Minnesota Legislature
Energy, agriculture and commerce conferees size up contrasts in House, Senate bills
By Rob Hubbard
As conference committee reports go, the one dealing with energy, agriculture and commerce is quite the combo platter. Not only will it send appropriations from multiple funds into projects in three different subject areas, but it doubles as a policy bill.
On Tuesday, the conference committee putting together the agriculture, energy and commerce finance and policy bill compared the House and Senate versions, and heard testimony from stakeholders who often expressed preferences for one approach over the other.
The 10 conferees are entrusted with finding common ground between HF4975, sponsored by Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka), and SF4942, sponsored by Sen. Nick Frentz (DFL-North Mankato).
In comparing the spreadsheets for energy, commerce and agriculture, the numbers are fairly comparable, with each body clinging closely to the agreed-upon budget targets for their areas. But policy choices will have to be made, especially in the areas of permitting reform for electric transmission, seeking a federal waiver to create a health care public option, and use of fertilizer fees.
Recent Dailies
Energy, agriculture and commerce conferees size up contrasts in House, Senate bills
By Rob Hubbard
As conference committee reports go, the one dealing with energy, agriculture and commerce is quite the combo platter. Not only will it send appropriations from multiple funds in...
House delays vote on putting equal rights constitutional amendment on 2026 ballot
By Mike Cook
A state constitution contains basic principles that preside over a state, including its governmental powers and the guaranteed rights of its citizens.
Minnesota’s governing ...
Jobs conference committee’s tough task: solve ‘vast differences’ in bottom lines
By Tim Walker The conference committee on the jobs and economic development and workforce development supplemental budget bill met for the first time Monday and took care of some easy tasks, ...Tenant-landlord bill agreement would protect domestic violence victims, omit prohibition of income discrimination
By Miranda Bryant The conference committee on a bill to modify residential housing tenant and landlord provisions reached an agreement Monday. The proposed legislation would, among other thin...Week in Review: May 6-10
By HPIS Staff
It was another long week with hours of debate on supplemental budget bills that have now, mostly, been passed off the House Floor, meaning conference committee season has fully ...
Human services conferees start work of compromising on budget bills
By Miranda Bryant The House and Senate have different human services policy and program appropriations in their supplemental budget bills. The process of compromising began Friday at the first me...Conference committee dives into transportation, labor, housing bill
By Margaret Stevens
A few days after each body passed extensive, multi-provision bills, conferees started reconciling differences on the transportation, labor and housing supplemental budget bill F...
Election conferees reach agreement on policy, budget provisions
By Mike Cook The votes were cast Friday afternoon. The result is an agreement on elections policy and budget provisions. However, it is not yet official because nonpartisan staff have be...House, Senate tax conferees convene to discuss differences
By Rob Hubbard
If there’s one thing the chairs of the House and Senate Taxes committees agree on, it’s the value of the child tax credit they created last year.
“I don’t call anything hist...
Conference committee begins work on supplemental education finance bill
By Brian Basham
The education supplemental budget bill committee has some homework to do after its initial meeting Friday.
There are many differences between the House and Senate language a...
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Ways and Means Committee OKs proposed $512 million supplemental budget on party-line vote
By Mike Cook
Meeting more needs or fiscal irresponsibility is one way to sum up the differences among the two parties on a supplemental spending package a year after a $72 billion state budg...
Minnesota’s projected budget surplus balloons to $3.7 billion, but fiscal pressure still looms
By Rob Hubbard
Just as Minnesota has experienced a warmer winter than usual, so has the state’s budget outlook warmed over the past few months.
On Thursday, Minnesota Management and Budget...
