DFL delay doesn’t derail state funding bill

05/24/2005

Conrad Defiebre, Star Tribune
May 24, 2005

A $468 million bill to finance state agencies, the Legislature and constitutional offices hit a speed bump Monday night but eventually passed after House DFLers delayed debate for an hour.

After a House-Senate conference committee approved the measure Monday, some DFLers became concerned over a provision to give small political parties another way to qualify as major parties.

It would encourage groups such as the Green Party, which historically have fielded only a few dozen candidates for state office, to run at least 69 people for the Legislature. That, combined with candidacies for all state constitutional offices and half the state’s congressional delegation, would secure major party status regardless of election vote totals.

Under current law, a party can be designated as major if just one of its statewide candidates gains 5 percent of the vote.

But as the clock ticked toward a midnight adjournment, House DFLers debated other issues in the bill—a lack of money to raise salaries for state employees, cuts to an environmental fund and the elimination of the Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women.

Some Republicans feared a filibuster that would run out the clock with the bill not passed. “This is a very, very important bill,” Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, scolded at one point. “Keep your discussions as brief as possible. Get the job done.”

The holdup ended at 10:30 p.m., after Senate DFLers had gained time to caucus the bill. It passed the House 108 to 26 and the Senate 67 to 0 with time to spare.

The measure includes a $2.5 million cut to the Legislature’s own budget, $7.7 million to reimburse college tuition for National Guard members, and a provision for “Support our Troops” license plates for motorists who pay a $10 fee and make a minimum donation of $30 to benefit military families.