Team MAPE 2008 House Voting Records

Team MAPE has released our 2008 House voting records. Legislators with higher vote scores will be much more likely to earn the Team MAPE endorsement during the 2008 campaign. Click here to download the vote record in PDF form: Download 2008_voting_records2.pdf.

The scores are based on the following votes:

1.    Transportation Override
The first major action taken by the legislature was the Transportation Bill override providing the necessary means to improve and maintain the state’s infrastructure.  This bill improves the safety of our states roads and bridges and puts well over $6 billion into construction projects.

2.    2007-2009 State Labor Agreements
For the first time in MAPE history, our contract was passed on pure votes before the last day of the session.

3.    Bonding Bill
The initial bill provided $70 million dollars in funding for the central corridor and which was negotiated into the final settlement.   The projects in this bill (including those negotiated at the end) provide Minnesota jobs and a $10 million dollar – 100 bed facility at the Mpls. Vets Home.

4.    Workforce Planning and Retention
Representative Chris Delaforest offered an amendment to remove the MAPE provision from the major Finance bill.  The provision requires the state to honor and pay employees in all job classes according to the state’s own compensation studies.

5.    State Health Care Assessments
Rep. Chris DeLaforest offered an amendment disallowing a health insurance company from surveying public employees for the purpose of assessing the health of an individual or collective group.  Completing the current health assessment allows employees to receive a $5 co-pay discount.  MAPE opposed the legislative restriction of these assessments because it was an attempt by the legislature to mandate against something that was agreed to in the collective bargaining process and voted on by our members.

6.    Omnibus Pension Bill
This bill incorporated modifications to the Post Retirement Investment Fund which is critical to ensuring the financial viability of our retirement plans.  The bill establishes methods of dissolving the Post Fund if the funding ratio declines and creates a lengthier funding mechanism to offset the fluctuating market.  Now, retirees will get inflationary increases if the Post Fund’s funding ratio returns to 100%.

7.    Employee Free Choice Act
The Employee Free Choice Act is a resolution supporting the right for all employees to join a union.

8.    DHS Enterprise Closure
This legislation would have required DHS to notify appropriate members of the Legislature’s Finance committees of their intent to close a facility.  It would have given patient’s families and staff the opportunity to be heard before the closure of the facility.  The Finance committee, which appropriates state money, would have the opportunity to adjust funding if they felt the closure should be prevented.

9.    Health Care Reform Bill
This bill simply places 12,000 more uninsured Minnesotan’s in a position to qualify for Minnesota Care.  It was the biggest step by the 2008 legislature towards universal health care.  The bill calls for a study of affordability and begins to pay doctors for health outcomes.

10.    Blood Donation Leave
A provision is now in state law that states an employee may be granted paid leave to donate blood at a location away from work.  The leave may not exceed three hours in a 12 month period.  Employees must provide at least a 14 day notice to the employer.   MnSCU employees were exempted from this legislation.

11.    Deficit Bill
The deficit bill closed corporate tax loopholes saving the state nearly $109 million in future tax breaks and lost jobs.   The Legislature also held strong using only $50 million dollars from the Health care Access Fund to balance the budget as opposed to the Governor’s $250 million proposal.

12.    Personal Sick Leave Benefits
This provision would have required employers to honor sick leave for adult children, spouse, siblings, parents, grandparents, or stepparents.  This did not prevent an employer from providing greater benefits nor did it alter current collective bargaining agreements that already recognized the use of sick leave for children, spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, and stepparent.

13.    Minimum Wage
This bill would have increased the minimum wage indexing, eliminated the training wage and required employer notice of how to report minimum wage violations and what the applicable minimum wage is.  Under the language, minimum wage would have increased to $6.75 per hour on 7/24/08 and $7.75 per hour on 7/24/09.  Employees under the age of 18 would have increased to $5.35 and $5.75.  The bill was vetoed by the Governor