Higher Education Committee Update– College Tuition, Mayo Clinic, and GI Education

Higher Ed. committee presentations began with President Bruiniks from the University of Minnesota and Chancellor McCormick on behalf of MnSCU of their 2007 budget requests.  The Governor has recommended less than the amount requested by both systems.  Under the Governor's budget, the University is saying they cannot limit a potential tuition increase to 4.5% as they planned […]

Legislative Session and State Revenues

Six weeks into the 2007 Legislative Session, work continues on the creation of a state budget for the next two years.   Committees in the House and Senate are taking testimony from state agencies, local officials and regular citizens to determine the various needs in budget areas like education, transportation, health care, etc.  At the end […]

Property Tax Updates, Timely Session

On Friday, the Property Tax Division heard several proposals to provide property tax relief throughout the state, including proposals to reduce reliance on school levies, increase LGA, and increase Property Tax Refunds (PTR).  On Thursday, the House had adopted committee deadlines, including setting a fourth deadline for conference committee targets.  Setting a fourth deadline represents […]

Watersheds, Wetlands, Buffer Protection Subcomittee Update– Clean Water Legacy

Watersheds, Wetlands, Buffer Protection Subcommittee—Clean Water LegacyOn February 6, the subcommittee heard a summary of the Clean Water Legacy program. In 2006, the Legislature created the CWA and allocated $25 million in one-time funding to begin cleaning up the pollution in Minnesota's waters. The Governor is recommending a $20 million appropriation for the coming year. […]

Early Childhood Learning Finance Committee Update

The Early Childhood Learning Finance Committee considered a number of bills to increase funding for Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), school readiness, and Head Start – including my bill HF 5.  Mike Thorsteinson and Carrie Duba testified on behalf of the bill explaining what the funding would do to help Head Start and School Readiness […]

Committee updates

Last Tuesday the Agriculture Policy Committee heard presentations on sustainable and organic agriculture, its importance today, and how it has moved from being a marketing and operating niche into the mainstream of agriculture.  The policy committee passed four bills that provide funding for:  –sustainable agriculture demonstration grants, –organic certification cost-share assistance, –organic research and education […]

Session Weekly, February 16, 2007

This week's Session Weekly is now available online atMinnesota House of Representative– Session Weekly Among this week's stories: a proposal that supporters say will give Minnesota the most aggressive renewable energy standard in the U.S.; and a bill that would prohibit the sale of anything with the representation of an American flag unless the item […]

Podcast: KYMN Interviews Rep. David Bly, Feb 12, 2007

Here is a podcast of the February 12th, 2007, KYMN Radio interview.  HEAR: KYMN Radio Station Interview, February 12th, 2007 GET NOTIFIED (you need a reader): Get the feed. LISTEN ON ITUNES: Or, go to iTunes and subscribe to the podcast. You might first need to download the iTunes software if you are not already […]