Almanac: At the Capitol

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller continues to hint at an early adjournment, as he's done all session. He just said he's told conference committee chairs that their bills need to be passed off the floor by Friday, this Friday, more than a week before the session is scheduled to end. When we asked if that means an early adjournment Pogemiller said "I think Minnesotans will be pleased." He said negotiations are going well with the governor and they are close (they always say they are close) but he said if there isn't a deal to process they will still have a "timely and orderly" end to session. Then Assistant Majority Leader Clark pointed out that the House has a very "vocal minority" that can slow things down. So this could set up a possible scenario where the Senate passes all the final bills, goes home and forces the House (minority especially) to just accept the bills that couldn't be renegotiated or repassed without the Senate in session. Pogemiller told us he does not expect to be around this weekend and he wants members to go fishing and enjoy Mother's Day.

Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem says he can't imagine a timely or orderly way out of this, he sees "special session or unallotment." Senator Ellen Anderson said she's "speechless with disgust" to hear that the governor plans to veto the minimum wage conference committee report a day after she says Commissioner Sviggum said the governor wanted to sign the bill. Anderson said this could create confirmation problems for Sviggum in the future. This happens on the day senators gather for their annual potluck of food and fellowship. Much more from Senate leaders and one of the most newsworthy legislative retirements tonight on Almanac: At the Capitol (7pm on tpt17 & 10pm on tpt2).

As Minority Leader Marty Seifert said this week it's, "budget, bonding and bye, bye." There's not much left to do in the final six weeks of session. Seifert says if leadership continues its pace they will run out of "legislative days" about a week early. Lawmakers are limited to meeting on the floor 120 days over a two year session. They only have about 20 days left to meet on the floor. Committees don't count against the days.

In their weekly briefings, legislative leaders said they want to finish early. Sen. Tarryl Clark didn't want to go so far as to say it was a goal, but she would say it was a "desire to get out early." Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said "everyone always has a desire to end session sooner." She went on to say she's "optimistic, but conservative." The House has reason to want to get out early, representatives are all up for election. The Senate does not stand for election this year. As leaders pointed out it's rare to get done early. Former Speaker Steve Sviggum used to always say he wanted to get home in time to "plant corn" and I'm not sure that ever happened for him. In the decade I've been working up here we've only gotten out early once and I think it was only about a week early. So plan for a session to end May 19th and be surprised if it ends any sooner.

Labor and Industry Commissioner Steve Sviggum's confirmation just sailed through a Senate committee despite warnings that he could be in trouble. In her weekly briefing with reporters on Friday, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark signaled that there might be "problems" with Sviggum and "people question him being in that position." There were no real tough questions today in committee, though. Clark said Sviggum, the former Republican house speaker, "background is not in this area and his track record on labor is very low."

I don't know if Clark is out of the loop or lawmakers got gun shy, but it was sweetness and light for Sviggum today. Chair James Metzen signaled there wouldn't be problems at the outset saying he was "personally satisfied" with Sviggum before anyone even asked him any questions. There are rumblings in the Press Corps and the Democratic Senate caucus that Majority Leader Pogemiller is not keeping Clark in the loop so she really doesn't know where issues stand politically when she does her weekly briefings with us.

We've long been waiting for the news. The former House Speaker and close friend and ally to the governor finally got a job from the governor. Dems are excited because they think they have a shot at taking Sviggum's seat in a special election. Here's the official news from Pawlenty's office:

GOVERNOR PAWLENTY APPOINTS SVIGGUM LABOR AND INDUSTRY COMMISSIONER

15 term House member and former Speaker will lead department beginning July 17 Saint Paul

St. Paul – Governor Pawlenty announced today the appointment of Rep. Steve Sviggum as the new commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), effective July 17, 2007.

"Minnesota's workers and businesses rely on the Department of Labor and Industry as a trusted resource and regulator," Governor Pawlenty said. "Steve is known for his ability to work with and listen to people on all sides of an issue. His philosophy has always revolved around balance and I know he'll bring that to DLI."

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry performs a variety of functions: overseeing the workers' compensation system for the state; preventing workplace accidents and illness through OSHA consultation and compliance efforts; certifying and monitoring the state registered apprenticeship program; monitoring compliance with labor laws; and regulating the state's construction codes and licensing activities. The department employs approximately 500 workers throughout the state.

Sviggum was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1978 and is currently in his 15th term. He served four terms as Speaker of the House and three terms as House Minority Leader. In 1985-86, he chaired the Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division of the House Labor-Management Relations Committee. Sviggum has been honored by many business organizations, advocacy groups for the mentally disabled and taxpayer watchdog groups.

Sviggum has been a Sunday school teacher and board member of River View Manor, Goodhue County Historical Society, the Kenyon Sunset Home long-term care board and the Northern Chapter of the American Red Cross. Sviggum and his family are beef and grain farmers in the Kenyon area and he is also a senior fellow in the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He and his wife, Debra, have three children.

"I'm looking forward to this next challenge in my public service career," Sviggum said. "Enhancing jobs and furthering the health, safety and protection of Minnesota's workers and employers is an important task and I'll tackle it with energy and fairness."