In Capitol 10: Legislation you won’t be seeing in 2013, Politics in Minnesota staff asked its Capitol insiders what won’t be on the agenda:
This week we asked the Insiders which issues no longer have a chance of passage. Here were their top answers:
1. Right to work
2. Castle Doctrine
3. Tort reform
4. Tax cuts
5. (tie) Repeal of statewide business tax
5. (tie) Election/voter reform
7. Teacher evaluation changes
8. The American Legislative Exchange Council agenda
9. (tie) Balanced-budget amendment
9. (tie) Nuclear deregulation
While the ALEC agenda came in near the bottom of the list, Bluestem thinks it’s worth noting that Right-to-Work, the Castle Doctrine, tort reform, voter restriction, teacher evaluation changes, and nuclear deregulation are the ALEC agenda. ( A comprehensive list is found here at ALEC Exposed, with new information here).
As we reported in Retirement, redistricting and rejection thin ranks of ALEC members in Minnesota legislature, state public co-chair Mary Kiffmeyer has ascended to the Minnesota Senate, while the other, Senator Gen Olson, retired.
Kiffmeyer is now the sole chair for Minnesota on ALEC’s website.
While the Republicans’ loss of both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature and a sitting DFL governor, along with the thinning of the local herd, it’s unlikely that much direct damage can be done by ALEC members in the next two years. It’s worth keeping track of where they’re landing, nonetheless, and so with the release of the House minority caucus’s recommendations of committee assignments to Speaker Thissen’s office, Bluestem has checked to see who’s on which committee.
First, the ranking members who are known ALEC pals, then the committee recommendations for all known ALEC members in the Minnesota House. Other committee recommendations for ALEC members who are in the first list are also in the second list.
| House Committee | Lead | Last Known ALEC Task Force |
| Capital Investment | Matt Dean | International Relations |
| Environment et al Finance | Denny McNamara | Energy, Environment & Agriculture |
| Trans Finance | Mike Beard | Commerce, Insurance & Econ Dev. |
| Housing | Paul Anderson | Health and Human Services |
| Judiciary | Steve Drazkowski | Civil Justice |
| Education Policy | Sondra Erickson | Education |
| Early Education | Pam Myhra | Tax and Fiscal Policy |
| Energy | Pat Garofalo | Education |
| Transportation Policy | Linda Runbeck | Tax and Fiscal Policy |
| Government Operations | Joyce Peppin | None |
Other Committee recommendations for known Minnesota House ALEC members:
Paul Anderson: Environment et al Finance
Mike Beard: Ways & Means; Transportation Policy
Mike Benson: Transportation Finance; Regulated Industries
Matt Dean: HHS Finance; Rules; Ways & Means
Steve Drazkowski: Environment et al Finance; Government Operations; Taxes
Sondra L. Erickson: Education Finance; Property Tax Division
Pat Garofalo: Property Tax Division; Taxes
Denny McNamara: Evironment et al Policy; Ways & Means
Pam Myhra: Taxes; Education Finance
Joyce Peppin: Taxes; Rules
Linda Runbeck: Property Tax Division; Taxes
Kurt Zellers: Rules; Commerce
Although Dean Urdahl (R-18A) has put his jacket on ALEC legislation like the famous cheeseburger no-fault bill, he’s not an ALEC member.
Here’s the entire spreadsheet of the recommendations:
Comment