Government reform bills laid over

The House State Government Finance Committee laid over several bills focused on government reform for possible inclusion in the committee’s omnibus bill.

Committee members discussed and took testimony on five bills, three of which focus on redesigning state government operations:

Sponsored by Rep. Kirk Stensrud (R-Eden Prairie), HF756 would mandate that at least 5 percent of state executive branch employees’ salaries or wages include a pay-for-performance incentive. The House Government Operations and Election Committee approved the bill last week.

Stensrud also sponsors HF1024, which would require that state agencies have no more than one deputy commissioner. He said the bill is intended to reduce the number of managerial staff in the executive branch. A fiscal note showed the bill would eliminate 42 full-time equivalent positions for a savings of $5.5 million annually. The Department of Veterans Affairs would be exempted from the provisions.

Rep. Keith Downey (R-Edina) sponsors HF418, the “Back Office Consolidation Act.” The bill would place all state agencies’ accounting, procurement, human resources and similar “back office” functions under the Department of Administration. A fiscal note stated the bill would cost $20.2 million in the next fiscal biennium, but Downey said it would produce savings in the long run.

The other two bills, HF466 and HF866, sponsored by Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter) and Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Lake Elmo) respectively, would provide $500,000 to fund a program to assist homeless veterans in the next biennium.

Committee Chairman Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead) said committee members will begin marking up their omnibus finance bill next week. Finance committees must approve their omnibus bills and refer them to the House Ways and Means Committee by March 25.