STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTIETH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
Committee on Agriculture, Rural Economies, and
Veterans Affairs Finance
MINUTES
Representative Al Juhnke, Chair, called the twentieth meeting to order at 10:04AM on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in Basement of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
JUHNKE, Al MAGNUS, Doug
WELTI, Andy OLIN, Dave
DOTY, Al OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
FAUST, Tim PETERSON, Aaron
FINSTAD, Brad POPPE, Jeanne
HAMILTON, Rod SHIMANSKI, Ron
HANSEN, Rick
HEIDGERKEN, Bud
A quorum was present.
HF 2077 (Magnus); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; establishing the NextGen Energy Board; appropriating money for development of renewable energy technology; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 41A.
Representative Magnus moved that HF 2077 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Magnus moved
H2077A1 amendment (attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Magnus presented HF 2077. Discussion and questions followed.
Gene Hugoson, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, testified on HF 2077. Discussion and questions followed.
Jerry Larson, farmer, testified on HF 2077.
Representative Magnus renewed his motion that HF 2077, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
HF 774 (Dill); a bill for an act relating to energy; authorizing a grant to the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa to study the feasibility of a renewable energy facility.
Representative Peterson moved that HF 774 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Peterson moved an oral amendment to HF 774 as follows:
Page 1, line 15, delete "waste" and insert "material" and after producer, delete the rest of the line, and insert "biofuels" or "bioenergy".
Page 1, delete line 16
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Andrew Datko, CEO, Bois Forte Development Corporation, testified on HF 774. Discussion and questions followed.
Representative Peterson renewed his motion that HF 774, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
HF 2051 (Beard); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for a grant to a centrally located biomass fuel supply depot.
Chair Juhnke moved that HF 2051 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Beard presented HF 2051.
Stan Ellison, Land and Natural Resources Manager, Shakopee, Mdewakanton, and Sioux
Communities, testified on HF 2051.
HF 402 (Hansen); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; requiring a study of residential microbial pesticide applicator licensure.
Representative Hansen moved that HF 402 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Hansen presented HF 402.
Greg Buzicky, Director, Plant and Fertilizer Management Division, testified on HF 402.
Representative Hansen moved that HF 402 be laid on the table.
HF 1094 (Peterson); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; ethanol development; establishing a producer payment program for cellulosic ethanol production; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 41A.
Representative Peterson moved that HF 1094 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Peterson presented HF 1094.
Bill Lee, General Manager, Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company, testified on HF 1094. Discussion and questions followed.
HF 1901 (Faust); a bill for an act relating to veterans; appropriating money for activities related to dedication of the World War II veterans memorial.
Representative Faust moved that HF 1901 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Faust moved an oral amendment to HF 1901 as follows:
Page 1, line 14, delete "following" and insert "and other expenses of"
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Faust presented HF 1901. Discussion and questions followed.
Christine Kiel, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, testified on HF 1901.
Representative Finstad moved an oral amendment to HF 1901 as follows:
Page 1, line 6, delete "$……." and insert “$500,000"
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Faust renewed his motion that HF 1901, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Faust also moved that HF 1901, as amended, be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1771 (Haws); a bill for an act relating to veterans affairs; appropriating money.
Chair Juhnke moved that HF 1771 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Haws presented HF 1771.
Clark Dyrude, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, testified on HF 1771. Discussion and questions followed.
Representative Hansen moved to take HF 402 off the table.
Representative Hansen moved the
A07-0457X amendment (attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Hansen renewed his motion that HF 402, as amended, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Otremba moved that the minutes of March 14, 2007 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Next meeting: Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 10:00AM.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:26AM.
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Al Juhnke, Chair
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Dana Wilson, Committee Legislative Assistant