory implementation," Tuma said.
     And Rep. Alice Seagren (IR-Bloomington) said 
the vague language in the bill could create an 
adversarial situation between parents and officials.
     An amendment by Tuma that would have 
deleted that portion of the bill was defeated on a 
close vote.
     Farrell, a public defender in Ramsey County, said 
the language is similar to what exists in other areas 
of state law, and that the justice system needs new 
tools to deal with troubled youth.
     "I'm tired of defending children in court when I 
should be defending parents," he said.
     His bill also would increase the maximum legal 
penalty to 90 days in jail and $700 in fines for 
parents who fail to make sure their children comply 
with compulsory attendance laws. (See Feb. 24, 
1995, Session Weekly, page 5 and March 3, 1995, 
SessionWeekly, page 7)
     In addition, the bill would allow school officials 
to search lockers any time without prior notice or 
consent.
     The House Judiciary Committee already 
approved a separate bill, HF107, that would allow 
such searches. But the Education Committee 
attached an amendment to Farrell's bill requiring 
officials to notify students whose lockers have been 
searched as soon as possible afterward, unless the 
search was conducted as part of an on-going 
investigation.
     HF610 now goes to the Judiciary Committee.

Libraries and the Internet

     A House member is pushing legislation that he 
says would eliminate the barriers that block many 
Minnesotans from the "source of wealth" in today's 
economy: information.
     Rep. Steve Kelley (DFL-Hopkins) is the sponsor 
of a bill that aims to support and improve the 
state's public libraries and to link them with the 
Internet, or information highway.
     Kelley said his bill would be a sound investment 
in the future. "Doing this I believe will expand the 
wealth of all Minnesotans," he said.
     Library officials, school officials, and students 
testified in support of the bill before the House K-
12 Education Finance Division on March 8.
     Marlys O'Brien, of Kitchigami Regional Library 
System, said libraries are "essential" to their 
communities and need funding. And she said the 
bill would provide funding to support the systems 
linking libraries in the state and allowing them to 
share resources.
     Jane Prestaback, of the Minnesota Educational 
Media Organization, said funding to extend the 
Internet in schools is crucial to students who "need 
the infrastructure to connect" to the information 
superhighway.
     A middle school student from Mankato 
illustrated the importance of the Internet in 
schools. Eighth grader Pete Ekstam used the 
Internet to get information on a report he did for 
school about the Nazi concentration camp at 
Auschwitz -- information he couldn't get in his 
middle school library.
     "Everything you need is on there," he told 
members of the K-12 Education Finance Division on 
March 8. "It's pretty cool."
     Although the bill does not yet contain a specific 
funding request, Kelley said he is seeking about 
$32.6 million in the coming two-year spending 
cycle.
     The division is expected to take up HF977 again 
later this session.

Superintendent buyouts

     The House gave final approval March 9 to a bill 
that would require school superintendency 
candidates to disclose if they have been paid to 
leave the same position elsewhere. The vote was 
114-16.
     The bill (HF496) would ensure school districts 
know if a would-be superintendent left the job in 
another district via a contract buyout.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Ron Kraus (IR-Albert Lea) said 
the disclosure requirements would provide 
protection for taxpayers who fund the sometimes 
costly buyout procedures.
     The bill drew opposition on the House floor 
March 6 from lawmakers including Rep. Mary 
Murphy (DFL-Hermantown).
     Murphy said the bill would create "an unfair 
labor practice" by singling out people who have 
been the subject of a buyout and limiting their 
chances to become a superintendent in another 
district.
     "Where's the responsibility of the school board 
that's hiring those people," she said.
     Rep. Becky Kelso defended the bill, saying it 
would provide added protection for school boards 
and taxpayers.
     She said buyouts can cloud the already atypical 
process of searching for a superintendent. "There is 
not the flow of communication that I think you 
would normally see from one employer to another 
employer," Kelso said.
     The bill stipulates that superintendent 
candidates have to disclose the information even if 
the original buyout included a non-disclosure 
agreement. And the bill would void the contracts of 
superintendents who fail to disclose the information 
during the hiring process only to have it come to 
light later. (See Feb. 24,1995, Session Weekly, page 
6)
     Similar legislation is pending in the Senate 
Education Committee.

ELECTIONS

Voting absentee

     Any eligible voter could cast an absentee ballot 
up to 30 days before any election, under a bill 
approved by a House panel March 6.
     Currently, absentee ballots can be requested 
only by voters who will be absent from their 
precinct on election day, are hospitalized, ill, 
disabled, or can't vote on election day for religious 
reasons.
     But Joe Mansky, director of the Elections Division 
of the Office of the Secretary of State's, told 
members of the House General Legislation, 
Veteran's Affairs and Elections Committee's 
Elections Division that many other voters have 
difficulty voting in their home precinct.
     "People can't get to the polls for a number of 
reasons -- maybe they work in a distant 
community from their home or maybe they have 
difficulty because of child care," he said.
     The Legislature allowed anyone in Ramsey, 
Hennepin, Anoka, and Becker counties to vote 
absentee in the 1992 election. Rep. Mindy Greiling 
(DFL-Roseville) said voters favored the experiment.
     The bill (HF167/SF35*) would allow voters 
statewide to cast ballots in person at their county 
auditor's office or a site designated by the auditor's 
office during the 30 days before an election.
     Also under the bill, those hospitalized, in nursing 
homes or in another health facility could authorize 
a delegate to deliver their ballot to the auditor's 
office. Such a delegate could deliver up to three 
voters' ballots.
     Members voted to remove a controversial 
section of the bill which would have allowed voters 
to transmit ballots via fax machine.
     That provision was requested by the U.S. 
Department of Defense to allow a faster voting 
method for Minnesota military personnel overseas, 
Mansky said.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Richard Jefferson (DFL-Mpls) 
said voters would lose some privacy because an 
elections judge would see the fax and know how the 
person voted.
     The full House General Legislation, Veterans 
Affairs and Elections Committee will hear the bill 
next. 
     The Senate approved the bill Feb. 13 on a vote 
of 42-22.

Election day campaigning

     Candidates would be able to campaign on 
election day, under a bill approved by the House 
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections 
Committee's Elections Division March 6.     
     The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Richard 
Jefferson (DFL-Mpls), would make a number of 
changes to current election law, including repealing 
a provision prohibiting candidates from 
campaigning on election day.
     The state Office of the Attorney General has said 
the prohibition is virtually unenforceable and is 
most likely unconstitutional, said Joe Mansky, 
director of the Elections Division of the Office of the 
Secretary of State.
     Minnesota's county attorneys, who are required 
to prosecute anyone who campaigns on election 
day, have asked for the law change, Manksy said. 
     The law was originally passed during a 13-day 
special session in 1912. It was part of a radical 
election reform package that also included 
campaign spending limits, a statewide political 
primary election, and a popular vote for U.S. 
senators who were previously chosen by the 
Legislature.
     In 1988, the no-campaigning law was ruled 
unconstitutional by a District Court judge in 
Hennepin County. Technically, the ruling affected 
only Hennepin County, and was never appealed. 
     Another provision in HF289 would allow election 
judges to serve as unpaid volunteers if they agree 
in writing 10 days before the election. Such judges 
are currently paid for their services. The city, 
school board, or county board hosting the election 
determines how much to pay election judges.
     The bill now goes to the House General 
Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections 
Committee.

ENVIRONMENT

Angler's right to know

     Fishermen and others using Minnesota waters 
would have an easier time tracing the source of 
effluent being discharged into the state's rivers and 
lakes, under a bill approved by the House 
Environment and Natural Resources Committee 
March 8.
     The measure, sponsored by Rep. Charlie Weaver 
(IR-Anoka), would require companies that are 
legally discharging toxic substances into Minnesota 
waters to "post a sign that is visible and legible" 
near the point of discharge. 
     Under the proposed "Angler's Right-To-Know 
Act," the sign would indicate the name of the 
company and that it was discharging "low levels of 
toxic substances" under a permit from the 
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). A 
contact name and telephone number at the 
company would be listed, along with the general 
telephone number of the MPCA.
     Weaver said his intention was to provide 
Minnesotans with more information about pollution 
in waterways.
     Weaver said that he has encountered fluids 
coming out of pipes and into the Mississippi River 
by Anoka, and had no idea what was being 
discharged. 
     "An informed public is a happy public," he said.
     But business community representatives said 
HF286 would unfairly target private companies, 
clutter scenic waterways with signage, and even 
endanger people by providing targets for trigger-
happy delinquents.
     Jim Jackson, a regional manager for Boise 
Cascade, said that the bill would "unnecessarily 
alarm the public" and "would have no 
environmental benefit."
     The question for anglers is whether fish are safe 
to eat, according to Jackson. He said that fish 
consumption advisories -- issued for many years in 
a cooperative effort by the departments of natural 
resources, health, and the MPCA -- provide the 
public with the information they need about 
pollution and health risks.
     The arguments by Jackson and others came at 
the committee's March 3 meeting, when the bill 
failed on an 11-11 vote. 
     The bill was reconsidered March 8 and passed 
easily. An amendment by Rep. Peggy Leppik (IR-
Golden Valley) changed the bill's definition of a 
"toxic substance" to exclude chlorine and ammonia 
-- two of the more common substances discharged 
by industrial companies and waste water treatment 
plants.
     Leppik said this change makes the proposal "less 
onerous on businesses."
     The amended bill would require that about 100 
businesses and about 50 muncipal water treatment 
plants -- which have permits that cover toxic limits 
on discharges -- post signs, Marvin Hora of the 
MPCA's water quality division explained later. 
     The amendment by Leppik also specifies that 
signs "may not exceed 14 inches by 18 inches," so 
they would be visible but less obtrusive.
     HF286 now moves to the Judiciary Committee.

