A key state House committee today passed a $2.5 billion bonding bill for public works projects. Lawmakers are wrangling over the price tag–and priorities–particularly amid COVID-19. At this morning’s meeting prior to the vote, Republican Representative Pat Garofalo of Farmington said “this is a bonding bill that was written for yesterday, it’s not written for tomorrow. The reality is that there’s a pre-COVID world and a post-COVID-19 world.”
But Representative Mary Murphy of Hermantown disagreed and responded “I truly believe that the bill that is before you is a bill for today and tomorrow. It addresses the emergencies across the state.” Senate Republicans have proposed less than a billion in spending. And House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt today again reiterated that House Republicans won’t let a bonding bill move forward unless Governor Tim Walz relinquishes his emergency COVID authority. In order for a bonding bill to pass, it must have a three-fifths majority vote. Less than a week remains in the current legislative session.