Posted: 7/21/05
North metro senators Johnson, Chaudhary attend fewer floor sessions than most others
by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
Two north metro senators likely attended fewer Senate special session floor sessions than virtually any other members of the Minnesota Senate.
Sen. Debbie Johnson, R-Ham Lake, possibly missed more floor sessions than any of the other 66 members of the Senate.
According to the Journal of the Senate, Johnson, a second-term lawmaker, answered roll call at seven of 19 special session floor sessions -- she's listed as being excused for part of one session.
No roll call or absences were recorded for the Tuesday, May 31, Senate floor session.
Johnson is listed as excused -- a status by custom routinely noted in the journal when requested by a senator -- for six floor sessions.
She was neither present at roll call nor excused for six other floor sessions, according to the journal.
Senators can miss roll calls and attend floor sessions, but many of the special session floor sessions were brief.
To be late by any amount of time would be to miss them.
If Johnson was absent for the six sessions where she missed roll call, these and the six other noted absences would give her the lowest special session attendance than any other senator.
Some had perfect attendance
In general, attendance for both metro and Greater Minnesota senators, Republican and Democratic alike, was good -- 11 metro senators, including local senators Belanger, Betzold, Jungbauer, Kleis, and McGinn, had perfect attendance records for the 19 recorded floor sessions.
Senators Foley, Gerlach, Limmer, and Nienow missed one floor session.
Three Greater Minnesota senators had perfect special session attendance records.
Sen. Becky Lourey, DFL-Kerrick, whose son was killed in action in Iraq, answered to 15 roll calls. News of his death came on the third day of the special session.
Sen. Dallas Sams, DFL-Staples, who is battling brain cancer, answered to 18 special session roll calls.
Both Lourey and Sams were involved in committee work during the special session.
But Jungbauer, Kleis, and McGinn did not serve on any special session work groups, according to legislative assistants.
"It's important to be there whether something is actively going or not," said Jungbauer. Unexpected things can come up, he explained.
Johnson refused to directly answer questions about her special session attendance record.
Written statement by Johnson
In a written statement, she said no work was processed by the Senate until the July 13 floor session and she was there for every vote. "Maybe this issue indicates that the 2006 campaigns are starting early, but I think the citizens I serve know me well enough to trust that I will be present and fighting hard at the Capitol every time there is a vote that affects their families." wrote Johnson.
Johnson missed the July 8 Senate floor session during which the Senate passed the "lights on" continuing budget resolution to temporary fund state government. The resolution ended the eight-day-old partial state government shutdown and was part of a global budget agreement.
Johnson cast votes on the final day of the special session when four major finance bills were passed.
Another north metro senator missed floor sessions. Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, answered nine special session floor roll calls -- only Johnson and a St. Paul lawmaker answered fewer.
Chaudhary (left) is listed in the journal as excused seven times and neither listed at roll call nor absent for three other floor sessions.
A second-term lawmaker, Chaudhary said a lot of special session floor sessions were merely procedural -- not essential to attend. "So I thought it would be better to save the taxpayers the money," said Chaudhary, referring to the $66 per diem payment senators were eligible to receive.
During the special session, many lawmakers opted not to take any per diem pay.
He would not take per diem pay, said Chaudhary. Johnson is on record as not wanting special session per diem pay.
Legislators receive a base salary of $31,140.
"For the critical votes, I was always there," said Chaudhary, speaking on Wednesday (July 13), the final day of the special session.
Like Johnson, Chaudhary was absent for the July 8 "lights on" resolution vote.
Voters have right to be outraged
Citizens League President Sean Kershaw said voters have the right to be outraged that lawmakers didn't finish their work on time, but places the responsibility for explaining the failure on legislative leaders.
Why did it happen? "I think that's the question more than attendance," he said. Senators not serving on work groups or otherwise engaged who regularly attended floor sessions should be commended, Kershaw said.
But those senators who missed floor sessions don't deserve criticism, he opined.
Former senator Steve Novak -- Novak challenged Chaudhary for the endorsement in 2002 -- said attendance is an issue.
Historically, senators regularly show up for floor sessions, he said. That's something the public expects, he said. "It's a bottom line issue," said Novak.
The special session began shortly after midnight on May 24 and ended last Wednesday, July 13.
Attendance for other area senators:
• Reiter and Wergin, 17 at roll call.
• Bachmann, 16 at roll call.
• Ourada, 15 at roll call.
• Pariseau, 14 at roll call.
• Kierlin, 13 at roll call.
Capitol Roundup
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