GAMBLING

Treating compulsive gamblers

     Public funds for the treatment of compulsive 
gamblers would be available to private, for-profit 
agencies, under a bill approved March 3 by the 
Gambling Division of the House Governmental 
Operations 
Committee.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Tony Kinkel (DFL-Park Rapids) 
said it would "level the playing field" between non-
profit agencies already eligible for state funds and 
their for-profit counterparts.
     For-profit agencies would be able to compete 
with non-profits for the grant funding. Kinkel said 
the bill is necessary to give Minnesotans, especially 
in outstate areas, more opportunities for treatment.
     "There are some parts of the state that are a 
long distance away from non-profit programs," he 
said. "If [for-profit agencies] are selected by [the 
Department of] Human Services, it will provide 
greater access and a greater variety of services to 
people with gambling problems."
     During the current biennium, the state will 
spend a total of about $1.2 million to treat problem 
gamblers. Non-profit treatment facilities are 
selected to receive some of that money through 
Department of Human Services grants.
     Jay Bambery of the Department of Human 
Services gambling program supported the bill. He 
said for-profit agencies would have to meet the 
same requirements as non-profits.
     According to Bambery, for-profit agencies lacked 
a well established track record for treatment of 
compulsive gambling when lawmakers excluded 
them from eligibility for state funds as gambling 
began to grow in Minnesota. 
     "I think there was a fear that there would be 
some companies making money by exploiting 
people's weaknesses," Kinkel said. But in reality 
"the for-profit folks have acted very responsibly."
     The House passed legislation similar to Kinkel's 
bill in 1993, but it did not survive a conference 
committee.
     This year, the Senate already has approved 
HF83/SF91*. The bill now goes to the full 
Governmental Operations Committee.

GOVERNMENT

Government contracts cut

     A bill to cut the state's use of private contracts 
and consultants  by 10 percent during the 1996-
1997 biennium won approval from the House 
Governmental Operations Committee March 6.
     The bill calls on the state's 20 main agencies to 
cut 10 percent off the aggregate amount they spent 
on consultants in fiscal years 1994-1995. They 
could not make the cuts from grant money or 
federal funds. Instead, they must cut from the 
dollars allocated to them by the state.
     Under the bill, sponsored by Rep. Joe Opatz 
(DFL-St. Cloud), the governor would decide which 
agencies would face contract cuts. Some could 
increase their use of consultants as long as others 
decreased enough for an overall reduction of 10 
percent.
     The bill (HF123) also would apply to the House 
of Representatives, the Senate, the Legislative 
Coordinating Commission, and the Metropolitan 
Council. Each would be required to cut 10 percent in 
their consultant spending.
     There are exemptions in the bill, such as 
contracts for highway construction and 
maintenance; consultants hired by a Minnesota 
state college or university to teach public or private 
organizations, agencies, or businesses; and 
consultants used to help with pension plans.
     Opatz said the bill is designed to save money 
and force state agencies, the Legislature, and the 
Metropolitan Council to really look at whether a 
specific project warrants the hiring of a consultant 
or whether a current state employee could do the 
job.
     Part of the bill would require agencies to seek 
prior approval before hiring a consultant for a 
contract exceeding $5,000. The agency must 
determine that no state employee, including 
employees outside its own agency, could do the job. 
The agency must also certify that it has publicized 
the contract.
     A successful amendment by Rep. Sharon Marko 
(DFL-Newport) would require any new legislation 
that could potentially result in the hiring of a 
consultant to include a cost comparison between a 
private consultant and a state employee.
     Some, such as Rep. Mike Osskopp (IR-Lake City), 
worry that cuts in consultants will only cause 
increases in the number of state employees. He said 
he wanted assurances such an event wouldn't 
happen, under the bill. "If we don't have 
assurances, I think we've wasted our time."
     The bill does contain a provision stating that 
cuts to state agency consultants would occur after 
agencies have set their budgets so, there'd be little 
leeway to hire new employees.
     Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Mpls), chair of the 
committee, said it is difficult to see how a 10 
percent cut in consultants would cause an increase 
in state employees. The cut, she said, isn't large 
enough to do that. 
     The bill now goes to the State Government 
Finance Division of the Governmental Operations 
Committee. 
     (See Jan. 27, 1995, Session Weekly, page 8, and 
Feb. 17, 1995, Session Weekly, page 7.)

Money-back guarantee

     A House panel approved two bills March 3 that 
would enable Minnesotans to get their money back 
from a state agency if they apply for a license, 
permit, or other type of document -- including a 
driver's license --  and don't receive it within six 
weeks.
     "These are money-back guarantee bills," sponsor 
Rep. Phil Carruthers (DFL-Brooklyn Center) said.
     The Government Efficiency and Oversight 
Division of the House Ways and Means Committee 
approved both bills
      Under HF797, the Department of Public Safety 
would have to refund the $18.50 fee for a new or 
renewed driver's license if the applicant doesn't 
receive the license within six weeks.
     Carruthers said his bill is a response to a 
problem last year at the Driver and Vehicle 
Services Division of the Department of Public 
Safety, which issues driver's licenses.
     Many applicants waited three months or longer 
to receive their new licenses after applying, 
Carruthers said.
     Katherine Burke Moore, who heads the Driver 
and Vehicle Services Division, has said the problem 
arose after the department found a new vendor to 
create the licenses. That company, Deluxe Corp. of 
Shoreview, Minn., did not have enough time to 
work the considerable kinks out of its system 
before it began distributing new licenses, Burke 
Moore has said.
     Carruthers' bill would be effective in July 1995 
and would not be retroactive. So people who waited 
more than six months to receive new licenses in the 
past could not receive their money back.
     Burke Moore said the bill should make 
exceptions to the six-week money back guarantee 
to allow for employee strikes or software failure at 
the Driver and Vehicle Services Division. In its 
current form, the bill does not.
     HF797 also includes a provision asking the Office 
of the Legislative Auditor to evaluate the division 
to determine "what happened and why" with the 
license delay, Carruthers said. The office must 
report to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 1996.
     Rep. Mike Delmont (DFL-Lexington) told Burke 
Moore the provision is not intended to call the 
division's actions into question.
     "It's not a witch hunt," he said. "It's just to ease 
the public's mind that everything that could have 
been done to prevent [the delay] was done," he said.
     The second bill, HF796, would allow those who 
apply to any state agency for licenses, permits, 
variances, orders, or other documents to get their 
fee returned if they don't receive their document 
within six weeks. Exceptions would be made for 
documents requiring public hearings.
     Applicants, which can include small businesses 
and family farm corporations, must specifically ask 
for their money back, Carruthers said.
     The Ways and Means Committee soon will hear 
both proposals.

Economic development, politics

     Most of a bill to grant counties the power to 
refuse to include their share of tax collections when 
a city in its region offers tax breaks to lure 
employers was defeated in the House Local 
Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee 
March 7.
     The only surviving section of HF149 would 
eliminate the annual limit on how much a county 
can spend on economic development. Current law 
sets the limit at $50,000. 
     Bill sponsor Rep. Edgar Olson (DFL-Fosston) told 
the committee March 7 that the $50,000 limit was 
too low to attract new companies and help existing 
ones expand, especially in rural Minnesota where 
many cities are too small and too poor to help out.
     The most controversial section of Olson's bill -- 
giving counties a say in tax breaks offered to 
expanding companies -- almost caused the death of 
the entire bill. Instead, committee members 
eliminated that provision.
     Under Minnesota law, cities can offer tax breaks 
to companies to help create jobs in their 
community. The agreement, called a Tax Increment 
Financing District, involves a company expanding 
and creating jobs in exchange for the city forgiving 
property taxes for a set number of years. In some 
cases the city might agree to sell bonds to pay the 
up-front costs of an expansion and then use the 
property taxes generated from the expansion to pay 
off the debt.
     Currently, when a city creates a TIF district, the 
property taxes they forgive include the county's 
share, but the county has no say in the matter.
     Olson's bill would have allowed counties to 
decide whether their share of tax revenues could be 
pledged as part of tax breaks offered by cities to 
attract companies and jobs.
     On average, for every dollar in property taxes 
collected in 1994, the counties' share amounted to 
28 cents, the cities' 15 cents, the schools' 45 cents, 
with the remainder coming from special taxing 
districts. 
     Don Diddams of the Association of Minnesota 
Counties, said that in some cases cities and counties 
in Minnesota do work together when establishing a 
TIF district. But, he added, that is not always the 
case.
     He said the bill was important to stress 
accountability.
     That section, however, drew opposition from the 
League of Minnesota Cities.
     Joel Jamnik of the league said that allowing 
counties to hold hearings on TIF districts would 
delay expansion projects and simply add another 
layer of government to the process.
     He also noted that because county 
commissioners represent specific areas in a county, 
some wouldn't represent the area in which an 
expansion is locating. This could "foster political 
battles that are unnecessary."
     For some lawmakers, one piece of information 
seemed to help sway their decision. Lawmakers 
learned that in cases where a city sells bonds to 
help pay for an expansion and then uses the 
property taxes levied against the expansion to pay 
off the bonds, only the city assumes the risk of the 
bonds.
     HF149 now goes to the House Taxes Committee 
for further review.

