Thank you. Arthur Haines. Good morning. Everyone Live Events coverage on Minnesota Public Radio is made possible to the financial assistance of the Minneapolis Star and a hot issue. We do indeed have this morning in the Minnesota senate senate. Once again, taking up the sport Stadium issue on Monday. Of course the house passed a bill to repeal the stadium liquor tax house bill is just slightly different than the version passed a couple of months ago by the Senate and now the Senate is trying to decide whether to go along with the House pass Persian and send it on to the governor or whether to send the bill to a conference committee the chief officer of the Senate Bill Senator. John Chenoweth has moved to accept the house version. There are others on the floor Senator clearance prefers to our opposing that John merli is here with us has been following this and John what are some of the ramifications of this parliamentary Rangel that were going to be that listening to this morning many of the dfl members of the Senate Bob met in the caucus last night at St. Paul restaurant and agreed not to agree on whatDo today except for a few basic steps today? And they did come to the conclusion that the senator Chenoweth to sponsor the repeal bill in the Senate would make a motion to concur with the house bill the amendments are there except the house Amendment Amanda remembered and concur which would mean both bills would go to Governor quipper signature. It was also the understanding that the senator of her first or some other Senator would vote to send it to not incur and send a send a bill in the house bill to a joint conference committee horse one big problem. Now with the conference committees are just that there are no rules set up here by the House and Senate because of the evenly divided house right now, and I hope to perhaps come up with some rules of the next several days or 4 when it will anyone knows it could actually be several weeks, but it happened so far in the last few minutes set a channel with has made him a motion to have the Senate offer a to accept the minor house in Megaton, they were built and concur if I sending both house and send the bills toThe governor for his signature Senator Red Jeans to towsky dfl-minneapolis has made a motion to lay the bill on the table which mean to delay it for at least a couple of weeks that failed on a 22 241 vote of 41 to 20 vote and now Senator Davies his talkin, I believe for the motion to concur one thing we should point out very briefly before we go down in the floor. This is not a partisan necessarily a part of some debate along party lines gardea Fellers out State and Metropolitan who are for and against the repeal and there are in a pint of Republicans out State and metropolitan area or four against the repeal where the politics comes in now is if the Senate should vote to confirm her in the next few minutes and send the bill to the governor that would mean that an independent Republican Governor. What have the Hot Potato on his lap if they should decide to send it to a conference committee. That would mean that they would be some more delays.Governor Queen would not have to worry himself right now about what to do about the very controversial Stadium issued the debate began the less than 10 minutes ago. Perhaps we should go down to the house. I think that Senator Clarence / 1st is now arguing that the bill should be sent to the conference committee. Let's go down to the senate floor asking support in this body to oppose the motion that Senator Chenoweth has to concur with the house language. I know that everybody in this body has discuss this for five years are probably longer and I think as I look over this body you're going to be discussing it again. Probably not you but somebody probably sitting in the same seat unless we resolve this in her her. It's an issue that the legislature brought on we brought it on ourselves as a matter of fact as far as I know. The only way you're going to stop construction in downtown Minneapolis is my legislative mandate. It's simple as that.Presently this particular proposal is only removing the funding. What are you going to do? If you only remove the funding, I think my fellow Senators, you've got to go beyond that. You're going to have to give another legislative mandate. You're going to have to tell the commission for the governing bodies. This is how the legislature feels we told him how he felt before and now we're going to have to tell him and brought us rather than going a commission route. Some people doubt the fact that we need a conference committee each and everyone of you hear a familiar with conference committee, whether it's the educational bill that's going to pass weather is going to be the tax bill weather is going to be somebody's fertilizer bill or somebody's Transit build it they all go to conference and I would like to suggest that in the process of defeating Senator 10 with motion to concur with the house laying that way to defeat that established the route of a conference committee. I don't care to get in the design. I don't care to get into other taxing programs and problems, but I like to think that we have brought this on ourselves.And I don't know what the governor will do. There are 67 of you will probably have 67 different what ideas and opinions as to what the governor's going to do. Some of you say, let's let him decide some of you say It's Our obligation to decide it's my opinion that it's up to us to decide. So I'd like to see you. We resolve this we won't resolve it by the elimination of the 2% and that's my theory and that's where I'm coming from and I think that the question is simple. I think the question is clear that if we eliminate the 2% today that we're going to have another issue staring Us in the face almost immediately.Senator Strom from Albany one of these strong opponents of the Electra, Texas supporter of the repeal measure. Best present I believe I'd have to say that I was into some of the statement that send a perfect size used when he uses the word. We he should single out. It was those people who voted to set up a commission. You should not include those who voted in opposition. And those are the real we were causing the problem by agree with him on that point that's president member says I will concur was Senator sent with motion to concur with a bill passed by the house. I think the message was clear. I think the message was loud and clear that the people do not want a backup text to support a stadium. And this is what the bill at the Centerville does. This is what the house bill does and what the house bill differs from the Senate bill. I think it's distinctly clear. It only singles out the names of the seven County metropolitan area. That's the only difference in a bill what I don't like however is a fact that maybe tomorrow or the next day someone in this body and I understand this has already happened in the other body is gone to introduce a new Stadium built. So we start from the beginning maybe that's the way to go tear the buildings down building MyPyramid down. How many times has the liquor bill won and lost in the senate in the house in the last 5 years. I have lost count. I don't know maybe a dozen times. But on this particular time one more time if this kills the stadium in Downtown Minneapolis, so be it. venator spear Allan Spear of Minneapolis Senator Burr first shot in his speech a few minutes ago that he hopes. We don't get into a parliamentary Wrangle over this and I hope that he didn't mean by that that we aren't supposed to discuss process because it seems to me that the debate that we have before ice right now deeply involved process and that while we obviously are also concerned with the substance of the issue. We need be very deeply concerned about the kind of process the senator purpose and others are suggesting that we follow here right now. I think we have two very look very carefully or what we would do and why we're doing it if we reject Senator China what's motion and if we go the route to Senator purpose the suggesting now, I remember that debate few weeks ago about Senator Jensen's motion when we adopted the permanent rules. Are the debate on both sides of the aisle that we should not put extraneous material and Conference committees and conference committee reports and I didn't vote for Senator Johnson's motion not because I didn't think it was a good idea to prohibit the use of a conference committee in order to