Tim Pawlenty in MN legislative records
On Drugs:
Legalizing marijuana is unneeded & unwise
Pawlenty opposed a 2006 bill in the Minnesota
Legislature that would have legalized marijuana for limited medical uses, calling it an "unneeded and unwise" proposal.
Source: Sam`s Club Republican, p.65, Minnesota Voting Records AB740
May 10, 2010
On Drugs:
Vetoed legalizing medical marijuana
Legislative Summary: Providing for the medical use of marijuana in the treatment of debilitating medical conditions:- Legally protecting qualified patients and primary caregivers for limited amounts in possession
- Issuing registry
identification cards to qualifying patients, primary suppliers, and treatment facilities
- Requiring criminal history background checks of primary caregivers before issuance of a registry identification card
- Sunset provision (automatic expiration of
law)
Veto letter: While I am very sympathetic to those dealing with end-of-life illnesses and accompanying pain, I stand with law enforcement in opposition to this legislation. Marijuana poses serious public safety and health risks.
Legalized medicinal use could serve to compound these problems.Legislative Outcome: Passed House 70-64-1 on May 18; passed Senate 38-28-1 on May 18; vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty on May 22
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records: SF 97
May 22, 2009
On Energy & Oil:
Cap-and-trade to achieve MN greenhouse gas reduction goals
Legislative Summary: This act may be cited as the "Green Solutions Act of 2008". - The legislature finds that a cap and trade program will achieve Minnesota's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in a cost-effective manner.
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The right to emit greenhouse gases should be auctioned to emitting facilities rather than allocated at no cost, with proceeds from the auction invested in projects that advance the transition to a low greenhouse gas-emitting economy.
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A greenhouse gas cap and trade program is best pursued in cooperation with other Midwestern states.
- A "climate trust fund" is established [to manage revenue from auctions]
OnTheIssues explanation: Cap-and-trade was first
popularized in the 1990s under President George H.W. Bush as a means to efficiently reduce CO2 emissions.
Legislative Outcome: Passed House 91-38 on April 23; passed Senate 43-21; signed by Gov. Pawlenty on May 19.
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records: HF 3195
May 19, 2008
On Environment:
Establish Great Lakes Water Resources Compact
Legislative Summary: HF 110: Great Lakes Water Resources Compact: The legislative bodies of the respective parties hereby find:- the waters of the basin are precious public natural resources shared and held in trust by the states;
-
the waters of the basin are interconnected and part of a single hydrologic system;
- continued sustainable, accessible and adequate water supplies for the people and economy of the basin are of vital importance;
- Purposes of the Great Lakes Water
Resources Compact:
- to act together to protect, conserve, restore, and effectively manage the waters and natural resources of the basin despite current lack of full scientific certainty
- to facilitate consistent approaches to water management across
the basin while retaining state management authority over water management decisions within the basin.
Legislative Outcome: Passed House 97-35 on Feb. 1; passed Senate 57-3 on Feb. 15; signed by Gov. Pawlenty on Feb. 20.
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records: HF 110
Feb 20, 2007
On Government Reform:
Proposed 2-term limit for governor & 12 years for Congress
Pawlenty made good on his promise to pursue term limits, though to no avail. His proposal would have imposed 10-year limits on the Legislature, 12-year limits on Congress, & a 2-term limit on governors. He argued that by imposing such limits, "there woul
be less focus on re-election and more on policy." The bill went to a House subcommittee on election law, where it failed to pass with a 5-5 vote. Had it passed the Legislature, the proposal would have gone to popular vote in the 1996 general election.
Source: Sam`s Club Republican, p.15, Minnesota Voting Records HF2186
May 10, 2010
On Government Reform:
Keep restrictions on liquor licenses near state facilities
Legislative Summary of SF2696:Clarifying the prohibition on the issuance of intoxicating liquor licenses in proximity to certain state institutions.Summary by OnTheIssues: Allow liquor licenses near county jails, but
disallow liquor licenses within 1,000 feet of a state hospital, training school, reformatory, prison, or other institution under the supervision or control of the commissioner of human services or the commissioner of corrections.
Governor's Veto
Message: There are many other facilities beyond hospitals, training schools, reformatories and prisons that are under the supervision or control of the Commissioners of Human Services or Corrections. It would surprise me if the Legislature
intended to allow liquor sales near all such facilities. Yet, the bill seems to do just that."
Legislative Outcome: Passed House 124-8-2 on May/13/04; Passed Senate 57-3-7 on May/14/04; Vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty on May/29/04.
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records: SF2696
May 29, 2004
On Government Reform:
Keep approval of local rules with Governor, not Legislatur
Legislative Summary of House File 624: Local government impact notes provided for state agency rule proposals, and legislative approval required for specified rulemaking.Governor's Veto Message:
The bill essentially shifts authority for conducting rulemaking from the executive branch to the legislative branch. Under current law, the legislature has granted the Governor's office final approval authority on all rulemakings.
This is sound policy as it provides accountability in a way that does not paralyze either branch of government. House File 624 would impose that responsibility on the already over-stressed legislative process.
Legislative Outcome:
Passed House 124-8-2 on May/16/03; Passed Senate 60-0-7 on May/16/03; Vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty on May/27/03.
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records: HF624
May 27, 2003
On Health Care:
Terminate GAMC Medicare Care and fold into MinnesotaCare
Excerpts from lawsuit: Plaintiffs are receiving General Assistance Medical Care. GAMC provides essential medical services to the poorest of the poor in Minnesota. The Minnesota Legislature proposes to terminate the GAMC program effective
April 1, 2010, via the Governor's unilateral decision to unallot $15,879,000 from the GAMC appropriation for fiscal year 2010. Plaintiffs seek to prevent the defunding of the program. Although the Minnesota Department of Human Services does propose to
transition GAMC recipients to another state-operated medical program, the proposed transition leaves so many gaps in coverage that the named plaintiffs and other GAMC recipients will be irreparably harmed unless the Court intervenes.
Explanation of line-item veto: Gov. Pawlenty signed an unallotment line-item veto on GAMC effective April 1, 2010; this lawsuit attempted to undo that veto. Pawlenty won the lawsuit; GAMC enrollees were transferred to MinnesotaCare.
Source: Minnesota legislative voting records:chap.256D.03
Apr 1, 2010
Page last updated: Aug 18, 2024