Tax limits

     A resolution to set limits on state and local taxes 
was approved March 9 by both the House and 
Senate.
     The Price of Government resolution, which holds 
state and local taxes to a percentage of the total 
income of all Minnesotans, is a goal lawmakers use 
when putting together a state budget. (See Jan. 20, 
1995, Session Weekly, page 8)
     But, it is not just numbers on a piece of paper, 
said House Minority Leader Rep. Steve Sviggum 
(IR-Kenyon).
     "This is something that is going to bring some 
discipline" to the Legislature, he said.
     The resolution, required by a 1994 tax law, 
would allow state and local revenue during the 
1996-97 budgeting period to equal no more than 
18.2 percent of the collective income of state 
residents. Tax revenues would have to be at or 
below 17.8 percent during the 1998-99 biennium.
     During the current 1994-1995 biennium, the tax 
burden equals  18.3 percent of Minnesotans' total 
income.
     Gov. Arne Carlson has recommended a Price of 
Government goal for state and local taxes that 
declines over the next four years to a fiscal year 
1999 target of 17.7 percent.

HEALTH

Pesticide poisoning

     A bill to establish a voluntary pesticide 
poisoning reporting network and to conduct a study 
of the extent of pesticide poisoning in Minnesota 
passed the House Health and Human Services 
Committee March 7.
     Bill sponsor Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-Mpls) said 
she estimates the study by the Department of 
Health would cost about $70,000. The department 
would report back to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 
1997.
     Clark's bill (HF510) also would include pesticide 
poisonings as an emergency service under the 
state's General Assistance Medical Care program.
     The Department of Environmental Medicine and 
Pathology at the University of Minnesota would 
coordinate the volunteer pesticide poisoning 
network.
     Dr. Vincent Garry, director of the university 
department, said he would volunteer his time and 
work with doctors across the state to educate them 
on how to recognize, report, and follow up with 
pesticide poisonings. The term pesticides includes 
herbicides and insecticides, he said.
     Pesticides are often used in farming and in lawn 
and garden care. Some pesticides end up in the 
water supply and some can be absorbed through 
clothes and the skin. 
     Currently, various state and county agencies 
collect scattered information on pesticide 
poisonings, but there is no coordination. As a result, 
the size of the problem is unclear. And, Garry said, 
"my fellow physicians don't know a heck of a lot 
about this area" and need to be taught how to 
identify a pesticide poisoning in order to report it.
     Southern Minnesota has documented problems 
and it is expected that western Minnesota has 
similar problems, Garry said. 
     Rep. Richard Mulder (IR-Ivanhoe), the only 
doctor in the Legislature, said he supported the bill 
because he has treated people who have been 
poisoned by pesticides.
     "We're dealing with really poisonous stuff out 
there," he said.
     The bill (HF510) now goes to the Health and 
Human Services Finance Division for consideration.

HIGHER EDUCATION

HECB eliminated

     A proposal to eliminate the Higher Education 
Coordinating Board (HECB) won approval from the 
Higher Education Finance Division March 6.
     Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona), who sponsors 
HF307, said the move would save about $3.7 million 
over the next biennium. 
     The bill would eliminate 27 of the 67 HECB 
employees, Pelowski said. The remainder would be 
transferred to the new Higher Education Services 
Office (HESO). 
     Besides administering financial aid, the current 
board's duties include maintaining financial aid and 
enrollment records and negotiating reciprocity 
agreements between states. It is also charged with 
setting Minnesota's higher education policy and 
recommending which higher education programs 
could be eliminated. All of these duties would be 
transferred to the HESO.
     The bill also would set up an 11-member Higher 
Education Administrators Council (HEAC) made up 
of campus presidents, the president of the private 
college council, the commissioner of education and 
others. The HEAC would be responsible for 
consulting with a newly established student 
advisory council, appointing the HESO director, and 
communicating with the Legislature and the 
governor.
     The council would replace the current board, 
which is composed of 10 citizens and a student 
member.
     The HECB was originally established in 1966 as 
an impartial office to distribute financial aid to 
Minnesota students, Pelowski said. 
     "But it has been performing at various levels of 
competency ever since. It's been absent from 
merger talks and from financial aid changes and it's 
missed the mark by huge margins in predicting 
enrollments," Pelowski said.
     The office did not take a strong role in planning 
a revision in the higher education funding system 
passed last year by the Legislature. The office also 
did little to offer input on the administrative 
merger -- slated for July 1995 -- of Minnesota's 
state university, technical college and community 
college systems, Pelowski said.
     But Duane Scribner, HECB president, told division 
members the higher education system needs an 
impartial board to advocate higher education issues.
     "If you lose the HECB, an independent voice is 
lost you won't receive in a council made up of 
system members," he said, referring to HEAC. 
     Members of that group will tend to lobby for 
their individual systems or schools, Scribner said.
     Last year's House voted to abolish the HECB and 
transfer its duties to -- among other agencies -- the 
board created to oversee the merger. The provision 
was deleted during conference committee 
negotiations. Instead, the bill asked the HECB to 
study its effectiveness as an organization.
     Scribner said the study showed a continued 
need for the HECB.
     HF307 will next be heard by the full House 
Education Committee.

Freed from bonding debt

     Three state universities would not have to pay 
back a portion of the state-issued bonds authorized 
in 1994 to help build their school libraries, under a 
bill approved by the House Higher Education 
Finance Division March 8.
     As part of the 1994 bonding bill, Winona State 
University received $20 million to help fund a new 
library, Bemidji State University received $8.3 
million to remodel and expand its library and St. 
Cloud State University received about $1.8 million 
to prepare drawings for a new library.
     Higher education projects receiving state-issued 
bonds must reimburse the state one-third the cost 
of the bond plus interest. Prior to a 1990 law 
change, state universities were exempted from 
repaying bonds when they were used to finance 
school libraries.
     The bill would apply only to the 1994 library 
bonding projects, which totaled $30.1 million. So the 
three schools in total would be exempted from 
paying back about $10 million plus interest accrued 
on their library projects.
     Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona), sponsor of 
HF487, said state universities should not be 
responsible for helping pay off their libraries 
because entire communities use them.
     "The library is used by everyone so why make 
only people at the school pay for it? With electronic 
mediums, people can access library information via 
computer. We're looking at access that goes way 
beyond what we anticipated," he said.
     Pelowski's words were of note because his 
presentation before the Higher Education Division of 
the House Education Committee marked the first 
time a representative has used a laptop computer 
when presenting a bill. Pelowski, who chairs the 
House Select Committee on Technology, did not 
have a paper copy of HF487 before him. Instead, he 
called up the bill on his wireless, laptop computer 
and referred to that copy when discussing bill 
specifics.
      The 1994 bonding bill, as passed by the House, 
called for state universities to be exempted from 
paying back one-third the amount of state-issued 
bonds received for libraries. The provision, 
however, was taken out during conference 
committee negotiations, Pelowski said.
     The bill will be heard next by the full House 
Education Committee.

HOUSING

'Greenlining' in the city

     A bill that would help people buy and fix up 
dilapidated housing, create tax breaks for landlords 
to fix up their rental properties, and establish a 
pool of money to help outstate cities create 
affordable housing is being considered by the 
Housing Committee.
     The bill (HF380) seeks approximately $46 
million and is set to be included in the committee's 
omnibus housing bill.
     "I'm trying to target neighborhoods that have 
historically been redlined from housing 
investment," said bill sponsor Rep. Andy Dawkins 
(DFL-St. Paul), referring to the largest portion of his 
bill which would help people buy and fix up 
dilapidated housing. He calls it "greenlining."
     This program would set aside about $30 million 
to help people buy and repair about 1,000 homes in 
worn-down neighborhoods across the state. Loans 
would average about $30,000 each. The idea, 
Dawkins said, is to target "eye-sore" neighborhoods 
and make them owner-occupied again instead of 
overcome by rental properties with absentee 
landlords.
     With ownership comes the desire to maintain 
and take pride in the neighborhood, said Dawkins.
     Only low-income neighborhoods would qualify 
for the program under the bill. Some of the other 
qualifications include a neighborhood where at least 
70 percent of the single-family homes are at least 
35 years old and at least 60 percent of the homes 
are owner-occupied. Another requirement specifies 
that the number of owner-occupied homes in a 
neighborhood must have declined by at least 5 
percent between 1980 and 1990.
     Dawkins pointed to St. Paul's Frogtown 
neighborhood in his district as an example where 
the bill could do some good.
     "There are folks that need help investing in the 
neighborhood," he said, adding that the program 
could target crack houses and run-down homes in 
the area.
     Johnny Howard of the Thomas-Dale Block Club 
said his neighborhood has gone downhill in the past 
five years with more shootings and violence.
     "Bad people and bad property sometimes go 
hand-in-hand," Howard said. He said the bill would 
allow people to have an opportunity to have 
something they can call their own.
     But not everyone testifying before the Housing 
Committee March 6-7 supported the bill.
     Maria Somma of the Community Stabilization 
Project said of the bill: "This is clearly tenant 
bashing," adding that the bill suggests that tenants 
are to blame for run-down neighborhoods.
     But that led Rep. Wes Skoglund (DFL-Mpls) to 
question why she would criticize Dawkins, the 
author of several laws in recent years that aid low-
income people.
     "You have a champion here. . . . If there is 
anybody who fights for low-income people, it is 
Rep. Dawkins," said Skoglund.
     Other aspects of the bill include a provision to 
set aside about $1 million to $3 million to help 
people convert contracts for deed on their homes to 
traditional mortgages, which would eliminate the 
need for large balloon payments. Coming up with 
the money for those payments has been a problem 
for many low-income families.
     About $7.8 million is set aside in the bill to help 
Greater Minnesota cities, especially those with 
housing shortages, such as Willmar, create 
affordable rental housing.
     HF380 also works to help improve rental 
property in St. Paul, Minneapolis, South St. Paul, 
and Duluth. It would set aside $8 million over two 
years to offer tax breaks to landlords who 
volunteer to fix up their rental properties which 
includes houses, apartments, duplexes, and 
triplexes.
     "The pilot project's primary objective is to help 
stabilize costs for the conscientious, industrious 
landlord who is already providing safe, decent, and 
affordable housing," states the bill.
     The program would require a landlord who 
wishes to participate to have a city inspector 
inspect his or her property and identify what 
repairs are necessary. 
     This section of the bill is an extension of a 1994 
pilot project in St. Paul. The project offered $1 
million in tax breaks to St. Paul landlords with 
rental single-family houses and duplexes. Only 
about  $503,000 of the money was used because 
the program got a late start and was only 
technically operational for four months.
     A successful amendment to the bill offered by 
Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL-St. Paul) proposes that the 
remaining $497,000 be used to make sure renters 
don't see a decrease in their annual renters' credit 
refunds.

