In a pre-formatted special session Friday, the Minnesota Legislature overwhelmingly passed a nearly $170 million disaster relief package for Duluth and other parts of northeast Minnesota that were ravaged by June flooding and storms.
The special session, which drew lawmakers from across the state back to St. Paul, lasted about two hours and went off without a hitch.
Much of the aid, about $80 million, is designated for transportation projects, and the entire bill will be funded using bonds and the state’s budget reserves.
The House passed the measure 125-3 Friday afternoon, and the Senate approved it 60-7 shortly after.
Both chambers of the Legislature adjourned without taking up any additional business, in keeping with the agreement legislative leaders made with Gov. Mark Dayton before he called the session.
Dayton signed the bill Friday evening.
"I commend legislators for honoring their promise to limit this special session to disaster relief, which they passed with overwhelming bipartisan support,” Dayton said in a statement. “This help to Minnesotans, who have suffered terrible misfortunes, is a shining example of the spirit which makes our state so very special."
But the strict pre-agreement between the governor and top lawmakers left several lawmakers feeling slighted.
Rep. Mark Buesgens and Sen. Sean Nienow, both Republicans, criticized the process, which bypassed the traditional committee consideration and prevented legislators from making amendments or suggestions on the fly.
“This is the Finance Committee, and we have the responsibility to act on a bill that’s going to spend nearly $200 million,” Nienow said during an informational meeting of the committee on Friday morning. “If we don’t, that’s an abrogation of our responsibility and I will not stand by and let that happen.”
Nienow also questioned the process on the Senate floor and said there were several amendments that he would have put forward if it had been an option.
But hard-line conservatives’ objections to the process contrasted with officials from the affected areas, including Duluth Mayor Don Ness, who thanked lawmakers for their speedy action.
“I have seen firsthand how much emotional toll this has taken on our residents,” Ness told the committee. “It has been overwhelming. It has been confusing, and the sense of uncertainty of how this will all play out and whether or not the help given to our residents will be there.”
“It’s also frustrating that we have this massive expenditure of tax dollars,” he added. “There is no question this is a net loss for Duluth and the surrounding communities.”
For the majority of members, sending relief to disaster-stricken Minnesotans appeared to be a feel-good experience.
In the House chamber, Speaker Kurt Zellers had to frequently quiet chattering lawmakers who were gathering as a group for the first time in months.
The lack of contentious debate and the huge margins of support also point to easy votes for most members.
Perhaps the biggest cloud hanging over the House – the absence of Duluth Rep. Kerry Gauthier, who was recently embroiled in a sex scandal with a teenage boy – didn’t come up, despite widespread Capitol talk.
Some speculated Friday morning that House Republicans could attempt to expel Gauthier from the chamber, but the ethics proceedings never materialized.
Zellers, who again called for Gauthier’s resignation, said after the flood relief vote that the single-day special session didn’t allow for a fair process.
Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said after his chamber adjourned that the disaster relief bill marked a triumph for the citizens of Minnesota, despite the rigid guidelines the governor imposed.
“It is the way it happens,” Senjem said. “It’s the way it’s done. It’s the way it probably has to be, and it’s not a prefect process, but nonetheless, in this case, on this day, Minnesota was served well.”
