Senators Pass Bills to Keep Services Open During Minnesota Shutdown

Minnesota students, home safety and families that visit the should not be used as leverage if the state budget bills are not passed, said two lawmakers who are carrying bills that address situations where the services could continue to citizens should the state face another . They passed the Senate Monday.

“There is already plenty of pressure for the Legislature to get its job done,” said Sen. John Carlson (R-Bemidji), who is authoring a bill to allow MnSCU schools to be kept open using existing reserves, tuition and fees. “A shutdown creates new roadblocks to the accounts that allow it to pay its expenses.”

Sen. Al DeKruif (R-Elysian) agreed: “The unnecessary shutdown of 2011 revealed the state government’s extraordinary reach into commerce and certain areas that it should not. This is not good government.”

Carlson’s SF 1780 would allow MnSCU to access its funds that are under control of Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB) and pay MMB for its services in the event of a budget impasse. While the University of Minnesota keeps its funds separate from state coffers, MMB acts as a bank for MnSCU. Even if there is no state appropriation, MnSCU may have funds from tuition and other revenue that it is allowed to carry over. The problem is that when the state shuts down so might MMB, which would leave MnSCU without access to its funds, he said. The change would level the playing field between MnSCU, UMN and private colleges in the event of a shutdown.

In 2011, MnSCU had been left in limbo until about two weeks before the impending shutdown. On June 15, MnSCU received notice that it could continue operating. Governor Dayton's petition to the state district court said that “operations of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will continue based on its statutory and practical financial autonomy and its balance carry-over authority.” MnSCU would later rescind more than 6,000 layoff notices sent to its employees. About 67,000 MnSCU students enrolled in summer courses had also been left to wonder if classes would continue in the event of a shutdown. The measure cost the school, both administratively and in student
confidence.

Carlson says this measure remedies a barrier to current state law says that MnSCU “should strive to provide uninterrupted service and instruction to students.”

DeKruif is the author of two bills, SF1844 to keep the Minnesota Zoo open and operating during a shutdown, and SF1551 would allow electrical inspectors to keep working during a state shutdown.

During the 2011 shutdown, the Court deemed some employees essential and decided that the due to animal welfare, the Zoo should remain open. The Minnesota Zoo generates funds that are deposited in a dedicated fund for the operation and maintenance of the facility. In 2011, the estimated net cost to the zoo in lost revenue net of cost savings, was estimated to be between $50,000 (per the MN Zoo Foundation) and $132,000 (per MMB fiscal note) for the two days the zoo was closed.

Electrical inspections were highlighted because most electrical inspections are done by state-contracted inspectors, not local entities, so this area was particularly impacted by the shutdown. Electrical inspections are not funded through the General Fund. Rather, they are a fee-for-service paid for by permit fees in a separate Construction Code Fund account.

The account is able to pay its expenses but because of the way it is set up it wasn’t able to be accessed during the shutdown. The state lost revenue because state electrical inspections couldn’t continue working, so the inspections had to be handled by local entities.  If a shutdown ever occurs again this bill would minimize the pain to these groups and costs to the state.

“When storms or other events knock out power to homes and businesses, the systems must be inspected,” DeKruif said. “Fees for the payment of electrical inspections are paid for by permits, and there is no taxpayer money paying for this service.”

He added: “We must never compromise safety for political purposes.”

Editor's note: From the Senate Media Office.

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