SESSION WEEKLY RESOURCES: LEGISLATIVE CONTACTS 2012 SESSION PREVIEW MEET THE NEW MEMBER CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING PLENTY OF BONDING PROPOSALS HF1762 - HF1986 A NONPARTISAN PUBLICATION MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES VOLUME 29, NUMBER 1 • JANUARY 27, 2012 Flashback to 2002 Vikings propose sharing stadium with the Gophers The 2002 legislative session began with the challenge of Welcome to Session Weekly and fixing a $1.95 billion deficit and dealing with task force the 2012 legislative session recommendations on a new Twins baseball park and a new Each week, Session Weekly staff will bring to you a non- football stadium to be shared by the Minnesota Vikings and partisan look at the issues before the House and the people the University of Minnesota. who shape the legislation. While the Session Weekly newsmagazine, now in its State participation in a new Twins stadium would be 29th year, remains our cornerstone publication, we are providing more online opportunities to access nonpartisan contingent on the reform of baseball’s economic structure, news from the House. including some form of payroll equalization between teams, Session Daily provides stories about committee and floor the task force proposed. action, including links to bill and member information, per- tinent reports and video coverage, when available. You can also access our social media accounts: The Vikings proposed a $500 million retractable-roof Facebook — www.facebook.com/MNHouseInfo facility to be shared with the Gophers on the University of Twitter — twitter.com/MNHouseInfo YouTube — youtube .com/user/MNHouseInfo Minnesota campus. Renovation of the Metrodome was not Other services to help you stay informed during session considered viable by the task force. include unedited gavel-to-gavel web streaming of all House floor and select committee hearings, and downloadable “A renovated Metrodome would still lack many of the audio of committee meetings. To subscribe to any of our electronic lists, call 651-296-2146, fan amenities characteristic of newer stadiums,” the 800-657-3550 or go to www.house.mn/hinfo/subscribesw. recommendation stated. Additionally, Vikings’ officials said asp. All of us at House Public Information Services are proud the team would not renew its lease in a renovated facility. to continue the 29-year tradition of providing nonpartisan news from the House. The recommendation urged the National Football League If you have comments or story ideas, please call us at to aid in new stadium construction. 651-296-2146, 800-657-3550 or the Minnesota Relay service at 711 or 800-627-3529 (TTY). — Session Weekly staff — Feb. 2, 2002 Session Weekly Contents SESSION WEEKLY Session Weekly is a nonpartisan publication FISRT READING: Big plans, short session • 3-5 of Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services. Produced HIGHLIGHTS Child care, charter school funding and county attorney protection • 6-7 during session, it covers the previous week’s PEOPLE: Susan Allen is the newest House member • 8 news from the House. No fee. RESOURCES: House and Senate membership rosters • 9-10 Session Weekly (ISSN 1049-8176) is published RESOURCES: Committee information • 11-14 weekly during the legislative session by Minnesota House of Representatives Public FEATURE: Dance of the Legislation has begun • 15 Information Services, 175 State Office Building, BILL INTRODUCTIONS: HF1762-HF1986 • 16-21 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1298. Periodicals postage RESOURCES: State and federal offices • 22-23 paid at St. Paul, Minn., and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MINNESOTA INDEX: Session 2012 • 24 Session Weekly, House Public Information Services, 175 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1298. Printed on recycled paper which is 50% recycled, 50% post-consumer content. On the cover: Reagan and Will Zellers help their father, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, gavel-in the first day of the 2012 session on Jan. 24. The photo was taken with a special lens that gives a “toy camera” effect. — Photo by Paul Battaglia FIRST READING FILE phOTO BY TOM OLMSCHEID aren’t required to be addressed by the Legislature. And with the redrawing of Big plans, short session legislative districts throwing the fall elections Vikings, bonding, government reform top the agenda in 2012 for a loop, many would prefer to get out of St. Paul as quickly as possible. Still, leaders are hoping for a productive BY NICK BUSSE next few months. House Minority Leader awmakers kicked off a legislative Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls) says the state’s session Jan. 24 that features some lofty projected $876 million budget surplus — its first surplus in nearly five years — might help L goals: a new stadium for the Minnesota