SESSION WEEKLY A NON-PARTISAN PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 17, 1995 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 7 WEEK IN REVIEW. . . FEB. 9 - 16, 1995 HIGHLIGHTS Safety in the schools . . . Proposal would allow locker searches at any time School authorities could search the lockers of Minnesota students at any time, under a bill approved by the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 13. The proposal (HF107) states that a locker inspection could take place "for any reason at any time, without notice, without student consent, and without a search warrant." Notice of the policy would have to be distributed in advance to parents and students, and would take effect at the start of the 1995-96 school year. "The locker is public property, owned by the school and used by a student for [his or her] convenience," said bill sponsor Rep. Jim Farrell (DFL-St. Paul). Farrell told members many local school districts have policies regarding locker searches, but are afraid to enforce them for fear of a costly court challenge. A statewide policy would shift the burden to defend the policy from the individual school or district to the state, said Farrell. Minnesota courts have never specifically addressed the locker search issue. Rep. Dave Bishop (IR-Rochester) said the real issue is one of property rights, and that "guns and knives have nothing to do with it . . . they inflame the issue." Because the students don't own the lockers, the students can have no expectation of privacy, explained Bishop. But safety is what has brought the issue before the Legislature, specifically an Oct. 7, 1994 incident at Harding High School in St. Paul. Two students were shot following a school assembly and a fellow student was later charged with the assaults. Lockers were not individually searched following the incident because school authorities had "constitutional questions," Farrell said. Instead, a trained dog was brought from Arizona to "sniff out" gunpowder from the more than 1,800 student lockers. The search yielded nothing, but eight or nine lockers were opened where the dog indicated a gunpowder scent. Farrell said the bill has been carefully worded to match a Milwaukee school district policy that has been "court-tested." A challenge to that policy based on a violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unlawful search and seizure, did not succeed. The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the search policy and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case, Farrell said. Currently, 11 states have laws governing school locker searches. Many of the state policies mention weapons and drugs. Some explicitly state that there is no "reasonable expectation" of a right to privacy. A Washington law says such searches are a "reasonable and necessary tool to protect the interests of the students and the state as a whole." Farrell said he is confident the Minnesota Supreme Court would uphold the policy, if it is challenged. "I think the policy is pretty straightforward. I'm not doing anything here that the schools can't already do. The policies are out there. I'm only clarifying their authority," he said. But one member questioned the locker search proposal. "So where does this end?" asked Rep. Andy Dawkins (DFL-St. Paul). "This is a very slippery slope we're starting on here." Dawkins wondered if items stored in legislators' offices -- presumably private -- should also be subject to search because they are "owned by the public." Richard Neumeister, a citizen lobbyist involved in data privacy issues, was the only person to testify against the bill. He said it violates the Minnesota Constitution by allowing a search "without reasonable suspicion or cause." A 1994 law mandated that schools track and report to the Department of Education any incidents involving dangerous weapons on school property and in school buses carrying students. The department's first report shows that between July 1993 and July 1994 there were 872 weapons incidents. Sixty-five of those were exclusively gun incidents. Eighty-four of the state's 381 school districts did not report. HF107 now moves to the Education Committee. -- John Tschida BUSINESS Business licenses in cyberspace Minnesotans applying for business permits or licenses might be able to get what they need by booting up their computers and logging on to a state government electronic service. This "one-stop shopping" service for business permits and licenses would be available to anyone with access to a computer and modem, under a bill (HF441) approved Feb. 15 by the House Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee's Business Regulation Division. A business person would not have to "make 16 different phone calls and get 32 different answers" with the computerized system, explained the bill's author, Rep. Loren Jennings (DFL-Harris). Jenny Engh, deputy commissioner of the Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED), described the concept as a "virtual co- location of regulatory agencies." In other words, all the state departments and agencies that issue business licenses and permits would locate their information and application forms in one database that could be dialed up from a personal computer. A person would not need any special software other than an application that allows a computer to talk with another computer over a telephone line, said Engh. The system would have two parts: an electronic catalog of licenses and permits with their corresponding requirements, statutes and other useful information; and an interactive electronic application for licenses and permits. The bill would require that the electronic catalog be on-line by 1997; the electronic application system would go on-line by 1999. Using a person seeking to apply for a restaurant license as an example, Engh demonstrated how a series of computer screens would prompt an applicant for information about the business to be licensed. An actual license application form filled the computer screen, which could be either printed out and filled in manually or completed electronically. Engh showed committee members how a person could complete the license application while hooked up to the electronic system. A license fee was calculated based upon the number of employees in the business. Then the business owner would provide a credit card number and complete the transaction. An executive order in 1993 directed DTED to study the one-stop shopping idea for business licenses and permits. Citing that 1993 order, the governor vetoed a 1994 bill approved by the Legislature that called on the state's Bureau of Business Licenses to process all the state's business license applications For the upcoming two-year budget cycle, the governor provided $1.7 million in his budget for creating the electronic system, said Jennings. HF441 now moves to the full Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee for further consideration. CRIME Paying for the crackdown A hefty bill is coming due for the 1994 Legislature's decision to crack down on juvenile crime by creating a new category of young criminal offender: the "extended jurisdiction juvenile" (EJJ). Incarcerating and treating these 14- to 17-year- old offenders -- and hiring more probation officers, public defenders, and judges to deal with them -- could cost the state at least $26 million over the next two-year spending cycle, according to a Department of Corrections official. The 1994 Legislature created the EJJ category in response to growing concern over the increasing number of serious crimes committed by juveniles. The law is intended to get tough with serious juvenile offenders but at the same time provide juveniles some of the legal rights afforded adults, which cost money. For the first time beginning on Jan. 1 of this year, these types of juvenile offenders will be entitled to a public defender and a jury trial. Richard Mulcrone, Department of Corrections deputy commissioner, told members of the House Judiciary Finance Committee Feb. 14 that an additional $5 million is needed to hire more public defenders, who are already beset with huge caseloads. And an additional $1 million is needed to hire four more juvenile court judges and support staff. County attorneys also expect increased costs from contested cases and more hearings. (See SessionWeekly, Jan. 13, 1995, page 4.) But the bulk of the extra state money -- about $20 million -- is needed to finance an assortment of treatment programs that were spelled out in the 1994 law. And an equal amount would be required from Minnesota counties. Mulcrone estimated that 435 juveniles will be classified as EJJs in 1995. The EJJ classification is a sort of hybrid between the traditional informal juvenile court and adult court. It is intended for serious offenders, but not for ones whose crimes are so flagrant that they are certified to stand trial in adult court. Under an EJJ proceeding, a teenager receives a juvenile court penalty and a stayed adult penalty. But if he or she violates the condition of the sentence, the adult penalty is imposed. Bad, badder, baddest boys Minnesota programs for delinquent juveniles are largely ineffective, according to a report just issued by the Office of the Legislative Auditor. "Whatever we're doing is not working and I think we have to admit it," said Rep. Wes Skoglund (DFL-Mpls), chair of the House Judiciary Committee. The report, Residential Facilities for Juvenile Offenders, was presented by the auditor's office to the committee Feb. 15. In examining seven Minnesota juvenile facilities for males, the Office of the Legislative Auditor found that at least half of those released in 1991 were back in juvenile court or arrested as adults within two years. The recidivism statistics are much worse for the most serious juvenile offenders. Of the 219 juveniles released from the Red Wing or Sauk Centre correctional facilities in 1985, 90 percent were arrested again before turning 23; 69 percent were sent to prison. Jim Bruton, deputy commissioner for the Department of Corrections, said he was "shocked by the high numbers," but not surprised that the toughest offenders continued to fail. "These are kids that have failed at every other program they have tried, and are very hard to turn around . . . yet I think we have to try," Bruton said. Juveniles released from Red Wing in 1991 had an average of 13 prior offenses; those released from Sauk Centre had an average of 10 prior offenses. So why are the recidivism rates so high? "We don't know what's driving the re-offense rates, " said Joel Alter of the program evaluation division of the auditor's office. And "people haven't figured out what [programming] works best for certain kids." The report also doesn't explain what Rep. Teresa Lynch (IR-Andover) saw as a key issue: how kids get into trouble in the first place. Deputy Commissioner Bruton agreed. "This is a tough and complex societal problem," he said, adding that a significant problem is that "we reward kids who do well [in a corrections setting] by sending them back to the environment that was conducive to creating the problem in the first place." The report was mandated by the 1994 Legislature as part of the juvenile justice law (CH576). It is the first of its kind to study the recidivism rates of Minnesota juveniles. EDUCATION 'Baby truants' "Baby truants" beware. School children under 7 years old would be subject to compulsory attendance law under legislation on its way to the House floor. A measure, sponsored by Rep. Wes Skoglund (DFL-Mpls), was approved Feb. 16 by the House Education Committee. The bill (HF341) would restore the substance of a provision inadvertently repealed in 1993 in an effort to sweep away state mandates imposed on school districts, said Skoglund. State law does