The Governor vetoed 15 bills that were passed by the Legislature and exercised line- item veto options totaling $26,755,000 in four omnibus appropriation bills. One of the 15 vetoes was the striking down of the K-12 education funding bill which was taken up in a special session in June. The line-item appropriation vetoes were:

State Department Omnibus Bill. A total of more than $24.4 million FY 1999 appropriation to the Attorney General to wipe out a $3.8 million increase over the Governor's recommendation; a $455,000 appropriation to the Capitol Area Architectural Board for portraits of Governor Carlson, Rudy and Lola Perpich, and Coya Knutson; and a $250,000 appropriation to the Department of Administration to set up a nongovernmental prescription drug purchasing co-op.

The Governor also vetoed a provision that has a fiscal impact but does not reduce an appropriation. He line-item vetoed a provision that would have increased the number of legislators eligible for bonus pay from three to five members in each body.

Human Services. A $150,000 appropriation for the Attorney General's child support enforcement activities.

Higher Education. A $100,000 appropriation to be used for loan repayment assistance for law school graduates who are practicing law to help economically disadvantaged clients and are earning $30,000 a year or less.

Omnibus Jobs, Energy, and Community Development. A number of appropriations totaling more than $1.4 million from the Northeastern Minnesota Environmental Protection fund for projects in the mining areas of northeastern Minnesota.

Vetoes of nonappropriation items included:

• A bill to increase the minimum wage to $5.15 and $4.90 per hour, for large and small employers; a bill to reduce the DWI standard for being under the influence from .1 to .04 for drivers under the age of 19; extension of data practices acts that now apply to the Governor's office and to the Attorney General's office; compulsory binding arbitration for newly certified public employees, under certain conditions; some changes in the provisions relating to public employee retirements; procedures involving public employee bargaining in the event of reorganizations; a bill involving changes in the public employees' union certification process;

• Election of members of the Metropolitan Council; changes in procedure for absentee ballots; changing age requirements for eligibility to serve as precinct delegates and officers in the nomination process; establishing a change-of-address system for registered voters in the Secretary of State's office; and
• A designation of a St. Louis Park contaminated land site as a high-priority project; an attempt to alter the gag rule on the admissibility of evidence regarding use of seat belts; and the lifting of a sunset provision on phasing out licensing of building and remodeling contractors by the city of Minneapolis.

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