Rep. Andy Welti—March Newsletter
03/30/2007
From Representative Andy Welti - sent March 23rd.
Dear Friends,
Today the Minnesota House has reached its first deadline. All policy bills must have been heard in a policy committee, otherwise they will not be heard at all. Our next deadline is approaching quickly and that is the deadline for all budget bills. Next week, many of the budget bills will reach the second deadline. Committees are now sorting
through all of the budget requests and deciding which requests will be included in the omnibus budget bills. We are moving at a very brisk pace and a lot is being accomplished. I have attached my March newsletter that describes numerous bills that I have heard in committee over the past month.
Enjoy the spring weather,
- Andy
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Andy Welti
Minnesota State Representative
District 30B
387 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1298
651-296-4378
888-858-4753
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March Newsletter
Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher appointed me to the National Conference of State Legislatures Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Energy and as an alternate to the Midwestern Higher Education Commission. I am honored to represent my colleagues and the State of Minnesota on these committees that promote collaboration and dialogue among legislators from around the Midwest and country on important issues affecting our states.
Since the beginning of the session I have supported some very promising bills in the Education Policy Committee aimed to serve Minnesota's children.
I voted for a bill that will provide aid to school districts needing assistance in meeting requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act. I agree with those in education who say that NCLB is too punitive in nature and that the schools that are underperforming need assistance to help them succeed.
I am very proud to say I was in support of HF1174. It builds upon our existing Minnesota Reading Corps program. This program provides the training in literacy instruction to Americorps members working/volunteering with our children in the Head Start programs, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten settings. The Reading Corp will use proven research based literacy interventions to improve the literacy skills of at risk children ages 3 to grade 3. The program will be able to serve more children in need and at risk by appropriating state dollars that will leverage federal and private funding for the Reading Corps.
HF810 establishes licensure and continuing education requirements for teachers and school administrators working with gifted and talented students.
HF808 establishes licensed student services personnel aid. The purpose of the aid is to assist faculty who want to improve their instructional skills to help promote student achievement and student well being.
I supported the education bills mentioned above, and the bills covered in the proceeding pages. These are all bills being considered by the committees in the House, and this list does not even begin to cover the hundreds of good bills that have been heard. Most of these bills will be considered for inclusion in the omnibus budget bills dealing with specific areas of the state budget such as Public Safety, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Energy, Health, E-12 Education, Higher Education, etc. We hear of hundreds of good initiatives, and at the end of the day, it is up to us to make the tough call of what receives funding. The majority of the requests are very worthwhile, but our budget cannot fund them all.
Promoting business development and careers
H.F. 231 – Investment Fund for Greater Minnesota Regional Organizations
Appropriates $12 million for the commissioner of DEED (Department of Employment and Economic Development) to make challenge grants to regional organizations outside the metro area to help businesses develop or expand. This bill provides critical capital necessary for entrepreneurs and our main street businesses.
H.F. 1355 – Women Venture
Appropriates $560,000 to the commissioner of DEED for grants to be made available through Women Venture to encourage women to develop businesses of their own.
H.F. 743 – Women In Nontraditional Careers
This bill appropriates funds to the commissioner of DEED for grants to be made available through nonprofit organizations for programs that encourage and assist women to enter nontraditional careers in the trades and in manual and technical occupations.
Agriculture Initiatives
H.F. 710 – Sustainable agriculture demonstration grants
This bill appropriates $500,000 to the Department of Agriculture over the next biennium for grants to farmers, educational institutions, or nonprofit organizations in Minnesota that perform sustainable agriculture demonstration projects. These grants are awarded to projects demonstrating farm input reduction, management, enterprise diversification, farm energy efficiency or diversification, or technology transfer leading to the enhancement of the environment and farm profitability.
H.F. 846 – Organic certification assistance
Over the next biennium the Department of Agriculture would be allocated funding for cost-share payments to farmers and others in the agricultural supply chain seeking federal organic certification. The bill also allows the department to spend funds on organic producer education efforts, transition assistance, or the sustainable agriculture demonstration grants currently administered by the department.