not require children to attend school until the age of 7, but many children begin kindergarten earlier. Currently, school officials can do little about the chronic absence of some 5 and 6 year olds, setting a pessimistic precedent for the academic future of such "baby truants," Skoglund said. "If we expect kids to go to school when they're 12, 13, 14, 15, and so on, we had better expect those kids who are enrolled in school to attend when they're 5 and 6," he said. Under Skoglund's bill, a parent would be able to remove a child for good cause, such as illness or a family move, with the consent of the school board. A neutral facilitator would be used to resolve disputes between districts and parents over withdrawals. Schools would be required to tell parents enrolling 5- or 6-year-olds of the attendance requirements. Chris Curtiss, who handles truancy cases for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, said she has seen cases of 5- or 6-year-olds missing as many as 50 days in a single school year and that problems at home are often to blame. The bill would allow school districts and other agencies "not to be punitive but to reach out in a way that's supportive," she said. But Rep. Steve Dehler (IR-St. Joseph) said teachers should be concerned with children in the classroom, not those outside the school. "The only thing I see is government intrusion into people's and families' lives," Dehler said. Lifetime teacher licensure A bill to grant teachers lifetime licenses would cut state fees and red tape without softening standards, according to Rep. Roger Cooper (DFL-Bird Island). Cooper, sponsor of HF294, told members of the House Education Committee Feb. 14 that the bill aims to "reverse the process" of teacher licensing. Currently, teachers must apply for license renewal every five years. They pay a $40 fee each time. If a teacher demonstrates he or she has met continuing education requirements and other stipulations, the state renews the license. Under HF294, the state would grant a teaching license and then step out of the picture as long as all requirements are met. Local school officials would be responsible for making sure teachers follow all state requirements. If a teacher failed to do so, the school district would notify the state, and the license would be suspended. Rep. Howard Orenstein (DFL-St. Paul), one of several members to voice support for the bill, said it provides one way to reduce needless regulation. "I think it's entirely on the right track," Orenstein said. "Every time you try to change something around here there are a hundred reasons why you shouldn't." The state stopped issuing continuous licenses in 1969. The current licensing system was installed shortly thereafter. About 110,000 Minnesotans are licensed to teach but only about 50,000 are active teachers, according to George Droubie, manager of the Personnel Licensing Team for the Department of Education. Droubie, who opposed the bill, heads a 15- person staff that issues about 27,000 teaching licenses annually. If HF294 is approved, staff likely would be cut as "the need for its function is reduced," Cooper said. Currently, recent college graduates are issued one- or two-year licenses from the state before they become eligible for five-year licenses. To have five-year licenses renewed by the state, teachers must complete 125 hours of continuing education. Droubie said giving teachers lifetime licenses would strip the state of its ability to ensure certain standards. Rep. John Tuma (IR-Northfield) also expressed concerns about the effect the bill may have on compliance with state requirements. If teachers answered only to "local buddies," state standards would be "easier to brush aside," Tuma said. The bill was referred to the Higher Education Finance Division. ELECTIONS Combined polling places A glitch in the 1994 uniform election law has some lawmakers scrambling to correct the oversight before an April school bond referendum in Forest Lake. The measure approved by the House General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections Committee Feb. 13 would allow Minnesota school districts to combine one or more polling places -- just as was the case before the 1994 law was approved -- to save money. "Precincts in Forest Lake range from 4,300 people in one precinct to three in another," said Secretary of State Joan Growe. "They might want to do some kind of combination of precincts." An unintended consequence of the 1994 law prohibited such polling place combinations. But another provision in the bill poses a concern for school officials. The amendment would require districts to send notices to all registered voters each time the precinct differs from the place where they voted in the November election -- an expensive requirement that could negate any cost savings, said Robert Meeks, lobbyist for the Minnesota School Boards Association. But bill sponsor Rep. Tom Osthoff (DFL-St. Paul) disagreed. "We'll be giving out notices for a vote which could potentially cause an increase in property taxes," he said. Committee members amended the notification section of the bill to make it effective in January 1996. The 1994 law requires city, school district, and special district elections that are held any other time to move to the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Primary elections, if any, must be held in September. Local units of government could hold November elections whenever they choose, but they must begin by 1998. School bond and levy referendums, however, are exempted from the 1994 law. HF103/SF141* now moves to the House floor. ENERGY Mining electricity Water collecting in a northern Minnesota mine pit is posing a problem for a state park, but an electric power company may have an answer. Why not pump the water out of the 500-foot- deep pit late at night when demand for electricity is low, then release it in a different direction to generate power during the day when demand for electricity is high? A bill approved by the House Regulated Industries and Energy Committee Feb. 13 would provide a cash incentive for a utility to do just that. The Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet (northwest of Grand Rapids) features a mining interpretive center that runs tour buses to the bottom of the pit, which continually fills with water, explained Bill Morrissey of the DNR. That has caused a glitch in the tour bus operation. But while an "extensive feasibility study" has been conducted by the DNR and Minnesota Power, the utility hasn't committed itself to the hydropower project. That's because the power company hasn't yet found a market for the peak demand electricity, Mike Hambrock of Minnesota Power later explained. Nonetheless, the power company would "like to see it as an option in the future," Hambrock added. If Minnesota Power did embrace the project, it could save the DNR about $150,000 a year, said Morrissey; that's how much it spent last year to pump water from the mine. The bill (HF248), sponsored Rep. Loren Solberg (DFL-Bovey), would direct the Department of Finance to extend a 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour subsidy to a facility that uses "pumped hydropower." A law passed in 1994 offers the same subsidy to a Coon Rapids project so a dam there on the Mississippi River can be retrofitted. Although the pumped hydropower proposal may appear a bit unusual to some, a southern Minnesota utility had considered a similar idea several years ago -- until the Legislature stepped in. The Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency had planned to build a 500-megawatt generator near Lake City, Minn. The proposed plant would have pumped water 200 feet up the bluffs along the Mississippi River at night, then released it during the day to create electricity. Because of environmental concerns, the 1993 Legislature passed a law that prohibits any state agency from issuing a permit for such a facility atop the Mississippi River bluffs. The water from the Hill Annex Mine would be pumped into Upper and Lower Panaca lakes, which flow into the Swan River. HF248 now moves to the House floor. ENVIRONMENT Emissions exemption A bill that says cars under six years old need not face an emissions test has the support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Minnesota enacted its vehicle emissions testing program and oxygenated fuel law because the state was in violation of EPA clean air requirements. According to William MacDowell, chief of regulation development for the EPA's Air and Radiation Division in Chicago, the "bottom line" is that carbon monoxide levels must come down. "If you can demonstrate that you can meet that [federal air quality standard], that's all we really care about," he told House Environment and Natural Resources Committee members Feb. 10. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) also supports the proposal, according to Peder Larson, MPCA assistant commissioner. Rep. Alice Johnson (DFL-Spring Lake Park), sponsor of the bill (HF2), cited MPCA data showing that during a six-month period last year, only 1 in 5,634 cars built in 1994 failed an emissions test. "This is not a wise use of my taxpayers' money," Johnson said. "We are collecting money under false pretenses." She contended that the emissions testing program "is not cleaning up our air." More efficient auto engines and the use of oxygenated fuel -- gas mixed with ethanol -- have reduced carbon monoxide levels in the Twin Cities, according to MacDowell. He said if continued progress is made, the EPA could certify that the metropolitan area is meeting federal carbon monoxide standards. The 11 testing stations in the metropolitan area are run by a private firm, Envirotest Inc. of Phoenix, Ariz., under contract with the MPCA. The MPCA gets 93 cents of the $8 test charge for administration costs. Envirotest gets the rest. Larson said the potential revenue loss for Envirotest is about $4 million annually. The state's loss would then be about $526,000. David Thornton, MPCA Air Quality Division manager, said that the Legislature will have to "wrestle with" the problem of lost revenue. He acknowledged that "raising the fee" for emissions tests was probably not politically viable. He suggested levying a small "air quality" fee on newer cars, or extending the current seven-year state contract with Envirotest, so revenues would be assured over a longer time period. The committee will act on the bill at its Feb. 17 meeting, according to committee chair Rep. Willard Munger (DFL-Duluth). GAMBLING No gambling expansion Four years of gambling studies and legislative debate just isn't enough. It is still too soon for the Legislature to allow video poker, keno, and blackjack in Minnesota bars and restaurants, according to a study by the Advisory Council on Gambling. The report, presented Feb. 10 to the Gambling Division of the House Governmental Operations Committee, recommends no action be taken this year on video gambling. The council was created last year to study gambling issues in Minnesota and report to the Legislature and the governor in 1995 and 1996. In its first report, the council says it would be "premature and unwise" to pass legislation enacting video gambling, which includes video poker, keno and slot machines. The council lists "unanswered questions and unresolved concerns" about video gambling, including its potential effects on compulsive gamblers and on the existing gambling industry. The state's liquor industry has lobbied for five years to win the right to install video gambling machines in its bars and restaurants. Bar owners say they need the video gambling to compete with nearby casinos which offer those games. They argue Minnesota's American Indian-owned casinos have an unfair competitive advantage and have lured away their