&
David W. Hann
‘Senate Republican Leader
147 State Office Building
SL. Paul, Minnesota 851!
Offee Phone: 651-296-1749 Senate
February 1, 2016
State of Minnesota
Governor Mark Dayton
116 Veterans Services Building
20 West 12" Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
Governor Dayton:
| am in receipt of your February 1, 2016 letter regarding a special session. In it
you write that Republican efforts to address economic disparities through closing
the achievement gap are “worthy issues that should be addressed during the
regular session.” That sentiment also applies to the other issues in your letter.
REAL ID and extending unemployment benefits to certain Minnesota workers are
also worthy issues that should be addressed in the regular session.
Having said that, if you choose to exercise your constitutional authority to call
the legislature into special session, | will work with you, Senate Majority Leader
Bakk and Speaker of the House Daudt to process the bills in a fair and timely
manner. While | expect the REAL ID and unemployment proposals will have
support in the Senate, | await your specific proposals for the economic disparity
issue. The Senate needs more details on a proposed “investment” of $15 million
to “improve outcomes.”
| will not, however, sign any pre-session letter or agreement. The last such
agreement | signed on behalf of the Senate Republican Caucus was ignored by
you and Senator Bakk during the special session held on June 12, 2015. Based on
that experience, it would be foolish for me to sign another agreement expecting
different results.
wt.
Senate Republican Leader
CC: Sen. Tom Bakk
Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt
House Minority Leader Paul Thissen
‘Committee: Rules and Administration
‘Mail: sen.david hann@senatemn
Serving Eden Prairie and Minnetonka