Post by mndapa1 on May 26, 2009 21:02:10 GMT -6
Minnesota legislative session dealt with beer, ballots, health care, taxes ...
Minnesota legislators and Gov. Tim Pawlenty spent the past five months looking (with mixed results) for answers to a multibillion-dollar deficit for the upcoming two-year budget period.
But that's not all they did.
Besides taking actions that will hit you in the pocketbook, they've taken steps that influence how you go about your day-to-day activities.
Here's a peek at some of the decisions and how they'll affect you when they become law — plus other changes that take effect soon and proposals that just didn't get done.
If you're a hospital administrator: You're nervous. The governor's coming budget decisions could clamp down on your bottom line.
If you're near penniless and need medical care: Go now. The governor has canceled General Assistance Medical Care, but it won't take effect until next year.
If you're dying and need marijuana to ease your suffering: Tough luck. The governor vetoed a very narrow medical marijuana bill allowing terminally ill patients to smoke it.
If you're elderly: Save your pennies. Budget cuts will make it harder to qualify for state-funded access to nursing homes and home care. And go fishing: Licenses will soon be free for anyone 90 or older.
If you're no fan of Big Brother: Congratulations. The state overwhelmingly passed a law prohibiting the implementation of the Real ID Act, while the state's efforts to exempt infant DNA from geneticprivacy laws failed.
If you're gay and want to sprinkle your partner's ashes on Lake Minnetonka: You still need permission from the next of kin. The House failed to take up the so-called Final Wishes bill, which also would have allowed surviving partners to file wrongful-death suits.
If you like watching the Minnesota Wild practice: Head to Parade Ice Arena in Minneapolis. Funding for "The Pond,'' a multi-use rink in downtown St. Paul, didn't make it past the governor's veto pen.
If you're a city council member or county commissioner: Sharpen your budget-cutting knife. Pawlenty is expected to make big cuts in state aid to local governments.
If for some strange reason you want to go to Minneapolis: You'll be able to catch a train, starting in 2014. The state allocated its final payment of $8.5 million for the Central Corridor light-rail line.
If you're a Cubs fan: You may be able to take a fast train ride to Chicago some day. The Legislature allocated $26 million for a St. Paul-to-Chicago high-speed rail line.
If you're Joe Six-Pack: Drink up at no extra charge. Pawlenty vetoed a bill that would have increased taxes 2 1/2 cents on a beer, 2 cents on a glass of wine and a nickel on a mixed drink.
If you're using a baby bottle (or are a worried parent): Relax. Minnesota became the first state to ban a potentially harmful plastics component — bisphenol-A — from infant bottles and cups. BPA bottles must be off shelves by 2011.
If you download from iTunes: Chill out. The state will not start charging sales taxes for digital downloads of music, movies, books or video games.
If you're a homeowner: Your mortgage-interest tax deduction is secure, but your property tax bill may rise. Lawmakers rejected a proposal to eliminate the income tax deduction, but Pawlenty's likely cuts in state aid to cities and counties might prompt property tax increases.
If you own a business: Your taxes won't change. Bills both to increase and to cut your income and sales taxes were defeated or vetoed.
If you're a millionaire: Stop searching for a tax haven. Pawlenty vetoed legislation that would have created a new 9 percent top income tax rate for couples earning more than $250,000 a year.
If you're a gambler: You lost your chance to bet at new venues. Lawmakers rejected proposals to expand gambling to slot machines in bars and a casino at Canterbury Park horse track.
If you're a voter: You won't have to show your driver's license to get a ballot. A bill that would have required voters to produce photo IDs before voting was defeated.
If you want to vote early to avoid long lines on Election Day: Too bad. Lawmakers rejected no-excuse early voting.
If you plan to be out of town Election Day: Mark your absentee ballot carefully. Pawlenty planned to veto a bill that would have streamlined the absentee ballot counting process.
If you're a candidate: You don't have to start running earlier. The bill the governor planned to veto also would have moved the state primary election from September to August.
If you're a natural history enthusiast: No new museum for you. Pawlenty vetoed a $26 million appropriation to build a new Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
If you're a building contractor, architect or construction worker: Don't look to the state to jump-start your construction projects. A bill that would have provided $100 million in loan guarantees for private construction projects failed.
If you're an education supporter: Schools were spared deep cuts. Funding for preschools through high schools will remain flat over the next two years at about $13.7 billion.
