Deficiency Bill Passes with Pay Hike Delay

An emergency funding bill that appropriates roughly $14 million dollars passed the Minnesota Senate Thursday, February 12. Senator Richard Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, carried the funding proposal. It allocates $2 million dollars for Ebola treatment facilities, $1.35 million dollars to the Minnesota Zoo, $568,000 dollars for DNR conservation officer efforts, and $10.4 million dollars to the security hospital in St. Peter.

Prior to discussing the bill, Senator Cohen attempted to thwart any attempts to change the bill to strip the governor of his ability to provide pay raises to his cabinet without legislative approval, which is current law. "I'm hoping we can keep some of the partisan aspects to a bare minimum because that, certainly members, would be unique...for how to handle a deficiency bill," stated Senator Cohen.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk successfully added an amendment that would not go as far as stripping the salary increases, but would give the legislature until July 1, 2015, to evaluate pay raises given to Governor Dayton's agency heads. Sen. Bakk said, "I think the challenge is, those of us in the legislature and the public haven't had an opportunity to have a discussion yet." Republicans agreed with this statement, and the amendment was adopted.

Following roughly an hour of discussion, S. F. 174 passed as amended with a 49-17 vote.