Preliminary 2009 Legislative Accomplishments

• MAPE succeeded in helping to pass a measure expanding the vacation donation program to allow employees to donate 40 hours of vacation to an eligible recipient and the recipient to immediately accept hours when they stopped receiving wages.
• MAPE worked to prevent IT outsourcing, despite a provision to the State Government Finance omnibus bill which will require the CIO of the Office of Enterprise Technology, in consultation with heads of other executive agencies, to report to legislative committee chairs with a plan to transfer from other state agencies to the OET state employees who work in the following areas areas: development, upgrading, replacement, help  desk, problem resolution, or maintenance of state data centers, system software, data networks, servers, workstations and office system.
• MAPE helped to defeat all proposals to end the Corrections Early Retirement Benefit (CERP). The proposal made by Governor Pawlenty to remove MAPE employees from the corrections employee retirement plan was removed from the Public Safety and Health and Human Service omnibus bills.  The Governor has now signed both bills. Thus, any changes to the CERP benefit have been avoided for this session.
• MAPE was successful in defeating attempts to privatize the Moose Lake Correctional Facility. In just one day, MAPE members made 279 member-to-legislator contacts to express opposition to HF 1280 – the bill relating to the privatization.  The author of the bill, Rep. Torrey Westrom specifically cited the communications he received as his reason to cancel a key hearing on the subject.
• MAPE helped to defeat a bill which would have eliminated state tree nurseries and selected fish hatcheries over the next five years.  This would have meant a loss of MAPE jobs.