Ewald at the Capitol - Special Session V
Special Session V
This week, Gov. Walz called the Minnesota Legislature into its fifth special session of the interim. While debate continued around the use of the governor’s peacetime emergency powers to address COVID-19, special session also, finally, brought the passage of a $1.8 billion bonding bill.
The bill received almost full support in the Senate (64-3) and received well over the 6 votes necessary from the House GOP caucus to reach the supermajority needed to pass. The final vote in the House was 100-34. Unlike a regular bill, a bonding bill requires a supermajority of three-fifths of the body for passage.
"I kind of look at it as a big cauldron of soup. People are throwing everything into it. And for me, I have got to get through the cauliflower and asparagus to get to the meat. But it’s all good to get there," said Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-Grove City).
Highlights from the package include:
$700 million for roads and bridges
$300 million for wastewater treatment projects
$166 million for asset preservation and replacement for university and college campuses
$55 million for bus transit in the metro area
$44.5 million for the Department of Corrections for facilities
Legislators worked hard to ensure funds were distributed well between rural Minnesota and the metro area, as well as between DFL and GOP districts. Outside of frustrations by the Senate that the House adjourned sine die (meaning final adjournment, in which they could only come back if they were called into special session again by the governor) after making amendments to previously agreed-upon language, forcing the Senate to take the bill as it was, the entire Legislature was overall pleased to have passed a bonding bill at long last.
Special session VI is expected to be called by the governor in mid-November.
Commissioner Receives Award
Terek Tomes, the Minnesota Commissioner of Information Technology Services (MNIT), has received an award for excellence in technology leadership by the Twin Cities CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. CIO ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program in Minneapolis/St. Paul that recognizes technology executives for leadership, innovation, and excellence.
Ewald Consulting 2020 Voter Guide
We are now less than one month out from the 2020 general election, and voting is already well underway. Early voting in Minnesota began on Sept. 18. Ewald Consulting has compiled a 2020 Voter Guide with information you need to know about voting, as well as information on candidates for state races.
They Said It..."Over the last year, we have faced extraordinary challenges, rapidly transformed service delivery, and focused on keeping the people we serve at the center of the solutions we provide." – Commissioner Terek Tomes on receiving recognition from the Twin Cities CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards
Ewald Government Relations Team
David Ewald
651-290-6276
davide@ewald.com
Valerie Dosland
651-265-7857
valeried@ewald.com
Phil Griffin
651-791-0341
philg@ewald.com
Troy Olsen
651-288-3425
troyo@ewald.com
Becca Pryse
651-265-7858
beccap@ewald.com
Allie Spellman
651-285-3522
allies@ewald.com