TRANSPORTATION

Electric bus advances

     A bill seeking state funding to help build the 
world's first bus powered by electric strips 
embedded in the street moved one step closer to 
the House floor March 7. 
     The bill, sponsored by Rep. Sharon Marko (DFL-
Newport), would allocate $750,000 from the state's 
general fund to help set up a one-half-mile electric 
bus route on the campus of St. Cloud State 
University.
     Though the Transportation Finance Division 
approved the bill, Rep. Jim Rice (DFL-Mpls), who 
serves on the division and chairs the full House 
Economic Development, Infrastructure and 
Regulation Finance Committee -- the bill's next stop 
-- said the bill may not move from his committee 
unless research studies accompany it.
     The 1994 Legislature appropriated $200,000 to 
the St. Cloud-based Saints Road Project to study 
how the bus would move through ice and snow. The 
studies also will assess the safety of electric buses. 
Nick Musachio, who designed the electric bus 
technology, said the studies will be ready in two 
weeks.
     When approved Feb. 17 by the House 
Transportation and Transit Committee, the bill 
(HF395) also carried a $750,000 price tag. Of that 
amount, $550,000 would have come from the 
general fund with an additional $200,000 available 
if the project could match that amount.  (See Feb. 
24, 1995, Session Weekly, page 12)
     As approved March 7, $250,000 would come 
directly from the state with no strings attached. The 
remaining $500,000 would be available only if 
Saints Road Project officials raise $250,000 from 
private or public sources. 
     A portion of the funds also would help pay for 
the Saints Road Project to study the possibility of 
building a 45-mile electric bus corridor linking 
Minneapolis and St. Paul.
     The bill also includes a provision that would 
repay the $750,000 to the state, should the venture 
be commercially successful.
     Eventually, Saints Road Project members hope to 
convert buses to run along power strips laid on 
specific routes. The buses could use batteries when 
making short forays off the track, and also could 
switch to gasoline power when necessary. They 
hope to see their buses used in Minnesota and to 
sell their technology to other states and countries, 
Musachio said.

Helping Amtrak survive

     A resolution that would ask Congress to continue 
federal funding for the Amtrak passenger rail 
system won approval from the House 
Transportation and Transit Committee March 8.
     Congress is now discussing severely cutting the 
federally subsidized Amtrak budget. The reduction 
would threaten the continued existence of the 
nation's only passenger rail service, said Rep. Mark 
Mahon (DFL-Bloomington), who sponsors HF821.
     "No passenger rail service in the world makes 
money," he said. "Once abandoned, we know the 
service would never come back."
     Last year, Amtrak received a $952 million 
subsidy from the federal government.
     One Amtrak route passes through St. Paul on a 
line that runs from Chicago to Seattle.
     In December, Amtrak officials announced it will 
scuttle more than one-fifth of its route service and 
fire 5,500 employees. As part of the plan, service 
from the Twin Cities to Seattle was cut from five to 
four times per week.
     About 160,000 people take the train each year 
in Minnesota. About 130,000 of them board or 
leave it in St. Paul, Mahon said. Also, the 74 Amtrak 
employees who live in Minnesota make a combined 
$3 million annually, he added.
     The bill now moves to the House floor.

DO YOU KNOW?

     The Civil War was not yet over when, on March 
3, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed a joint 
congressional resolution stating that "veterans 
should be preferred for appointments to civil 
offices."
     But it wasn't until February 1887 that Gov. 
Andrew McGill signed Minnesota's first law -- 
which was passed unanimously by the Minnesota 
Legislature -- that was designed to help veterans 
secure public employment.
     The law applied to all levels of government, and 
was perhaps also the state's first anti-
discrimination statute. It expressly stated that "age, 
loss of limb, or other physical impairment, which 
does not in fact incapacitate, shall not be deemed to 
disqualify [veterans]" from employment, according 
to The Civil War Veteran in Minnesota Life and 
Politics. 
     However, author Frank Heck noted the law 
"could easily be sabotaged by an uncooperative 
appointing officer."
     And compliance was a problem. In fact, Paul 
Van Der Voort, commander in chief of the Grand 
Army of the Republic, admitted that "even some ex-
soldiers in positions of authority were guilty of 
failure to accord due preference to their comrades 
when hiring and firing subordinates."
     Veterans protested, and their organizations 
rallied in support of members who were denied 
jobs or were fired from those they held.
     "All in all, one suspects that no article in the old 
soldier credo was more enthusiastically recited and 
believed than was the one which called for 
veterans' preference," Heck wrote.
     In 1896, a lawsuit was brought against the 
commissioners of St. Louis County for the purpose 
of testing the "constitutionality, force, and effect" of 
the veterans' preference law." It was upheld by the 
Minnesota Supreme Court, but in practice was still 
largely ignored outside of St. Louis County.
     Although a series of legal skirmishes followed, 
the concept of veterans' preference continues today. 
Veterans who achieve a passing score on an 
examination for state employment receive a five-
point bonus added to their test score. Disabled 
veterans receive a 10-point bonus.

New members . . . 
Knoblach brings an 'eclectic' background to House

     Rep. Jim Knoblach (IR-St. Cloud) believes timing 
is everything.
     He had thought in the past about running for 
public office, but as a business owner, he needed to 
devote himself first to the direct mail company he 
owned in St. Cloud, Minn. But in 1993, Knoblach 
received a phone call "out of the blue" from 
someone interested in buying his company, North 
Star Direct. He sold. 
     Soon after, Knoblach heard that his state 
representative, Dave Gruenes, would not seek re-
election. Knoblach figured his opportunity had 
arrived. He announced his 
candidacy.
     The campaign went without a hitch, he said. He 
faced no challenger for the Independent-Republican 
nomination, and had no primary opponent. And he 
and his DFL opponent, whom he describes as a 
"great guy," agreed not to engage in negative 
campaign.
     In addition to knocking on doors, Knoblach used 
his business knowledge to campaign by direct mail. 
He also knew many people in his district because he 
grew up in St. Cloud. He called on high school, 
family, and business contacts for support.
     Though Knoblach had never held public office, 
he's no stranger to the legislative process. He 
earned a master's degree in American government 
from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. 
While attending school there in 1986, he worked 
for one year with the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on 
Intergovernmental Relations.
     Knoblach also holds an undergraduate degree in 
economics and business administration from St. 
John's University in Collegeville, Minn., and a 
master's degree in business administration from 
Harvard University. 
     One of the best parts of his new job is the sheer 
number of issues that come before the Legislature, 
he said. Knoblach enjoys studying, debating, and 
forming an opinion about different issues, he said.
     "There's no one burning issue that caused me to 
run for public office," Knoblach said. "Instead, it was 
a feeling of obligation  to give something back to a 
state and community that have been very good to 
me."
     Knoblach said he is very concerned about the 
size and growth of government and wants to 
improve the way services are delivered so the 
public is better served. He is also particularly 
concerned about children's issues.
     Knoblach serves on the Capital Investment 
Committee, Governmental Operations Committee 
and its Gambling and State Government Finance 
divisions. He also serves on the Legislative 
Commission on Employee Relations and the 
Advisory Council on Gambling.
     "I was happy with the committee assignments 
because I like working with numbers," he said. 
Besides being a certified public accountant, 
Knoblach has had a hand in a number of businesses. 
He calls his business background "eclectic."
     Knoblach remains a part owner of a real estate 
business as well as a small publishing company in 
St. Cloud. In an earlier career, he was in 
management at MediSense, an international 
biotechnology company that manufactures and 
markets blood glucose meters for diabetics and also 
did hazardous waste cleanup research. 
     "It's hard, at times, answering people when they 
ask me what I do for a living," Knoblach said.
     As a legislator, Knoblach finds that on most days, 
he's busy all day long.
     "I expected that," he said.
     But he easily found time to take off in late 
February to be present for the birth of his 
daughter, Laura Ellen, who was born Feb. 23. He 
and wife, Janet, also have a two-year-old son, 
Daniel. 
     In their spare time, which he says is now 
"almost non-existent," the couple enjoys camping 
and hiking. Knoblach is also an avid runner and in 
past summers has done a "fair amount" of mountain 
climbing.  He has a certificate in his office earned 
five years ago for climbing Mount Rainier in 
Washington state.
     "But with two kids, my wife has encouraged me 
to put the days of serious mountain climbing 
behind me," he said. "It's too risky." 
     Instead,  Knoblach looks forward to a busy 
legislative session. He praised the freshmen 
legislators.
     "I'm impressed with the other legislators. And 
with the freshmen. We have a great class on both 
sides of the aisle," he said.

