5.2. ERMUSR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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revenues to fund transportation. These differences proved insurmountable, when after weeks of closed-door negotiations, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt emerged with an overall budget agreement to which the Governor objected. Dayton threatened a veto if his terms were not met on the education bill. The Legislature proceeded with the agreement despite objections,making a mad rush to finish passing a state budget by the constitutionally-mandated adjournment time (midnight May 18). Shortly thereafter,the Governor made good on his promise on the education veto,making a Special Session inevitable. With environmental advocates pushing the Governor to veto the Legislature's environment/agriculture bill, and criticism of the jobs/energy bill passed in the last minutes of the Regular Session,two more vetoes (and the budgets of several more state agencies)were added to the Special Session agenda. Speaker Daudt and Governor Dayton spent the next several weeks re-negotiating the three budget bills, a bonding bill, and a Legacy bill. Finally, an agreement was reached and all four caucus leaders signed off on the framework of a Special Session,which was called for June 12. There were only modest changes made to the vetoed jobs/energy and environment/agriculture bills. The net metering reforms supported by MREA and MMUA, along with a few provisions helpful to municipal wastewater facilities survived to be part of the final deal. (The final bills are described in detail in the "New Laws"section.) However, despite"the deal,"the 2015 Special Session had its share of drama. _Prior to signing the agreement, DFL Senate Majority Leader Bakk warned that he was unsure that he had the support of his caucus to pass the environment/agriculture bill,which still contained many of the environmental provisions that metro-DFLers found objectionable. His warning proved to be true as it took three votes, including an attempt to break the deal, for the bill to pass. Finally, in the early morning hours of June 13, the 2015 Legislature finished its work. Divided government and competing priorities brought a lot in terms of activity and debate this session, but little in terms of results. For 2016,the stage is set with neither legislative body nor the Governor seeing their top priority passed into law,many strained relationships, and a State Capitol that is inaccessible due to construction. 120