Encouraging Governor Dayton to Sign the Tax Bill

The House Republican Caucus used the full-court press tactic Monday, June 6, to encourage Governor Mark Dayton to sign the 2016 Omnibus Tax Bill. Flanked by business owners, farmers, veterans and students who would benefit from the tax breaks, House Speaker Kurt Daudt and other Republican leaders called on the Governor to approve the tax bill independently of any special session considerations.

The Governor has until 11:59 pm Monday, June 6, to sign the legislation for the bill to become law. Neglecting to sign the bill will result in a "pocket veto" because the bill was passed during the last three days at the end of a legislative biennium.

The omnibus tax bill received bi-partisan approval in both houses, and the hold-up is due to the misuse of a conjunction, which would cost the state $101 million dollars in revenue. Republicans assert that the problem can be remedied through a letter of legislative intent and that Governor Dayton is holding the bill "hostage" in order to get increased funding for other projects. Governor Dayton has countered that the error must be fixed in a special session lest the state be vulnerable to lawsuits. The Governor has indicated that he will call a special session to solve the tax bill if legislators will agree to his funding requests for the failed bonding and transportation initiatives.