If you're a public school student in kindergarten through 12th grade: You won't start before Labor Day. Lawmakers decided not to repeal a state law that bars schools from starting before the September holiday.
If you're graduating from high school in the next five years: You don't have to pass the state's math graduation test to get your diploma. You can graduate if you get remediation, retake the failed test at least twice and meet other requirements.
If you're a driver: Buckle up. The bill Pawlenty signed allows cops to stop you if you or your passengers aren't wearing seat belts. The fine: $25.
If you spend much time in court: You're going to get nicked with an assortment of fee increases.
If you're a short-term offender sentenced after July 1: You won't be spending your time in a county jail. You're going to a state prison.
If your adult son or daughter goes missing: Expect a quicker response from law-enforcement authorities. "Brandon's Law'' requires it.
If you hate paying sales taxes: Too bad. A 0.375 percent increase will take effect in July, with the money dedicated to outdoors habitat, clean water and the arts. It'll last for 25 years.
If you support the outdoors, clean water and the arts: Things are looking up. Pawlenty has signed the Legacy bill. That sales tax increase will direct a projected $397 million to those areas in the next two years.
If you live near the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities: You may see updated rules aimed at protecting the river corridor. St. Paul, meanwhile, will get $3.8 million to protect the riverbank at the Upper Landing.
If you're a farmer in the "Green Acres'' tax program: You should be less confused. Lawmakers spent half the session cleaning up fuzzy language they passed a year ago.
If you support new nuclear power: You'll have to wait. A bid to lift a ban on new nuclear power in Minnesota failed. Look for another attempt next year.
If you buy tickets online: You have a better chance of paying regular prices. Brokers won't be able to send tickets to secondary markets without giving you a chance first.
If you're a student in the state's public colleges and universities: You get a bit of a tuition break. Increases are to be held to 3 percent a year the next two years.
If you're a Vikings fan and want a new football stadium: It wasn't in the cards this year. Legislation was introduced but never got a hearing.
If you're a Gophers football fan: Enjoy the new stadium, but good luck buying a beer there. Lawmakers said if alcohol can't be sold throughout the stadium, it can't be sold there at all. The U has signaled it won't be selling the stuff to anyone.
Some of it good, some of it bad. Depends on which side of the fence you are on. Congrats to Pawlenty for holding a line on taxes!!!!
Minnesota legislators and Gov. Tim Pawlenty spent the past five months looking (with mixed results) for answers to a multibillion-dollar deficit for the upcoming two-year budget period.
But that's not all they did.
Besides taking actions that will hit you in the pocketbook, they've taken steps that influence how you go about your day-to-day activities.
Here's a peek at some of the decisions and how they'll affect you when they become law — plus other changes that take effect soon and proposals that just didn't get done.
If you're a hospital administrator: You're nervous. The governor's coming budget decisions could clamp down on your bottom line.
If you're near penniless and need medical care: Go now. The governor has canceled General Assistance Medical Care, but it won't take effect until next year.
If you're dying and need marijuana to ease your suffering: Tough luck. The governor vetoed a very narrow medical marijuana bill allowing terminally ill patients to smoke it.
If you're elderly: Save your pennies. Budget cuts will make it harder to qualify for state-funded access to nursing homes and home care. And go fishing: Licenses will soon be free for anyone 90 or older.
If you're no fan of Big Brother: Congratulations. The state overwhelmingly passed a law prohibiting the implementation of the Real ID Act, while the state's efforts to exempt infant DNA from geneticprivacy laws failed.
If you're gay and want to sprinkle your partner's ashes on Lake Minnetonka: You still need permission from the next of kin. The House failed to take up the so-called Final Wishes bill, which also would have allowed surviving partners to file wrongful-death suits.
If you like watching the Minnesota Wild practice: Head to Parade Ice Arena in Minneapolis. Funding for "The Pond,'' a multi-use rink in downtown St. Paul, didn't make it past the governor's veto pen.
If you're a city council member or county commissioner: Sharpen your budget-cutting knife. Pawlenty is expected to make big cuts in state aid to local governments.
If for some strange reason you want to go to Minneapolis: You'll be able to catch a train, starting in 2014. The state allocated its final payment of $8.5 million for the Central Corridor light-rail line.
If you're a Cubs fan: You may be able to take a fast train ride to Chicago some day. The Legislature allocated $26 million for a St. Paul-to-Chicago high-speed rail line.
