Minnesota House Approves Bill to Eliminate IRRRB

The Minnesota House approved a bill Thursday that would eliminate the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board and replace it with a new legislative-citizen commission. 

The commission would have three House members, three senators and three members of the public.  Unlike the current makeup, there would be no requirement that members of the commission be from the Iron Range. 

The bill would also give the Legislature final authority over the loans and grants distributed by the board. 

Representative Tom Hackbarth, who authored the bill, and Iron Range lawmakers, disagree on the the passage of the bill. 

“There has been insufficient legislative oversight to determine the effectiveness of these appropriations and it is time to increase responsibility. The people on the Iron Range deserve better and this bill is a step in that direction,” said Hackbarth. 

“Here we go again with another political assault on the people of northern Minnesota. The bill considered today is such a drastic overreach, and goes well beyond the recommendations made by the Office of the Legislative Auditor.  These are discussions that have been taking place for over 50 years, and we are doing our due diligence on this issue. It is our hope that the House GOP can do the same by working with us, and stop using the Iron Range as a political football,” said Representatives Jason Metsa (DFL-Virginia) and Representative Rob Ecklund, (DFL-International Falls.)