1998 Fiscal Review Appropriations - Vetoes


The Governor vetoed 11 bills passed by the 1998 Legislature, including two supplemental appropriation bills, and exercised line-item veto authority in four supplemental appropriation bills. In total the Governor vetoed over $60 million in General Fund appropriations. $22 million of the amount vetoed was enacted and signed by the Governor in the tax bill and Chapter 1 from the April Special Session.

Family and Early Childhood Education -- Chapter 365. The Governor vetoed $21.8 million in General Fund expenditures for family and early childhood education programs. In the 1998 First Special Session, the Legislature appropriated, and the Governor signed, $4.2 million for family and early childhood education programs.

Omnibus Jobs, Housing, and Economic Development -- Chapter 374. The Governor vetoed over $39.1 million in General Fund appropriations for jobs, housing, and economic development programs. In the tax bill and 1998 First Special Session, the Legislature appropriated, and the Governor signed, just over $17.8 million in jobs, housing and economic development programs.


Line-Item Vetoes. The Governor vetoed just over $2 million in General Fund appropriations through the exercise of the line-item veto. The line-item appropriation vetoes were:

    • $1.1 million to the Attorney General's Office to pay for assistance to counties ($250,000), gaming enforcement ($250,000), legal services to state agencies ($500,000), and telemarketing fraud education ($100,000);

  • $500,000 to the University of Minnesota to pay for law clinics ($250,000) and Project Inform which provides outreach and information to K-12 students and their families ($250,000);

    • $185,000 to the Department of Agriculture for Market Champ, Inc. to provide access to hog genetics for family farmers ($125,000) and for assistance to local governments adopting feedlot ordinances ($60,000);

    • $100,000 to the Department of Natural Resources for a grant to Linwood Township to control water pollution; and

    • $125,000 to the Department of Human Services for the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging ($100,000) and for a study of day training and habilitation capital needs ($25,000).

    Nonappropriation Bills. The following is a list of nonappropriation bills that were passed by the Legislature and vetoed by the Governor:

    • Automobile insurance reduction for completion of an accident prevention course - Chapter 287;

    • Modification of real estate document filing and recording fees - Chapter 311;

    • Nonprofit health care trust agreement or transaction regulation - Chapter 330;

    • Voter record address change updates - Chapter 346;

    • Ramsey county open absentee ballot system pilot program extension - Chapter 347;

    • Absentee voting eligibility expansion - Chapter 352;

    • Minneapolis absentee voting pilot project - Chapter 370;

    • Telephone assistance plan modifications - Chapter 378; and

    • Industrial hemp use study - Chapter 394.



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