-- Jean Thilmany

District 16B

Population: 33,231
Distribution: 86.23 percent urban; 13.77 
     percent rural
County: Stearns
Largest city: St. Cloud
Location: central Minnesota
Unemployment rate: 4.87 percent
Residents living below poverty level: 13.76 
     percent
1992 presidential election results:
Bush/Quayle     36.58 percent
Clinton/Gore     38.28 percent
Perot/Stockdale     24.08 percent
Other:     1.06 percent

New members . . . 
Dr. Mulder wants to improve quality of rural life 

     Is there a doctor in the House?
     Yes, indeed. He's Rep. Richard Mulder, who has 
spent the past 25 years as a family physician in 
Ivanhoe, Minn., a town of 751 people in the 
southwestern corner of the state.
     After treating more than 17,000 patients, 
Mulder believes he has learned some things that 
should serve him well at the Capitol.
     Mulder has been active in "medical politics" for 
many years -- as a trustee of the Minnesota 
Medical Association and a past president of the 
Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians. And he 
was appointed, in 1992, by Gov. Arne Carlson to the 
Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.
     In that same year, Mulder won Independent-
Republican endorsement for a seat in the Minnesota 
House of Representatives. That campaign did not 
end in victory, but when he ran again last 
November, he won the District 21B seat, formerly 
occupied by DFL Rep. Andy Steensma.
     As a member of the minority party, Mulder said 
he doesn't have "any illusion" that he will be able to 
change major state policies, but he hopes to 
communicate his ideas to legislators on both sides 
of the aisle. His membership on the Health and 
Human Services Committee and its finance division 
will give him a voice in the ongoing health care 
policy debate.
     Mulder is convinced that government 
involvement in health care, including this state's 
MinnesotaCare program, has "increased the cost of 
health care." 
     "Rural health care has been an area where I've 
developed expertise," Mulder said. He has made 
more than 30 lobbying trips to Washington, D.C., to 
correct what he contends are inequities in Medicare 
payments to rural doctors and hospitals.
     Mulder also is concerned about the "continued 
gradual deterioration of the quality of life out in 
rural Minnesota." 
     He recalled that 25 years ago, he used to deliver 
75 to 100 babies a year. The babies were born to 
married couples who wanted and "could afford the 
child." 
     In recent years, he has delivered about 25 
babies a year. The mothers are "almost all on 
welfare, many of them are not married," and some 
of the babies are not wanted.
     The plight of mothers and their babies leads 
Mulder to conclude that "there's been a radical 
change in this state the last 25 years and it's not for 
the better."
     Instead of relying on government, Mulder says a 
way must be found "to reinvent the family . . . to 
solidify the family unit," and ensure that people 
"have a proper income so that the state won't have 
to do everything for them because the state's a poor 
mother. The state just can't raise children like good 
parents can."
     In Mulder's view, government taxation has 
become too burdensome on people who have "lost 
their discretionary income, and they've said: 'No, 
enough's enough!'"
     Bringing government budgets back in line means 
cutting spending, and Mulder says that is "going to 
hurt and everybody's going to feel the pain."
     But there's pain for legislators, too, as they 
endure the stress of long legislative sessions. "I've 
already treated a few," said Mulder.
     The House doctor has done some "cursory 
examinations" of legislators and staff members and, 
in one case, recommended that a person see a 
doctor to get a prescription. (He won't write 
prescriptions because he "can't keep medical 
records" at his legislative office.)
     "Without practicing medicine, I've tried to give 
some good advice to several people," he said. "It's 
worked out . . . medicine, like government, is a lot 
of common sense stuff."
     Mulder and his wife, Ruth, who campaigned with 
him and works in his office at the Capitol, have four 
children: Ricky, 28; Angela, 27; Stefini, 24; and 
Curtis, 21.
     As for hobbies, Mulder says, "I love to fly." He 
towed a banner behind his Cessna 182 while 
campaigning the 100-mile length of his district. He 
also finds time to play penny ante poker, scuba 
dive, and build radios and stereos.
     Mulder appreciates the complexity of problems 
facing Minnesotans and admits that he doesn't have 
"all the answers."
     He pledges to do his best for his constituents. "I 
hope I have some knowledge and experience that I 
can bring to the people here, and maybe I can help 
them make the right decisions."

-- Mordecai Specktor

District 21B

Population: 33,068
Distribution: 52.31 percent urban; 47.69 
     percent rural
Counties:  Lincoln, Lyon, Nobles, Pipestone, 
     Rock
Largest city: Pipestone
Location: southwestern Minnesota
Unemployment rate: 3.97 percent
Residents living below poverty level: 13.82 
     percent
1992 presidential election results:
Bush/Quayle     35.73 percent
Clinton/Gore     36.79 percent
Perot/Stockdale     25.75 percent
Other:     1.73 percent

Rep. Joel Jacobs retires from House

     Rep. Joel Jacobs (DFL-Coon Rapids) resigned from 
the House of Representatives March 5 when he was 
appointed to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) 
by Gov. Arne Carlson.
      Jacobs, who was first elected to the House in 
1972, was in his 12th term. He chaired the House 
Regulated Industries and Energy Committee.
     The governor has called an April 4 special 
election to fill the vacated seat in District 49B. If 
necessary, a special primary election will be held 
March 21.
     In valedictory remarks at the close of the House 
floor session March 2, Jacobs said he was moving to 
the PUC "with mixed emotions. I have always loved 
this body like my family."
     Jacobs praised the "absolutely superb" House 
staff members, and thanked fellow lawmakers.
     "I've really enjoyed working with you. This is a 
great place, a great body. It's true we have 
differences of opinion, but nevertheless we are 
friends and continue to be friends." 
     The five-member PUC regulates the prices and 
services of telephone, natural gas, and electric 
utilities.
     House Speaker Irv Anderson (DFL-Int'l Falls) on 
March 7 appointed Rep. Steve Trimble (DFL-St. 
Paul) to take Jacobs' position as chair of the House 
Regulated Industries and Energy Committee.
     Trimble is a teacher who was elected to the 
House in 1986. This will be his first time as a 
committee chair.
     Anderson said that Trimble's "familiarity with 
energy issues and his ability to promote healthy 
discussion and consensus-building will make him 
an excellent chairman."

Richard Stanek elected to House

     The latest member of the Minnesota House is 
Rep. Richard Stanek, a 33-year-old Minneapolis 
police officer who won a special election bid March 
7.
     He fills the District 33B seat vacated by former 
Rep. Warren Limmer (IR-Maple Grove) who won a 
special election to the Senate Feb. 2. 
     Stanek (IR-Maple Grove), who holds a bachelor's 
degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in 
public administration, is the chair of the Peace 
Officers Standards and Training Board, which 
handles ethical concerns and licensing standards for 
police officers.
     He is expected to receive his House committee 
assignments soon after he is sworn in March 13.

1995 House Subcommittees

     Note: The subcommittees listed below were 
formed after we published the Committee 
Information section in the Jan. 13, 1995, issue of 
the Session Weekly, pages 10-13. 

Agriculture

Agriculture Finance & Rural Development

Chair: Winter
Vice  Chair: Schumacher
Cooper
Dauner
Finseth
Harder
Hugoson
Koppendrayer
Kraus
Otremba
Peterson
Sarna
Wenzel

Dairy Policy & Soil & Water Conservation

Chair: Otremba
Vice Chair: Lourey
Davids
Hugoson
Jaros
Koppendrayer
Molnau
Peterson
Schumacher
Swenson
Wenzel
Winter


Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs

Consumer Affairs

Chair: Entenza
Farrell
Goodno
Holsten
Jennings
Lynch
Milbert
Pellow
Pugh
Sarna
Swenson, H.
Tomassoni

Economic Equality

Chair: Luther
Daggett
Hasskamp
Kelso
Mulder
Peterson
Sarna

Real Estate & Commerce

Chair: Perlt
Bradley
Erhardt
Kelso
Kraus
Ness
Peterson
Pugh
Rice
Swenson, D.
Sarna
Smith
Tomassoni

Tourism

Chair: Hasskamp
Daggett
Farrell
Holsten
Kelso
Kinkel
Lynch
Ness
Sarna
Swenson, D.
Tomassoni


General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections

Veterans Affairs

Co-Chair: McCollum
Co-Chair: Opatz
Davids
Knight
Munger
Orfield
Osthoff
Rhodes
Rostberg
Simoneau


Governmental Operations

Administrative Rules

Chair: Greiling
Vice Chair: Perlt
Anderson, Bruce
Johnson, B.
Kahn
Knoblach
Pugh
Rostberg


Housing

Reclaiming & Recycling Vacant Housing

Co-Chair: Dawkins
Co-Chair: Wejcman
Clark
McElroy
Kinkel
Olson, M.
Sykora
Trimble


Judiciary

Civil Law

Chair: Pugh
Dawkins
Entenza
Lynch
Orenstein
Seagren
Skoglund
Smith
Solberg
Swenson, D.

