Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in Washington, DC, Thursday getting ready for the Conservative Political Action Conference but was already ready to veto a measure to give health care the 35,000 poorest and sickest.
The House passed the measure 125-9; the Senate 47-16 Thursday.
From Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung:
Several of you have asked me for a response to the legislature's passage of the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) bill.
The Revisor's Office presented the bill to our office this afternoon. As you know, the Governor has three days, following the date of presentment and not including Sundays, in which to take action on a bill. That window begins immediately and runs through the end of Monday.
For your background information, vetoed bills do not require a signature. In issuing a veto, the Governor does not sign the bill and does not file it with the Secretary of State. Article IV, Section 23 of the Minnesota Constitution says, "If he vetoes a bill, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated." http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/CCO/RULES/MNCON/Article4.htm
Governor Pawlenty is in Washington, D.C. at this time. He is preparing a veto message with assistance from our Washington, D.C. office and will sign that veto message. The veto message, along with the bill, will be returned to the Senate as soon as possible, either tonight or tomorrow morning.
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