By Judy Erickson, government relations director
So far, things at the Legislature have been proceeding the way they normally do. If anything, the process may be a tad ahead of normal. Gov. Tim Pawlenty released his initial budget proposal back in January and then updated it again in mid-March to reflect the February Budget Forecast as is standard procedure. The House and Senate have both released their spending targets for the budget divisions. That feels a little quicker than normal.
Now that committees have their targets it's time to start putting together the omnibus budget and tax bills. You will see all of omnibus budget bills emerging in the next week. That's because all budget bills must be passed out of their budget committees and on the way to the House or Senate Finance committees by Thursday, April 16 (also known as the Third Deadline).
But time is very tight because between now and that deadline the House and Senate are on break.
The next important date to remember is Wednesday, April 22 (also known as the Fourth Deadline). By that date, the House and Senate Finance committees (and Ways and Means Committee in the House) and the House and Senate Tax committees need to have processed the omnibus bills. In other words, by April 22, all the omnibus budget and tax bills should be ready for action on the House and Senate floor. That's less than two weeks away.
Of course, the House and Senate have different ideas for how to solve the state's historic budget deficit. The Legislature is giving itself just 15 days (including weekends) to pass all those omnibus bills off the House and Senate floor, appoint conference committees, come to an agreement on new targets for the conference committees and then assemble compromise omnibus bills. By Thursday, May 7, the conference committee omnibus bills must be back on the House and Senate floor for final passage.
Under Minnesota's Constitution, the Legislature must adjourn at or by midnight, May 18. That is six weeks from the return of the legislative break! Hang on!
