Conference committee begins reconciliation of transportation finance spreadsheets; major differences in rail, bonds and one-time projects remain

Members of the Minnesota Legislature’s transportation conference committee opened formal reconciliation work with a line-by-line walk-through of the conference spreadsheets for House File 2438 and Senate File 2082.

Andrew Lee, House fiscal staff, guided the committee through the budget comparison dated 05/07/2025, highlighting differences in appropriations, transfers and cancellations across aviation, passenger rail, state and local road funds and a number of one‑time project appropriations. "So in your packet should be a legal, spreadsheet ... labeled transportation ... budget conference comparison," Lee told the panel as he began the review.

Why it matters: the spreadsheet lays out the substantive funding choices that will determine which projects move forward and which are delayed. Conferees must reconcile major line items to finalize the omnibus…