Capitol View®

Hey, glad you made it

State lawmakers cancelled several committee meeting Friday at the Capitol.

But snowy weather didn't prevent members of the the House Labor and Consumer Protection Division from showing up. They heard four bills, including one from Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, to protect the value of retail gift cards.

Buzz Anderson, president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, also showed up to speak against the bill. But it wasn't an easy morning for Anderson. He explained that a snowplow had blocked his driveway, his windshield wipers didn't work and his computer froze up with the testimony he had prepared for the hearing.

The casually-dressed lobbyist apologized to lawmakers.

"I didn't have time to change clothes. I mean no disrespect to the committee," Anderson said."

Rep. Atkins got a lot of laughs when he offered an explanation for the misfortune of the opponent to his bill.

"It took me a long time to do all that by the way," Atkins said.