Senate Republicans argued that the assistance should be part of the next budget cycle and the money should not come from the budget surplus. "Wake up, Minnesotans, today's the day when the people are going to start down the path of taking your rebate check and using your surplus," said Sen. Minority Leader Dick Day, R-Owatonna. In addition, Republicans felt that there would be a benefit to waiting on the funding because then it would be based on actual costs and not estimates.

Sen. Leroy Stumpf noted that due to abnormally cold weather in December and high fuel prices school districts will spend hundreds of thousands of extra dollars on energy costs this year. Without immediate assistance some of these school districts will find it necessary to cut programs. "Minnesota, wake up, we are simply trying to help school districts in an emergency situation by using 3 percent of the surplus monies," said Sen. Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar.

The bill passed 40-23 on almost a straight party line vote. The bill now awaits action in the House of Representatives.