If you're Joe Six-Pack: Drink up at no extra charge. Pawlenty vetoed a bill that would have increased taxes 2 1/2 cents on a beer, 2 cents on a glass of wine and a nickel on a mixed drink.
If you're using a baby bottle (or are a worried parent): Relax. Minnesota became the first state to ban a potentially harmful plastics component — bisphenol-A — from infant bottles and cups. BPA bottles must be off shelves by 2011.
If you download from iTunes: Chill out. The state will not start charging sales taxes for digital downloads of music, movies, books or video games.
If you're a homeowner: Your mortgage-interest tax deduction is secure, but your property tax bill may rise. Lawmakers rejected a proposal to eliminate the income tax deduction, but Pawlenty's likely cuts in state aid to cities and counties might prompt property tax increases.
If you own a business: Your taxes won't change. Bills both to increase and to cut your income and sales taxes were defeated or vetoed.
If you're a millionaire: Stop searching for a tax haven. Pawlenty vetoed legislation that would have created a new 9 percent top income tax rate for couples earning more than $250,000 a year.
If you're a gambler: You lost your chance to bet at new venues. Lawmakers rejected proposals to expand gambling to slot machines in bars and a casino at Canterbury Park horse track.
If you're a voter: You won't have to show your driver's license to get a ballot. A bill that would have required voters to produce photo IDs before voting was defeated.
If you want to vote early to avoid long lines on Election Day: Too bad. Lawmakers rejected no-excuse early voting.
If you plan to be out of town Election Day: Mark your absentee ballot carefully. Pawlenty planned to veto a bill that would have streamlined the absentee ballot counting process.
If you're a candidate: You don't have to start running earlier. The bill the governor planned to veto also would have moved the state primary election from September to August.
If you're a natural history enthusiast: No new museum for you. Pawlenty vetoed a $26 million appropriation to build a new Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
If you're a building contractor, architect or construction worker: Don't look to the state to jump-start your construction projects. A bill that would have provided $100 million in loan guarantees for private construction projects failed.
If you're an education supporter: Schools were spared deep cuts. Funding for preschools through high schools will remain flat over the next two years at about $13.7 billion.
If you're a public school student in kindergarten through 12th grade: You won't start before Labor Day. Lawmakers decided not to repeal a state law that bars schools from starting before the September holiday.
If you're graduating from high school in the next five years: You don't have to pass the state's math graduation test to get your diploma. You can graduate if you get remediation, retake the failed test at least twice and meet other requirements.
If you're a driver: Buckle up. The bill Pawlenty signed allows cops to stop you if you or your passengers aren't wearing seat belts. The fine: $25.
If you spend much time in court: You're going to get nicked with an assortment of fee increases.
If you're a short-term offender sentenced after July 1: You won't be spending your time in a county jail. You're going to a state prison.
If your adult son or daughter goes missing: Expect a quicker response from law-enforcement authorities. "Brandon's Law'' requires it.
If you hate paying sales taxes: Too bad. A 0.375 percent increase will take effect in July, with the money dedicated to outdoors habitat, clean water and the arts. It'll last for 25 years.
If you support the outdoors, clean water and the arts: Things are looking up. Pawlenty has signed the Legacy bill. That sales tax increase will direct a projected $397 million to those areas in the next two years.
If you live near the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities: You may see updated rules aimed at protecting the river corridor. St. Paul, meanwhile, will get $3.8 million to protect the riverbank at the Upper Landing.
If you're a farmer in the "Green Acres'' tax program: You should be less confused. Lawmakers spent half the session cleaning up fuzzy language they passed a year ago.
If you support new nuclear power: You'll have to wait. A bid to lift a ban on new nuclear power in Minnesota failed. Look for another attempt next year.
If you buy tickets online: You have a better chance of paying regular prices. Brokers won't be able to send tickets to secondary markets without giving you a chance first.
If you're a student in the state's public colleges and universities: You get a bit of a tuition break. Increases are to be held to 3 percent a year the next two years.
If you're a Vikings fan and want a new football stadium: It wasn't in the cards this year. Legislation was introduced but never got a hearing.
If you're a Gophers football fan: Enjoy the new stadium, but good luck buying a beer there. Lawmakers said if alcohol can't be sold throughout the stadium, it can't be sold there at all. The U has signaled it won't be selling the stuff to anyone.
Some of it good, some of it bad. Depends on which side of the fence you are on. Congrats to Pawlenty for holding a line on taxes!!!!
