Legislators were appointed last week to the committee that will negotiate many of the details of the education finance and policy provisions that have survived the process thus far and provide a shared plan for a final vote. Rep. Jennifer Loon (GOP-Eden Prairie) and Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-North St. Paul) will serve as co-chairs of the Education Conference Committee. View MREA’s side-by-side comparison for the issues of interest in the Senate, House and Governor’s plans.
Leadership will give them overall direction in terms of total spending and how much in certain areas on some of the larger issues such as formula and early learning. The Governor and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will be battling for Dayton’s universal preschool plan. Commissioner Cassellius has made it clear to many that they won’t leave session without something major accomplished on this front and also for American Indian students. View the big issues at play.
Who’s Serving & Why
The other four Senators on the committee include familiar names such as: Sens. LeRoy Stumpf, Kevin Dahle and Alice Johnson. GOP Sen. Eric Pratt (Prior Lake) brings bipartisanship to one of the sides in conference committee.
Five GOP Senators voted for the Senate education plan on final passage, which is usually plenty of votes for a caucus to earn a position on a conference committee. Five Senate DFLers voted no because the bill didn’t have enough on the formula and/or early childhood.
The House conferees are all GOP members since every DFLers voted “no” on the bill. There was one GOP no vote on the House floor and the bill passed on a 69-61 margin. The other House conferees include Reps. Sondra Erickson, Ron Kresha, Roz Peterson and Bob Dettmer.
House Chair Jennifer Loon gets to call the first meeting to order since the first bill to pass was the House’s HF 844.
Contacting the Committee
Rep. Jenifer Loon (R- Eden Prairie)
rep.jenifer.loon@house.mn
651-296-7449
449 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton)
rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn
651-296-6747 or 1-800-709-0578
479 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Rep. Ron Kresha (R – Little Falls)
rep.ron.kresha@house.mn
651-296-4247 or 1-888-727-4612
531 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Rep. Bob Dettmer (R – Forest Lake)
rep.bob.dettmer@house.mn
651-296-4124
565 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Rep. Roz Peterson (R – Lakeville)
rep.roz.peterson@house.mn
651-296-5387
521 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Senator Chuck Wiger (DFL – Maplewood)
www.senate.mn/senatorwigeremail
651-296-6820
205 Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
Senator Alice Johnson
www.senate.mn/senatorjohnsonemail
651-296-2556
205 Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
Senator Kevin Dahle
www.senate.mn/senatordahleemail
651-296-1279
G-9 Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
Senator LeRoy Stumpf
www.senate.mn/senatorstumpfemail
651-296-8660
G-12 Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
Senator Eric Pratt
sen.eric.pratt@senate.mn
651-296-4123
23 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155