The Republican-proposed omnibus bonding bill was presented and passed in the House Capital Investment Committee. The good news is that funding for the expansion of Austin’s Hormel Institute was included; however, the level of funding was $4.5 million below what is needed for the project. The bill is significantly smaller than the amount the Governor proposes for bonding this year.

With only $280 million proposed to use toward state investment in infrastructure including roads and bridges, colleges and state buildings, public safety including corrections facilities and emergency operations, natural resources including flood mitigation efforts, and other state-supported activities including the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Zoo, the placement of the Hormel Institute in the bill is a positive sign. However, with so few projects funded it may be difficult to get the necessary votes to pass this bill.

A Capital Investment bill must earn the votes of a supermajority in the Minnesota House to be passed. This means it takes 81 votes to support the bill. The current size of the bonding bill and the House strategy of promoting two bonding bills (the other bill includes $220 million for the Minnesota State Capitol renovation), may make it difficult to accomplish this. It is likely the bill will be negotiated further to garner more support.

 

Child restraint bill dealt a setback

Local prosecutors, social services, and law enforcement helped craft this legislation to address a disturbing child abuse case in Mower County. House File 2220 changes only one word in current law but in doing so closes a loophole. It changes the phrase “substantial” bodily harm to “demonstrable” bodily harm in parental child restraint cases. The legislation is in response to the sentencing of Brian and Charity Miller of Dexter who were convicted of chaining their 5-year-old son to his crib from bedtime until morning every night over a six-month period and withholding food and bathroom access to him and his 8-year-old brother.

On March 15, the bill passed the House Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee. Testifying on behalf of the bill were Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, Mower County Attorney Kristen Nelsen and Mower County Sergeant Investigator Steve Sandvik. After passage, the bill was referred to the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee where it was given a hearing yesterday. The testimony by Gayle Loverink, social worker and Steve Sandvik, investigator caught the committee’s attention. Sheriff Amazi spoke to the severity of the case and Christa VanGundy from the County Attorney’s office provided the legal justification for this bill. The bill has written support by the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.

Unfortunately, the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee did not advance the bill to the House Floor as we requested. Chair Tony Cornish laid the bill over for further consideration.

This disappointing setback may mean an end to the bill’s journey for this legislative session. If no further action is taken the bill will again be introduced next session.

Please feel free to contact me regarding these issues or any other concerns you have for our community or our state at (651) 296-4193 or by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn.