Short Description: A bill for an act relating to infrastructure; establishing the Minnesota Advisory Council on Infrastructure; specifying office powers and duties; providing for implementation; requiring reports; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 15.
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The bill was introduced by Rep. Erin Koegel. Testifiers include Anjali Bains from Fresh Energy, Matt Massom from Minnesota Intercounty Association, Elizabeth Wefel from Coalition of Greater MN Cities, Abby Hornberger Green Blue Alliance and Jonathan Curry from the American Council of Engineering Companies of MN.
Supporters appreciate one-source, ability to promote to all state programs and management of unprecedented investment (state and federal). Detractors were concerned that rural areas might get lost with one infrastructure clearinghouse when they are already organizations doing the work.
Questions:
Are you concerned that engineers are part of the Council?
Yes – engineers are at the frontlines of all of these decisions.
Do we have plans to invite nondrivers to the Council?
We will be talking more about who to appoint.
The Governor gets a lot of power here over legislators. We need to keep the power of legislature.
It’s really just advisory recommendation here, not rule-making power.
Documents from the meeting: