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| Date: | May 17, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Peter D. Winiecki | | Contact Phone: | 651-297-8077 | | Contact Email: | peter.winiecki@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| MINNESOTA SENATE PASSES JOBS & ECONOMIC GROWTH CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT |
(St. Paul) -- The Minnesota Senate passed the Jobs and Economic Growth Conference Committee report on Tuesday evening. The conference committee’s recommendations met the General Fund budget target of $138.2 million through a combination of reductions, agency reforms and consolidation.
The bill implements three competitive workforce development grant programs: Business & Community Development, Adult Workforce Development, and Youth Workforce Development. This will be done over the course of a one year phase-in period.
“Today’s economic climate and need for employment opportunities demands our attention to assess and reform how the state has been spending money on job training and workforce development,” said Senator Geoff Michel (R-Edina), the bill’s chief author. “Rather than authorizing earmarks for dozens of small programs, we established a block grant to be administered by DEED. The committee recognized the value of the Legislative auditor's recommendations to include a performance-based competitive bidding structure to get the most mileage out of taxpayer dollars.”
A Senate position that was maintained in the conference report eliminates the Minnesota Trade Office, which brings projected savings of approximately $3 million. The bills also finds compromise with Governor Dayton by accepting half of his proposed federal matches for State Services for the Blind and Vocational Rehabilitation, as well as $2 million in new spending for the Housing Trust Fund.
“Our bill prioritizes available resources on funding workforce and housing programs for the unemployed and those most vulnerable,” said Senator Michel.
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