07-24-1985 Additions - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 3 6. Child Abuse. The issue of child abuse drew much attention this session and several laws were adopted to strengthen existing child abuse laws. I worked long and hard on this critical issue. I strongly supported the reforms in this law. 7. Twenty- One - Year -Old Legal Drinking Age. On September 30, 1986, it would have been illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase or drink alcoholic beverages in Minnesota, provided surrounding states passed the same law. House File 102 was to bring Minnesota into compliance with the federal mandate that states adopt the legal drinking age of 21 by October of 1986, in order to receive further federal highway funds. The conference committee failed to be heard in the House. I supported this legislation and was disappointed when the amended bill failed to pass in the 1985 legislative session. 8. Combined Sewer Overflow. I strongly supported and authored this bill which was heard in Local and Urban Affairs. The revenue, generated from five cents of the cigarette tax increase, failed to pass in the House. It was added as an amendment in the House Tax Conference Committee. As a result, the cost to the taxpayers will be approximately $60 million MORE than the bill I authored. 9. Capital Bonding Bill. The Capital Bonding Bill (S.S. H.F. 1) authorizes $174.6 million of new bonding authority. I did not support this legislation because no hearings were heard in the House. 10. Unemployment Insurance Reform. The House bill received 74 votes (mine included) when it was passed on April 18. The Senate then put its own language (much less of a reform) on the House bill and sent it back for concurrence by the House. This was rejected and conferees were appointed. Conference Committee meetings were held on May 17 and May 20 but did not come to any agreement. The House proposed 10 concessions from its original position, but the Senate did not meet them even halfway. The result is that the Unemployment Insurance System goes unreformed for the third straight year. Large benefit increases will kick in on July 1, 1985, since no bill was enacted to extend the "caps" on maximum weekly benets that were enacted in 1982 for three years. This will make Minnesota Number One in the United States in benefits.