Planes, trains and automobiles: Minnesota’s new transportation law

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A merging of two omnibus bills has resulted in one new transportation law.Sponsored by Rep. Mike Beard (R-Shakopee) and Sen. Joe Gimse (R-Willmar), the law includes provisions from both the 2012 policy bill and the 2011 version that was awaiting action in the Senate when the 2011 session concluded.“We have a very good (law), I believe,” Gimse said.“Although not perfect … it moves transportation forward,” said Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls).All provisions are effective Aug. 1, 2012, unless otherwise noted.The Departments of Transportation and Employment and Economic Development are to conduct a freight rail economic development study.“We have over 20 railroads in this state that move over 235 million tons of freight each year. For many manufacturers they’re a vital link to the customers around the country and around the world,” Beard said earlier in the session. “I believe a study can help us identify some other opportunities, some things that are hazards that we may want to avoid in the future and help us create more jobs.”The law establishes a temporary program whereby MnDOT can enter into contracts with a construction manager/general contractor for parts of construction project administration. This section is effective May 11, 2012, and expires one year following the acceptance of 10 construction manager/general contractor contracts.Supporters said the efficient project delivery method — best used on unique and challenging projects for which MnDOT personnel may not have the expertise — is considered a hybrid of design-bid-build, which is the majority of MnDOT contracts, and design-build, for which the department was given authority in 2001. Continue Reading

Governor signs stadium bill into law

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Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf couldn’t stop smiling while standing in the Capitol Rotunda.“This is a great day for Minnesota, a great day for the Vikings fans throughout the entire country,” he said moments after Gov. Mark Dayton signed a law that would help build a new home for the NFL team.At an event that felt more like a pep rally, Dayton signed HF2958 that calls for a $975 million, 65,000-seat roofed state-owned “People’s Stadium” to be built primarily on the Metrodome site on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis. The team will cover $477 million of construction costs; the state $348 million; and Minneapolis $150 million.Although signed off on by the state, the project still needs final approval from the Minneapolis City Council. That vote is expected to occur May 25.Wilf spoke as though that vote is a formality.“The hard work begins now. To build this stadium will take everyone’s efforts; this will be a team effort as it was to get it approved. I look forward to working with every one of you to making this a truly great stadium for all the fans and for everybody in Minnesota.”Other speakers, including Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead) and Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont), sponsors of the law, thanked Vikings’ fans for their overwhelming support.“When you start thinking about what’s in the best interest of the state we did it,” Rosen said. Continue Reading

House passes stadium bill

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After a dreadful 3-13 record on the field in 2011, the Minnesota Vikings received some good off-field news well before the 2012 team begins to practice.The House voted 73-58 to support a $975 million stadium plan that would provide a new facility to house the team. Forty DFL members and 33 Republicans voted yes. Thirty-seven Republicans and 21 DFLers voted against the bill.Sponsored by Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead), HF1485 now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) is the sponsor. If approved as is by the Senate, the bill would go to the governor. However, it is more likely a conference committee would be needed to work out the difference between the House and Senate bills.Gov. Mark Dayton expressed joy at the outcome, but noted three more positive votes must happen before he can sign a bill. Continue Reading

Stadium vote planned for Monday in House

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A decision is about to be rendered on an issue that has hung over the legislative session like a purple cloud.House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) announced that a vote on a stadium to house the Minnesota Vikings is scheduled to occur Monday.“It’s only fair to members and fair to everyone to vote on this,” said House Majority Leader Matt Dean (R-Dellwood).Earlier this week House and Senate Republicans put forth a proposal that would include stadium funding in this year’s bonding bill. It would reduce the state’s contribution to a yet-unspecified amount and would call for an open-air, “roof-ready” facility.Dean said the Vikings and Minneapolis officials were not happy about the proposal, and that staff from Minnesota Management & Budget indicated it would be difficult to use general obligation bonds to fund the stadium.“We do not want to move something forward that is not going to stand the test of scrutiny with MMB,” Dean said.The plan up for a vote calls for a $975 million fixed-roof stadium to be built primarily on the Metrodome site on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis. The team would cover $427 million of construction costs; the state $398 million; and Minneapolis $150 million.Money from electronic pull tabs, electronic bingo and tipboard games would be used to pay the state’s share of the stadium cost. Supporters noted that charities would get tax relief and more gambling proceeds while the state also would get more revenue. Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead), the sponsor of the original stadium bill HF2810, said $42 million per year would be needed to pay debt service on the bonds. Continue Reading

