Legislature spins it wheels on ag funding bill
In an effort to pass an agriculture and environment budget bill, Senate Democrats amended the bill to remove two controversial provisions that deal with environmental policy and sent the bill to the House.
The move violated an agreement among Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders.
But Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL- Cook, said the original bill couldn’t pass the Senate, so the only way to attract enough DFL support to pass it was to change it. He said the scope of the bill made it impossible to pass.
“Policy doesn’t belong in budget bills,” Bakk said. “What you just witnessed was us restoring the intent of the Senate that policy be excluded from the budget.”
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The changes made in the Senate restored the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's citizens' board and removed a provision that allows nonferrous mining waste to be exempt from solid waste rules.
Bakk said he never signed an agreement that prevented the Senate from amending bills.
House Republicans rejected the Senate language. They amended the bill back to the version that the governor and legislative leaders agreed upon and sent it back to the Senate.
"If you make one of those PCA changes (citizen's board) we don't have the votes to pass the bill," said House bill author, Rep. Dennis McNamara, R-Hastings. "No way. We had an agreed upon deal."
Senate Minority Leader David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, said he was shocked Bakk and Senate Democrats decided to disregard their agreement and change the bill.
“Who do you trust now? Who do you trust? Who’s in charge here? What deal is going to be the deal?” Hann said. “Can we see the Senate majority say ‘here’s the deal’ and can we trust that?”
Bakk said lawmakers could still meet in a conference committee to negotiate their differences. He said he plans to adjourn the session at 7 a.m. to honor the agreement that the special session will last only one day.