MINNESOTA HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES Session Ends

MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VDLUM 3, NUMBER B March 20, 1 886 Says Rep. K.J. McDonald (IR Session ends Watertown), a conferee who helped A pre-dawn decision to adjo1;1rn draft the proposal, "After traveling "Sine Die" ended the 74th Legisla the state, meeting with farmers and tive Session for the House on many farm groups, we recognize March 18 after 19 continuous three economic conditions in rural hours of floor action. Minnesota that require a unique re Adjournment came w~thout :pass sponse from tlie Legislature. This ing the tax and budget b~lls which proposal tries to treat these are in conference committees. groups-farmers sfrµggling to keep from losing ground financially, To get final action on the two farmers on the brink of insolvency, major revenue bills, the ¥overn<?r and farmers irrevocably committed can decide to call a Special Sess10n. to liquidation-with unique However, the Constitution gives remedies." the governor authority to make whatever financial decisions he de McDonald and others say the IN THIS ISSUE: cides would remedy this year's main feature in the bill is the debt • Highlights- budget shortfall-without legisla restructuring program that the tive approval. newly created Rural Finance Committee and Floor Action Administration (RFA) would (March 13-18) The House budget bill includes oversee. • Bill Introductions the education omnibus bill and (March 13-1 7) proposals for reorganizing the De Under the program, the state partment of Natural Resources. would sell $50 million in general • Info: How a bill obligation bonds. RFA would use becomes a law About 200 revisions, amend the bond proceeds to pay back UR • Info: Where to get answers ments or introductions to Minneso (to 25 percent of loans private lend 24-HOUR INFORMATION ta's law texts could result fropi. )ers make to qualified farmers. SERVICE House action during these past six weeks. Major session highlights fol The program is expected to low this article. pump in as much as a billion dol • To follow a bill from introduc lars of new capital into the farm tion through committee and floor ' ' . market for use by as many as 4,000 action, to the governor s signature, Farm package to 6,000 farmers. call: House Bill Status Line A $16-million farm package that Says Rep. Jerry Schoenfeld (612) 297-1264 supporters say targets aid to three (DFL-Waseca), "This program will different groups of farmers, won address many of the problems rural • For up-to-date committee meet unanimous approval from the Minnesota is currently facing. ing times and agendas, call: House, just short of the March 18 Provisions in the bill would send House Calls adjournment date. funds to: (612) 296-9283 After undergoing a week of con • the Minnesota Farm Advocate ference committee battles, the pro • For gene1ml information, call: Program; posal, now enroute to the Senate 111 the family farm interest House Information chamber for approval, targets funds (612) 296-2146 exclusion; for a variety of farm programs in 111 the area A VTis to help retrain cluding interest buy-down and displaced farmers; • Electronic communication for farm--debt mediation programs. It hearing impaired persons. To ask the Agricultural Data Collection includes, too, legal assistance for Task Force; and questions or leave messages, call: farmers facing foreclosure and a TDD Line • the University of Minnesota Ag bonding program whereby the state ricultural Extensipn Service. (612) 296-9896 would sell general obligation bonds Nothing herein is admissible as legal for farm-debt restructuring. proof of legislative intent. Other provisions would call for a Postsecondary options Organizations would have to no priority lien study, permanent.con tify the board and their local gov A conference committee deleted servation practices, a redempt10~ ernment in writing 30 days before a House floor amendment to of agricultural homeste~ds, a capi each lawful gambling occasion. tal gains income exclus10n, and HF1919 (Levi, IR-Dellwood) that Thirty days after the occasion, the would make the state party to an would have allowed certain private organization would again have to interstate grain narketing compact. school students to participate in the notify the board of the total re state's postsecondary options ceipts, prizes, expenses, the distrib Workers' compensation program. utor of their gambling equipment, However, Senate conferees and expenditures of net profts. In the early morning hours agreed to add a provision requiring Failure to file a report on time March 18, the House repassed a legislative task force to study the would be a $250 fine. HF1873 (Sviggum, IR-Kenyon) as issue and make recommendations Under HF2331 (Shaver, IR-Way amended by the Senate, a bill that to both the Senate and House. would change the way the state zata) a tax on the sale of pull-tabs "It was the best we could do, compensates injured workers. by distributors would