Terri Bonoff

Senate Faces Committee Deadline
It was a very busy week at the Capitol, as legislators and staff worked into the night in the days leading up to the first committee deadline. As of today, Friday March 27th, for a bill related to policy to have a chance of becoming law this session, it must have been passed out of all relevant policy committees in either the House or Senate. As a result, much of the time of the Senate this week took place in committee, as chairs worked to compile omnibus policy bills and members worked to ensure their legislation made deadline

I was pleased that the policy bills I have authored this session made deadlines and are able to continue on in the legislative process. To give you an example of this process and the role constituents can play, I was approached by a constituent regarding increased rates of unemployment and the high cost of COBRA coverage. I authored a bill that would allow persons receiving unemployment benefits to opt into the MnCare program, with the cost being shared by the employee, the employer and the state. As it related to both employment and health care, the bill had to be heard by both the Health Housing and Family Security Committee and the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee this week, as required to make deadline. The bill has now been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

The next committee deadline is April 7th. By this date, bills must pass out of policy committees in both the Senate and the House.

Health Care Reforms Announced
The Senate Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications Committee this week approved an Energy Omnibus Bill meant to help utilities reach the state’s Renewable Energy Standard and Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) goals.

This legislation:

• Asks the Office of Energy Security to annually submit a report to the Legislature analyzing Minnesota’s energy-transmission needs for the next 15 years.
• Orders the Legislative Energy Commission to do studies on the CIP program, the creation of a residential energy-use disclosure to allow individuals to learn about their home’s energy use, and how the state can best implement a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard for transportation fuels.
• Encourages utilities to help interested customers install solar technologies.
• Requires fuel oil and propane dealers to report information on their deliveries of heating oil to low-income families.
• Exempts large renewable wind projects from the state’s certificate- of-need requirements in order to reduce administrative burdens for the Public Utilities Commission and Office of Energy Security.

In a report submitted to the Legislature by the Department of Commerce’s Office of Energy Security earlier this session, the office stated that due to the Conservation Improvement Program, utilities statewide saved as much energy between 2006 and 2007 as would be produced by a 100 megawatt power plant and enough natural gas to supply 40,000 homes for a year.  The office also reported that utilities are making a good-faith effort to meet their interim Renewable Energy Standard requirements of providing at least 7% of their energy from renewable-energy sources in 2010.

In the midst of a busy time in the session, I was happy to receive a visit from the Providence Academy Middle School Student Council. Please contact my office at (651)296-4314, if you would like to set up a visit.

Minnetonka Superintendent Dennis Peterson Named Superintendent of the Year
I was joined by Senators Haan and Olson as well as Representatives Doepke and Benson in congratulating Superintendent Dennis Peterson at a reception in the Governor’s Reception Room on Thursday. Superintendent Peterson deserves great praise for his work in Minnetonka Public Schools. It is a privilege to have the Superintendent serving in our community.

Green Jobs Zone Proposal Advances
A bill currently advancing through the Legislature would help local communities attract new green manufacturing companies while revitalizing shuttered manufacturing facilities.  The proposal, known as Green Job Zones, would provide targeted tax incentives to new or expanding green manufacturing companies who redevelop former manufacturing sites that no longer support jobs.

Companies eligible to locate in a Green Job Zone include new and expanding businesses that manufacture products that reduce environmental impacts or promote the efficient use of energy and natural resources.   The bill also includes language that would allow the program to be used to support continued operations at the St. Paul Ford Plant, which is due to be closed in 2011, as long as the site was used to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.

Before establishing a Green Job Zone, the bill requires the Department of Employment and Economic Development to conduct a thorough review process to ensure the state is receiving a favorable return on investment, whether more cost-efficient financing options are available, the impact the new company would have on other local businesses, and whether the expansion could still occur if the tax benefit was not provided.  Supporters say this detailed assessment would ensure that the tax incentives provided under the bill are invested wisely and in the state’s best interest.

Study of West Metro Line Included in Omnibus Transportation Bill
On Thursday of this week, we compiled the Senate Transportation Committee’s Omnibus Transportation bill. I was pleased that this omnibus bill included Senate File 933, a bill I authored that would direct the Minnesota Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study of a commuter rail line on existing track that would run from the soon-to-be completed Minnesota Twins stadium to downtown Wayzata and on west from there to Marshall, Minnesota.

I am excited by the possibility of this transit line to both provide alternate means of transportation to downtown Minneapolis and the western suburbs as well ease gridlock on I-394. At the same time, we should not allow long-term efforts to improve the transit system to distract us in any way from the very necessary improvements required for our roads, highways and bridges.

Have a great weekend!