|
 Farewell
to
our
wonderful
interns
Angelo,
Ana
and
Cristian.
They
did
an
outstanding
job
this
session!
Higher
Education
budget
proposal
ignores
Governor’s
recommendations,
could
increase
tuition
The
House
and
Senate
Republicans’
higher
education
budget
agreement
is
$193
million
less
or
only
40%
of
the
Governor’s
request.
Both
the
MnState
and
U
of
M
systems
could
face
serious
budget
cuts
and
tuition
increases
if
the
bill
were
to
become
law.
The
University
fared
the
worst
under
the
Republican
proposal,
receiving
only
$18.6
million
–
$78.2
million
less
than
the
Governor
requested
and
$128.6
million
less
than
the
U’s
ask.
MnState
will
receive
$77.7
million
–
$73
million
less
than
the
Governor’s
proposal
and
$101
million
less
than
they
requested.
A
tuition
freeze
will
be
in
place
at
MnState,
but
with
no
funding
to
backfill
the
lack
of
state
investment,
there
will
likely
be
systemwide
cuts
which
could
mean
fewer
course
offerings,
staff
reductions,
and
increased
class
sizes.
(Delete-All
amendment)
Governor
Dayton
vetoes
two
abortion
bills
The
first
bill
vetoed
would
have
prohibited
state
funding
for
abortions
except
in
cases
to
save
the
life
of
a
woman
or
in
cases
of
rape
or
incest.
State
law
in
Minnesota
already
prohibits
the
use
of
state
funding
for
abortions
except
in
cases
of
rape
or
incest,
for
health
or
therapeutic
reasons,
and
when
a
woman’s
life
is
in
danger.
The
bill
discriminated
against
women
based
on
the
type
of
insurance
they
have
and
challenged
current
state
law
that
ensures
women
have
access
to
reproductive
health
care
regardless
of
their
financial
situation.
The
second
bill
would
have
subjected
abortion
clinics
to
the
licensure
standards
of
the
Outpatient
Surgical
Center
Act,
which
essentially
classifies
them
as
small
hospitals.
This
bill
was
also
designed
to
shut
down
abortion
providers
in
Minnesota.
The
evidence
of
unsafe
practices
within
these
clinics
to
warrant
this
type
of
heightened
licensure
is
not
present
in
the
clinics
that
operate
in
Minnesota.
(SF
704,
SF
702)
Met
Council
restructuring
bill
passes
the
Senate
A
bill
seeking
to
restructure
the
Metropolitan
Council
was
passed
off
the
Senate
floor
Monday
evening,
with
a
34-32
party-line
vote.
If
signed,
the
bill
as
amended
would
make
significant
changes
to
the
composition
of
the
Met
Council,
bringing
the
number
of
serving
individuals
to
28
members,
up
from
its
current
number
of
17.
Supporters
of
the
legislation
contend
the
changes
will
bring
accountability
to
the
council,
as
its
current
composition
of
gubernatorial
appointees
has
regional
taxation
authority
without
being
elected
by
the
regions’
residents.
Opponents
argue
having
elected
officials
on
the
Met
Council
would
bring
with
it
several
conflicts
of
interest,
as
they
would
be
acting
in
incompatible
positions
as
both
the
regulator
and
as
the
regulated.
The
bill
has
been
sent
to
the
House,
where
it
was
referred
to
Ways
and
Means. The
language
for
this
bill
is
also
included
in
the
transportation
finance
conference
committee
report.
(SF
1490/HF
1866)
Architectural
barriers
and
frivolous
lawsuits
The
Minnesota
Senate
passed
a
bill
aimed
at
stopping
frivolous
lawsuits
filed
against
business
owners
for
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
violations.
This
bill
clarifies
that,
if
a
person
has
an
attorney,
the
attorney
must
send
a
notice
of
architectural
barrier
before
bringing
a
civil
action
under
the
Americans
with
Disability
Act
(ADA)
and
the
Minnesota
Human
Rights
Act
(MHRA).