customers. But casino officials say casinos aren't to blame. Minnesotans are drinking less and spending less money in bars and restaurants. In each of the past four years the Legislature has grappled with the question of allowing the use of video poker, keno, and other games in bars, restaurants, and other establishments with an on- sale liquor license. But no bill has survived. Gov. Arne Carlson and several legislative leaders have opposed any expansion of gambling. Before moving ahead with video gambling, the council report suggests the Legislature decide just how reliant the state is willing to become on gambling revenues. "Once we have video lottery, I don't think the state would be without it," Harry Baltzer, chair of the advisory council, said in testimony before the gambling division. The 14-member advisory council, which includes two members of each legislative body, also recommended the state study the costs and effectiveness of alternative compulsive gambling treatment approaches. Once it has determined what works and what is cost-effective, the state should set new goals for compulsive gambling programs, according to the report. GOVERNMENT Cutting contracts A bill that would cut the amount the state could spend on government contracts was heard by the House Governmental Operations Committee Feb. 14 and Feb. 16. The proposal (HF123), sponsored by Rep. Joe Opatz (DFL-St. Cloud), would trim by 10 percent the total amount most state agencies could spend in the coming two-year budget cycle over 1994-95 levels. The same limits would apply to the Legislature and the Metropolitan Council. The bill would not affect all state agencies, but rather the 20 departments considered "major" under Minnesota law. Opatz said the state spends about $1 billion on contracts per biennium. About $700 million of that is for transportation projects, which are exempt from the bill. A similar proposal passed the Legislature in 1993 but was vetoed by the governor. The vetoed proposal would have cut each governmental department's contract budget by 10 percent. The current proposal says only that the aggregate amount of contract spending must be trimmed by 10 percent. "This gives the governor the discretion to cut where he sees fit," Opatz said. The bill also limits all state contracts to no more than five years. Marilyn Jackson-Beeck, who helped assemble Staff Contracting for Professional/Technical Services, a 1992 report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor, said that in a random sampling of contract employees, she found some who had contracts for 16 years running. "It was often hard to distinguish who was a state employee and who was a contract employee," Jackson-Beeck said. Rep. Mike Osskopp (IR-Lake City) congratulated Opatz for the work he had done in "identifying the problem." But he said he was concerned that state departments would hire "full-time, permanent, new employees at taxpayer expense" to replace the workers subject to contract cuts. "There is no guarantee of cost savings," Osskopp said. Opatz said savings could be as high as $43 million over the biennium, assuming the current growth rate on state contracts of 10 percent per year. Committee chair Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Mpls) reminded Osskopp that the Legislature would need to fund and authorize any additional state staff positions. Discussion on HF123 will continue next week. HEALTH Suspending doctors' licenses Minnesota doctors convicted of felonies "reasonably related" to the practice of medicine would have their licenses automatically suspended under a bill given final approval by the House Feb. 16. The vote was 125-1. The House's only physician, Rep. Richard Mulder (IR-Ivanhoe), cast the lone vote against the measure. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Kelley (DFL- Hopkins), also would apply to other health professionals licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. Under the bill, license suspension would be automatic following a felony conviction, and a doctor or other health professional would have to request a hearing to get back his or her license. For reinstatement, the individual would have to demonstrate that he or she has been rehabilitated by "clear and convincing evidence." The bill does not clearly define felonies "reasonably related" to the practice of medicine, but in debate on the House floor Feb. 13, Rep. Dave Bishop (IR-Rochester) offered an obvious example. Bishop said he was "shocked" by a report of a doctor who continued working after being convicted of sexually assaulting female patients. Under current law, the board has the authority to suspend a doctor's license, but a hearing is held first. The board can suspend a license without a hearing in some circumstances, but the burden is then on the board to set up a hearing seeking a final conclusion. Kelley's bill would shift the burden to the health professional. Suspension of a doctor's license would be automatic, and it would be up to the doctor to seek a hearing and to prove the suspension should not be permanent. (See Feb. 10, 1995, SessionWeekly, page 9). HF231 now moves to the Senate for consideration. Complete malpractice reports A bill to ensure that the Board of Medical Practice receives the names of all doctors who are the subject of malpractice awards or settlements was given final approval by the House Feb. 16. The vote was 123-0. The bill (HF226), sponsored by Rep. Steve Kelley (DFL-Hopkins), now moves to the Senate for consideration. Under current law, insurance companies are required to provide the board reports of all settlements or awards involving doctors. But hospitals, clinics, and other entities paying off settlements against physicians have been able to dodge the requirement to provide details to the board. Since they are not insurance companies, they technically have not been required to report. The bill closes that loophole by specifically requiring that hospitals and other entities that provide malpractice coverage for doctors or other health professionals report all settlements and awards to the Board of Medical Practice. Reports must include the health professional's name, the allegations in the claim or complaint, and the date and dollar amount of the settlement or award. (See Feb. 10, 1995 Session Weekly, page 9) Similar legislation is pending in the Senate Health Care Committee. Regulating acupuncturists A bill that would require Minnesota acupuncturists to be licensed by the state won approval Feb. 16 from the House Health and Human Services Committee. Acupuncture involves the ancient Chinese practice of puncturing the body with needles at specific points to relieve pain and cure diseases. Currently, the state requires no training and licensing for acupuncturists. "That is the problem," said bill sponsor Rep. Peggy Leppik (IR-Golden Valley). Someone could hang up a shingle today and "stick needles in you tomorrow morning," she said. "The potential for harm is there when they are sticking needles in you" -- organs may be punctured or diseases spread with unclean needles, said Leppik. The bill prohibits a person from practicing acupuncture after June 30, 1997, unless certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists or unless "grandfathered" in under the bill. For the next two years beginning July 1, 1995, an acupuncturist may qualify for a state license without national certification if they have practiced in the field for at least three years between July 1, 1991, and June 30, 1995. During those three years they must have had at least 500 patient visits annually with at least 100 different patients. Rep. Kris Hasskamp (DFL-Crosby) opposed the bill because she said it involves too much regulation and may cause some acupuncturists to quit. Hasskamp asked why the Legislature didn't also license those people who pierce ears since they puncture the skin too. "We're certainly into piercing. Everybody is piercing everything," she said. Last year a similar provision appeared in the omnibus health and human services bill but Gov. Arne Carlson vetoed the entire bill. Members of the occupation have unsuccessfully sought state licensure for several years. The bill also requests that acupuncturists be regulated by the same board that regulates doctors: the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. HF446 now moves to the Governmental Operations Committee for consideration. HOUSING Fixing up homes Two charitable groups that build and rehabilitate homes for low-income families would not have to obtain residential building contractor's licenses, under a bill approved Feb. 16 by a House subcommittee. The exemption would mean that Habitat for Humanity and the Builders Outreach Foundation, a project of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, wouldn't have to pay a $75 annual license fee or the $100 to $200 annual fee to the state's contractor recovery fund. (The fund is used to pay claims against licensed contractors found by the court to have been guilty of fraud or performing inferior work.) The proposal (HF536), sponsored by Rep. Matt Entenza (DFL-St. Paul), was approved by the Real Estate and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee. Another provision of the bill specifies that an individual home owner -- who under current law does not need a contractor's license to work on his or her own property -- can build or improve only one property within a year's time. Gary Lavasseur, deputy commissioner of enforcement and licensing for the Department of Commerce, explained that a person building or remodeling two or more homes in a year is considered to be in the residential contracting business and should be licensed. HF536 now moves to the full Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee. HUMAN SERVICES Protesting welfare cuts A welfare reform bill, which still contains a controversial abortion waiting-period proposal, was approved by a House panel Feb. 14 despite a last minute protest from welfare advocates. The advocates forced a hurried voice vote before the House Health and Human Services Committee after grabbing the microphone and declaring they would not allow a vote on the bill (HF5). Three people were arrested. Before the committee was disrupted, much of the debate focused on the abortion waiting period- proposal -- a controversial section that Rep. Betty McCollum (DFL-North St. Paul) unsuccessfully tired to remove from the bill. Members of the public testifying in favor of the bill focused on their support for the waiting period. Sheryl Schoenfeld of Lino Lakes told the committee that she has had two abortions and was given little if any information on fetal development or the physical and psychological risks of an abortion. She stressed that the information is necessary before a woman can truly understand what she is doing. Members of the public testifying against the bill focused on cuts to welfare programs and what they called the bill's "punitive approach" to the poor. Linden Gawboy of Minneapolis said the bill is playing with people's lives and creates "gaping holes in the safety net." She warned lawmakers they will see more children begging in the streets. Elizabeth Simmons of Minneapolis told the committee members that they have "never lived poor" so they have no idea what they're doing. "You need to be in our shoes just one week." The bill, Simmons said, "is teaching hate." In all, the welfare reform bill totals about $52 million but with cuts in some public assistance benefits such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children and the elimination of one $24 million state jobs program, the net price tag falls to $23.7 million for the 1996-1997 two year state budget cycle. