SESSION WEEKLY REDISTRICTING SPECIAL FEATURE POLITICS IN THE CLASSROOM MEET THE WHIPS A BUSHEL AND A PECK HF2344 - HF2492 A NONPARTISAN PUBLICATION MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES VOLUME 29, NUMBER 4 • FEBRUARY 24, 2012 Flashback to 1992, 2002 Is ‘faith’ health care? Should prayer count as “health care” to exempt parents from child neglect or endangerment charges? Rep. Phil Carruthers (DFL-Brooklyn Center) sponsored a bill to repeal the spiritual exemption in state law. His bill came in response to the high-profile State v. McKown case heard by the Minnesota Supreme Court, in which the court upheld the dismissal of negligence charges filed against the parents of a 12-year-old diabetic who died in 1989. The parents were members of the Christian Science religion whose major tenets include spiritual healing. In its 1991 opinion, the court cited the explicit language in Minnesota law that permits the good faith reliance on spiritual treatment and prayer. “This is not an issue of freedom of religion. Adults can make Tim Berceau gets pinned by Ian Stoneberg in front a decision not to have medical care. … Children do not have of the House Education Policy Committee. After the power to make this decision,” Carruthers said. testifying in support of a bill that would outlaw mixed-gender wrestling teams, the two Burnsville High School wrestlers demonstrated moves that would — Session Weekly Feb. 21, 1992 be considered improper off the mat. Watching the demonstration are Committee Chairman Rep. Harry Mares, left, legislative assistant Rory Koch, center, and Rep. Mark Olson. — Session Weekly Feb. 22, 2002 Contents SESSION WEEKLY Session Weekly is a nonpartisan publication of the Minnesota House of Representatives REDISTRICTING: House incumbent pairings • 10 Public Information Services. Produced during session, it covers the previous week’s REDISTRICTING: Equal representation for 5,303,025 residents • 11 news from the House. No fee. REDISTRICTING: Session Weekly (ISSN 1049-8176) is published New district maps • 12-14 weekly during the legislative session by FEATURE: Minnesota House of Representatives Public Caucus ‘whips’ work to keep them in line • 19 Information Services, 175 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., ILL NTRODUCTIONS B I : HF2344-HF2492 • 20-23 St. Paul, MN 55155-1298. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minn., and additional offices. NDEX I : Bushel and a peck • 24 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 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: Amy Walstien, director of education and workforce development policy at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, views the new legislative district maps on her tablet computer. The maps were released by a Minnesota judicial panel Feb. 21. — Photo by Paul Battaglia HIGHLIGHTS FEBA R U RY 16 - 23, 2012 state resident; demonstrate the ability to Editor’s note: Once again it has been an exceptionally busy week with bills being repay the loan, which may include business introduced and moving through committees. training through an intermediary; and fall But the big news of the week was into one of two classifications, a protected the state’s newly redrawn district lines. group or a qualified noncitizen. As with last week, we will not be having a First Reading story on page 3 so as to devote room Because some religions do not allow for loan to the new district maps, which you will find interest payments, an alternative fee payment on pages 11-13. could be established. Hmong, Latino and Somali farmers are some of the anticipated cultural groups who would seek the loans, according to Jim Boerboom, Department of Editor’s note: The following Highlights are coverage of select bills heard in House Agriculture deputy commissioner. committees or divisions and other House The committee referred the bill to the activities held Feb.16-23. Designations used House Commerce and Regulatory Reform in Highlight summaries: HF-House File; Committee. Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) SF-Senate File; Ch-Chapter; and * the bill version considered by the House or the bill sponsors SF1713, a companion that was language acted on by the governor. approved by the Senate Finance Committee Feb. 23. — S. HEGARTY Agriculture Business & Commerce PHOTO BY PAUL BATTAGLIA Biodiesel exemptions extended Jerry Schoenfeld, a lobbyist for the Minnesota When it comes to heavy machinery, Biodiesel Council, testifies Feb. 22 on a bill Notary public fee cap elimination you can’t put biodiesel fuel into an engine that would extend biodiesel minimum content requirement exceptions until May 1, 2020. Randy Jessup owns a UPS Store in before manufacturers engineer for it. This Roseville and another in St. Paul. In addition is especially true during harsh Minnesota to packaging and shipping needs, his