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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Senate bill eliminates option for overturning school levy

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A Minnesota Senate panel has approved legislation that would prevent school district voters from trying to overturn an operating referendum.

Under current law, levy opponents can force a do-over vote if they get 15 percent of the school district's voters to sign their petition. The bill originally raised that threshold to 30 percent. But the Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division amended the measure today to eliminate the petition option all together. Sen. Dan Skogen, DFL-Hewitt, said the bill now goes further than he intended, but he supports the change.

"School districts are in a lot of pressure, and in our current economic times there's going to be under more pressure," Skogen said. "And they really don't need the day to day fight against the people who don't support referendums. And so I was looking to give them a little more protection."

The committee will consider including the measure in a larger Senate education bill.