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Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division

TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING

2009-2010 Regular Session - Tuesday, April 7, 2009

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SIXTH SESSION


HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCE AND POLICY DIVISION

MINUTES


Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division, called the meeting to order at 1:47 P.M. on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, in Room 5 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:


Rukavina, Tom, Chair
Bly, David, Vice Chair
Anderson, Sarah
Atkins, Joe
Brynaert, Kathy
Clark, Karen
Dettmer, Bob
Downey, Keith
Eastlund, Rob
Gunther, Bob
Haws, Larry
Mahoney, Tim
McFarlane, Carol
Murphy, Mary
Nornes, Bud
Norton, Kim
Obermueller, Mike
Poppe, Jeanne
Slocum, Linda
Welti, Andy

Members excused:

Reinert, Roger

A quorum was present.

Chair Rukavina asked Representative Nornes to come forward to present HF 2087.

HF 839 (Juhnke)

Representative Obermueller moved that HF 839 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.

Representative Juhnke presented HF 839, relating to agriculture; providing funding for the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; appropriating money.

Trevor Ames, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 839.

Questions and discussion followed.


Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
April 7, 2009
Page Two



John Collins, Director, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, University of Minnesota, introduced himself
and provided testimony regarding HF 839.

Questions and discussion followed.

HF 1813 (Juhnke)

Representative Juhnke presented HF 1813, relating to construction codes, modifying elevator provisions, requiring a report.

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 1813 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.

Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF 1813 with the delete everything amendment H1813A3, attached. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Questions and discussion followed.

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 1813 as amended be recommended to pass and be referred to the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 1447 (Otremba)

Representative Atkins moved that HF 1447 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.

Representative Otremba presented HF 1447, relating to higher education; establishing a veterinarian education loan forgiveness program, appropriating money.

Amber Hazel, student, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 1447.

Trevor Ames, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1447.

HF 817 (Kahn)

Representative Atkins moved that HF 817 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill and be referred to the General Register.

Representative Kahn presented HF 817, relating to elections; expanding requirements for postsecondary institutions to report resident student information to the secretary of state for voter registration purposes.

Beth Fraser, Office of the Secretary of state, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 817.

Questions and discussion followed.

Representative Atkins moved that HF 817 be recommended to pass and be referred to the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.


Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
April 7, 2009
Page Three



HF 1194 (Downey)

Representative Downey moved that HF 1194 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Taxes Committee.

Representative Downey presented HF 1194, relating to economic development; providing green job opportunity building zones; providing small business investment company and job growth investment tax credits; allowing tax benefits; making conforming changes; defining terms; allowing biomethane energy projects.

Mark Lofthus, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, introcuded himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1194.

Questions and discussion followed.

Charles Hayes, Vice President, Sage Electrochromics, Inc., introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1194.

Questions and discussion followed.

Representative Atkins renewed his motion that HF 1194 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Taxes Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 1666 (Hayden)

Chair Rukavina announced that this was an informational hearing on HF 1666 and that no action would be taken.

Representative Hayden presented HF 1666, relating to corrections; appropriating money to continue a demonstration project for high-risk adults.

Darryl Lindsey, COO, The Network for Better Futures, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1666.

Vincent Britton, program participant, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding
HF 1666.

Questions and discussion followed.

Nancy Hylden, Lobbyist with Faegre and Benson, and representing The Network, introcuded herself and provided testimony regarding HF 1666.

Questions and discussion followed.

HF 2006 (Champion)

Representative Murphy moved that HF 2006 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.

Representative Champion presented HF 2006, relating to highway and transit construction; requiring road authorities to mitigate construction impacts on small businesses; creating construction mitigation grant program; appropriating money.

Vice Chair Bly assumed the chair at 2:45 p.m.

Representative Murphy moved to amend HF 2006 with the amendment H2006A3, attached. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Minutes
Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
April 7, 2009
Page Four



Representative Champion discussed HF 2006 as amended.

Manny Gonzalez, Owner of Manny’s Tortas restaurants, introduced himself and testified regarding HF 2006 as amended.

Questions and discussion followed.

HF 2071 (Clark)

Representative Clark moved that HF 2071 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division omnibus bill.

Representative Clark moved to amend HF 2071 with the amendment H2071DE5, attached. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Clark presented HF 2071 as amended, relating to youth training; providing for summer programming for American Indian youth; appropriating money.

Questions and discussion followed.

Representative Mahoney moved that the minutes of April 2, 2009 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Vice Chair Bly made brief announcements regarding upcoming meetings.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:07 P.M.


Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair


Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF839 (Juhnke) Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory funding provided
HF1194 (Downey) Green job incentives provided, green job opportunity building zones provided, small business investment company and job growth investment tax credits provided, tax benefits allowed, conforming changes made, terms defined, and biomethane energy projects allowed.
HF1447 (Otremba) Veterinarian education loan forgiveness program established
HF2071 (Clark) Summer programming provided for American Indian youth
HF1666 (Hayden) High-risk adults demonstration project funding provided, money appropriated - INFORMATION ONLY
HF2006 (Champion) Road authorities required to mitigate construction impacts on small businesses, construction mitigation grant program established, money appropriated.
Bills added:
HF1813 (Juhnke) Elevators in grain elevators regulation provided
HF 817 (Kahn) Postsecondary institution requirements expanded to report resident student information to the secretary of state for vote