deal with material that but not been dealt with in either house because I felt it was too rigid to put that into our permit rules and I remember Senator Coleman's argument against the Giants in motion that day. He said that there might be times when it happened very off right there might be times. Very late in the session when there was something that we absolutely had to do and there was agreement by everyone that we absolutely somehow had to do that before we And the only vehicle left to do that was a conference committee report and I still think that that's a good argument that there can be occasions late in the session. We don't have it. I'm getting a new bill. We don't have time to have a committee hearings on a bill something very urgent and we have to at least allow us this to lower ourselves to school. So that this matter can get before both bodies. That was not what we're really talking about. Now. Are we talkin about something so urgent that we have to violate our process or so extremely is this proposal is this proposition and Senator her first word will do are we talkin about something for instance that has to do with the education of our kids or the care of poor people or basic health care needs. Something is absolutely urgent that we absolutely have to do because if we don't they'll be people out there suffering. No, we're talking about trying to revive once again a stadium proposal that the people of this state have been repeatedly telling us for the last several years now. They don't want and are we so late in the session that there's absolutely no other way that we can consider this but by straining our rules to the utmost taking a bill on which both houses of past almost identical language and putting it in the conference committee so we can deal with something neither side has dealt with That's not the case. We still have seven weeks left in this session. Senator purpose already has a bill in that the deal's weather Bloomington site. I have to think it's a proposal that has some Merit. I want to study I would not close by any means possibility that I might not be able to support senator for first proposed. Look at some of the other proposals that have been mentioned but why do it this way? There is a good idea if there is something to can finally get broad consensus both the public and of the members of the legislature. Let's go ahead let's consider it. But let's go through the committee process. Let's not strain our process in the way that senators per person to suggest if it's proposal has Merit I can get a hearing and be considered and I agree with senator for first just the passage of this bill the repeal of the liquor taxes not going to lay the issue to rest. I agree with him. We are going to have to continue to deal with this issue until there's some kind of a resolution But let's not do it this way. Let's not strain of the process in a way but nobody contemplated nobody on either side of the aisle contemplated when we adopted the permanent rules a few weeks ago. Just look at what would happen. If we really do reject the Channel with motion and instead of the conference committee vote. This is all it's going to take a while before we can even appoint a conference committee. Now, I understand some progress is being made. What's the adoption of a joint rules and hopefully in a week or two we will have those words. But even if there is quick resolution of the differences between the two bodies over the joint rules, then we're going to get the question of who is going to serve on that conference committee. Now Senator Coleman has a great deal of political Acumen and I have great respect for but I think even his wisdom is going to be strain when it comes to trying to decide which five members of this body should sit on that conference committee think for a minute a how many factions you can identify in the minis in the Minnesota Senate on the issue of the stadium. We don't just have Republicans and Democrats on this issue or I'll State people in Metropolitan people or Suburban people and City people probably got about 10 or 12 different factions on this issue, baby. 67 would be would be a better number and you really think it's going to be an easy job or even perhaps a possible job to decide which five of us are going to go into that conference committee, which is going to have the job of sitting there and trying to hammer out a proposal that all 200 one of us have been able to unable to resolve over the past 4 years. I think it's a bad way of proceeding. I don't think it's an issue. That is so urgent or do I think it's so late in the session that we have to strain the world's this way. Let's adopt some of the chanter what's motion to concur Ultra conscience on Final passage. This bill passes the governor signs. Once again, she was not going to go away. I agree and perhaps there are some proposals now which have merits but I asked you not to do it this way cuz I think we are really going to be very very unhappy in the future about the Preston at this kind of a violation of process with set its president. This present Senator currently Johnson a republican from Sleepy Eye sure that would require us to handle this and this conference committee. Wait. But I disagree with some of the other things that he said because I still think that the rules that I offered prohibiting new matter in a conference committee is a good rule you were recalled and I said it would be the President's duty to make a determination as to whether something was the new matter when I'm thinking of do matter in a conference committee. If there's a change in something relative to the stadium. I'm not sure that this is what you would consider no matter, but fortunately Fortunately Mason whose rules we have adopted. Apparently was cognizant or the people that made up these rules. We're cognizant of situations that might arise and I'll refer you to one of the rules that I suggested. We might most profitable use in this situation. One of the rules and Masons is that it is it is proper for a house upon receiving an amended bill with a request to concur to refer the message with the bill to a committee for consideration and a report upon that concurrent Yes of Macy's and I think that's perhaps the route that we should go at this time because one of my objections to the idea of no matter in the conference committee. Why is that there was no absolute right for committee meeting committee members. They have any input. Actually, there's no provision. There is no provision for members of the public being allowed to have any input. But if we if we would take the route to sending this back to the committee. And having them consider the concurrence. I don't know what they might come up with. They might they might consider that it is correct that what the committee would want to do at this stage or would there be more than a conference committee could do if so, they might want to pass a new bill. I don't know what they would want to do. But I think perhaps I would suggest that might be the best route to go. Have you made a motion Senator purse and almost sent her first president in response to some of the remarks at my good friend Senator Spirit referred to I think he had three statements want us to process one was a time and want us a procedure. I would like to thank in my nine years of being a senator in his body that I've seen this process used continually where we go to the committee structure and then we go to a conference committee. It isn't anything new I recall being on conference committees a few years ago when I went in a little simple $0.02 gas tax bill. Now look at the barriers we have around the state that wasn't part of the body does body is a decision. Time let the conference committee. I said another conference committees where we started with a few little issues and we came out with a great big Christmas tree. So I say mister chairman. Do you Center your spear but conference committees have established a lot of procedures a lot of president in the past. Let's consider the time frame. I mentioned this earlier. This is been discussed off and on for roughly 5 years. I have some coffee with parents pledges in my home District when I go back on weekends, mr. Sherman and do they talk taxes a little bit. Do they talk school-age a little bit two of the most important things we have to discuss but you know what they want to talk about that Stadium if you are concerned about the stadium and somehow I've got