MMB may be required to provide more data when submitting state employee contracts

Rep. Marion O'Neill

HF3674, sponsored by Rep. Marion O'Neill (R-Maple Lake), was passed on a 74-52 House vote Wednesday. It was sent to the Senate, where Sen. Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) is the sponsor.

The bill would require the MMB commissioner to include specific information with any collective bargaining agreement submitted to the Subcommittee on Employee Relations, which reviews all state employee contracts.

That information would include:

• a breakdown of costs under the plan or agreement;
• how costs would fit into the budget of each agency affected by the plan or agreement;
• the appropriation or fund that would cover the cost of the plan or agreement;
• any transfers between agencies or items of appropriation expected;
• a description of any costs related to contractors; and
• contingency plans if revenue doesn’t cover contract costs.

O’Neill, who chairs the subcommittee, told the House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee in March the bill “clarifies and standardizes” some of the information the subcommittee would like to see, adding that getting this information upfront puts everyone at the same starting place as they consider large employee contracts within a short, 30-day window.

However, MMB Deputy Commissioner Edwin Hudson told the committee the bill is “unnecessary” and “restrictive.” He said it “doesn’t have to be prescribed in statute” because the agency has proven it provides information when the Legislature requests.

“This is just one more step to micromanage what is happening and place political agendas before state employees. Members, I’m tired of the attacks on public employees. I’m tired of people using public employees as political pawns,” Rep. Debra Hilstrom (DFL-Brooklyn Center) said on the House Floor, adding she has “big concerns” with how the subcommittee has operated recently.