Finstad opposes death penalty, but could support amendment referendum

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- While he personally opposes bringing back the death penalty, Rep. Brad Finstad says he possibly could support "putting (the issue) on the ballot and letting the voters decide."

However, like the majority of legislators, the New Ulm Republican would vote against re-establishing the death penalty for any criminal if it were to be enacted as a state law.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed a constitutional amendment which would establish capital punishment once again in Minnesota after 93 years for limited application. Pawlenty's proposal would restore the death penalty would limit the application of the penalty and only in those cases where the perpetrator is linked to the crime by DNA evidence.

"I'd rather see these bad characters put in jail and throw away the key. Give them all life sentences with no chance of getting out," Finstad said.

Finstad favors the other proposed constitutional amendment which, its supporters say, would re-affirm marriage as a contract between a man and a woman.

"Get it in the state Constitution essentially defining marriage as between a man and a woman so we don't have the problems with the courts interpreting state law. An amendment, if passed, would give us more of a concrete, long-term, long-lasting law. If it's state law, that, of course, could be changed every year so if we can get it into the Constitution, it's a much harder, longer sought-after process."

In addition to the proposed constitutional amendments, Finstad believes "health care is going to be a huge arena for debate this year."

Finstad, who is on the House Health and Human Services Policy and Finance committees, believes the biggest issue will be "how do we control some of the costs.

"When we looked at the budget deficit last year, and some of the problems we still face now, everybody points a finger at the rising health care costs so the debate will be everything from understanding why health care costs are increasing at such a quick rate and where does government play a role, how are we doing things to affect that market in increased costs and increased premiums," Finstad explained.

"The plan we're working on in the House, 10 quick points, (includes) the Health Care Cost Containment Act dealing with everything from consumer empowerment to provider best practices, mal-practice reform, government mandates."

Finstad said the mal-practice reform portion would limit non-economic damages to $250,000.

"What we're hearing from the doctors is that they're forced to practicing defensive medicine. They're so afraid of the potential lawsuits and mal-practice lawsuits that it becomes a cost-burden to them to practice defensive medicine. It instructs the Department of Health to create some best-practice guidelines, and it suspends or revokes licenses of health-care providers with serious mal-practice records. We acknowledge that there are some bad-actors out there, but then what we're saying is why do we continue with the status-quo with these people. If there are health-care providers out there that have serious mal-practice records, lets get rid of them."