to repeat somehow this party is going to have to resolve the stadium. If you it's going to come to us. She been like I said earlier we lemonade that $0.02 2% liquor tax. It's going to come to us for another funding proposal. It's going to be here if you want to go to the committee process Bose center Channel with antenna McCutchen have told me that they would give me a hearing a a rapid hearing on the Bloomington proposal which I have in my possession and I respect that opinion. But I also respect the fact I'll take another three years three weeks to go to the committee proposal and we're still going to end up in conference. There's no doubt in my mind. I don't know who the eloquent. President this body or chairman of the majority group name on a conference committee, but how many of you have sought to be on a conference committee on a various Bill a various proposals that you felt close and dear to because you know that's where it's ironed out and I may submit that in the event that we reject Center Christian was proposal right now. If you feel close to the spinal resection of determination as to what to do with the stadium issue that you can do like I have done at times approach those in charge of appointing conference committees and say, please please please let me on this conference committee because maybe I can resolve this by a girl problem. The senator bang and then Senator Keith J Senator Auto dang from Edina an independent Republican. Major League Sports, he would lead us to believe it's not healthy to watch Major League Sports. I don't think Center spell really meant that when he was talking about health and education and so forth. He will lead us to believe that we'd be subverting this process by going a conference committee. We're not supporting the process. We're talking about the same subject matter and I understand there are a number of proposals around the need to be talked about that have come up in the last few weeks and I would urge innov also it we can go to conference committee Senator Keith J president Jessie, perhaps the answer would be in a kind of a bipartisan effort is as was done in the community college strike matter send a rash pic and do all the work and Senator coolmic an issue the press releases. That's that'll work out very nicely. But mr. Wraps presents, I support the chenoweth's position and I'll tell you why it's Crazy in here Senator Keith Jacobs present are the reason I do is simply this it seemed to me in addition to responding to our constituents concern about the stadium and how it's to be financed our majority vote both in the Senate and the house was it was seeing another thing. It was saying that we no longer have confidence in the sports Commission in their judgment and what concerns me is if we reject the Channel with motion and we getting the conference committee and we get a deadlock we have that Lobby for us and anybody that dries faster so I can see those bulldozers going to write on just like nothing has happened and continuing to write on they spent over close to my my last calculation is close to and it's probably over this now $2000000 and are continuing to spend it. I say the sooner we put a stop to this sort of thing the better off we are and I agree with Senators. There are other there are the considerations are other bills. They can be considered by this body intubated and judge and determined but to allow the sort of thing to go on when we have we have rejected and both parties I think is a dire mistake and we got to put a stop to it here and now further discussion Senator Keith s this President is Chief Keef from Minneapolis. One of the chief supporters of the downtown Minneapolis Stadium little procedure rules. We've talked about that is that no legislature combine a future legislature. Now that the proponents of this bill understand that in Alden James since we pass liquor tax in the first place and they went on to get it and a lot of people thought that was a dumb. It was a legislature are wasting a lot of money if they weren't going to stand behind the process that they established but but the we had the power to do that and there's no rule against it. There's also no rule against are having listen to what's going on haven't heard from our constituents after we voted for the bill the first time and changing our minds and if we do that, Turn the wheel of this sentence will be the send that built a conference committee and change it and all this business about what motions people voted on years ago or so on are just so much smoke screen to try to get around. That is the point is that this sentence should be doing its job and listening to his constituency and doing what is constituency wants and it shouldn't be worrying about whether that causes an inconsistency with some political vote two months ago or two weeks ago on the issue the people of Minnesota and you know, it do not want to lose major league sports if we just dropped the drop the other shoe with this bill and kill all hope of that building any kind of a stadium and you know, that's what it does anything else means starting over from scratch and spending the whole to $3000000 all over again from the beginning. If we do that then our constituents will lose a valued resource and you know that whatever the polls say about how people feel about this or that or the other Stadium proposal the overwhelming majority people in this state love the Vikings. They love the twins they love The kicks and they want to keep him here and you know in your heart that they're not going to continue playing in that old white elephant Metropolitan stadium in definitely it's not a matter of loyalty or anyting else. It's just a matter of reasonable good business if they can go to a 90000 seat stadium in LA with no snow they're going to do it. They're not going to stay here forever. So I would urge this committee to stop worrying about procedural motions in parliamentary fooling around and get down to the basic business of of of correcting an error. We made on this issue a while ago and was sending to build a conference committee where public testimony can be taken where we can work out some sort of a compromise that satisfies majority of the members of them both both body. That's the legislature's job. We haven't looked as good on this as we might have to say the least but there's still time to salvage it. Better Chenoweth. And once again the Senator John China with the chief author of the liquor repeal measure that we Concur and then the second bill will be the motion will beat actually vote on the final Passage. A lot of the debate is on whether we should pass it or not the pass it. Anyone who votes against the motion that's before us right now. Which is a technical motion to put final passage before us if you vote know what you're saying. Then is a matter of record that the conference committee approach. It's open season for the rest of the session on every other bill that comes through this legislature and you can put anything on anythinganywhere. I think it's going to be a bad precedent and you just better be prepared to live with it if that's how you vote. That's going to be the price that's going to be paid by all of us. And I would hope that you would reject that kind of bad legislative action because I don't think it would make a good precedent for any of us Senator Senator prefers. once again Allen Spear of Minneapolis I just wonder why we adopt rules at all. I and why we adopt a procedure in this body at all, right. I remember a few years ago when some of us were playing fast and loose with our procedures and I think that there was a general consensus in this body. The things have gotten out of hand and we began to tighten up those procedures. I can't imagine a fast with looser playing with procedure and what's being proposed here using a conference committee for something for which is not intended to really deal with a new proposal that has not been considered to the committee process this session in either house. I'm also astonished by Senator Keith statement that if we changed our mind on this the thing to do is to both go to a conference committee. You changed your mind on that's the thing to do is to vote against the bill. We might if we motion to concur then you're going to have a chance to vote the barrel up or down and if you've changed your mind over the last six weeks or however long it's been since we last considered this and if your constituents of Val told you