EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
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May 10, 2000

Profile Conferees Reach Agreement

The House/Senate conference committee came to an agreement on the Profile of Learning this morning at about 6:15 a.m. in the waning hours of a 20-hour marathon legislative session, less than one hour before adjournment.

We have been told by Speaker Sviggum that this is a clean North Star Standard option for schools, but we have not seen the language of the bill!

Speaker Sviggum personally signed off on the agreement, then went forward with passage of three other major spending bills that he had held up pending a Profile conference agreement.  We have only his word to go by, and we are reserving judgment as to whether this North Star Standard is a genuine academic achievement option and truly independent of the Profile.

The Senate conferees have signed the conference report, but the House conferees have not.  They want to see the language of the agreement in writing and review it before accepting it as a final agreement.

The bill has not passed either the House or the Senate, because of the delay involved in reviewing the language. 

We have been unable to obtain a written copy of the specific language of the agreement.  Office at the Capitol are closed down following the lengthy floor sessions.

The House will reconvene on Wednesday, April 17^th at 11:00 a.m. to take up the final bill if it is ultimately signed by the conferees. However, if the Governor chooses to veto the bill, there will be no opportunity to override that veto, because next Wednesday will be the last day of the 2000 legislative session. 

We will update you as soon as we have read the actual language of the agreement accepted by House Speaker Steve Sviggum, Sen. Larry Pogemiller, and Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe. Our experience in working with the legislators has led us to be extremely cautious in believing promises.  We will reserve judgment on whether we will support or oppose this deal.

Thank you for all of your personal involvement and commitment.  You have been a dedicated citizenry that cannot be ignored or brushed aside.

EdAction - 105 Peavey Rd, Ste 116, Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931 - edaction@lakes.com - (c) EdAction - All rights reserved.