UPDATE: Bad news for bees: The Schultz amendment was deleted by the conference committee, with Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) following up on his implied threat to ignore the bipartisan, all-region vote for the measure. Word is that Leon Lillie was the only conferee to fight for the language.
Read the conference report here. There's language that encourages grantees to plant pollinator-friendly habitat, but without restrictions on pollinator-lethal plants and seeds, it could be habitat to die for. [end update]
Session Daily's Jonathan Mohr reports in House passes LCCMR funding bill:
The bill would appropriate money based on recommendations made by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources for expenditures from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The fund was established through a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1988 to direct proceeds from the state lottery and investment income to benefit natural resources. . . . .
An amendment successfully offered by Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL-Duluth), and subsequently amended by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), added language requiring land acquired, restored or enhanced with the money appropriated not be planted, or otherwise treated, with a product that contains pollinator lethal insecticide.
“We need this for our bees,” Schultz said.
Schultz and Hansen passed their amendments over the objections of bill author Paul Torkelson, who are one point implied that pesticides are good for bees.
However, Schultz and Hansen were both clear that they were not moving to amend the bill to block all pesticides, just pollinator lethal insecticides.
Here's the vote on the final form of the amendment, which passed 86 to 43, with a number of Republicans joining the DFLers-- including Ag Policy Committee Chair Paul Anderson and Vice Chair Mary Franson:
In later discussion after the amendment passed with a bipartisan majority, Hansen asked Torkelson whether he would defend the will of the House in conference committee. He seemed very reluctant to do so.
Here's the floor debate on the Schultz and Hansen amendments:
We'll see if the amendment stays in the bill as it works its way through the process, but here's a way for the Senate to redeem itself after its tasteless bee death joke amendment.
Images: Schultz and Hansen, Via Northfield Rep. David Bly's Facebook page.
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