Text: Chair Mahoney,Following up on our conversation from earlier this evening, I respectfully decline to commence the Jobs & Economic Growth, Energy and Commerce conference committee on Friday, May 3. This Is to Inform you that the Senate conferees will not be able to participate.I recognize the urgency of getting our conference committee working on the differences in our bills, and I look forward to our two chambers collaborating to accomplish ourwork. However, the conference committee process is based on mutual respect and trust. The fact that testifiers for this hearing were contacted before Members of the Senate were named to the Conference Committee points to an unusually hyper-partisan process.While the House conferees are all DFL members from the metro area, two Senate conferees, representing both parties, are from Greater Minnesota and have commitments in their districts. Finally, I have not received confirmation that the side-by-side bill comparisons will be ready for a Friday hearing.Informing me that you are scheduling a conference committee meeting before the Senate conferees were assigned disrespects our chamber, disrespects our members, and is the wrong way to begin effective negotiations.We sincerely hope that you and Speaker Hortman reconsider your decision.Senator Eric PrattDistrict 55