yeah, they really want this new stadium at senator. Keep seems to think so many of them have if that's really happened then change your mind and then change your mind vote us to defeat the bill on Final passage, but not have to go to conference committee and use the process which conference committee was never really intended. And finally Senator keeps adding this almost this almost made me catch my breath Senator Keef indicated that we've looked sort of foolish on this and will look less bullish. Should we go to conference committee with this but somehow this is going to make us look good. You read what the papers and said the last few days about the proposition proposal going to conference committee what you know, they've they've only begun to laugh over that won a conference committee that's going to be considering this for the next few weeks. It's going to be dominating the news. The rest of the session is going to make us look worse than anything we've done up to now so I would suggest that you don't like the bill now vote against the bill, but let's not adopt procedure like this, which I think spite was Senator. Keith says really would involve a basic betrayal of the kind of procedure in process that we've agreed to live by Senator Jim short response for discussing conference committees and so on. I think we've got to trust the judgment and integrity of our various conference committees. We've done that continually. Like I said earlier for the last nine years also Senators Pier refer to a little bit to the house procedures. Maybe this is what it's going to take to get that house off from dead center and starting to realize that they've got to take some of the main issues at hand which are taxes and education maybe a little Stadium issue will all of a sudden get into their bodies. No say we've got to establish procedures for conference committees because it's coming and if they haven't got the procedures right now mister chairman, I submit that they're going to have to have it within the next seven weeks. We might be here throughout the rest beer. Senator Jensen and listening to live coverage from the floor of the Minnesota Senate on the sports Stadium issue. I understand that there are some other developments of interest in our area and thanks Bob will be back to you in just a moment too. Soon. As we remind our listeners that the National Weather Service advises us that very strong winds are producing gusts of over 50 miles per hour in some areas of Minnesota reducing visibility is to near zero because of blowing snow moderate to severe turbulence from the surface to five thousand feet up can be expected in the winds are expected in the Twin Cities area as of about 3 minutes ago. And in fact we noted is pretty windy here. Now the winds are expected in the Rochester area between noon and 1 this afternoon. We have a report from Southwestern Minnesota already that there is zero visibility in the Windham area National Weather Service has issued a Travelers advisory for the west and south portion of Minnesota until late this afternoon. So if you're considering traveling use care because there are High winds in Sunport portions of our state now back to bomb Potter the capital. Alright then thank you is just trying to decide this morning whether to go along with some minor Amendment passed by the house on Levi Stadium Liquor tax repeal Bill and send the measure on to the governor or to put the stadium issue in a conference committee putting it in a conference committee would allow consideration of the puzzle to build in the city of Bloomington rather than the nothing at all, like a possibility exists that there could be a Bloomington Side approved and separate bills coming through the House and Senate on Monday of next week representative Ray Pleasant will begin hearings on a Bloomington bill in the house local and urban Affairs committee, but it's generally agreed that putting the issue into a conference committee would get things moving on Bloomington a lot faster and going through the committee process. The Senate is has begun debating us about a half an hour ago Senator John Shannon with wanting the Senator Corker with a house in Edmonds Senator per first and others are arguing that they should not now here is the majority leader of the Senate Nick Coleman. said that the motion is but I don't think that at the sisters very much to send this conference committee report to a tax committee or re referral to a governmental operations committee for a rear referral to another committee for a rear referral to finance because it also doesn't say in Mason's that you sent it to a committee where they decide everything and then bring it back and you still have the same kind of question so that you have if it's going to a conference committee or not going to a conference committee. I haven't said anything about the procedures of conference committee and don't intend to at this time. I'd like to hear more about the debate but I think that the emotion to send this conference committee report. If you if you think you got trouble explaining what would happen if it went to a conference committee think of a difficulty would have explained what that would happen. If you sent it to a tax committee didn't send it bouncing along the chairs then what do you do with it? If we finally agree on something in this party, we send it to a conference committee in the house where they've never heard it and there it were asking their countries to do the same kind of thing and they have not participated in any of the discussion. If Senator Jensen believes that there is something that can be done on the stadium issue. It would take about twenty-four hours to draft a bill and get it to the appropriate committee to begin hearing that would be more satisfactory than sending this bill to a committee in my opinion and I hope the members of the Senate reject the motion. I think that a conference committee with the open door policies. We've been exercising hear the last half a dozen years or so, the suggestions of the public will certainly be available to this conference committee again, I think time is it s Ensign would like to think that the majority of the members of this body have heard this discussion Notch their minds are made up and I don't think we have to continue to debate the issue. I withdraw the motion if these people are interested in making some new proposal committee. I'm going to I'm going to vote against the motion to concur. But if there is a subsequent motion to send it to a conference committee, I will also vote against that they motioned for us with Ron. We have the motion of Senator Chenoweth before us who can cure any further discussion Senator. Well Center the plane bomb is next in Senator Vega then-senator, you'll NJ Senator Jack Kline blonde from St. Cloud. Incidentally Governor wants us to be able to go into a conference committee meeting this week with Senator her first and all that is the governor's desire that it go to a conference committee in an attempt to resolve something on the sports Stadium other than simply deciding that it will not be built. Senator kindbom has made of parliamentary inquiry. Let's go down to the floor. All right to just bring an issue out to you this liquor tax. It was proposed to the Senate. I think it should have been a proposal to abolish the sports commission that we did. We did say that they should do their job and in the proposed take a stadium for the state of Minnesota. Because I feel that repealing this liquor tax was just an anti Stadium built. I think that the bill should have been introduced to abolish the sports commission. We shall have no stadium in the state of Minnesota The Proposal was given to the house on to have the businessmen of Minneapolis support the stadium with a liquor Motel tax and that also was turned down so they The Proposal as far as I can see is a farce to repeal the liquor taxes what it was was due to adjust defeat the stadium and I ordered you to send it to conference committee, Senator Vega. Senator Conrad Liga from South Saint Paul My comments are more of a plea than an argument on the question. This voice is not only avoid on the process before us it's a void. I think it involves the Integrity of this body. I think that the Minnesota Senate has one of the finest bodies in this entire nation. I think we've got a good track record that we can be truly proud of. I think that we can continue to do that. If we deal with this question