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Bob Anderson (DFL-Ottertail), would require all teenaged moms to live at home or with a supervising adult and request the elimination of federal rules that some argue discourage welfare recipients from finding work. A major component of the bill would establish a Work First pilot program. The new program would set out tough penalties, such as losing benefits, if participants don't stick to a contract to search for a job and accept work. Clay and Itasca counties would receive the pilot program. The measure also includes $18 million to help low- and moderate-income families pay for child care, thus removing a barrier to their returning to work. It now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee for discussion. (See Jan. 13, 1995, Session Weekly, page 6; Jan. 20, 1995, Session Weekly, pages 6-7; and Feb. 3, 1995 Session Weekly, page 10.) INSURANCE Option could cut costs Minnesota drivers could save on their automobile insurance premiums under a bill on its way to the House floor. The bill (HF182), approved by the House Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee Feb. 15, would allow consumers to choose auto insurance policies that provide personal injury protection and uninsured and underinsured motorist medical coverage through a discounted managed care insurance plan. Managed care plans include HMOs such as Group Health; insurers such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield; and preferred provider organizations. Based on what is happening elsewhere, managed care discounts promise to provide drivers an attractive option, said committee Chair Rep. Wayne Simoneau (DFL-Fridley), who sponsored the bill. "We aren't talking peanuts," Simoneau said. "We're talking a substantial amount of savings to the customers in Colorado." Similar legislation was approved in Colorado in 1991. Drivers selecting the managed care option have seen savings of as much as 20 percent on their auto insurance premiums, according to a 1993 survey conducted in that state. Under Simoneau's bill, insurance companies still would offer standard benefits -- allowing individuals to use their own doctors -- for personal injury protection and uninsured and underinsured motorist medical coverage. But companies could contract with managed care organizations to offer the discounted option. Milo Curtiss, regional claims manager for Progressive Insurance Company in Arden Hills, said the option would be a boon to the high-risk drivers his company insures. By selecting the managed care option, a 16- year-old male with a clean driving record would save $130 annually and an 18-year-old male with two speeding tickets would save $145, Curtiss said. The bill requires managed care plans receive the approval of the commerce commissioner, who also would have authority to disqualify providers who do not deliver services as promised. Insurance companies would be required to notify customers of the consequences of choosing managed care and to provide a list of the plan's providers. Motorists who choose the managed care option would be required to receive non-emergency care from providers in the managed care plan, said Simoneau. But Rep. Jeff Bertram (DFL-Paynesville) said managed care would not suit many outstate residents, who may have to handle the costly inconvenience of traveling long distances to providers included in the plan. "I want to sign that [dotted] line," Bertram said. "My concern is, suddenly I'm injured and then I'm limited as to what I can do and where I can go." Rep. Gregory Davids (IR-Preston), owner of an insurance agency, said he would not recommend the option to his customers or to others in rural areas. The bill now goes to the House floor for a vote. LABOR Going up A bill approved by the House Labor- Management Relations Committee Feb. 13 would require that all work performed on a passenger or freight elevator be done by an elevator mechanic licensed by the state. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Phil Carruthers (DFL- Brooklyn Center), requires that a person must complete the National Elevator Industry Education Program and must have an elevator constructor license issued by the state Board of Electricity before receiving state licensure. A licensed elevator mechanic could supervise up to two helpers. Additionally, the bill would require that a licensed person or company obtain a state permit before installing, altering or removing an elevator. Current law requires only that a person apply for a permit before work is started. Currently, altering or removing an elevator -- a potentially dangerous procedure that requires specialized knowledge -- does not require a permit. The bill would not cover temporary elevators that are used during building construction. Thomas Joachim, director of the Department of Administration's Building Codes and Standards Division, explained that those elevators are inspected by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Carruthers said the bill addresses important public safety concerns. He said that a similar measure passed out of committee last year but no action was ever taken on the House floor. HF398 now moves to the Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Committee. SPORTS On Target Beaming with the thrill of victory, Minneapolis city and business officials went before the House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee Feb. 14 to announce that Target Center and the Minnesota Timberwolves have been saved. And city officials told lawmakers they won't need all of the provisions from a 1994 law passed to help save the arena and the team. City officials asked the 1994 Legislature for help in keeping the NBA franchise in Minnesota. While private groups in Minnesota were willing to buy the team, they weren't willing to pay for the Target Center. So, the Legislature and the governor approved the public buyout of the arena in hopes of keeping the basketball team, the arena's main tenant. While the newly restructured deal maintains a key component of the 1994 law -- a state contribution of $750,000 annually over the next 15 years -- many other provisions of the original deal were scrapped. Minneapolis finance director John Moir, who called the Timberwolves ordeal an "odyssey," explained the differences between the new deal and the old one. The 1994 law authorized the Metropolitan Council to issue $42 million in revenue bonds so the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission could purchase the downtown Minneapolis sports arena. The purchase was contingent on any new owner agreeing to keep the team in Minnesota for 30 years. A 10 percent ticket admissions tax and a minimum $1 ticket surcharge on Target Center events was to help pay off the bonds as was a state contribution of $750,000 annually over the next 15 years. In addition, the law called for a Minneapolis tax on downtown restaurants, bars, and hotels to kick in if the other funds weren't sufficient to pay off the bonds. Under the newly negotiated deal, however, only the $750,000 for 15 years survived. The current agreement eliminates the need for: a tax on downtown restaurants, bars, and hotels; the ticket surcharge; the ticket admissions tax; and the $42 million in bonds issued by the Metropolitan Council. Instead, the city of Minneapolis will own the arena and sell $62.4 million in public bonds to pay for it. Other money sources -- aside from the $750,000 a year for 15 years -- include: property taxes generated by the arena, a 3 percent entertainment tax on gross sales at the arena, and event-parking fees from most city-owned downtown parking facilities. Local corporations also worked to raise $12.7 million to save the arena. The money will be used to buy private bonds. Some lawmakers were still skeptical of the state's involvement in the deal. Rep. Jim Rostberg (IR-Isanti) asked what assurances the state had that the team would stay in Minnesota 30 years. City officials said the guarantee comes in the form of a contractual agreement that would levy a hefty financial penalty if the team leaves. The penalty amount would change depending on when during the 30-year life of the contract the team left. If it leaves early in the time span, it would pay more than if it left later. One figure quoted was $25 million. TAXES TIF districts The House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee approved three bills Feb. 9 that would allow three different cities a chance to forgo a penalty they normally would pay for offering tax breaks to companies to expand in their communities. But committee chair Rep. Dee Long (DFL-Mpls) said the bills will face a tougher time winning passage at their next stop, the House Taxes Committee. Under Minnesota law, cities can offer tax breaks to companies to help create jobs in their community. Normally the agreement, called a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF), involves a company expanding and creating new jobs in exchange for the city forgiving property taxes for a set number of years. For years the state has worried that cities are too eager to offer tax breaks to companies that would otherwise expand even without the breaks. So, in 1990 the state decided to attach a penalty to TIF districts created by cities. Now, local governments lose a portion of their state aid dollars when they offer a business tax breaks. The bills heard Feb. 9 all ask that the state forgive their penalty. Supporters of the bills point to a precedent set by the 1994 Legislature when it made an exception in the TIF law for St. Cloud and its Fingerhut Companies, which had threatened to leave town and expand elsewhere. HF82 sponsored by Rep. Barb Vickerman (IR- Redwood Falls) would create a special TIF district to build a new feed mill to replace an aging 114-year- old facility in Springfield, Minn., for Vigorena Feeds. The mill employs 47 people and the community is concerned the company will move elsewhere without a new plant. "Fingerhut comes in here last year and gets a huge break," said Jim Nichols, Springfield director of economic development. "I recognize what 4,000 jobs mean to St. Cloud, but 47 mean just as much to Springfield." Nichols did not specify the amount of Springfield's potential TIF district penalty. The second bill, HF100 sponsored by Rep. Chuck Brown (DFL-Appleton), would allow the expansion of an existing TIF district in Morris, Minn. The bill would allow an expansion at Kleespie Tanks, which manufactures petroleum tanks, Brown said. The company has 133 full-time employees. The amount of Morris' potential penalty is unclear. In addition to exempting the TIF district from the loss of state aid, the bill asks the district be allowed to exist for 28 years instead of the nine now specified in law. A third bill would allow Windom, Minn., to create a TIF district for an ethanol facility. In addition to asking for a break on the state aid penalty, the bill also asks that the district exist for 25 years instead of the usual nine. The bill, HF433, is sponsored by Rep. Ted Winter (DFL-Fulda). The amount of Windom's potential penalty is also unclear. The three bills will now move to the Taxes Committee for further consideration. TOURISM Collecting agates A Minnesota rock, gem, and mineral interpretive center -- whose focal point would be the famed Lake Superior agate -- would be created under a bill approved Feb. 15 by the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. In addition to agates, other rocks, gems and minerals "indigenous to Minnesota" would be displayed. The bill would require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to consult with the Minnesota Geological Survey and rock and gem collectors about the design of the new center. The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Becky Lourey (DFL-Kerrick), would spend $67,500 to begin architectural and engineering design work for the center. The