Greetings from the Capitol!
Congrats to the Alexandria Cardinals boys hockey team on beating Thief River Falls in the first round of the state tournament on Wednesday! Some of the players took the time to stop by to see me at the Capitol yesterday. It’s exciting to see the team competing at such a high level and representing our community well. Best of luck to the Cardinals as they take on Hermantown this afternoon!
2nd Amendment Issues
Recently, there has been a lot of media attention devoted to some of the gun control bills that have been introduced or had hearings in the legislature. Simply stated, these Democrat-authored bills are clear infringements of law abiding citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights. Especially troubling is a bill that would increase the age to own assault rifles to 21, as well as drastically expand the definition of an assault rifle. I am concerned that this particular bill would, at the very least, make it very difficult for individuals under the age of 21 to own any firearms.
Luckily, with pro-gun Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate, it is highly unlikely that any of these anti-gun bills will make any progress in Minnesota this session. I will always stand up to violations of our 2nd Amendment rights and vote against unconstitutional bills like these.
MNLARS Update
Last week, I discussed legislation authored by House Republicans that would fund ongoing fixes for MNLARS while also demanding accountability from those responsible for the system’s failures. On Tuesday, that bill was approved by the House Transportation Finance Committee with bipartisan support. This bill would authorize the governor to transfer $10 million from the Department of Vehicle Services Special Revenue fund, and then require those funds be backfilled down the road with existing state agency funding. By using money that is already in state government, this is a commonsense approach that protects taxpayers from wasting more money on this failed system. This bill would also hold the administration accountable by requiring evidence of detailed plans and progress reports each month.
On the other hand, a Democrat-backed amendment was offered in the same committee that would have provided the $10 million without any additional oversight or accountability. This flawed amendment was thankfully voted down by the committee. Minnesota taxpayers deserve a working system, and the goal of this bill is to increase accountability and ensure real fixes happen with any funding that the legislature provides.
Stay In Touch:
If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-3201 or rep.mary.franson@house.mn. I would love to hear from you.
I represent the best!