replace the folks," said bill author Rep. Connie current tax on a non-profit organi The bill's author, Rep. Steve Levi. zation's gross receipts on pull-tabs. Sviggim, said the original bill the It would also impose a maximum House passed included some con HF1919, if signed into law, would tighten up last year's Post prize limit of $250on pull-tabs ~ng troversial "red flags." One such secondary Enrollment Options Act. prohibit organizations from sellmg provision would have held an in a them for more than $2 each. surance company liable for an in The House adopted the conference committee's report during the jured worker's legal fees if a court The bill would also prohibit or awarded a claim the company had March 18 session and repassed the ganizations from expending more legislation. denied. than 50 percent of their gross re ceipts from bingo for expenses and The legislative negotiation pro Charitable gambling changes no more than 40 percent for ex cess removed that provision and Charitable organizations that penses for all other forms of lawful several others, including the pros gambling. It would authorize the pective elimination of supplemen have up to five events a year and award prizes of not more than board to specify allowable tary benefits to make up for expenses. inflation. $50,000 would not have to register with the state's Charitable Gam The Senate's version of the work Child abuse trust ers' comp bill differs significantly bling Control Board. On March 17, from his original proposal, Svig the House voted, 93-34, in favor of A bill which began as an income gum said. "It's changed dramati the bill that's on the way to the tax checkoff program for child cally since the time it left. It's prob- governor for his signature. It would abuse prevention programs, but ably more notable for what it . exempt these organizations from ended as a $2 surcharge on birth doesn't have in if now than what 1t the current charitable gambling certificates for such programs got does have in it." law. the approval of the House, 103-18, Nevertheless, the ,House ap March 17. proved the compromise 106-19. "This is what the Senate felt they could go along with," Sviggu~ . said, "and at this late hour, this 1s the bill we have." HFl 873 now awaits the gover nor's signature. MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Session Weekly is a publication of the Minnesota. House o~ Representative.s Public Information Office. During the 1986 Legislative Session, each issue reports daily House action from Thursday (2 p.m.) to Thursday (2 p.m.), lists bill introductions and advance committee schedules, and provides other information. The publicatio~ is free ~o interested constituents. Contact: Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Office, 175 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155, (612) 296-2146. Information Officer: Jean Steiner 0 Editor: Peg Hamerston • Assistant EditorI Writer: Lisa Lissimore • Art and Production Coordinator: Donna J. Lyons • Session Writers: Susan Shepard Carlson, Amy Gage, Beverly Geber, Barbara Ladd • Bill Introductions & Committee Schedules: Terrie Gimpel, Terri Hudoba, Dorothy Sawyer • Staff Intern: Martha Ebey, Brenda Roth The bill, SF2078 (Halberg, IR Boating During the 1985 session, the Burnsville) would create a joint un House had passed the income tax derwriting association, which The House repassed a boating checkoff program, but this session, would make insurance available while-intoxicated bill March 17 the Senate replaced it with the sur when state law requires coverage or that is a little less strict than the charge on birth certificates. when insurance is essential for one the House originally passed. The bill, HF450 (Blatz, IR business. Under the bill, each Last week, the House passed a Bloomington) would give the com member of the joint underwriting version of SF31 (Blatz, IR-Bloom missioner of public safety the au association would share its losses ington) that would have applied to thority to disburse money from the and expenses, depending on the all watercraft, but a House/Senate trust fund to any public or private number of total premiums written conference committee decided the nonprofit agency for child abuse the member writes. bill should apply only to prevention programs. The commis The compromise also made sev motorboats. sioner would also provide statewide eral changes to the state's general It would subject boaters who educational and public informa civil liability laws, including a drink and drive to the same penal tional seminars to develop public $400,000 cap on "intangible ties as drunk drivers on land. De awareness on preventing child losses", such as embarrassment, partment of Natural Resources offi abuse. emotional distress, and loss of con cers would be able to stop boaters To receive money from the trust sortium (not pain, disability, or for probable cause, administer tests fund, applicants would have to disfigurement).

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