Data Practices

Chair: McGuire
Luther
Macklin
Pugh
Rhodes
Skoglund
Van Engen


Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs

Local Government

Co-Chair: Otremba
Co-Chair: Schumacher
Bertram
Broecker
Johnson, V.
Larsen
Long
Opatz
Rostberg
Wenzel

Metropolitan Government

Chair: Kelley
Garcia
Krinkie
Long
Mahon
McGuire
Orfield
Osskopp
Tompkins
Weaver


Rules & Legislative Administration

Administration

Chair: Carruthers
Abrams
Anderson, I.
Lynch
Pugh
Rest
Sarna
Sviggum
Weaver

Personnel

Chair: Carlson
Anderson, I.
Carruthers
Delmont
Koppendrayer
Lynch
Rest
Sviggum

Rules

Chair: McCollum
Anderson, I.
Bettermann
Carruthers
Lynch
Munger
Pawlenty
Sviggum
Trimble
Winter


Transportation & Transit

Transportation Regulation

Chair: Schumacher
Broecker
Cooper
Kelso
Krinkie
Mariani
McElroy
Workman
Tunheim

Transportation Safety

Chair: Mahon
Bradley
Kalis
Rhodes
Tompkins
Wagenius
Winter
Tunheim

Transportation Systems

Chair: Marko
Frerichs
Hugoson
Kalis
Knight
Lieder
Osthoff
Tunheim

Minnesota's past . . . 
Ku Klux Klan made inroads during the 1920s

     In the early 1920s, Warren Harding was in the 
White House, middle America was discovering the 
automobile, and the Ku Klux Klan was in its heyday 
in Minnesota.
     "How many members it had in the state is 
unknown, but certain it is that there was hardly a 
village or township that did not have some Knight 
of the Invisible Empire who went forth . . . and in 
the presence of a flaming cross pledge allegiance to 
the cause of Caucasian-Protestant-Gentile 
supremacy," wrote Theodore Christianson in 
Minnesota, The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters.
     Membership dues were $10, and a 1921 
congressional investigation of the Klan gave the 
organization "much free publicity and many new 
members," Christianson wrote.
     Minneapolis was reported to have 10 separate 
Klan groups, and there was even an official Klan 
publication.
     The Call of the North was a weekly newspaper 
started in July 1923 devoted to promoting the Klan 
agenda and reporting news of the day. It was 
replaced by the Minnesota Fiery Cross in February 
1924.
     A newspaper ad sold "fiery crosses," emblems 
made of stone with the KKK insignia fashioned from 
the "famous Pipestone quarries." Watch charms sold 
for 90 cents. And emblems that were 14 inches 
high "on a natural stone base" sold for $35.
     The Klan was indeed spread throughout 
Minnesota. The first Klan parade was staged Aug. 
31, 1923, in Albert Lea, according to a Call of the 
North article. New members were inducted, or 
"naturalized," at the Blue Earth County fairgrounds, 
"so located that outsiders may assemble in the 
grandstand and get a full view of a very beautiful 
ceremony." 
     Klansmen were encouraged to complete an order 
form at the parade and order their robes "at the 
earliest possible date." The Klan had their own plant 
to manufacture the robes, which sold for $5 apiece. 
     The Mankato Free Press reported an Aug. 17, 
1923, cross burning. It was a "class of candidates" 
who were taken to Pigeon Hill and were 
"naturalized according to the ritualism of the 
Invisible Empire," the Call of the North reported. 
"Tell the world, Murphy, the Kluxers are in Kato and 
there to stay."
     Other clan gatherings outside the Twin Cities 
were reported in Duluth, Red Wing, and Sherburn. 
     But the Klan had its detractors as well.
     "People have a right to be protected from 
masked mobs who take the law into their own 
hands and commit the most heinous crimes under 
the guise of enforcing public morality -- their own 
pet variety of morality," wrote C.J. Buell, in the 
Minnesota Legislature of 1923.
     The Legislature agreed with Buell.
     Rep. Myrtle Cain, one of the first women elected 
to the Legislature, gained nationwide acclaim for 
tackling the Klan.
     The bill she introduced in 1923 seemed innocent 
enough. It prohibited the wearing of masks or other 
disguises to conceal a person's identity. Violation of 
the law was a misdemeanor. Designed to stop the 
Klan from hiding behind their white masks, it 
passed the House on a 96-2 vote.
     During Senate deliberations on the proposal, G.F. 
Clark appeared before the General Legislation 
Committee. He claimed to represent the KKK of 
Oregon, and declared that if the bill was passed, "he 
would see to it that all parochial schools were 
abolished in Minnesota as they had been in Oregon," 
Buell wrote.
     Not dissuaded, the Senate unanimously passed 
the bill the following day.
     Buell noted that "masked mobs who ride by 
night, by the very masks and regalia which conceal 
their identity, thereby proclaim themselves 
cowards, lawbreakers and criminals."
     Today, Minnesota lawmakers are revisiting the 
same law, this time to allow concealing one's 
identity for religious purposes. (See related story, 
page 6.)
     Evidence detailing the decline of the Klan is 
sketchy. A 1967 book by Kenneth T. Jackson notes 
that the Klan's hopes for success in the Twin Cities 
were "damaged severely" by a 1923 lawsuit. 
Minneapolis Mayor George Leach brought a 
successful libel suit against five Klansmen, one of 
whom aspired to take Leach's office.
     "By and large," wrote Theodore Blegen, in 
Minnesota: A History of the State, "Minnesota good 
sense did not bow to the furtive intimidations of 
intolerance. The Klan was anathema to most 
Minnesotans."

-- John Tschida

Research provided by Elizabeth Lincoln of the 
Legislative Reference Library.

In the Hopper . . . March 3 - 9, 1995
BILL INTRODUCTIONS

Monday, March 6

HF1078--Farrell (DFL)
Education
School district crime related cost levy increase 
provided.

HF1079--Ostrom (DFL)
Education
Junior and senior high school talented student 
needs assessment conducted, and money 
appropriated.

HF1080--Jefferson (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Local government official participation limited in 
Public Employee Retirement Association defined 
benefit plan.

HF1081--Boudreau (IR)
Health & Human Services
Faribault Regional Center downsized and 
governance transferred to Department of 
Correctons, Southern Cities Community Health Clinic 
provisions modified, and crisis intervention services 
provided for developmentally disabled persons.

HF1082--Olson, E. (DFL)
Agriculture
Cooperative optional voting systems provided.

HF1083--Lieder (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Highway user tax distribution fund apportionment 
maintained.

HF1084--Kahn (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; Congress 
memorialized to provide an expiration date on 
tribal-state gaming compacts.

HF1085--Farrell (DFL)
Governmental Operations
St. Paul police and fire consolidation account 
postretirement benefit reductions limited.

HF1086--Seagren (IR)
Education
School districts authorized to levy for insurance 
costs.

HF1087--Leighton (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Used motor oil and filter collection required, 
reimbursement provided, and contaminated used 
motor oil reimbursement account established.

HF1088--Pellow (IR)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Sign contractor state licensure authorized, penalties 
and rule adoption provided, and money 
appropriated.

HF1089--Johnson, A. (DFL)
Education
School district referendum allowance reduction 
discontinued.

HF1090--Wejcman (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Inpatient psychiatric coverage for children 
provided medical assistance coverage.

HF1091--Entenza (DFL)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Transient merchant sales of baby food and health 
related items regulated, and penalties provided.

HF1092--Kahn (DFL)
Governmental Operations
State university and state community college 
systems individual retirement account plans 
recodified.

HF1093--Lynch (IR)
Regulated Industries & Energy
Telecommunication Access for Communication-
Impaired Persons Board  (TACIP) eliminated, and 
duties transferred to the Department of Public 
Service and Department of Human Services.

HF1094--Johnson, A. (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Legislative Commission on Children, Youth, and 
their Families responsibilities extended, and money 
appropriated.

HF1095--Rest (DFL)
Judiciary
Crime victim and witness identity public access 
provisions modified.

HF1096--Milbert (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Wild animal and plant emergency protection rule 
adoption authority granted to Department of 
Natural Resources commissioner.

HF1097--Osthoff (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Gambling banned and constitutional amendment 
proposed.

HF1098--Mariani (DFL)
Judiciary
Contract for deed and assignment recording 
required.

HF1099--Greenfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
MinnesotaCare health data institute data and 
research initiatives modified.

HF1100--Munger (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Packaging Act; packaging and products provided 
recycled content requirements, and transport, 
disposable, and reusable packaging regulated, 
deceptive environmental claims prohibited, wood 
waste and residue plan required, penalties 
provided.

HF1101--Trimble (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Water resources protection laws provided technical 
corrections.

HF1102--Jefferson (DFL)
Judiciary
Transitional housing services recipient identity data 
classified as private.

HF1103--Hausman (DFL)
International Trade & Economic Development
Civic and convention center benefit assessment 
required.

HF1104--Hausman (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Prairie Island; radioactive spent fuel storage cask 
testing, certification, and approval required prior to 
use, and penalties provided.

HF1105--Leighton (DFL)
Judiciary
Parentage Act; paternity presumption for husbands 
eliminated in certain cases, and husbands allowed 
to join in parentage recognition.

HF1106--Cooper (DFL)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Lobbying prohibited by campaign committees or 
political party committees that issue refund receipt 
forms.

HF1107--Ness (IR)
Education
Higher education career planning and job placement 
activities required.

HF1108--Bettermann (IR)
Labor-Management Relations
Little Davis-Bacon Act; prevailing wage provisions 
modified.

HF1109--Luther (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Intermediate care facilities for persons with mental 
retardation pilot project provided, and money 
appropriated.

HF1110--Lynch (IR)
Health & Human Services
Woman's right to know act adopted, and money 
appropriated.

HF1111--Rostberg (IR)
Environment & Natural Resources
Isanti County Lake Francis tax-forfeited land sale 
authorized.

HF1112--Knoblach (IR)
Judiciary
Civil action witness contingency payment 
prohibited.

HF1113--Kelley (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Volunteer services office duties to include citizen 
participation activities, and money appropriated.

HF1114--Entenza (DFL)
Housing
Affordable housing policies implemented by 
Metropolitan Council.

HF1115--Osskopp (IR)
Environment & Natural Resources
Goodhue County removed as the specified 
alternative site for dry cask nuclear waste storage.