This
also
applies
to
persons
who
are
representing
themselves
without
an
attorney.
The
bill
then
specifies
what
components
must
be
part
of
the
notice.
The
bill
allows
for
a
reasonable
time
to
respond
–
not
less
than
60
days.
(HF
1542)
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A
Message
from
Patricia
Dear
Friends
and
Neighbors,
We
have
completed
week
number
18
at
the
legislature.
Session
will
be
ending
on
May
22.
Last
week,
after
a
Monday
night
maneuver
in
which
the
Majority
stopped
negotiating
with
the
Governor
and
closed
up
most
of
their
budget
bill
conference
committees,
DFLers
and
Governor
Dayton
are
calling
out
Republicans
for
doing
the
people’s
work
at
the
legislature
in
the
dead
of
night,
with
no
notice
or
accountability.
With
no
public
notice,
Republicans
finalized
conference
committee
bills.
Most
of
these
conference
committees
have
not
taken
public
testimony,
and
provided
dark-of-night
notice
of
the
early
morning
hearings
that
took
place
on
Tuesday
last
week.
For
Minnesotans,
this
means
they
have
no
say
in
the
$1.5
billion
Republicans
are
rolling
out
the
door.
Tuesday
night
Senate
Republicans
passed
the
environment
and
natural
resources
finance,
education
finance,
state
government,
and
health
and
human
services
bills.
There
is
an inadequate
level
of
funding
in
the
bills
as
well
as
bad
policies
that
many
argue
will
hurt
Minnesotans.
The
Senate
still
needs
to
pass
its
taxes,
transportation,
higher
education,
and
judiciary
budget
bills.
In
their
current
forms,
the
Governor
has
promised
to
veto
of
all
of
them.
Please
continue
to
be
attentive,
your
voice
guides
my
work
here
at
the
legislature.
My
office
and
staff
are
available
to
address
your
questions
and
concerns.
Together
in
Solidarity,
 Senator
Torres
Ray
and
DFL
women
legislators
met
with
Governor
Mark
Dayton
and
Lt.
Governor
Tina
Smith
to
talk
about
three
important
women’s
issues
in
the
closing
days
of
the
legislative
session:
- Protecting
minimum
wage
and
paid
family
leave
by
vetoing
the
preemption
bill
- Keeping
the
Office
of
the
Economic
Status
of
Women
funded
- Protecting
our
clean
and
fair
elections
by
opposing
the
elimination
of
the
public
finance
program
BUDGET
BILL
VETOES
Below
are
the messages
on
why
each
of
the
bills were
vetoed:
- Chapter
41,
SF
780:
This
is
the
omnibus
agriculture
finance
bill.
To
read
Governor
Dayton’s
veto
letter, CLICK
HERE.
- Chapter
42,
HF
888:
This
is
the
omnibus
environment
and
natural
resources
finance
bill.
To
read
Governor
Dayton’s
veto
letter, CLICK
HERE.
- Chapter
43,
HF
890:
This
is
the
omnibus
E-12
education
finance
bill.
To
read
Governor
Dayton’s
veto
letter, CLICK
HERE.
- Chapter
44,
SF605:
This
is
the
omnibus
state
government,
military
and
veterans
affairs
finance
bill.
To
read
Governor
Dayton’s
veto
letter, CLICK
HERE.
- Chapter
45,
SF
800:
This
is
the
omnibus
health
and
human
services
finance
bill.
To
read
Governor
Dayton’s
veto
letter, CLICK
HERE.
HF1451/SF1124
Omnibus
lands
bill
was
passed
and
signed
into
law:
- Chapter
54,
SF
1124:
This
bill
modifies
requirements
for
exchanging
road
easements
and
for
leasing
forest
lands;
providing
for
public
or
private
sale
of
certain
consolidated
conservation
land.
 Greeting
students
from
the
seven
MnSCU
System
schools
that
walked
100
miles
from
Mankato
to
the
Capitol
last
week
for
Fund
the
Future:
100
Miles
for
Tuition
Relief.
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