Dear neighbor,
Last week, I was proud to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act. This bill requires that official electronic legal material – including the Constitution, state laws, statutes, or rules – be authenticated by providing a method to determine that it is unaltered, preserved (either in electronic or print form), and accessible for use by the public on a permanent basis. Increasingly, state governments across the country are publishing laws, statutes, agency rules, and court decisions online. This legislation is aimed at determining how legal materials will be preserved for the long term. If a state preserves legal material electronically, it must provide for back-up and recovery and ensure the integrity and continuing usability of the material. As a co-author on this bill, I was happy to see that it passed with unanimous bipartisan support!
Governor Dayton’s tax plan came to the House floor last week. I used the opportunity to express my concerns about how the governor’s proposed tax increases would hit middle class families the hardest. Along with my Republican colleagues, I supported a motion that would have forced Governor Dayton to go back to the drawing board with a budget that doesn’t impose taxes on our small businesses and hard-working families. Unfortunately, the motion was rejected.
One of the issues I’ve worked on for a few years has been a shared parenting proposal that gives more equal time for unmarried parents to spend time with their children. I had a conference call with stakeholders on this topic last week. We passed a bill last session on this issue, but Governor Dayton did not sign it. I’m hoping to work across the aisle again this year to get a bill passed and signed by the governor.
I spent some time meeting last week with Anoka County Commissioner Carol Ledux. I also met with the members of the Anoka County Conservation District. I always appreciate hearing from local officials about how state policies affect our local communities.
It was an honor to meet with Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lori Gildea to discuss the budget for the state court system. Making sure that all citizens have access to justice is a priority for me and I appreciated getting the perspective of the chief justice.
Thank you to the constituents from the Minnesota Athletic Trainers Association for meeting with me this week!
I am always interested in your feedback. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.Peggy.Scott@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-4231. You can also send me mail to my office address: 201 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Sincerely,
Peggy