Commissioner hearings on hold in the Senate
Some Senate DFL committee chairs are postponing commissioner confirmation hearings until a dust-up between Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL leaders is settled.
The DFL governor and DFL Sen. Majority Leader Tom Bakk are at odds over Dayton’s decision to boost pay for members of his cabinet. The Senate overwhelmingly decided last week to delay Dayton's raises until July.
Finance Committee Chair Richard Cohen was planning to hold a confirmation hearing for Minnesota Management and Budget chief Myron Frans next week. But he says he and other committee chairs are holding off on other confirmations until things between Dayton and Bakk have cooled off.
“Because of what happened this past week, some of the confirmations might become more contentious than we would have hoped," Cohen said. "The issue relative to confirmation of commissioners is the ability to do the job, not necessarily what they’re getting paid or not paid.”
A commissioner can serve if the Senate takes no action. But if the Senate votes against confirmation, the person loses his or her job immediately.
Cohen said Frans will be confirmed eventually, and that his decision to delay the hearing isn't a reflection of Frans' work.
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