before us in a forthright and honest manner. I would not like to see the Integrity of this body impugn by game playing. By voting against concurrence. I don't Arijit and everyone of us and let's be honest. Let's go out for the concurrence on this bill and let's send it on its way on the Aurora call has been requested on the motion to concur of Senator Chenoweth Center for first question parliamentary procedure. Would you state your question simple roll call roll call vote require a simple majority or does it take 30 for boats? Yeah, they motion to amend. It requires a simple majority and on the passage. It requires 34 votes. I didn't get my question answer Miss depressed. The majority of those voting can pass this amendment. The majority of those who are voting a just a majority can neither confirm or reject if you had 33 concurring voting for Senator tuna, what's motion, it would Prevail, but you have to have 34 volts to pass the bill after the third reading. Thank you senator. The Senate is under call Senator Hughes. Mr. President I do not want to delay the Senate very long and this matter but I've been thinking since yesterday evening about how to vote on this issue and I'm going to have to be consistent and not being supportive of the matter. I think even terms of going to conference committee. The only reason I've been giving some thought to the matter is that I'm going to the conference committee and I was going to share this a little bit with center Ash back, but he's not here this morning my conversation with the people in and around the metropolitan area is that we've always talked about a metropolitan stadium and I sat in this legislature and notice the last times that we have voted that the out state legislators have always voted for this issue. Now, it's very simple everybody's for the stadium. But let somebody else pay for it. That's a simple as that. So I would like to see us five start talking about a Minnesota stadium. And if I knew for sure that if this legislation where to go to conference committee, and we were to talk about a Minnesota Stadium Instead of a metropolitan Stadium meaning that the whole people all the people in Minnesota with Cher and that support of the stadium. And if in fact we look seriously at Memorial Stadium in people aren't going to convince me. Otherwise, I haven't studied as carefully and Senator Coleman and I just visited a few minutes ago about it, and I thought that it was a good again and conference committee we could talk about the Metropolitan Stadium are the Minnesota Stadium at the University of Minnesota where we could use the facility 365 days of the year. And have some bonding where the state the whole state could support that measure that the Vikings could play their what is it? Seven Sundays or 8 Sundays a year when there's no problem with respect to traffic or parking problems to me as still as a sound idea to the people. I've talked to on the street. It's a sound idea but I still am not going to send it to conference committee because I think we've got to get rid of the issue with respect to the 2% liquor tax. So I am ready to send it along and I have but if it does go to conference, I hope that those people are a sign and I hope the sun rash back would be one of them because his particular interest in the matter and that we would look at Minnesota stadium and Louis Metropolitan stadium and that share the class. There's no objection Senator Brad Asobi. It was a Senator Jerry Hughes from Maplewood now. Benedict from Bloomington both of these d f Fellers. in amendments when they pass this bill. Basically was a rejection of every concept except what Senator / first has proposed in Bill form, and that's an upgrade or remodeling of the current facility. And I think that he's on the right track for the final solution. I thought a lot about the procedure and I'm not sure the procedures correct. He's done Yeoman service and trying to bring this together, but I don't think in this way seems to me that we have one choice where the legislators in the driver seat. And another Choice were really being taken for a ride. If I go to a conference committee a law is Senator John keep said is still in effect. They'll still be moving for the sales of bonds as a bulldozer is keep moving away utilizing more money each day. The 2% in other words is still in effect. And the next question I have is how many conference committees have you seen? So far this session. How long is it going to be before? I finally make that decision as to what the conference committees really are going to look like. All the bonds are about to be sold. Let's say the conditions according to Metropolitan Council are now being made ready to sell bonds. We have to have something rapidly coming out of conference. If we do have a conference committee at that point, whether take-it-or-leave-it proposal for Minneapolis or new stadium in Bloomington, whatever else it might be a proposal that point in which we must pass just to get the 2% repeal at that point in my mind. We are being taken for a ride. We want to be in the driver's seat. I think we go the other way if Jenna was bill passes the governor signs. We know the downtown Dome at least his dad in the liquor text is dead. Now the burden of the urgency is on the stadium lobbyists to do something with Senator / first bill due upgrade Metropolitan Stadium. The only proposal again that really has not been rejected by our colleagues in the other body. I guess I just feel very strong and conclusion that if this was the right brake bill that would Aid the poor facing energy crunch that literally is taking food out of their mom's if this was a bill for Child Nutrition for senior citizens for Education anything really other than the stadium would not be concerned proposal to rewrite the entire Bill. I know Senator purpose is not mean to do this as intentions are correct, but we're really saying the public is if you don't have influence you play by the rules. But if you do have powerful lobbyists on your behalf will countdown to your demands and bend or break those rules. Where was Senator Bob Benedict from Bloomington? And here again is Senator Edge from from Albany. Which is not quite accurate center Houston said that the outstate people who do not pay the tax made a decision for the stadium when we had a voltear Miss present members of the Senate to repeal the liquor tax the outstate people those people not connected with the metropolitan area go to 22 4 + 22 against and that is an accurate count who's and decided the stadium issue who then voted to repeal of the liquor tax. It was the metropolitan area legislators and I believe every single Saint Paul legislator boat. Sondrestrom thank you is present I believe everything from Senator voted for repeal of the liquor tax. I don't even know the exact count of Minneapolis Senators, but I believe there were four Minneapolis Senators who voted to repeal the liquor tax, so don't blame the rule area for Or against passing this type of legislation in this body because they were neutral they cancel each other out further discussion on the motion of Senator Chenoweth to concur. Senator Coleman, mr. President Gunter kallmann its present members of the Senate after I caucus last night. So members of the press asked me how I was going to a vote on the motion to Concur and I said, I didn't know I think they thought I was just unwilling to tell him I knew but wouldn't tell him but I didn't know in at a breakfast at the governor's this morning. We were talking about Capital budgeting but this needless to say came up and I didn't know how I was going to vote on it then because I didn't know I've been around I guess long enough to know that the debates can sometimes I change backs and change mines and maybe there's a reason to do one thing or another but I have come to the conclusion. Now that the agenda with emotion should be supported and I'd like to just discuss some of the things that we went over this morning on joint rules violating procedures sending it to another committee is the issue over or is it not over? What is that commitment to professional sports into the people the state of Minnesota and how How Deeply we should keep that commitment and what the possibilities are for doing something if this for Can a piece of legislation that goes to the governor's office? My own feeling on the boats on it. What's the matter is pretty close to be divided in the Senate and maybe the motion by Senator