SF 26

as introduced - 82nd Legislature, 2001 1st Special Session (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to government shutdown; suspending 
  1.3             legislative compensation. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE INTENT; FINDINGS.] 
  1.6      It is the intent of the legislature for all legislators to 
  1.7   forego all salary compensation during any government shutdown.  
  1.8   If state government is required to cease or curtail operations 
  1.9   due to the failure of the legislature to pass a budget to 
  1.10  continue government, a number of persons will be hurt.  State 
  1.11  employees will lose pay, or be required to use vacation and 
  1.12  other benefits to feed their families and pay their bills.  
  1.13  County, city, nonprofit, school district, and private 
  1.14  contractors will all suffer severe economic disadvantages from a 
  1.15  shutdown.  Persons receiving state assistance will see that 
  1.16  assistance threatened, curtailed, or stopped.  The legislature 
  1.17  finds that for elected representatives to continue to receive 
  1.18  pay during a shutdown is an unconscionable abuse of power, 
  1.19  reminiscent of Marie Antoinette saying, "Let them eat cake," 
  1.20  during the height of the French Revolution.  Therefore, it is 
  1.21  the intent of the legislature to forego all such compensation on 
  1.22  the part of elected members. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  [LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION SUSPENSION.] 
  1.24     No elected member of the Minnesota house of representatives 
  2.1   or senate shall receive compensation during a full or partial 
  2.2   shutdown of state government.  This section is effective 
  2.3   immediately, and applies to any full or partial shutdown 
  2.4   occurring between June 30, 2001, and any subsequent resumption 
  2.5   of state government following such a shutdown.