Pre-Session Review

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Short Session to Kick off March 8th

This will be one of the shortest sessions on record. The following is the time line that has been adopted:

  • Convene March 8th

Three committee deadlines for the 2016 session have been established:

  • April 1, committees must act favorably on bills in the house of origin;
  • April 8, committees must act favorably on bills, or companion bills, that met the first deadline in the other house; and
  • April 21, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.
  • Easter break will run Friday March 25th to Tuesday March 29
  • Passover break will be Friday April22 to Monday April 25

This shortened time table will mean many policy committees may only meet four or five times. Much is being driven by Capitol remodeling. The big decisions for Taxes and Transportation are unlikely to retrace committee action but are more likely to start in conference committees where they left off last year. Likely there will be one major supplemental budget bill.

2016 Session Dynamics 

  • Capitol remodeling will affect legislative flow in two areas by reducing availability of public contact and reduce time available to legislators
  • Election year atmosphere- All House and Senate members are up for election
  • National Presidential politics may translate to throw incumbents out. This is probably part of the decisions by many to jump ship and could be a factor in decision making decisions
  • Budget Surplus will provide opportunities for controversy but the number is lower than we thought it would be
  • Governor Dayton has announced he is not running. May make more stalwart positions
  • Senate DFL majority caucus faces some internal leadership challenges by the left
  • Election year priorities include Transportation and Tax reform, but very different positions exist between opposing caucuses

2016 Minnesota Pork Producers Association Priorities 

  • Farm tax relief, middle income tax relief and business tax relief 
  • Bonding 
  • Transportation 
  • Few policy bills 
  • Water infrastructure 
  • Ag Nuisance lawsuit 

In the next week we will be sharing the MPPA Legislative Priorities in detail. The Board will be finalizing those within the week.