HF1116--Lynch (IR)
Governmental Operations
Interpreter employed by Legislature to assist 
hearing impaired persons in interaction with the 
Legislature.

HF1117--Long (DFL)
International Trade & Economic Development
Tourism office to devote 20 percent of budget to 
international tourism development.

HF1118--Schumacher (DFL)
Ways & Means
License fee refund required by Department of 
Public Safety if drivers' licenses, permits, or 
identification cards are not issued within six weeks 
from application.

HF1119--Hasskamp (DFL)
Judiciary
Resort and recreational area civil liability limited, 
and attorney fees provided in certain cases.

HF1120--Pelowski (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Public legislative information television 
transmission funding provided, and money 
appropriated.

HF1121--Lieder (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Gasoline tax rate changed, Metropolitan Council 
transit bonding limits removed, metropolitan area 
sales tax imposed, road pricing study continued, 
and trunk highway turnback study required.

HF1122--Ozment (IR)
Agriculture
Livestock freeze branding identification authorized.

HF1123--Skoglund (DFL)
Judiciary
Criminal justice information system fingerprinting 
and diversion data provisions modified, and money 
appropriated.

HF1124--Ozment (IR)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Liquor license and permit requirements modified.

HF1125--McGuire (DFL)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
County auditor, treasurer, and recorder offices filled 
by appointment, and conforming changes provided.

HF1126--Kelso (DFL)
Education
Charter school provisions modified to allow 
additional schools and sponsors.

HF1127--Orfield (DFL)
Education
Student skills statewide assessment provided, and 
money appropriated.

HF1128--Johnson, V. (IR)
Environment & Natural Resources
Wastewater treatment dispute mediation provided, 
sewage sludge definition modified, and permit fee 
increase rules provided.

HF1129--Van Engen (IR)
Health & Human Services
Transition services established and defined, 
children's out-of-state services cost payment 
continued, community based service grants 
provided for emotionally disturbed adolescents, 
early childhood care committee and family safety 
provided.

HF1130--Simoneau (DFL)
Financial Institutions & Insurance
MinnesotaCare waiting period eliminated, 
comprehensive health association benefits modified, 
and enrollment freeze date changed.

HF1131--Krinkie (IR)
Taxes
Residential homestead property tax class rates 
modified.

HF1132--Jennings (DFL)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Brewer retail restrictions not applicable to brewers 
who only manufacture in a brewery-restaurant.

HF1133--Farrell (DFL)
Judiciary
Hospital zone defined and drug related crimes 
expanded to include conduct within hospital zones.

HF1134--Schumacher (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Minimum vehicle clearance required when passing 
a bicycle or pedestrian on a roadway or bikeway, 
certain conduct toward bicycle riders prohibited, 
and penalties imposed.

HF1135--Kelley (DFL)
Education
Minnesota institute for telecommunications 
applications and education established at the 
University of Minnesota, duties and responsibilities 
specified, and money appropriated.

HF1136--Clark (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Marijuana and Tetrahydrocannabinols prescription 
by physicians allowed for medical treatment.


Thursday, March 9

HF1137--Wagenius (DFL)
Judiciary
Public nuisance violation grounds and procedures 
modified, and resolution meetings provided.

HF1138--Brown (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources Finance
Environment and natural resources appropriations 
reduced.

HF1139--Simoneau (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Oxygenated gasoline standards prescribed.

HF1140--Johnson, A. (DFL)
Education
Education appropriations reduced.

HF1141--Dawkins (DFL)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
New democracy act adopted, fusion candidacy 
provided, citizen campaign jury established, minors 
aged 16 and over allowed to vote in school board 
elections, money appropriated, and constitutional 
amendment proposed.

HF1142--Jaros (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Duluth Teachers Retirement Association benefit 
computation formulas increased.

HF1143--Bertram (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Public Employees Retirement Association police and 
fire fund members prior military service credit 
provided.

HF1144--Rest (DFL)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Candidates for elective office residency 
requirement provided, and constitutional 
amendment proposed.

HF1145--Perlt (DFL)
Labor-Management Relations
Reemployment insurance provisions modified.

HF1146--Bettermann (IR)
Labor-Management Relations
Collective bargaining agreements provided to 
address certain obligations and procedures relating 
to workers' compensation.

HF1147--Van Engen (IR)
Labor-Management Relations
Workers' compensation supplementary benefits 
eliminated.

HF1148--Dehler (IR)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Election judges permitted to serve outside of the 
counties in which they reside in certain cases.

HF1149--McElroy (IR)
Transportation & Transit
Noise abatement provided along freeways and 
expressways.

HF1150--Bertram (DFL)
Education
Volunteer firefighter training funding provided, 
and money appropriated.

HF1151--Opatz (DFL)
Education
Higher education merger restructured, campus 
functions and duties altered, and higher education 
allocation ranges specified.

HF1152--Schumacher (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Independent School District No. 51, Foley, employee 
authorized prior service credit purchase.

HF1153--Schumacher (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Paratransit operation outside of service area 
authorized for cities, counties, and transit 
commissions.

HF1154--Lynch (IR)
Health & Human Services
Independent living skills training and support 
services for hearing impaired persons pilot project 
established.

HF1155--Ostrom (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Insurance benefit reinstatement provided for 
certain state employee.

HF1156--Long (DFL)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
Metropolitan livable communities advisory board 
and fund established, and Metropolitan Mosquito 
Control Commission and district provisions 
modified.

HF1157--Kelley (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Psychology Board duties, licensure provisions, and 
discipline procedures modified, and penalties 
provided.

HF1158--Davids (IR)
Health & Human Services
Woman's right to know act adopted.

HF1159--Jefferson (DFL)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
Municipalities authorized to establish trust or 
escrow accounts for losses due to destruction of 
uninsured real property, and municipal control over 
such property provided.

HF1160--Trimble (DFL)
Economic Development, Infrastructure
& Regulation Finance
Contamination cleanup grants funded, and money 
appropriated.

HF1161--Simoneau (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Interstate Highway No. 394 parking ramp high 
occupancy vehicle incentives expanded to users of 
other highways.

HF1162--Lieder (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
County state-aid highway system mile limitation 
removed, screening board composition changed, 
gasoline excise tax rate modified, and money 
appropriated.

HF1163--Lieder (DFL)
Education
Independent School District No. 604, Mentor, fund 
transfer authorized.

HF1164--Hausman (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Hazardous substance release action funding 
provided.

HF1165--Lynch (IR)
Judiciary
Sport shooting range assumed risk description 
provided.

HF1166--Krinkie (IR)
Transportation & Transit
Limited driver's license issuance hearing 
procedures and standards adopted by Department 
of Public Safety commissioner.

HF1167--Seagren (IR)
Health & Human Services
Woman's right to know act adopted.

HF1168--Weaver (IR)
Judiciary
Fleeing a peace officer and obstruction of legal 
process penalties increased.

HF1169--Wagenius (DFL)
Education
Kindergarten student funding increased, 
kindergarten preparedness program prescribed and 
required, levy created, and money appropriated.

HF1170--Kelley (DFL)
Education
Post-secondary learning needs statewide 
consortium established, open learning institution 
studied, and money appropriated.

HF1171--Holsten (IR)
Transportation & Transit
Amateur radio station licensee vehicle special 
license plate appearance modified.

HF1172--Macklin (IR)
Taxes
Airport property tax exemption provided.

HF1173--Wagenius (DFL)
Taxes
Commercial industrial property located in transit 
zones provided reduced property tax class rate.

HF1174--Marko (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Special transportation service providers regulated 
by Department of Transportation commissioner, 
data classified, and fees and penalties provided.

HF1175--Molnau (IR)
Judiciary
Dangerous weapon criminal code definition 
modified related to weapon possession in school 
zones.

HF1176--Peterson (DFL)
Agriculture
Farmed cervidae provisions modified.

HF1177--Hugoson (IR)
Agriculture
Department of Agriculture reporting requirements 
modified.

HF1178--Simoneau (DFL)
Financial Institutions & Insurance
No-fault automobile insurance rental vehicle 
coverage provisions modified.

HF1179--Lourey (DFL)
Agriculture
Federal milk marketing order legal action provided 
continued funding, and money appropriated.

HF1180--Mariani (DFL)
Education
Teachers of Color Program provided appropriation 
carryover.

HF1181--Peterson (DFL)
Judiciary
Conciliation court contempt citation provided for 
judgment payment failure.

HF1182--Dawkins (DFL)
Taxes
Rental equity tax program established in 
Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and certain other 
cities.

HF1183--Boudreau (IR)
Health & Human Services
Human services health insurance coverage 
provisions modified, committed persons firearms 
background check, paternity and child support 
provisions modified, and pediatric vaccine coverage 
by medical assistance provided.

HF1184--Jennings (DFL)
Financial Institutions & Insurance
Omnibus financial institutions technical corrections 
bill.

HF1185--Smith (IR)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Uniform Commercial Code revised Article 8 enacted 
regulating investment securities.

HF1186--Pugh (DFL)
Ways & Means
Strategic and Long-Range Planning Office abolished, 
and powers, duties, and responsibilities transferred.

HF1187--Clark (DFL)
Housing
Low-cost housing service grant provided to certain 
community organization, and money appropriated.

HF1188--Van Engen (IR)
Health & Human Services
Health care access offices provided grants, and 
money appropriated.

HF1189--Leppik (IR)
Judiciary
Guardian ad litem juvenile and family court 
responsibilities specified.

HF1190--Leppik (IR)
Health & Human Services
Woman's right to know act adopted.

HF1191--Carlson (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Trout and salmon stamp required to possess trout 
or salmon taken by angling.