center, which would be located at Moose Lake State Park (just south of Duluth on I-35) would cost approximately $450,000. "We've been offered a number of agate collections," explained Bill Morrissey, director of state parks for the DNR. The state would get the prized agate collection of the late William Boltz of Topeka, Kan., if a suitable center is created. Lake Superior agates were moved south by the Kansan Glacier, Morrissey explained. The interpretive center would be near Moose Lake, Minn., which is in prime agate hunting territory and features an annual Agate Days civic celebration. A similar proposal was offered by Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL-Hermantown) in 1993, but the measure stalled. HF218 now moves to the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee for further consideration. TRANSPORTATION School bus drivers The state could no longer require that school bus drivers learn first aid or take eight hours of annual in-service training, under a bill approved by the House Transportation and Transit Committee Feb. 15. Chief bill sponsor Rep. Steve Sviggum (IR- Kenyon) and co-sponsor Rep. Henry Kalis (DFL- Walters) spent the fall meeting with school bus drivers and school bus safety officials to ask their reaction to the 1994 school bus safety law. "They said there's a lack of dollars to carry out the law, that there are buses without drivers, and they pointed out some rules we didn't think had a good cost-benefit," Sviggum said. Last year the Legislature passed a comprehensive school bus safety law, which allowed school districts to get a 1 percent boost in their transportation safety aid each year to make their buses safer. The law also calls for more school bus driver training. But Kalis said the law needed fine tuning, which is what HF280 aims to do. The proposal would leave it up to school districts -- not the state -- to determine how much first aid training drivers should receive. Current law says all drivers have to show they know first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation before they can obtain a school bus driver's license. Sviggum called that provision an unfunded mandate the state passed on to school districts. "First aid training should be left a local district decision and district dollars should be spent on it," Sviggum said. The bill calls for school bus drivers to be evaluated every two years to make sure they still meet state licensing requirements. Current law says an evaluation must take place each year. And HF280 would decrease the amount of brush-up training each driver must take. Current law says drivers must receive eight hours of training annually. The bill would change that to eight hours every two years. Robert Meeks, a lobbyist for the Minnesota School Boards Association, said the bill gives school districts more flexibility but still takes student safety needs into consideration. Kalis said school districts face a bus driver shortage because the frequently low-paying and part-time positions require specific training and a criminal background check. Potential bus drivers also must show they understand student behavior, know how to get students on and off the bus in an orderly fashion, and know what to do in emergencies. This bill may ease some of the restrictions, Kalis said. HF280 now moves to the House floor. DWIs and truckers The commercial drivers' licenses of truckers caught driving under the influence in the family car would be suspended under a bill given final approval by the House Feb. 13. The vote was 84-48. Under the bill, truckers, snow plow drivers, and others arrested for driving under the influence in the family car would have their commercial and personal licenses suspended. The suspensions would run concurrently. First-time DWI offenders lose their licenses for 15 days, second-time offenders for 90 days, and third-time offenders for 180 days. (See Feb. 3, 1995, SessionWeekly, page 11 and Feb. 10, 1995, SessionWeekly, page 13) Bill sponsor Rep. Charlie Weaver (IR-Anoka) said the measure "treats truck drivers the same as the average person." Truckers will lose their licenses only if they fail a sobriety test or refuse to take one, he said. But Rep. Dennis Ozment (IR-Rosemount) said the proposal "just compounds the already bad law that's in place." It "trashes" the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty because licenses are suspended before a trial is held, he added. The bill (HF35) is a result of a Dec. 21, 1994, accident in Fairfax, Minn., which killed three-year- old Steven Ziegler and injured his two older brothers. A trucker who swerved to avoid a school bus drove his rig into the brothers as they waited at a bus stop. Weaver did not claim that the truck driver was intoxicated or even negligent, but state records show the trucker has a spotty driving history. His personal driver's license has been suspended four times since 1989, but his commercial driving record is clean. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate Transportation and Public Transit Committee. Hats and driver's licenses Those suffering hair loss due to illness or head injury would be allowed to wear a head covering in their driver's license photograph, under a bill the House Transportation and Transit Committee approved Feb. 15. House sponsor Rep. Jeff Bertram (DFL- Paynesville) proposed the bill (HF52/SF33*) after learning of a constituent who was told she had to take off her turban before her driver's license photograph could be taken. She wore the turban to cover up hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment for cancer. "It was very traumatic to her," Bertram said. Public safety employees now use their discretion in letting people wear hats or a head covering for photographs. "But this would formally put it in policy," Bertram said. The bill also would apply to state- issued identification cards. Additionally, the bill would allow Minnesotans with religious objections to leave their photographs off their state identification cards. Current law allows the practice for a state driver's license. The bill, approved by the Senate Feb. 9 on a 60- 0 vote, now moves to the House floor. New members . . . Swenson pledges 'Honesty, Integrity, Common Sense' When Howard Swenson (IR-Nicollet) says his family has had a long-time interest and involvement in politics, he means it. Great-grandfather Swen Swenson was elected to the Legislature from Nicollet County in 1886. Grandfather Oscar Swenson was elected to a House seat in 1913, and after serving 18 years, elected speaker in 1931 (in 1937, he was elected to a Senate seat and served until 1950). Swen's brother, Lars Swenson, and Swen's son, Carl, also served in Senate. So when Howard Swenson won the seat formerly held by Darrel Mosel (DFL-Gaylord) and joined his brother, Rep. Doug Swenson (IR-Forest Lake), it brought to six the number of Swensons who have served in the Legislature in the past 107 years And not only does Swenson's family have a long political history, he has been very active himself. He spent 12 years on the Nicollet Board of Education, 11 years on the Minnesota Holstein Breeders Association Board, and five years on the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association Board. Swenson has been a dairy farmer all his life and said his lifelong love has been raising dairy cattle. He lives on the homestead farm which has been in the family since Swen Swenson emigrated from Norway to Nicollet County in 1857. Howard Swenson's son, Paul, now does the bulk of the farm work while his father spends weekdays at the Capitol. His son is responsible for the dairy herd, but Swenson keeps his hand in the business when he's home on weekends. He's always been involved in the livestock and dairy industries. The former 4-H leader says having registered cattle and taking part in showing and selling them has made his family business more interesting and enjoyable. Swenson's local political involvements paid off when it came time to put an IR candidate against incumbent Mosel. "I knew other people who had been in the Legislature and I had some idea about how it worked. The opportunity seemed to be there, so I declared," he said. Swenson wants to hold down state taxes and slow down what he calls the "ever increasing growth in government." He also would like to have a hand in restructuring a workers' compensation system he says encourages business to move to neighboring states due to prohibitive insurance prices. Swenson's campaign brochures boast in bright red the slogan "Honesty, Integrity, Common Sense." Those are the values he pledged to maintain if elected. The words are now carved in wooden block letters which sit on his desk. His office is also well stocked with photographs of his family: wife, Jane; daughters Julie, Janet, Nancy and Ruth; and son, Paul. He also proudly displays many photos of his farm. Swenson does not intend to forget he represents rural interests. One of his priorities is to improve farm-to-market roads so agricultural products may be easily moved. Legislators from the metropolitan area need to be reminded farming and agribusiness are vital to Minnesota's economy, Swenson said. "I've been a farmer all my life. That's who I am and that's who I represent," Swenson said. In addition to a spot on the House Agriculture Committee, he serves on the Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee and on the committee's Business Regulation Division, and the Education Committee. His school board experience gives him a good background on educational issues. So far, he's found his legislative duties much as he anticipated, though even busier. "It seems like even this early in the session, I keep going morning until night," he said. -- Jean Thilmany District 23B Population: 32,258 Distribution: 14.41 percent urban; 85.59 percent rural Counties: Blue Earth, Brown, McLeod, Nicollet, Sibley Largest city: Glencoe Location: southcentral Minnesota Unemployment rate: 3.59 percent Residents living below poverty level: 9.06 percent 1992 presidential election results: Bush/Quayle 33.06 percent Clinton/Gore 32.68 percent Perot/Stockdale 32.77 percent Other: 1.49 percent New members . . . Paulsen applies market principles to government Erik Paulsen was working as a marketing analyst for a direct mail company when the lure of politics became irresistible. He quit his job in 1989 to become an intern in the St. Paul office of former U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz. The Independent-Republican from Eden Prairie later put to use his mathematical studies at St. Olaf College in assisting U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad on the Small Business Committee in Washington, D.C. Paulsen returned to Minnesota in May 1992 to become district director of the congressman's Bloomington office. When former Rep. Sidney Pauly announced her retirement last year, Paulsen saw a "great opportunity to have an impact on local issues -- issues that would affect my family and the area I grew up in." He ran a shoe leather campaign. "I knocked on 12,364 doors, so I'm glad that's over," he admits. Paulsen says he "out-hustled" a primary challenger and then won a House seat last November at the tender age of 29. (He's not the youngest House member, however. Rep. Tim Commers, another St. Olaf alumnus, is 28.) Paulsen thought at first that his "youth might be a liability," but he said he realized "more and more that it was an asset in the campaign." He said that constituents appreciated his visits and were "excited" to see him working hard to spread his message. Paulsen's legislative agenda will focus on improving the state's business climate, a lesson he literally learned at his grandfather's knee. "When I was growing up my grandfather owned a small manufacturing company in Plymouth and he always