The Senate votes today on Bonding Bill

03/23/2006

Pioneer Press
March 23,2006

The Senate is scheduled to vote today on what is arguably the most important piece of legislation of this session, a bonding bill to authorize the state to borrow money to finance a $1 billion construction program for projects ranging from college classrooms and prison cells to rail transit lines and parks and trails.

The Senate bill seeks to borrow $990 million. That is $145 million more than Gov. Tim Pawlenty requested in his capital improvements budget.

House leaders plan to pass their version of the bonding bill, which is likely to be more than Pawlenty’s proposal but less than the Senate measure, sometime before Easter. Then negotiators from the two chambers will try to carve out a compromise.

Traditionally, passing a bonding bill is legislators’ top priority in even-numbered years, when they do not have to finance an operating budget for the state. House Speaker Steve Sviggum has said that when the bonding bill passes, lawmakers can adjourn and go home.