stores operators the exemptions they need until new winters when biodiesel fuel (a combustible offer notary public services. However, they locomotives and trucks with modernized liquid derived from soybean oil or animal may not continue doing so because the cost- biodiesel engines can be manufactured. fat) can gel and clog machine engines. benefit ratio is not good. So even though newer tractors and farm — S. HEGARTY Sponsored by Rep. Linda Runbeck implements are designed to accept grades (R-Circle Pines), HF1872 would repeal the Loan program for new farmers of biodiesel fuel up to B20, there are still maximum $1 fee that can be charged for industries that rely on purer forms of A pilot project that would provide small notary services. “It’s sort of under the general diesel. For example, million-dollar train business loans to immigrant and minority broad category of getting government out of locomotives and trucks that haul minerals to farmers could be available beginning Aug. price setting and price controls and allowing Minnesota mines are not equipped to comply 1, 2012, under a bill approved by the House the market to work,” she said. with state biodiesel mandates and therefore Agriculture and Rural Development Policy Approved Feb. 16 by the House Judiciary have been given an exemption, due to expire and Finance Committee Feb. 23. Policy and Finance Committee, the bill in May 2012. HF2159, sponsored by Rep. Chris awaits action by the full House. HF2158, sponsored by Rep. Debra Kiel Swedzinski (R-Ghent), would grant loans Jessup said there are about 85,000 notaries (R-Crookston), would extend the exemption up to $10,000 to qualified borrowers. Initial public in Minnesota, down about 15 percent until May 1, 2020. The House Agriculture funding for the revolving loan program from three years ago. and Rural Development Policy and Finance would come from a transfer of $225,000 “One of the issues, I think, that has caused Committee approved the bill Feb. 22, as in unused money in the Rural Finance that is that the cost of notary has gone up,” he amended, and sent it to the House floor. Authority’s Agroforestry Loan Program. said. “The registration fee with the secretary Sen. Doug Magnus (R-Slayton) sponsors a The pilot project stipulates that the funds of state used to be $40; it’s now $120. You companion, SF1635, which awaits action by can only be used for purchasing materials for also have to register with the county that you the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economies the growing of specialty crops and livestock are doing notary in. In Ramsey County, it’s Committee. and may not be used for the subsequent an additional $20.” The eight-year extension aligns with the “value-added” costs of bringing those crops Jessup said a number of store owners in average life of locomotive and mining truck and livestock products to market, such as the UPS system have decided, that because engines. The bill would continue to give the processing and storage. of the increased cost and liability concern, Eligible borrowers would need to be a legal they’re no longer offering a notary public February 24, 2012 Session Weekly 3 service. He said banks are also reducing their House passes teacher insurance bill Bills worries school employees are notary services, especially for people who are Teachers unions currently have authority supporting political ideas while on the not customers. to take action on their health plans without job, when they are supposed to be acting He said the $1 fee is a good deal for the agreement of districts. They may enroll as nonpartisan educators. He referenced a Minnesota consumers, noting a similar in programs such as the Public Employees policy already in place in the Lakeville School store in Iowa charges $3-7 for notary public Insurance Program unilaterally. District, which barred its staff from spending service, and other states charge $10 or more. Sponsored by Rep. Joe Hoppe (R-Chaska) district resources on political activity after it A companion, SF1660, sponsored by Sen. and Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls), received complaints from parents. Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes), awaits HF371/SF247* would no longer allow that. “Schools are a place of learning, not politics action by the Senate Judiciary and Public On Feb. 16, the bill was approved 71-58 by for any side,” Bills said. Safety Committee. the House. It returned to the Senate where Jan Alswager, chief lobbyist for Education — M. COOK it was laid over. A different version passed Minnesota, said the bill would infringe on 34-28 on May 14, 2011. educators’ rights. The bill requires that teachers unions “This bill is overreaching. … Is that really Education and districts agree to health plan changes how we want to be interpreting freedom of before they could become effective.