Chenoweth will not be the will of the Senate and if that's so I can live with that too. But let me just address some of the things and tell you why I think the motion should be supported this morning. The matter of joint rules is not that serious. There is motion in the house on going to an odd number to number on committees so that they can get some action there. When we send a lot of bills over. This is not the most controversial bill that's going to go into conference this time and I had the opportunity to speak to representative of cereal this morning. And I think that that matter is going to be resolved there ways around it. Anyhow, Senator spear make some very good points about violating the procedures of the Senate and how difficult it is and who would be on the conference committee and so on done it could get done in a number of ways and as long as the meetings are open and everybody knows that we could do it in that way. So I have don't share his total concern about violating the procedures. So I do understand what he's talking about and would prefer not to do it if there's a I think I'm a little bit like water going downhill in this process. I'll go to the easiest way I can justify but I would do like to get to the bottom before it's all over the motion by Senator Jensen to send it to taxes as a valid emotion, but I'm glad he withdrew it because I don't think it solves anything there with this particular bill. The reason I'm supporting this is I think that we're in a position now where where it's clear from some of the editorials and some of the writing and some of the phone calls and some of the letters that sending it to a conference committee for study. There is a kind of a Masa Nation. I'm going to build a stadium in a conference committee or this set of the other thing or I'm trying to kill it or whatever and I don't particularly care that my motives are I questioned in some areas. I want the chi professional sports in the state of Minnesota. I want to keep them in the metropolitan area. I want the question results and I thought the best way to do it. I also don't like to spend a whole session on a particular issue and I've complained about this before I've been here for Daylight Saving Time sessions and for Wolf Bounty sessions and parole will margarine sessions and I've been here for stadium sessions and I guess I'm here for one more. It was my fund hole, but it was a shattered. Hope to see this resolved quick. Expeditiously and get on with other business of the Senate because this is too easy to understand in to explain in at least part. And so people are worried more about this than what we are doing about education is Senator spear points. What are we doing about housing? We haven't really talked very much about the needs of the poor people of this state, but I have a two-page agenda that I'd like to see completed by this legislature before we go home and all we're all we're seeing General in the Press is a very popular issue which even columnist can understand in some way and try to explain it in their own stumbling halting way up to their occasional readers. What are we can't if we can't get it out of the way in this in this particular Manner and if it's not the right thing to do then we ought to send the bill to the governor and he will either be toward or he will sign it whatever he does. We will still have the issue before us because my own indications are in discussions are that we are not going to have contract signed with the stadium commission after this bill is passed or vetoed. It doesn't make any difference the professional sports teams have said that they are either unable or unwilling to sign a contract and if they were willing to sign a contract they don't have the wherewithal in the case of the baseball team and they don't have the okay of the National Football League in the case of the football team. I wanted to get this someplace into a public forum where people to come before us and say we will yes, we will do this. No we will not do that. Yes, we have this kind of backing. No, we do not have that kind of backing. I think that the Minnesota Twins for example are are stalling not necessarily out of bad motor. But they are praying for some kind of a financial Angel to come along and rescue them. It's not going to happen. At least I don't know of anybody would do that. I'm I suppose I should say it's not going to happen because maybe it will happen but it is not happening and they are not able to sign a contract the Vikings won't sign unless that 90% provision is lifted. The NFL says you're not going to lift. It may be there Buffy. I don't think so. So what if for the governor vetoes are signs us we still are going to have to have some legislation at this session of the legislature or a future session if we are to have a different kind of Dome. I think that we should that we should send this to the governor. So we clear up one issue that the legislature does not want to use the liquor tax in the metropolitan area to finance it and they're going to have to find some other way to do it. I would just say that the members of the Senate if this motion is passed and then the bill is placed on Final passage in that passes. I will work with the members of the various committees and with the and I will work with the independent Republican caucus to see if we can establish joint hearings or if we can establish of a select committee to hear the bill because that's very cumbersome to get the whole process going through the various committees that has to go through if it's going to be done one of the time but I will go on an author on a bill that would be a vehicle I will do what I can to assist but it's clear that the emotions on this matter are such and the difficulty of such and trying to do something that we may as well dispose of the bill one way or another and see what the next step is. I do not accept that the next step is no professional sports in Minnesota and will work to achieve a reasonable solution to that problem Senator Frederick. That's the president with Senator Channel with the Old Mill Frederick could have been a Republican. This presents under Chenoweth is the bill that we have on our desk to final form of the bill. President. Yes. It is Senator Frederick. That's the president Senator Channel with if I read the bill, right what we have before us. With no effective date means that the tax will continue to be collected until August. It means the Metropolitan Council still has the authority to sell the bonds. It means that there's absolutely no change at anything until August is that you're correct interpretation of the bill. Center Channel with mr. President Center Frederick. My understanding is that the tax bypass by virtue the passage of legislature the taxes repeal but that the they repeal in terms of the date that it goes into effect is in August. The purpose of that was to provide the continuation of the revenue through the sports area commission. So there would be a balance with them so that they would have some dollars to consider. No various uses. It was that that's the purpose for the the August date and that's my understanding of it. Center Frederick Buster presidents under Chenoweth passage of this bill does not change one single thing that's happening down there. It does not prevent the digging from going on. It does not prevent the council from selling bonds does not prevent the commission from continuing. Just exactly How's it going and other words nothing changes with this bill being passed until August 1st, is that correct? Mr. President Center Frederick. I had about three voices and I may have missed something. Trying to listen to you at the same time. The the procedure would be basically this the Metropolitan console which has to approve the bond sale. Isn't going to be able to approve or sell or Market bonds that are backed up by a tax that the legislature has passed a law indicating it at repeal. So that they're going to use this tax is a backup tax or if they're going to use this tax as a source of Revenue, which is really being planned to use to subsidize. The operating cost. The project isn't going to be financially feasible. So what they're going to have to do is they're going to have to look at something else. Further discussion on the motion Senator Peppers lens Center Hulen, mr. President, you know it as I sit here and hear the discussion, you know, I'm Farming and I can't predict anything because it just sit there and