Legislative Update

Conference Committees have begun their work at the legislature. These committees will set funding levels for our library initiatives. Members of two committees are listed below. These legislators (and MLA inititatives) will benefit from hearing from library advocates on these important funding issues.

The E-12 Education Conference Committee will negotiate the differences between the House and Senate education funding bills. This committee met on April 24 for the first time. The meeting was brief, lasting slightly less than two hours. The conferees agreed to forward a request to House and Senate leaders for a budget target of $950 million, which is the approximate amount of new money that the House bill spends. The deadline for budget targets to be set is April 27.

Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL - Roseville) 381 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 rep.mindy.greiling@house.mn 651-296-5387

Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL - St. Paul) 563 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn 651-296-9714

Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL - Maplewood) 403 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 rep.nora.slawik@house.mn 651-296-7807

Rep. Patti Fritz (DFL - Faribault) 551 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 rep.patti.fritz@house.mn 651-296-8237 or 800-292-0012

Rep. Bud Heidgerken - (GOP Freeport) 237 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 rep.bud.heidgerken@house.mn 651-296-4317 or 800-339-6071

Senator Tarryl Clark (DFL – St. Cloud) 208 Capitol, St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6455; http://www.senate.mn/senatorclarkemail

Senator Chuck Wiger (DFL - North St. Paul) 323 Capitol, St. Paul, MN 55155 sen.chuck.wiger@senate.mn 651-296-6820

Senator Sandy Rummel (DFL - White Bear Lake) 323 Capitol, St. Paul, 55155 http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1110&ls=85 651-296-1253

Senator Kathy Saltzman (DFL - Woodbury) 306 Capitol, St. Paul, 55155 sen.kathy.saltzman@senate.mn 651-296-4166

Senator Gen Olson (GOP - Minnetrista) 119 State Office Building, St. Paul, 55155 sen.gen.olson@senate.mn 651-296-1282

Below is a list of the House and Senate positions on MLA/MEMO items that will be addressed in the education conference committee:

Regional Library Basic System Support: The Senate increases RLBSS by $293,000 in FY 08 and $460,000 in FY 09. The House increases RLBSS by $612,000 in FY 08 and $4,568,000 in FY 09.

Regional Library Telecommunication Aid: The Senate increases RLTA by $720,000 in FY 08 and $800,000 in FY 09. The House increases RLTA by $990,000 in FY 08 and $1.1 million in FY 09.

School Telecommunications/Internet Equity Aid: The Senate bill increases school telecom aid by $4,145,000 in both FY 08 and FY 09. Of this amount, $3.25 million per year is a permanent increase and $895,000 per year is a temporary increase. The House increases school telecom aid by $3,872,000 in FY 08 and $4,993,000 in FY 09. All of this increase in the House bill is temporary. Although the House provides more total funding over the next two years, the Senate provides a higher level of funding on a permanent basis.

Multi-County, Multi-type Library Funding: The Senate increases Multi-types by $90,000 in FY 08 and $190,000 in FY 09. The House increases Multi-types by $357,000 in FY 08 and $397,000 in FY 09.

School Technology: The House provides one-time funding of $29,025,000 in FY 09 for school technology improvements. The House also establishes a task force charged with creating statewide school technology standards. A MEMO representative is included on the task force. The Senate does not provide funding for school technology.


The Higher Education Conference Committee will consider Minitex Funding. This conference committee met for the first time on April 23. Senator Sandy Pappas announced that legislative leaders have told the conference committee that they must finish negotiations on the bill by the end of April or very early in May.

The main concern for MLA/MEMO in the higher education budget is funding for Minitex. The House higher education bill increases Minitex funding by $1.5 million per year. The Senate higher education bill increases Minitex funding by $1,622,000 in FY 08 and by $1,425,000 in FY 09.

The conferees are:

Senator Sandy Pappas (DFL - St. Paul) 651-296-1802 http://www.senate.mn/senatorpappasemail

Senator Kathy Sheran (DFL - Mankato) 651-296-6153 sen.kathy.sheran@senate.mn

Senator Ron Latz (DFL - St. Louis Park) 651-297-8065 sen.ron.latz@senate.mn

Senator Claire Robling (R - Prior Lake) 651-296-4123 sen.claire.robling@senate.mn

Senator Geoff Michel (R - Edina) 651-296-6238 sen.geoff.michel@senate.mn

Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL - Virginia) 651-296-0170 rep.tom.rukavina@house.mn

Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL - Mankato) 651-296-3248 rep.kathy.brynaert@house.mn

Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL - Inver Grove Heights) 651-296-4192 rep.joe.atkins@house.mn

Rep. David Bly (DFL - Northfield) 651-296-7065 rep.david.bly@house.mn

Rep. Carol McFarlane (R - White Bear Lake) 651-296-5363 rep.carol.mcfarlane@house.mn