talked about workers' compensation costs and other impediments to doing business in Minnesota," Paulsen recalled. Every year, South Dakota officials would visit Paulsen's grandfather to urge him to "move or expand" his business to the "Coyote State." Serving on the House Labor-Management Relations Committee will give Paulsen a say on the direction of workers' compensation reform legislation. Concerning welfare reform, Paulsen said he would like to adapt "private marketplace principles" to public assistance programs. He would like to offer some form of bonuses for caseworkers "who help welfare recipients get jobs." He thinks that such incentives will motivate caseworkers to get their clients off the welfare rolls. "I think competition and accountability are real powerful incentives," he said. And like many of his Independent-Republican colleagues, Paulsen said many of his constituents are burdened by high property taxes. "There's a myth" that people can pay high taxes just because they live in a "high property tax value area," said Paulsen, who represents parts of Eden Prairie and Edina. He added that he wants to "link education funding reform with tax reform." To hold the line on taxes, Paulsen said he would like to require a "super majority" -- or 60 percent vote -- before any tax increase measure in the Legislature could be adopted. And he would also like to see the "super majority" proposal adopted as a constitutional amendment so legislators couldn't change it from year to year. (Currently, all that is needed in the House to approve a tax bill is 68 votes; half of the 134-member House is 67). Away from the Legislature and politics, Paulsen's "number one thing" is spending time at home with his wife and young daughter. He also enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking, camping, and late night broomball games with friends from St. Olaf. The legislative session, so far, is going too slowly for Paulsen's taste. Most committee meetings are consumed with overviews of state departments, agencies, and boards, so he's waiting for the real action to start. He contrasts the slow pace at the Legislature with the new Congress, where lawmakers bolt out of the starting blocks "from day one." Paulsen knows that the pace will pick up, and he's encouraged by the commitment to "real change" he finds, especially among the first-term representatives -- "both the Republicans and the Democrats." Paulsen says he sees "some real opportunities in the Legislature this year to get some things done. That's what people really want." -- Mordecai Specktor District 42B Population: 32,285 Distribution: 100 percent urban County: Hennepin Largest city: Edina Location: southwestern Metro Unemployment rate: 3.58 percent Residents living below poverty level: 3.60 percent 1992 presidential election results: Bush/Quayle 43.51 percent Clinton/Gore 32.78 percent Perot/Stockdale 22.98 percent Other: 0.73 percent NOTES Bribery doesn't always involve money. An apple will suffice. Just ask Rep. Ted Winter (DFL-Fulda). Before presenting a local bill for southwestern Minnesota to the House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee Feb. 14, Winter gave Chair Dee Long (DFL-Mpls) an apple. After the committee recommended his bill to pass, Long thanked Winter for the apple (size, type, and freshness unknown). Knowledge of the apple sent some members of the committee into a mock tizzy, outwardly whining: "How come she got an apple?" Cries of bribery rang through the committee room as well as calls for a full investigation into the scandal. "An apple a day makes the bills pass right away," Winter joked as he rushed out the door. Should legislators have to pass a physical fitness test before they propose a new or proposed trail system? Rep. Virgil Johnson (IR-Caledonia) presented a bill before the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee Feb. 15 to extend the Blufflands Trail System to include the towns of Minnesota City, Rollingstone, Altura, Lewiston, Utica, St. Charles, and Elba in southeastern Minnesota. As the measure sailed through the committee, Rep. Steve Trimble (DFL-St. Paul) offered his conditional support to the bill's sponsor: "I'll vote for it if Rep. Johnson promises to walk from Minnesota City to Elba." "That's asking a lot from a fat old man, but I'll try," Johnson replied. IT'S A FACT It was exactly 100 years ago that the first automobile appeared in Minnesota. "The automobile was a monster new on Minnesota streets and roads. It was a curiosity, a contrivance for the rich, a noisy phenomenon that nobody quite knew how to control," according to Minnesota Highway History, a 1971 publication of the then-Department of Highways. In 1903, the Legislature decided that "something had to be done to keep the automobile in check." The first traffic code was the result. Lawmakers mandated that all automobiles have a license to operate on Minnesota roads. For $2, a car owner needed to obtain a license from a state boiler inspector. Half the fee went to the county treasurer. The other half was kept by the boiler inspector as his fee for issuing the license. Each car then received a number, which had to be displayed on the vehicle in figures no less than four and one- half inches high. The original statewide speed limit was eight miles per hour "within the thickly settled or business portion of any city or village," according to the law. While passing a crosswalk within city limits, drivers had to gear down to four miles per hour. Outside of town, the speed limit was 25 miles per hour. The same law mandated auto drivers to yield to "any vehicle propelled by horses" when directed to stop by the horsecart's driver. Lights were required for night driving and no motor vehicle was allowed on the road unless it had an adequate muffler. In 1907, the first license plates were issued. There were about 500 autos in the state. By 1911, the ranks had swelled to 17,960. A decade later, in 1921, the number was nearly 333,000. Today, there are more than 3.5 million cars registered in Minnesota. In the Hopper . . . Feb. 10 - 16, 1995 Bill Introductions Monday, Feb. 13 HF531--Entenza (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Airbag passive restraint system repair and restoration regulated. HF532--McCollum (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Persian Gulf War veteran bonus payments permitted and constitutional amendment proposed. HF533--Bertram (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Eden Lake township annexed to the Paynesville area hospital district. HF534--Haas (IR) Judiciary Fleeing a peace officer by means of a motor vehicle provided felony penalty. HF535--Haas (IR) Judiciary Criminals prohibited from recovering damages for injuries sustained during criminal conduct. HF536--Entenza (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Residential building contractor license requirements modified, garage defined, and license exemption provided for Habitat For Humanity volunteers. HF537--Bertram (DFL) Governmental Operations Teacher Retirement Association member provided military service credit purchase for military service during the Vietnam War prior to initial employment as a teacher. HF538--McGuire (DFL) Judiciary Secretary of state authorized access to individuals' social security numbers in certain circumstances. HF539--Garcia (DFL) Education Technology support aid provided to school districts, and money appropriated for Internet access. HF540--Davids (IR) Education Independent school district Nos. 228, Harmony, and 233, Preston-Fountain, provided debt equalization determination. HF541--Johnson, R. (DFL) Governmental Operations Public pension plan member pension guarantee provided, and postretirement benefits limited. HF542--Pellow (IR) Governmental Operations Lawful purpose expenditures by or to tax exempt organizations regulated. HF543--Ness (IR) Education School districts authorized to lease buildings or land for administrative purposes, and lease payment levy authority granted pending approval of education commissioner. HF544--Hasskamp (DFL) Judiciary Informal probate guide prepared by state court administrator, and money appropriated. HF545--Hasskamp (DFL) Education Minimum guaranteed aid provided to school districts. HF546--McGuire (DFL) Judiciary Child abuse victim videotape release limited. HF547--Larsen (IR) Health & Human Services Dental services and goods exempted from the MinnesotaCare provider tax. HF548--Davids (IR) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections State primary election date changed. HF549--Davids (IR) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections State primary election date changed, and precinct caucus system eliminated. HF550--Bishop (IR) Judiciary Sentencing guidelines modifications provided for certain violent crimes. HF551--Ness (IR) Education School district referendum levy notice wording clarified. HF552--Mulder (IR) Environment & Natural Resources Split Rock Creek State Park in Pipestone County provided territory addition. HF553--Vickerman (IR) Education Independent School District No. 85, Springfield, debt service aid eligibility authorized. HF554--Entenza (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Securities broker-dealer, agent, or investment advisor licensee enforcement actions regulated, and investment metal definition modified. HF555--Smith (IR) Judiciary Civil action plaintiff administrative cost assessment and payment required. HF556--Davids (IR) Health & Human Services Abortion; Woman's right to know act adopted. HF557--Pugh (DFL) Judiciary Administration commissioner opinion issuance authority, and data treatment clarified. HF558--Cooper (DFL) Education Independent School District No. 2190, Granite Falls- Clarkfield-Echo, swimming pool operation levy authorized. HF559--Carruthers (DFL) Judiciary Finance Northwest Community Law Enforcement Project in Hennepin County appropriated money. HF560--Knight (IR) Taxes Property tax rate freeze provided for homeowners age 65 or older. HF561--Knight (IR) Taxes Property tax proposal truth in taxation notice mailing date changed. HF562--Knight (IR) Education Minneapolis and St. Paul parental choice program established, authorizing attendance at private schools free of charge, and money appropriated. HF563--Tunheim (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Finance Beaver Damage Control Joint Powers Board appropriated money. HF564--Mahon (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Peace officers granted notary public powers for the administration of oaths upon information submitted to establish probable cause. HF565--Mariani (DFL) Housing Metropolitan Council federal Section 8 Housing Program operation authorized. HF566--Osskopp (IR) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Persian Gulf War veteran bonus payments permitted, bonus program established, penalty imposed, money appropriated, and constitutional amendment proposed. HF567--Dawkins (DFL) Taxes Hospital and health care provider tax data disclosure provided to state Department of Human Services commissioner and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HF568--Frerichs (IR) Transportation & Transit Eye protection required for motorcycle riders. HF569--Opatz (DFL) Education Independent School District No. 742, St. Cloud, authorized to transfer funds from the general fund to the capital expenditure fund for instructional technology purposes. HF570--Davids (IR) Financial Institutions & Insurance Crop hail insurance rate filing date changed. HF571--Wolf (IR) Taxes Cargo vans exempted from rental motor vehicle tax. HF572--Peterson (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources National pollution discharge elimination system permit fees limited. HF573--Wolf (IR) Taxes Grass seed, fertilizer, and lawn chemicals