Deal reached on 35W bridge victims' compensation

Relief is finally on the way for survivors of the 35W bridge collapse after House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement on a compensation plan.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has already pledged to sign off on the $38 million plan, which will provide survivors with up to $400,000 each and set aside an additional $12.6 million for those with extraordinary medical needs or wage losses.

"We believe this is going to be an offer which the survivors would be well advised to accept," said Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), who sponsors the legislation with Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley). The bill, HF2553, is currently awaiting final action by a conference committee. House and Senate approval is expected next week.

Under the plan, the Minnesota Supreme Court would convene a master panel to distribute the money, which Winkler said is likely to occur sometime early next year. Bridge survivors and victims' families would be required to waive the right to sue the state for additional damages before they could receive any of the funds.

Also under the plan, $610,000 would be set aside for the Waite House — an urban youth program that had a school bus full of children on the bridge when it collapsed Aug. 1 — and $750,000 would be set aside for administrative purposes.

Jennifer Holmes, whose husband Patrick was killed, said she and other survivors are "happy and thrilled" about the agreement — although they will never get back what they lost that day.

Watch the press conference.