The House must statutorily be done with 2016 lawmaking activities by 12 a.m. May 23. Per Article 4, Section 21 of the state constitution, no bills can be passed on the biennium’s final day.

That leaves two weeks to pass a major transportation bill, a major tax bill (both left over from 2015) and a comprehensive bonding package in what is an election year for all 201 legislative seats.

Transportation conferees met multiple times last week and a Senate offer was made Friday, but tax conferees continue their silence. A $1.8 billion capital investment proposal proposed by the Senate DFL went down by one vote Thursday. According to the bill's sponsor, Senator Leroy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, the measure would have provided $390 million dollars for transportation improvements; $362 million dollars for education institutions; $282 million for water infrastructure upgrades; $202 million dollars for public safety enhancements and $181 million dollars for parks and recreations. 

Even-year legislative sessions are generally regarded as “bonding years,” when lawmakers pass a large-scale borrowing package that helps fund infrastructure projects across the state. Gov. Mark Dayton has proposed a $1.4 billion capital investment package — it would be the largest in state history. House Republicans have set their sights on a much smaller bill, with leadership earlier this month releasing budget targets that call for a $600 million bill. Governor Dayton called a bonding bill “a must-have for Minnesotans,” during last Wednesday’s meeting with reporters, and stood alongside Senators Bakk and Thissen in leaning on Republicans to produce their bill.

“We are concerned with putting together a bonding bill that every member of the Legislature will be proud to vote for,” Daudt said. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and work together. There is a lot of time left to work; we’re not drawing lines in the sand today.”