considered purchases for resale in certain cases for taxation purposes. HF574--Pugh (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Securities registration provisions modified. HF575--Erhardt (IR) Transportation and Transit Motor vehicle transfer notification by buyer required within ten days of purchase, and fees and penalties imposed. HF576--Tompkins (IR) Governmental Operations Lottery advertising prohibited, state department and agency advertising restricted, and penalties provided. HF577--Bertram (DFL) Taxes Brooten tax increment financing district exempted from the LGA/HACA offset; and sales tax exemption provided for building materials used in certain agricultural processing facilities. HF578--Opatz (DFL) Governmental Operations Executive agency compensation savings use restricted. HF579--Tompkins (IR) Health & Human Services MinnesotaCare regulated all-payer option eliminated. HF580--Sviggum (IR) Environment & Natural Resources Finance Environmental trust fund and future resources fund money availability expanded, Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) eliminated, and money appropriated. HF581--Johnson, V. (IR) Environment & Natural Resources Forest resources council and forest resources research advisory committee established to coordinate forest resource management, use, and development. HF582--Clark (DFL) Health & Human Services Human services anti-poverty measures provided; AFDC grants provided ,GA, GAMC, and STRIDE provisions modified, working family credit, minimum wage, sales tax, and child care cost provisions modified, and money appropriated. HF583--Jaros (DFL) Governmental Operations Sports pool lottery games established; human resources account created in the general fund; community health clinic and food shelf grants provided; and money appropriated. HF584--Goodno (IR) Judiciary Department of Human Rights data classification provisions modified. HF585--Orfield (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Metropolitan government obsolete references removed and language clarified. HF586--Bertram (DFL) Transportation & Transit Impound lots authorized to sell and dispose of unauthorized, abandoned, and junk vehicles. HF587--Davids (IR) Governmental Operations Unicameral legislature provided with 135 members, and constitutional amendment proposed. HF588--Wejcman (DFL) Judiciary Inmate claims hearings legislative authority expanded. HF589--Leppik (IR) Judiciary Medical malpractice; health care provider professional negligence actions regulated, limitations provided on noneconomic losses, attorney's fees, and damages, and waiver of privilege for health care providers established. HF590--Trimble (DFL) International Trade & Economic Development Agricultural trade promotion duties transferred to Department of Agriculture, regional trade centers authorized, and money appropriated. HF591--Simoneau (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Health carrier regulation duties transferred to the Department of Commerce. HF592--Simoneau (DFL) Ethics Public official gift restriction provisions modified. HF593--Tunheim (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Wetland management and protection provisions modified. HF594--Smith (IR) Rules & Legislative Administration Budget; Congress memorialized to ratify balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. HF595--Osskopp (IR) Governmental Operations Finance commissioner granted authority over debts owed to the state. HF596--Larsen (IR) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Local government pay equity law noncompliance penalties modified. HF597--Kelley (DFL) Local Government & Metro Affairs Metropolitan public safety radio communications systems coordination and consolidation provided; 911 emergency telephone service fee use authorized, and bonds issued. HF598--Greenfield (DFL) Health & Human Services Vulnerable Adults Reporting Act modified, and penalties provided. HF599--Leppik (IR) Transportation & Transit Passenger automobile depreciation schedules modified for taxation purposes, and gasoline and special fuel tax increased. HF600--Greenfield (DFL) Health & Human Services Medical Assistance Program trust treatment and enforceability provisions modified. HF601--Greenfield (DFL) Health & Human Services Human services child care and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) waiver request provided, standard of need raised, and money appropriated. HF602--Winter (DFL) Taxes Omnibus tax bill providing tax policy, collections, administrative changes, and penalties. HF603--Milbert (DFL) Taxes Omnibus Department of Revenue tax bill providing technical corrections, administrative changes, and clarifications. HF604--Pugh (DFL) Judiciary Uniform transfer of litigation act adopted. HF605--Knight (IR) Education Parental rights affirmed to direct the upbringing and education of their children, and constitutional amendment proposed. HF606--Solberg (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Nashwauk area ambulance district local approval requirements modified. HF607--Greenfield (DFL) Health & Human Services Nursing facility plant and maintenance cost adjustment provided. HF608--Jennings (DFL) Health & Human Services Nursing facility maximum efficiency incentive per diem payment adjusted. HF609--Orfield (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Metropolitan Council made an elective body and provided public campaign financing, and penalties imposed. HF610--Farrell (DFL) Judiciary Truancy prevention and school safety projects appropriated money. HF611--Leppik (IR) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Interstate Highway No. 394 construction restrictions abolished. Thursday, Feb. 16 HF612--Cooper (DFL) Health & Human Services Prescription drug prescribers provided equal treatment. HF613--Hugoson (IR) Agriculture Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Board of Directors to include Department of Agriculture commissioner. HF614--Cooper (DFL) Agriculture Passing on the farm center established at Southwest Technical College in Granite Falls, and money appropriated. HF615--Girard (IR) Labor-Management Relations Prevailing wage payment requirement eliminated on state government contracted projects. HF616--Jennings (DFL) Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Accounting firm licensure by Board of Accountancy provided, licensing and disciplinary requirements modified, practice entities regulated, and money appropriated. HF617--Johnson, R. (DFL) Governmental Operations Teachers Retirement Association administration and benefit practices modified. HF618--Lourey (DFL) Health & Human Services Intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded maximum efficiency incentives increased. HF619--Lourey (DFL) Health & Human Services Nursing facility efficiency incentives modified. HF620--Jacobs (DFL) Regulated Industries & Energy Telephone company alternative regulation provided for limited periods, local exchange service competition promoted, and technical provisions modified. HF621--Lieder (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Caucus and voter guides prepared and distributed by secretary of state, and money appropriated. HF622--Tunheim (DFL) Agriculture Wetland management and protection provisions modified. HF623--Tomassoni (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance Life insurance policy replacement information disclosure requirements established, and form provided. HF624--Ostrom (DFL) Governmental Operations Public employees running for elective office provided leave of absence. HF625--Orenstein (DFL) Governmental Operations Debt collection entity established within the Department of Revenue, duties and powers imposed, data disclosure provided, collection penalty imposed, and money appropriated. HF626--Hausman (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Environmental education council established, state plan for environmental education development required, and money appropriated. HF627--Huntley (DFL) Governmental Operations Labor-Management Council employee or officer provided elective individual paid insurance and benefit eligibility. HF628--Bishop (IR) Judiciary Parental right termination; presumption of refusal or neglect of parental duties created. HF629--Van Engen (IR) Judiciary Finance Prairie Lakes Juvenile Detention Center bond issuance and appropriation provided for elevator installation. HF630--Macklin (IR) Taxes Agricultural tax credits provided, used farm machinery sales tax exemption made permanent, political contribution refund eliminated, local government flexibility and accountability provided, and money appropriated. HF631--Clark (DFL) Health & Human Services Prescription drug price negotiation authority granted to Department of Administration, statewide drug formulary established, and pharmacists required to post signs relating to generic drug substitution. HF632--Van Engen (IR) Judiciary Grocery store and delicatessen civil liability limited related to food donations to the elderly or needy. HF633--Skoglund (DFL) Judiciary Indecent exposure in the presence of a child under the age of 16 penalties increased. HF634--Greenfield (DFL) Health & Human Services Long-term care demonstration projects established, and money appropriated. HF635--Rhodes (IR) Transportation & Transit Motor vehicle base value determination provided for taxation purposes. HF636--Erhardt (IR) Taxes Noncommercial seasonal residential recreational property tax class rates reduced. HF637--Jennings (DFL) Taxes Electric power generation facility market value taxation exclusion provided based on facility efficiency. HF638--Jennings (DFL) Regulated Industries & Energy Power Plant Siting Act exemption provided for cogeneration plants, and local siting regulations for cogeneration plants preempted. HF639--Jennings (DFL) Regulated Industries & Energy Cogeneration plants exempted from the certificate of need process, and federal right waiver required. HF640--Murphy (DFL) Judiciary Registered property adverse claims notice requirements modified. HF641--Brown (DFL) Governmental Operations Land use request response by government entities provided time limitation. HF642--Winter (DFL) Labor-Management Relations Workers' compensation insurance regulation and benefits modified, and money appropriated. HF643--Bishop (IR) Environment & Natural Resources Water quality best management practices assessment required, well sealing cost share grants increased, and money appropriated. HF644--Peterson (DFL) Judiciary Firearms; right to keep and bear arms not abridged and constitutional amendment proposed. HF645--McGuire (DFL) Regulated Industries & Energy Beer keg identification standards established by public safety commissioner, and beer retailers required to maintain records of keg sales and record keg identification numbers. HF646--Bishop (IR) Judiciary Finance Peace officer firearms use report required annually by public safety commissioner. HF647--Jefferson (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Employees provided time off to vote in special legislative elections. HF648--Pugh (DFL) Judiciary Court referee office abolished, judgeships established to replace referees, and money appropriated. HF649--Jaros (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Designer selection state board membership increased, and representation from each congressional district required. HF650--Long (DFL) Taxes Noncommercial seasonal recreational residential property tax class rates reduced. HF651--Macklin (IR) Judiciary Uniform probate code provisions modified, safe deposit box search authority expanded, division and merger of trusts provisions modified, and power- of-attorney granted to spouses in certain cases. HF652--Kraus (IR) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Glenville and Albert