HF1192--Hasskamp (DFL)
Taxes
Breezy Point lodging tax proceeds disposition 
specified.

HF1193--Jennings (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Crisis Nursery Grant Program appropriated money.

HF1194--Rukavina (DFL)
Economic Development, Infrastructure 
& Regulation Finance
Regional arts councils appropriations allocated.

HF1195--Carruthers (DFL)
Judiciary
Criminal surcharge and assessment provisions 
modified.

HF1196--Rice (DFL)
Taxes
Corporate franchise tax differential rate imposed on 
banks.

HF1197--Farrell (DFL)
Labor-Management Relations
Department of Labor and Industry occupational 
safety and health definitions and procedures 
modified.

HF1198--Hasskamp (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Wild animal special possession and transportation 
permit issuance authorized.

HF1199--Simoneau (DFL)
Education
Post-secondary education credit bank established, 
and money appropriated.

HF1200--Lieder (DFL)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
Crookston tax increment financing district 
exempted from state aid offset.

HF1201--Greenfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Health and human services appropriations reduced.

HF1202--Lieder (DFL)
Economic Development, Infrastructure 
& Regulatiom Finance
Department of Transportation and Department of 
Public Safety appropriations reduced.

HF1203--Greenfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Human services alternative health care and 
waivered service programs appropriated money.

HF1204--Dawkins (DFL)
Labor-Management Relations
Messenger and courier employment status clarified 
for workers' compensation purposes.

HF1205--Rukavina (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Department of Administration, Department of 
Employee Relations, Department of Finance, 
Department of Human Rights, Department of 
Military Affairs, and Department of Revenue 
appropriations reduced.

HF1206--Jaros (DFL)
Taxes
State convention center construction materials and 
supplies exempted from sales and use tax.

HF1207--Winter (DFL)
Transportation & Transit
Vehicle combinations over 65 feet in length 
permitted when safe.

HF1208--Tompkins (IR)
Health & Human Services
Human Services Employment and Training Program 
eligibility expanded, stepparent's needs disregards 
applied, and assistance unit eligibility expanded.

HF1209--Orfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Work readiness programs in Ramsey and Hennipen 
counties replaced with public works training 
program.

HF1210--Greenfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Home care service provider registration required 
for elderly service providers.

HF1211--Lieder (DFL)
International Trade & Economic Development
Public contractor performance bond posting 
requirements modified for certain manufacturers.

HF1212--Leighton (DFL)
Economic Development, Infrastructure 
& Regulation Finance
Minnesota Project Innovation provided funding for 
government marketing assistance and small 
business innovation research partnering programs, 
and money appropriated.

HF1213--Macklin (IR)
Judiciary
Uniform partnership act of 1995 adopted.

HF1214--Cooper (DFL)
Health & Human Services
First responder defined, licensure required, and 
penalties provided.

HF1215--Huntley (DFL)
Regulated Industries & Energy
WAPA; President and Congress memorialized to 
abandon the proposed sale of the Western Area 
Power Administration.

HF1216--Bertram (DFL)
Taxes
Farm electricity use sales tax exemption extended.

HF1217--Otremba (DFL)
Education
Independent School District Nos. 789, Clarissa, and 
790, Eagle Bend, provided alternative debt service 
plans.

HF1218--Carruthers (DFL)
Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs
Certified and licensed public accountant biennial 
licensure renewal provided.

HF1219--Holsten (IR)
Governmental Operations
Leif Erikson statue on State Capitol grounds 
rehabilitation provided, and money appropriated.

HF1220--Carlson (DFL)
Education
Special education cooperatives and intermediate 
school districts provided special education aid 
payment.

HF1221--Rest (DFL)
Labor-Management Relations
Public employment labor relations provisions 
modified.

HF1222--Long (DFL)
Taxes
Charitable organizations exempted from downtown 
taxing area sales tax.

HF1223--Long (DFL)
International Trade  & Economic Development
Community organization provided funding to 
provide business opportunities, and money 
appropriated.

HF1224--Pugh (DFL)
Judiciary
Automobile insurance proof of coverage 
enforcement provided.

HF1225--Lourey (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Rural physician substitute demonstration project 
established, and money appropriated.

HF1226--Sviggum (IR)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Recall provided for elected state officers and 
constitutional amendment proposed.

HF1227--Holsten (IR)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
Sport shooting ranges provided civil and criminal 
liability immunity.

HF1228--Kahn (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Affirmative action officers provided for state 
universities, community colleges, and technical 
colleges.

HF1229--Osthoff (DFL)
International Trade & Economic Development
Job Skills Partnership Board in St. Paul 
appropriated money.

HF1230--Leighton (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Extended employment program audits provided, 
payments required, and money appropriated.

HF1231--Rest (DFL)
Local Government & Metro Affairs
Municipal population estimates provided for 
annexed territory.

HF1232--Mariani (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Ramsey County residential facility for persons with 
mental illness downsized.

HF1233--Goodno (IR)
Judiciary
Business name certificate filing failure cost 
assessment exception provided.

HF1234--Carruthers (DFL)
Judiciary
Emotional anguish and grief civil cause of action 
provided as a result of a wrongful death.

HF1235--Brown (DFL)
Judiciary
Review organization data and information subject to 
subpoena and discovery.

HF1236--Schumacher (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Sand Dunes State Forest shooting area established, 
and money appropriated.

HF1237--Jaros (DFL)
Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs
Duluth special service district creation area 
provisions modified.

HF1238--Trimble (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Metropolitan area surface and groundwater 
management planning, development, review, and 
reporting provided.

HF1239--Commers (IR)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Candidates prohibited from accepting certain 
contributions.

HF1240--Kinkel (DFL)
Education
Students allowed to participate in extracurricular 
activities of other schools.

HF1241--Luther (DFL)
Judiciary
Prostitution profits benefit limitation provided.

HF1242--Farrell (DFL)
Labor-Management Relations
Occupational safety and health requirements 
extended to independent contractors.

HF1243--Greenfield (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Prescription drug purchasing authority created, 
senior citizen drug purchasing benefit program 
established, and money appropriated.

HF1244--Kahn (DFL)
Governmental Operations
St. Paul Relief Association former member service 
credit provided.

HF1245--Bettermann (IR)
Governmental Operations
Minnesota quality college program established in 
Department of Employee Relations, and money 
appropriated.

HF1246--Greiling (DFL)
Health & Human Services
Child care operations for school aged children not 
operated by schools provided licensure 
requirement.

HF1247--Pugh (DFL)
Judiciary
Trial court judgeships increased, and money 
appropriated.

HF1248--Dawkins (DFL)
Judiciary
Peace Officers Standards and Training Board 
licensee discipline basis specified.

HF1249--Pugh (DFL)
Judiciary
Adult basic education funding expanded, and 
money appropriated.

HF1250--Entenza (DFL)
Education
School breakfast and lunch programs appropriated 
money.

HF1251--Davids (IR)
Health & Human Services
Nursing home swing bed provisions modified.

HF1252--Vickerman (IR)
Regulated Industries & Energy
Cellular telephone service providers required to 
notify users of 911 call procedures.

HF1253--Seagren (IR)
Judiciary
Crime Victim Ombudsman Office duties clarified.

HF1254--Larsen (IR)
Education
School district referendum allowance reduction 
discontinued.

HF1255--Weaver (IR)
Environment & Natural Resources
Anoka land sale provisions modified.

HF1256--Kelley (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Federal energy standards adopted for air 
conditioners, certain gas burning equipment, lamps, 
showerheads, and faucets.

HF1257--Pelowski (DFL)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs
& Elections
Political parties issuing contribution refund receipts 
required to adopt party rules under the 
administrative procedures act.

HF1258--Hausman (DFL)
Housing
Metropolitan housing system established to 
encourage development of housing options.

HF1259--Lieder (DFL)
Environment & Natural Resources
Watershed district project property taking 
procedures clarified.

HF1260--Milbert (DFL)
Governmental Operations
Amateur Sports Commission ice arena authority 
increased, bond use authorized, and money 
appropriated.

MINNESOTA INDEX

Women in the U.S. and Minnesota

Year that the U.S. Congress designated March as 
Women's History Month     1987
Nationwide, private sector managerial jobs held by 
women, 1992      3 in 10
     professional jobs held by women     1 in 2
Percent of K-12 principals, nationwide, who were 
women, 
     1975-76 school years     12.8
     in 1992-93     37.3
Number of women veterans in Minnesota     15,812
     in the armed forces     381
Percent of adult women in Minnesota who are 
living in poverty 
     (according to federal poverty guidelines)     11
     percent of adult men living in poverty     7.5
Minnesota senior citizens who live alone     167,001
     women     132,219
     men     34,782
Minnesota women who were single, 1900     1 in 3
     in 1990     1 in 4
Ratio of marriages to divorces, 1930     8:1
     in 1990     2:1
Percent increase in the number of unmarried 
women giving birth, 1980-1990     100
Nationwide, percent of women with a bachelor's 
degree, 1990     14
     in Minnesota     17
Percent of men in Minnesota with a bachelor's 
degree, 1990     17
Median annual income, all Minnesota families, 1990     
$36,916
     female heads of families     $18,199
     in Aitkin County, lowest in Minnesota     $9,168
     in Washington County, highest in Minnesota     
$24,383
Percent of women in the seven-county metro area 
working full-time     62
     percent of non-metro women working full-time     
38
Women as a percent of the labor force, 1900     14.9

Source: Legislative Commission on the Economic 
Status of Women; Indicators of Equal Employment 
Opportunity -- Status and Trends, U.S. Equal 
Opportunity Commission.