LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS Presentation for 2006 Airtap Fall Forum Amy Vennewitz

1. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS Presentation for 2006 Airtap Fall Forum Amy Vennewitz Metropolitan Council

2. Legislative Work Can be Exciting!!

3. Current Political Structure • Governor • Governor Tim Pawlenty, Republican • Senate • 67 Total Members, 4-year terms • DFL Majority, 38 members • Republican Minority, 29 members • Majority Leader Senator Dean Johnson • House • 134 Total Members, 2-year terms • Republican Majority, 68 members • DFL Minority, 66 members • Speaker of the House Representative Steve Sviggum

4. After November 7???? • November 7 – Election day • Governor and all members of Senate and House standing for election • 30 of 201 Legislators (15%) Retiring • Potential incumbent losses • Landscape could remain same or have large changes

5. Activity Starts Immediately • Governor • makes key agency appointments • reviews/selects budget initiatives • House and Senate • elect caucus leadership • establish new legislative committee structure • appoint committee chairs & members • membership proportionally balanced

6. Legislative Committees • Policy Committees • Policy committees for major topic areas, i.e. education, environment, transportation • Hear all bills in topic area • Pass bills to other policy committees, budget committees (divisions) or to floor • Budget Committees or Divisions • Also for major topic areas • Hear only bills with “fiscal impact” • Pass bills to Finance and Tax committees

7. Legislative Committees Cont. • Finance and Tax Committees • Chaired by senior legislators • In Senate, Finance hears spending bills, Taxes hears revenue raising bills • In House, Ways and Means committee hears both finance and tax bills • Rules Committees • Chaired by majority leaders in Senate & House • Hear bills that have not met “rules”

8. Capital Investment Ch: Langseth VC: Kiscaden Finance Ch: Cohen VC: Chaudhary Taxes Ch: Pogemiller VC: Tomassoni Rules & Administration Ch: Johnson VC: Rest Early Childhood Policy & Budget Division Ch: Hottinger VC: Kubly K-12 Education Budget Division Ch: Stumpf VC: Marko Higher Education Budget Division Ch: Pappas VC: Solon, Y.P. Health, Human Services Budget Division Ch: Berglin VC: Solon, Y.P. Environment, Agriculture, & Economic Development Budget Division Ch: Sams VC: Dibble Transportation Budget Division Ch: Murphy VC: Moua Public Safety Budget Division Ch: Ranum State Government Budget Division Ch: Kiscaden Education Ch: Kelley, S.P. VC: Skoe Health & Family Security Ch: Lourey Environment & Natural Resources Ch: Marty VC: Saxhaug Agriculture Veterans & Gaming Ch: Vickerman VC: Skoe Jobs, Energy & Community Development Ch: Anderson VC: Bakk Commerce Ch: Scheid VC: Sparks Transportation Ch: Murphy VC: Moua Crime Prevention & Public Safety Ch: Foley VC: Skoglund Judiciary Ch: Betzold VC: Skoglund State & Local Government Operations Ch: Higgins VC: Wiger Elections Ch: Wiger 2005-06 Senate Commitees

9. Capital Investment Ch: Dorman Ways and Means Ch: Knoblach Taxes Ch: Krinkie Rules & Legislative Administration Ch: Paulson Jobs and Economic Opportunity Policy and Finance Ch: Gunther Education Finance Ch: Sykora Higher Education Finance Ch: Nornes Health Policy and Finance Ch:Bradley Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance Ch: Ozment Transportation Finance Ch: Holberg Public Safety Policy and Finance Ch: Smith State Government Finance Ch: Seifert Education Policy & Reform Ch: Buesgens Environment & Natural Resources Ch: Hackbarth Agriculture & Rural Development Ch: Davids: Local Government Ch: Olson Commerce & Financial Institutions Ch: Wilkins Transportation Ch: Erhardt Regulated Industires Ch: Westrom Ethics Ch: Erickson Government Operations & Veterans Affairs Ch: Tingelstad Civil Law & Elections Ch: Johnson 20005-06 House Committees

10. Committee Structure • Chair – Member of majority party, some seniority, interest/expertise in subject • Committee staff • committee secretary & administrator, work directly for chair • non-partisan professional staff, policy analysts, counsel, fiscal analysts, work for all legislators • majority & minority partisan staff, hired by caucuses, work for legislators in their respective caucus

11. Typical Committees with Jurisdiction over Airport Issues • Transportation Policy • Subcommittee on aviation in both Senate & House • Airport operations, noise issues • Transportation Finance • MnDOT Office of Aeronautics, State Airport Fund • State and Local Government Operations (Senate) and Local Government (House) • Land use, noise, MAC governance issues • Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Governance (joint Senate/House) • Metropolitan Council governance and budget

12. Basic Bill Flow • Idea generation • Individuals & constituents, legislators, professional group/associations, Governor and agencies • Legislator requests a bill draft • Senate & House professional staff or Revisor of Statutes drafts bill • Finds author in “other” house & co-authors • Companion (identical) bills introduced in both houses • First reading on floor • Bill is referred to Committee • In Senate President refers, in House Speaker refers

13. Committee Actions on Bills • Committee Options • Hear, amend, pass the bill • Hear the bill, vote it down • Hear the bill, put in into another bill • Don’t hear the bill • Committee reports the bill to the floor or another committee • Budget or fiscal bills must go to a finance or tax committee

14. Floor Actions on Bills • Bill is reported to floor, second reading • Individual bill or omnibus bill • Bill is debated, amended on floor • Third reading (no amendments) • Bill passes (fails) and is transmitted to “other” house • Other house passes identical bill or amends bill (substitutes language) • Bill sent to Governor (if identical) • Conference Committee (if amended)

15. Conference Committee Actions • Equal # of Senators and Representatives (typically 3-5) • Staff prepares side-by-side comparisons • Committee recommends final bill content • Majority of members from each house must agree on final content • Each house must adopt committee report • Pass final bill without amendment

16. Governor’s Actions • Bill presented to Governor • 3 days to: (if session has ended,10 days) • Sign • Allow to become law without signature • Veto • Veto override requires 2/3 vote • 90 votes in House • 45 votes in Senate

18. Biennial Legislative Timeline • Odd-year session • Pass 2-year biennial budget • Starts very early January • Required to end first Mon. after 3rd Sat. in May • Even-year session • Pass bonding bill authorizing capital projects • Starts late February – March • Total biennial legislative days limited to 120 • State revenue forecasts • February and November

19. Advocacy – Where to have Impact • Direct contact with Legislators • Get sponsorship of requested legislation • Explain issues one-on-one • Contact staff • Input on bill drafting, other issues • Assistance on process • Testify at Committee Hearings • Provide expertise, information • Get membership, others to contact