2012 transportation policy bill gets passed by House

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The 2012 version of the omnibus transportation policy bill was green-lighted by the House.Passed 89-38 as amended in the early-morning hours by the House, HF2685 now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Joe Gimse (R-Willmar) is the sponsor.The passage came about an hour after the 2011 omnibus transportation policy bill was passed.One of the more important provisions, according to Rep. Michael Beard (R-Shakopee), the bill’s sponsor, is that in the event of a government shutdown, construction projects that are funded with constitutionally dedicated Trunk Highway money could continue.“That wasted not only about a month of time, but about $70 million to date it appears closing down and starting them up again. That seems to be unnecessary,” Beard said. “If the Legislature has appropriated the money, the governor has signed the bill, and contracts have been signed and dirt is flying that those projects could continue should the Legislature not be able to agree on a budget going forward.”Another key component, Beard said, would restore some Met Council funding to the suburban opt-out transit providers.Because of increased automobile purchases, the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax funds accruing to the Met Council are up nearly $18 million, Beard said. “We’re asking that a small portion of that be restored to some of the opt-out funding, particularly some of the more successful ones in Maple Grove, Plymouth, Shakopee, Prior Lake that were setting their money aside for expanding park-and-rides and express bus service have found their funds cut by the Metropolitan Council. We think those can be restored with these funds that have come in that were not expected.”Opponents, such as Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls), said it would violate the spirit of an agreement between legislative leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton to help resolve last year’s state government shutdown. Continue Reading

Wait until next year, maybe

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The consensus after a negative House committee vote was that a “Hail Mary” pass may be about the only chance the Minnesota Vikings have left to get a stadium bill passed this legislative session.Despite the session likely entering its final days, the stadium outcome remains cloudy as the pressure to reach a deal amps up.A very clear message has been sent that next year is too late for a deal, Gov. Mark Dayton said April 19 after he spoke with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Art Rooney II, chairman of the league’s stadium committee, by phone for about 20 minutes.“If there’s a willingness to do it, now is the time,” Dayton said.Goodell and Rooney are expected to fly to Minnesota to meet with Dayton April 20. The governor hopes legislative leaders will also take part. Without a deal this year, Dayton believes the league will have to seriously consider the viability of this market.The meeting would be four days after the House Government Operations and Elections Committee failed to approve a bill that calls for funding a new stadium that would house the NFL team. The April 16 vote was 9-6 with five of nine Republicans voting for the bill and just one of six DFLers.“We can’t pass the stadium by ourselves,” House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) said the next day. “This has always been a bipartisan process.”Sponsored by Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead), HF2810 calls for a $975 million fixed-roof stadium to be built primarily on the Metrodome site on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis. Continue Reading

Immigrant information sharing would be required

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Supporters say a bill passed by the House would help make things safer for everyone, while opponents believe it could result in profiling of certain citizens.Sponsored by Rep. Bob Barrett (R-Shafer), HF358 would prevent local units of government from prohibiting or restricting their employees from sharing immigration data with federal authorities.“Certainly, one thing we can take away from the tragic events of the last 10 years, specifically Sept. 11, 2001, is that communication between the different branches of government is critically important to the security of our citizens, and lack of communication between jurisdictions can result in tragedy,” Barrett said.Passed 77-52 by the House April 18, the bill now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Sean Nienow (R-Cambridge) is the sponsor.Barrett said the bill is not anti-immigrant. “This bill supports immigration that happens through the current legal process in our country that we’ve had in place for hundreds of years to support immigration to the United States.”He hopes to help law enforcement do their jobs “without being hampered by city ordinances that conflict with our federal laws.”Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL-St. Paul) said the bill has a number of problems, including it being an unfunded local mandate; it takes away local control; it subjects Minnesotans to arbitrary police stops; and it could open all sorts of legal action for people who say their rights to not be harassed have been violated.“Opening up racial discrimination is not a far-fetched intended consequence of this kind of proposal,” he said.Countered Rep. Tony Cornish (R-Vernon Center), “To pull people over because of their skin color, there’s nothing in here, no mandate or hint or suggestion that cops have to pull anybody over.”Rep. Debra Hilstrom (DFL-Brooklyn Center) said the bill is not just about law enforcement personnel. “This bill says you can’t restrict any public employee from investigating anyone’s immigration status, street worker, municipal liquor store employee. Continue Reading

House committee defeats stadium bill

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A “Hail Mary” pass may be about the only chance the Minnesota Vikings have left to get a stadium bill passed this session.The House Government Operations and Elections Committee failed to approve a bill that calls for funding a new stadium that would house the NFL team. The vote was 9-6 with five DFLers and four Republicans voting against the plan. Five Republicans and one DFLer voted for the bill.Sponsored by Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead), HF2810 calls a for a $975 million fixed-roof stadium to be built on the Metrodome site. The team would cover $427 million of construction costs; the state $398 million; and Minneapolis $150 million. The team has played in the downtown Minneapolis stadium since 1982, but team officials say the facility is antiquated and does not provide the needed revenue to remain competitive, nor does it offer a top-notch fan experience.Money from electronic pull tabs, electronic bingo and tipboard games would be used to pay the state’s share of the cost.“Somebody will have to pull a rabbit out of a hat for this thing to stay alive,” Lanning said.After the vote, Lester Bagley, the team’s vice president of public affairs and stadium development, spoke with a frustrated tone, saying the team has done everything it’s been asked, and after more than a decade of trying there still hasn’t been a vote on the House floor. Continue Reading