Lea tax increment financing districts established, and Albert Lea tax increment financing district exempted from certain aid restrictions. HF653--Perlt (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Oakdale tax increment financing districts exempted from certain restrictions. HF654--Lieder (DFL) Transportation & Transit Town board authority clarified to alter or vacate town roads dedicated by plat. HF655--Dehler (IR) Governmental Operations Dice use allowed in licensed liquor establishments for deciding payment for alcoholic beverages, food, or other lawfully sold items. HF656--Entenza (DFL) Judiciary Equal rights provided to men and women, and constitutional amendment proposed. HF657--Simoneau (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance No-fault automobile insurance damage limitation provided for noneconomic detriment. HF658--Smith (IR) Education Education mandates removed unless funding is provided. HF659--Dehler (IR) Judiciary Fleeing a peace officer by means of a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner provided felony penalty. HF660--Dehler (IR) Governmental Operations Lawful purpose expenditures; gross profit expenditure increase provided for items not directly related to the conduct of lawful gambling. HF661--Murphy (DFL) Commerce, Tourism & Consumer Affairs Restraint of trade sales discrimination law price markup provisions repealed. HF662--Simoneau (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Precinct caucus date changed; major party candidates required to provide proof of party support before being listed on ballot; endorsed candidates permitted to include endorsement on partisan primary ballot; state primary date changed. HF663--Tomassoni (DFL) Judiciary Firearms; right to keep and bear arms not abridged and constitutional amendment proposed. HF664--Jefferson (DFL) Housing Manufactured home parks barred from prohibiting senior citizens from keeping pet dogs, cats and birds. HF665--Pawlenty (IR) Education Campus closure and reorganization commission established, and money approrpiated. HF666--Entenza (DFL) Taxes Cottage and camp use of federal land provided property tax exemption. HF667--Long (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Campaign finance spending limit and public subsidy provisions modified. HF668--Tuma (IR) Health & Human Services Psychologist licensure written declaration of intent requirement eliminated for persons with a master's degree seeking psychologist licensure. HF669--Pugh (DFL) Governmental Operations Survivor benefit payment prohibited to survivor who has feloniously caused the death of a member of a public pension plan. HF670--Pelowski (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Winona County authorized to negotiate and enter into a contract with Winona County Developmental Achievement Center. HF671--Anderson, R. (DFL) Health & Human Services Volunteer services for retired senior citizens, Foster Grandparent Program, and Senior Companion Program expanded, and money appropriated. HF672--Wagenius (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Waste Management Act provisions modified. HF673--Huntley (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance Risk-based capital for insurers regulated, and NAIC model act adopted. HF674--Olson, E. (DFL) Education North Central Minnesota Educational Television Consortium authorized a grant to establish an interactive television network. HF675--Knight (IR) Judiciary DWI; maximum allowable blood alcohol level lowered for operation of motor vehicles, snowmobiles, and motorboats, and while hunting. HF676--McGuire (DFL) Judiciary Inmates allowed to continue caring for their children who have special needs through the Work Release Program. HF677--Tomassoni (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance Insurance coverage regulated, and notice provisions, enforcement provisions, fees, and licenses modified, and technical changes provided. HF678--Clark (DFL) Education Language interpretation model instruction program established, and money appropriated. HF679--Winter (DFL) Education Independent School District No. 518, Worthington, residential program operation extension provided. HF680--Huntley (DFL) Taxes Home rule charter cities authorized to issue tax anticipation certificates. HF681--Milbert (DFL) Transportation & Transit Legislative Route No. 115 in Inver Grove Heights noise barrier construction required. HF682--Carruthers (DFL) Health & Human Services Health plan carrier organizational provisions modified. HF683--Milbert (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Small game hunting provisions modified, protected wild animal classification expanded, trapping and fishing restrictions modified, fishing season opening and closing dates adjusted, and commercial fish license provisions modified. HF684--Van Engen (IR) Taxes Recreational property occupied by a relative homestead qualification time period reduced. HF685--Simoneau (DFL) Labor-Management Relations Workers' compensation self-insurance provisions modified. HF686--Lourey (DFL) Health & Human Services MinnesotaCare; comprehensive health association coverage portability provided, small employer market provisions modified, premium billing practices regulated, and family coverage provisions modified. HF687--Lourey (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance Medicare supplement policy grace periods regulated. HF688--Dauner (DFL) Governmental Operations Teachers Retirement Association member granted disability benefit payment. HF689--Pugh (DFL) Governmental Operations West St. Paul Police Relief Association deceased member spouse benefit eligibility provided. HF690--Cooper (DFL) Health & Human Services University of Minnesota-Duluth Medical Education Program expanded, Federal Area Health Education Center Program grant request required, physician substitute demonstration project established, physician associate program, money appropriated. HF691--Koppendrayer (IR) Education Teacher contract procedure modified. HF692--Jennings (DFL) Health & Human Services Medical Assistance transportation service reimbursement rates adjusted. HF693--Dehler (IR) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Polling place campaign sign posting regulations clarified. HF694--Huntley (DFL) Health & Human Services Human services child care programs and county contribution provisions modified. HF695--Solberg (DFL) Governmental Operations Higher education employee labor contracts ratified. HF696--Wagenius (DFL) Education Compulsory education requirements modified for children under the age of seven. HF697--Simoneau (DFL) Financial Institutions & Insurance Long-term care insurance policy sale requirements modified. HF698--McCollum (DFL) General Legislation, Veterans Affairs & Elections Veterans Homes Board duties modified, and Silver Bay Veterans Home Dementia Unit expansion provided. HF699--Smith (IR) Transportation & Transit County board natural preservation route decision appeals allowed. HF700--Pugh (DFL) Local Government& Metro Affairs Dakota County appropriated money for airport planning cost reimbursement. HF701--Pugh (DFL) Judiciary Finance Administrative law judges salaries set. HF702--Lieder (DFL) Education School safety patrols authorized to include nonpupil adults as members. HF703--Tomassoni (DFL) Judiciary Male responsibility and fathering grant program established, and money appropriated. HF704--Marko (DFL) Governmental Operations Public contracts for consultant services requirements modified. HF705--Mares (IR) Education Children and education services department established and money appropriated. HF706--Huntley (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Finance Duluth; Hartley Nature Center appropriated money for improvements. HF707--Bettermann (IR) Education Higher Education Coordinating Board, state colleges and universities, and University of Minnesota appropriated money. HF708--Huntley (DFL) Health & Human Services MinnesotaCare regulated all-payer option repealed, and tax payment procedures modified. HF709--Tunheim (DFL) Governmental Operations Civil cause of action provided for property value reduction as a result of government action, and attorney general required to review proposed rules relating to taking property. HF710--Carruthers (DFL) Education Education general formula allowance, training and experience revenue, and transportation revenue increased. HF711--Carruthers (DFL) Education School district tax abatement state aid modified. HF712--Luther (DFL) Housing Brooklyn Park rental tax equity pilot project established, and money appropriated. HF713--Winter (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Feedlot regulatory authority granted to local governments. HF714--Clark (DFL) Environment & Natural Resources Indian Affairs Council to report on potentially offensive place names. HF715--Schumacher (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Town board adoption of recorded town road map damages paid to property owners. HF716--Olson, E. (DFL) Governmental Operations Civil cause of action provided for property value reduction as a result of government action, and attorney general required to review rules relating to taking property. HF717--Cooper (DFL) Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Town roads crossing state lands official confirmation provided. HF718--Johnson, R. (DFL) Governmental Operations Civil cause of action provided for property value reduction as a result of government action, and attorney general required to review proposed rules relating to taking property. HF719--Davids (IR) Governmental Operations Civil cause of action provided for property value reduction as a result of government action, and attorney general required to review proposed rules relating to taking property. MINNESOTA INDEX Compulsive gambling in Minnesota Amount the state has spent on research projects related to compulsive gambling $500,000 Estimated number of pathological gamblers in Minnesota, 1994 45,000 as a percentage of all Minnesotans 1.2 Calls taken by the compulsive gambling hotline since its inception 10,000 percent of those callers who were male 62 State funds received by the Minnesota Institute of Public Health to operate the hotline, 1994-95 biennium $280,000 Percent of 1994 callers who cited casino gambling as the cause of their problem 58 Percent citing the lottery 7 Percent of callers who got the number from a gambling location 7 State funds earmarked for compulsive gambling programs, 1990-91 biennium $600,000 in 1994-95 biennium, in millions $2.85 Amount of 1994-95 state funds spent on patient treatment, in millions $1.3 Number of state-run compulsive gambling treatment programs 6 Number of people treated at those facilities between spring 1992 and August 1994 845 Of those, number of people whose treatment costs were paid by the state 773 Average cost of treatment, per client $3,500 Percent of clients who quit before finishing treatment 28 Number of surveyed health plan companies in Minnesota that routinely reimburse for compulsive gambling treatment, October 1994 0 Percent of all gamblers with a history of chemical addiction 33 Percent of gamblers who suffer from a concurrent mental disorder 40 Hours of training currently provided by the Minnesota Council on Compulsive Gambling for potential treatment providers 60 Hours of supervised treatment provider experience necessary before full national certification can be awarded 2,000 Sources: First Report to the Legislature and Governor, State of Minnesota Advisory Council on Gambling, February 1995; Minnesota's Programs for Troubled Gamblers, Senate Counsel & Research, October 1994. Text compiled by the Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Office (612) 296-2146. *** Last update 2/17/95 (jtt) Last review 2/17/95 (jtt) ***