H.F. 308 – Bovine Tuberculosis Control Funding
Bovine Tuberculosis is an issue that has appeared in the central and northwestern areas of our state. This bill would appropriate $408,000 in fiscal year 2008 and $408,000 in fiscal year 2009 from the general fund to the Board of Animal Health to help monitor and eliminate bovine tuberculosis from cattle herds in Minnesota. Our state does a great job of responding to and eradicating diseases that affect our crops, plants and animals.
H.F. 769 – Native Plant Agronomic Research
This bill would appropriate $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2008 from the general fund to the regents of the University of Minnesota to fund a program of basic agronomic research on native plants, including plant-breeding, nutrient management, pest management, yield, and viability. A technical advisory committee would also be formed to ensure the best use of these funds. Our goal is to jump start the cellulosic ethanol production and gasification of plant materials in our biofuel industry. This research may lead to the next big breakthrough in renewable fuel production.
HF158 – Sales Tax Exemption for Livestock Farming Materials
Staring July 1, 2007, equipment used in agriculture such as interior crates, partitions and grain bins used for livestock from would be exempt from sales tax. Building materials used in construction of buildings, interior and exterior housing, and containment facilities for livestock would also be exempt from sales tax under this bill. Finally, tires used in farming and logging operations would be exempt as well.
HF9 – Dairy Investment Credit
This bill would provide a one-time credit of up to $50,000 for expenditures made to modernize dairy animal operations in Minnesota. The credit equals 10% of the first $500,000 of qualifying expenditures for the acquisition, construction and improvement of buildings or facilities. The credit is nonrefundable and may only be used to offset liability. Unused credit amounts could be carried forward for up to 15 tax years.
HF101 – Exempting agricultural land from school debt levies
HF101 would exempt agricultural land (but not agricultural buildings) from school district levies for capital improvements. Current law excludes all agricultural land and buildings from property tax for school operating referendums, but includes agricultural land for school building referendums.
HF274 – Rural Finance Authority
Under this bill, $30,000,000 would be appropriated to the Rural Finance Authority to purchase participation interests in or to make direct agricultural loans to farmers. This appropriation is intended for: the beginning farmer program, the loan restructuring program, the seller-sponsored program, the agricultural improvement loan program and the livestock expansion loan program. The RFA ran out of funding earlier this year so it is our intent to pass this legislation soon to provide the dollars necessary to move forward on the proposals that have been submitted.
Minnesota is poised to lead the nation on energy initiatives
H.F. 1392 – Hydrogen Energy
This would amend current law which requires the Department of Commerce to identify opportunities to demonstrate the use of hydrogen, fuel cells and related technologies in state facilities and fleets. The Pollution Control Agency would be added as a state agency involved in developing a hydrogen market and the state would place an emphasis on moving from demonstrating to actually implementing and operating hydrogen vehicles.
H.F. 1098 – Loans to municipalities for geothermal energy investments
Municipalities may be eligible for loans to make investments associated with geothermal heating and cooling projects. The bill would establish criteria that the commissioner must use in reviewing applications for a loan. Loans may not be approved unless project financing is assured by a resolution enacted by the municipality to collect sufficient revenues to pay the principal and interest due.
H.F. 1034 – Geothermal heating and cooling systems
The bill would require the commissioner of administration to study geothermal applications for heating and cooling in state buildings. A preference may be given to geothermal systems when practicable.
Helping our young adults find careers
H.F. 1352 – Youth Job Skills Development
The state would appropriate funds for a grant to the Minnesota Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs to administer a statewide project of youth job skills development. The grant requires a 25 percent match from non-state resources.
H.F. 850 – YouthBuild
$2,000,000 would be appropriated each year for the YouthBuild program. The appropriations would restore the three YouthBuild programs that were eliminated due to budget restrictions and add seven more YouthBuild programs statewide. YouthBuild is a program that targets youth who are highly at risk and helps them learn skills necessary to work in a building trade. The increase in the appropriation would also allow the YouthBuild program to expand upon existing opportunities for students pursuing careers in technology and the medical field.