The Perpich-Crosswinds bill in the House (HF592) has passed its second committee with flying colors, getting a unanimous vote from the House Government Operations committee this afternoon. The unanimous support of the Government Operations committee follows an all-but-one win in the Education Finance committee, demonstrating the depth of the bipartisan support for Perpich and its plan to take over governance of Crosswinds.

Many EMID families witnessed the meeting, which started at 12:30pm and didn’t get to our bill until nearly 4pm. The committee had a huge workload and plenty was still on its agenda even after our bill. While waiting we heard the committee pass bills for a statewide health plan for schools and an anti-bullying initiative that demanded schools create a healthier more respectful environment. Many of us realized that the things we’d been saying in our testimonies for Crosswinds would apply equally to some of the other bills being heard. Much of that testimony has been gathered in a packet that we are sharing with each committee. Please write to testimony@emidfamilies.org if you would like to add your voice to this packet.

The depth of our bipartisan support is probably why the only effective tactic of opponents in Washington County has been to stall, especially by preventing any hearing in the Minnesota Senate. Sen. Torres Ray has tarnished her reputation as a defender of integration by refusing to give our bill (SF530) a hearing in her Education Committee. This has been especially disappointing since she is sponsoring SF711, the bill to implement the recommendation of last year’s integration task force, in the Senate. However, this past Monday even Sen. Torres Ray told Crosswinds activists “the bill will have a hearing in the Senate, if not in my committee, then in Sen. Wiger’s [Education Finance subcommittee].” Now we have to hold her to that commitment.

Meanwhile, the House bill was referred on to the Capital Investments committee to discuss an issue of state bonding and make sure that the use Perpich intends is close enough to the intent with which the Crosswinds facility was built. We expect that hearing next week, but it is not on the schedule yet. It may be heard along with the Harambee bill (HF833) which also awaits a hearing in Capital Investments.

Please join us in attending the upcoming EMID board meeting at 5:30pm on Wednesday 3/20 at Harambee. We must make sure the board understands the incredible strength of the Perpich proposal in the legislature and does not simply hand the Crosswinds facility to South Washing County schools in April. A number of issues have been raised in the legislature which put South Washington’s claim to the building in doubt, and it should be a very interesting board meeting as the EMID board comes to grips with what has actually been happening in Saint Paul.