lawmakers to focus on building consensus Vikings, a capital investment bill, sweeping this year instead of tearing down each other’s ideas. government reforms and thousands of new “I think the fact that, at least for right now, jobs for Minnesotans. this year … we’re not going to have to cut any more to balance the budget will make things easier,” Thissen said. But with legislative leaders pledging a very short session, and he sees no reason Zellers, too, thinks that a repeat of an early adjournment, time is short. The for legislators to stay in St. Paul past April last year’s drawn-out partisan gridlock is partisan differences that turned last year’s 30. unlikely. session into a bitter struggle are still firmly “It’s not just a matter of fiscal prudence,” “I would say to the taxpayers, the voters in place, and even where there is consensus Zellers said. “If there isn’t work to be done of Minnesota that are concerned about that, on issues, lawmakers disagree on solutions. down here, we don’t need to waste the we’re going to do our darndest not to have In short, all bets are off in 2012. taxpayers’ time.” that happen again this year,” Zellers said. House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Unlike last year’s budget crisis, the top Grove) says the House has only budgeted for items on this year’s agenda, strictly speaking, First Reading continued on page 4 January 27, 2012 Session Weekly 3 First Reading continued from page 3 investment package as part of last summer’s number of reform initiatives,” Zellers said. budget agreement, and many Republicans Thissen says DFLers can support reform Competing jobs agendas don’t think a second bill is necessary. bills as long as they’re not thinly veiled If there is an overarching theme emerging “We think that the need has to define the attempts to cut valuable programs and for this session, it’s jobs. size of the bonding bill,” he said, indicating services. Both Zellers and Thissen say their that his caucus might support a smaller “I think you’ll see Democrats embracing respective caucuses’ No. 1 priority is to proposal. good ideas about how to make government help the state’s approximately 175,000 It’s not just the size of the DFL bonding work better — as long as it’s about that,” he unemployed workers find employment. And plan that bothers Republicans; Zellers said. both have expressed a willingness to work said they view public works projects as merely a stopgap measure A year for compromise? for employment. Long-term The thero big issue hanging over lawmakers growth, Republicans believe, this year, according to proponents, is also a comes from private investment. potential job creator: funding for a new “Those workers undeniably Vikings stadium. go to work,” Zellers said. “But Dayton is an adamant supporter of a new what we maintain in our caucus, stadium, arguing it will employ thousands of and I personally believe, that if construction workers, and both Zellers and you want long-term, sustainable Thissen say they think a plan to build a new growth, you do it in the private stadium should come up for a vote on the sector, not the public sector.” The Republicans’ version of a jobs plan is focused on improving the state’s business climate. On Jan. 19, Republican leaders formally announced their “Reform 2.0” agenda — an expansion of their government reform initiatives from last year. Its goal is to reduce the impact of government on Minnesotans, streamline burdensome “If there isn’t work to be done down here, we regulations and don’t need to waste the taxpayers’ time.” generally make the — Speaker Kurt Zellers state a more attractive place for businesses. across party lines. “If you free up the entrepreneurs, On Jan. 11, Gov. Mark Dayton and the hard-working women and men DFL legislative leaders unveiled their jobs of our great state, they’ll build an plan, which includes a $775 million capital economy that is sustainable, and investment bill, a “new jobs tax credit” to help we’ll lead the recovery instead of companies hire unemployed workers and waiting for it to come here,” Zellers “I think the fact that, at least for right now, this veterans, a sales tax on Internet purchases said. year… we’re not going to have to cut any more to and incentives for workers to retrain. “Reform 2.0” includes dozens balance the budget will make things easier.” “What we came up with, I think, is a very of individual proposals, many of — Minority Leader Paul Thissen modest but very targeted package aimed at them hatched during face-to-face getting people back to work,” Thissen said. meetings with business owners. Zellers said House floor this year. Everyone agrees the So far, Republicans have expressed he’s hoping that at least some of those ideas are clock is ticking. skepticism regarding the plan — especially its well received by the governor and the DFLers.