watch that rain cloud coming you just hope the window drifted over your place and hopefully you get a little moisture when you get a little there's no corn and I also feel that with the 50 years of exposure that this old body of mine has had to the elements the world that I have a sense of direction and I can smell a little bit and see what's happening and what that thought in mind. I'd like to ask Senator 10 with a fuel to a question real Senator Peppers Senator 10 list. I think that both of us have the same intentions in mind. I think that the committee here wants to see the process developed rapidly get the issues on the way and a senator 10 with I do have the companion file at the Bloomington bill in my possession you and I have thought of talk to this some private. And also publicly exposed how soon in the event that I pursue the wishes of yourself and many of the others in this body. I would you and government give me an opportunity for an open hearing an open discussion designating a site and a location in a method of funding. Center Channel with the president that bill that you've introduced Center is presently in the rules committee the minute that the government operations committee receives it I'd be willing to start hearings on I don't know her first. Mr. President that thank you senator of 10 with I think perhaps my goal could still be accomplished in a different method my goal would be and has been to put it in the conference committee to work on it immediately with the least amount of time that this body has to spend on it. Also my goal has been to open it up and what they're sure instead Center Church in which will give me Immediate hearing and open it up for discussion, which hopefully won't take years and years again because we know the issue I will withdraw my opposition to his proposal to Concur and not take the route with your some people have suggested would be more appropriate and then Senator Stokowski. This is a Jimmy Lin from Duluth. The position is just forwarded. Woman says regardless of the passage of Senator chanowitz motion. We still have the issue and we do and he said that we're still going to need some legislation and we will we should send this that we should send this to the governor's office merely interjects another undesirable and complicating variable that of partisan politics Will the governor be embarrassed or unembarrassed. What role should he take now? How should we consider his position and I say to interject a new variable at this time brings us farther from the solution then we currently are. If we're still left with a problem, even with the passage of even if Senator Senator janowicz motion passes then how do we normally resolve problems we go to a conference committee or another Committee of the difficulty that Senator / first didn't speak to is that by going back to the start of the committee process? We make the resolving of this problem vulnerable to any one person at the end of the session any legislation starting from an embryonic stage is vulnerable to one person is vulnerable to the chairman of the subcommittee not giving it a hearing is vulnerable to the chairman of the committee not giving out of hearing it's vulnerable all along its path its vulnerable to being sidetracked to Texas which is going to be filled with other matters. That is the problem by not dealing with this in the conference committee is we make the entire issue vulnerable to one person And I think the issue is too important for that. The Senate is too important for that and at least with the conference committee, we're going to have a group of people barely debating this issue openly and if they arrived at a decision, they can present it to the Senate and avoid the roadblock of one man. Live from Saint Paul, you're listening to a coverage of the Minnesota Senate debate on whether to accept and send to the governor the sports Stadium Liquor tax repeal bill that was passed by the house on Monday, Senator Jeanne stachowski of Minneapolis. Advocate of a stadium the clerk position of the legislators to remove the liquor tax which Shia I originally opposed but after was put on the bill, I've supported sense and it's clear the legislature has taken a liquor tax off and for us to pretend by not concurring with this motion and moving it to conference so you can substitute an entirely different Bill an idea which was the intent. I think it's really some birds to process. So for the first time I'm I'm going to vote with the opponents of the stadium and I'm going to vote to concur on this bill Center Knutson, and I think that's as far as taking the tax off their testimony indicates the tax would not effectively come off until August 10th. We are at the Protestant conference committee Appliance the Committees that Senator called and suggested do it in that conference matter and get them at a result. We can do it before we adjourn that's important. I think I would hope you would support this motion to not do send it to conference committee GOP Senator Howard and Newton from Burnsville. There will be a roll call on the motion. I believe that they're going to be taking it right now. All the development that we saw this morning was Senator and Nicholas kullman the majority leader stating that he favored going along with the house a minute and then bringing in a separate piece of legislation that some of the time that seemed to tip the scales considerably and even Senator prefers to originally wanted the bill to go to conference committee withdrew his opposition to concurrence energy Stokowski to the same thing. This points the board shows about 31 in favor of concurrence and 19 against the figures keep changing every couple of minutes as senators. Push their buttons red or green will get the announcement here from sender Ed gerety the president of the senate in just a couple of seconds if the house does agree to go or if the Senate does agree to concurrence, the next item of business will be the final passage of the bill. The role has now been called the bolts are being counted electronically and in just a moment announcement from Senator Garrety. the emotions third reading Now the secretary of the Senate will give the bill is third reading so to speak and then the measure will be up for final passage having had all of this debate on whether to concur with the minor technical House of measurement one would hope that there would not be a great deal of debate on the motion that the bill be passed and we'll have a resolution of the liquor tax repeal the issue at least in the legislature. It will be going over to the governor if the bill passes here again, Senator Chenoweth Correct and the role and who is been excused for the day? All right. Now, it's Senator Pillsbury Senator. Ashbach Senator brattis. President and Senator many will be excused Senator. Knock knock it off. I will be excused Senator Nelson Center perfect for like an excuse to be excused. So somebody got you're entitled to know how many's here. I miss present in there seven members of the Minnesota Senate that are excused as of right now from participation how many six six by my question? Mr. President is with that many members missing. It just might be that Since there were 38 votes for passage that another might be a voter to possibly short that mean I could always happen and in the light of the fact that six members of the state senator missing my concern of course is that it would certainly be a perversion of the process to allow Bill to die by one vote because six members of the state senate weren't here. So my concern before we vote is that in the event that there is a shortage of one or two votes due to the absence of some members who for good reason, I'm sure are not here. I'm wondering what my opportunities will then be if I vote on the prevailing side so that I could bring this up for reconsideration on Monday morning when we reconvene. Well, the is has happened in all that has happened in the author's change voted on the prevailing side. And then on a motion to reconsider and the Senate has extended that author that courtesy I suspect Senator Chenoweth that if it looked like it wasn't going to Prevail and you change your vote and vote it on the prevailing side made that motion pursuant to rule 31. You can't live the Senate has in the past ran it that courtesy and you would move to reconsider then lay it on the table. Or to a specific time sooner Chenoweth to hear what I say you'll be okay. discussion on