Dayton Vetoes Agriculture-Environment And Jobs-Energy Bills

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed two major budget bills ahead of a Saturday night deadline for final action on bills passed before the legislative session ended late Monday.

While he signed a state government finance bill, he vetoed an agriculture-and-environment budget bill. While the bill contained his initiative to require farmers to plant buffer strips, and funding to combat bird flu, it came under criticism from environmentalists for other provisions. He said he'll insist that the buffer strip and bird flu proposals pass during the upcoming special session.

Dayton also vetoed a jobs-and-energy budget bill. He said it provided insufficient funding for the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of Mediation Services, the Workers Compensation Court of Appeals and rural broadband.

A date for the special session has not been set.