the bill on its final passage Senator Jensen members of the Twisted logic are here and I guess I particularly have difficulty understanding Senator Coleman's logic He says that we should now I guess he says that we should pass this bill. And let the governor do something whatever he wants to do with it because he thinks that we have to do something anyway. Well, the reason I am going to vote against this motion the pass is that I think it's possible that if we don't pass this bill. That the commission will be able to to build a stadium. And I would hope that they would be able to do it then. That's that's what I'm going on. Right? It's my understanding that they are proceeding under the present building that they will be able to build a stadium. I don't know how you're going to pass any other kind of a stadium Bill. I'm not going to vote for a hotel motel tax, which is going to put all the burden on the outstayed. I don't know where this compromise of people are talking about. I think what we should do is to let the stadium commission go ahead and try to build a stadium on this then if Senator if I can't find a can't do it then Senator Colin can come in and give him some assistance. But let's not assume that they can't build the stadium under this bill. Let's defeat just a present. If I were to ask for progress with this matter then be before the body to time certain on Monday. The motion Senator Chenoweth would be to lay on the table not debatable. Let's proceed with The secretary will take the Thunder Channel with a little concerned here that are there be enough votes for passage. It takes 34 on Final passage the motion to concur with the house Amendment prevailed 38 to 22 4 volts more than needed. Although as the senator indicated as possible that a couple of folks here and there could be lost and it might not make it in that case. He probably will try to switch his vote voting. No and that will give him the opportunity of asking that the vote be reconsidered and apparently the sand would have to agree to allow him to do that and probably what this point is very close 2827. With the 6061 people in the chambers that write down really 61. That's right, 28 to 27 right now hands up here in a little calculator, maybe 55 yr. Winning right now. We're waiting for five more people to push their buttons in 34 have 2929 to 26. Very very close. This is almost like Bingo waiting for the right number 34 under the eyes or eyes 34 volts will send the bill to repeal the 2% Stadium Liquor tax on the governor. Al quie seems to be stuck on 29 the last four tallies 13 or we go to 30 30 and 27. 30 down 4 to go. 3228 we are looking out for three or four more votes. 31 2731 eyes 27 days. total of 60 We're still at 3127. 31 32 3227 the last two can be the most difficult the most painful. We'll see what your Senator channel is does here. If it looks like he won't get to 34. He will undoubtedly switch his vote that will give him a chance to ask that the measure be reconsidered on Monday 31 Bob. We've gone down from 32 to 3128. There are six people absent and that may very well be the difference between Passage in that passage this morning. 3128 Needs 34 they need three more. voting senator roll call has been requested. You want to pursue that? Well, mr. President. There's only two people that haven't voted that's not enough what we'd have to go through the roll again. For such a way to occupy the time so Senator and has the move Senator Jenna with 3229. There was a roll-call of the Senate on the request and send her see life was listed as having been here for the call of the Senate and I don't recall the Senate having taken action officially it was you clarify that to excuse him. I just excused senator sielaff. And I rep is 33 in favor. State your point senator. Everybody voted that's not been excused. Senator Chenoweth is still got his green light on down there. What channel is the president procedure late? Does it require a vote of the Senate to excuse a member? I don't recall the Senate having voted to excuse senator seal off while I say if there's no objection and hearing none. That'll be the order and then he thinks that's the way we've done it. Look as if Senator Coleman is not voted unless both lights are those Boards of broken which is highly unusual. I think the majority leader was waiting his vote would pass the bill and send it to the Governor Chris. It needs one now. It's 3327 Majority Leader. Coleman's vote would push it over. And there he he posted. And there is a 34-7. having voted Who desired a vault? If I see anybody moving towards a button, I won't finish. The secretary will close a roll. Annie picked up one additional 1.35 listen for the announcement from the senator Garrety the president. 25 Mayes the bill is past and its title is agreed to sew 36-225. The liquor tax repeal bill now goes onto Governor Alec we who must make up his mind whether to sign the bill veto the bill or simply do nothing with it. If he doesn't do anything with it, it will become law in 10 days. So we stopped for 5 or 6 minutes waiting for the vote count to go up from 28 to 29 to 31 by one they kept trickling in finally going to 33 and at that point sounded ornette Coleman the majority leader finally pushed his button green pushing it to 34 and that the very final moment a couple of others to switch from no to yes making it 36-225 John was Senator Coleman's position on the floor here instrumental today in getting the Senate to go along with the house version. It probably could never be proved one way or another by but I think it would probably was because it was Is it very close to go to begin with as as close as two or three boats either way and Senator Coleman was neutral on the entire Affair since last night since after last night's dfl Caucus meeting. So his getting up and rather dramatic fashion pretty good timing with Center to Coleman that has been known for on the floor saying that after a lot of consideration the Caucus meeting last night a breakfast with Governor Qui this morning that he is going to vote to concur. That was the first the first vote indicating that he probably would also votes to pass the bill that has come back from the house almost identical to 72 Chenoweth Senate bill that very likely probably made the difference in at least a few votes Center to Coleman indicated on the floor that he gave a lot of consideration to the vote to the which side is should take and then decided to go to Concur and send the bill to the governor and he mentioned that he would not tell us Last night after the dfl Caucus meeting which way he was going to vote to confirm her to send it to conference committee. However, I spoke with the senator before the conference before the Caucus meeting last night and he indicated a desire indicated without saying that he was in favor of sending it to a conference committee as was I are Governor Qui and something in that two and a half hour podcast meeting apparently changed Nick Coleman's mind perhaps it was the fact that Senator Chenoweth and several other Senators would be very angry about trying to throw it to a conference committee and in effect bring up an entirely new bill, which is apparently unprecedented. I think Senator Coleman changed his mind when he heard from some of his other or Senate colleagues of the dfl and probably made the difference today. The question now is what next for the sports Stadium proposal if any and at this point, it will have to be in the form of separate legislation moving through the House and Senate as we noted a little bit earlier in this broadcast to Ray Pleasant Tramadol Oakland. Urban Affairs committee will begin hearings in that committee on Monday on a bill to require the stadium to be built in the city of Bloomington Senator clearance per first has a piece of similar legislation pending in the Senate and Senator Chenoweth told him that as soon as the bill gets to his committee. He will be getting it at hearing whether the complicated controversial emotional issue of any sort of Stadium. Can we get through the legislature in the next six weeks is a question that certainly nobody can attempt to answer at this point. We'll have to wait and find out so you just exactly what does happened with it be a technical director for today's broadcast was Linda Marie funds for Live Events coverage provided by the Minneapolis Star. Along with John really? This is Bob Potter speaking and your tune to Minnesota Public Radio listener supported service.