Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The legislature does not convene again until March of next year, but I thought I would give you an update about some things happening at the Capitol and around the state.
Capital Investment Committee Tours Northwest MN
Earlier this month, the House Capital Investment Committee toured Northwest Minnesota, making stops at the Fosston Solid Waste Plant, the East Grand Forks Wastewater Plant, the North Country Foodbank, the University of Minnesota-Crookston and Northland Community and Technical College.
It was great to have representatives from across the state come up to our community, see these places in action, and hear directly from the people working here about what they need from state government.
MSOP
Following Judge Donovan Franks' ruling in June, Governor Dayton, Speaker Kurt Daudt and other state leaders met in a federal district court pre-hearing remedy conference this month to discuss the status of Minnesota's Sex Offender Program (MSOP).
While some ideas were put forth to address the constitutional issues outlined in the court's ruling, I am pleased that Minnesota's attorney general will appeal the ruling. I believe the MSOP program is constitutional, and as we work through this process, our number one priority continues to be protecting Minnesota citizens.
I will keep you updated as more information becomes available about the appeal of the MSOP ruling.
MPCA Board
Earlier this summer, Governor Mark Dayton announced his executive order creating an advisory committee for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. You may recall that a bipartisan bill earlier this session, eliminated the unelected, activist MPCA citizens' board, and this newly established board has been mirrored to be run in a similar manner.
I am disappointed the governor is trying to circumvent the will of the legislature and the people of Greater Minnesota who worked to reform the MPCA this year, streamlining an often drawn out and complicated permitting process. I will continue to stand with farmers in our state who expect consistency and fair regulation from state government.
County Audits
You may recall that this session, the legislature passed bipartisan reforms to the way county audits are handled, and starting in 2016, counties will have the option to contract with private CPA firms or continue with the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) for their yearly audits. This change to state law still ensures government oversight, while giving county governments the flexibility and local control they want to choose an auditor that works best for them, and helping to save taxpayer dollars.
In response to that bipartisan change to state law, a WCCO investigation discovered that some county auditors are accusing the OSA of pressuring them into long-term audit contracts with their office. Following this news, the State Government Finance Committee held a hearing to look further into county audit practices, and unfortunately, State Auditor Rebecca Otto declined the committee's invitation to testify and answer questions from elected state and county officials.
Red Lake County
Folks may have seen a recent Washington Post article naming Red Lake County the worst in the nation. I couldn't disagree more with that ranking.
You can check out my letter to the editor in the Grand Forks Herald here where I talk about how great Red Lake County is—a community home to beautiful scenery, friendly neighbors, strong schools and first-rate small businesses.
I am proud to represent the people and priorities of Red Lake County!
***
As your voice in St. Paul, if I can be of any assistance to you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful summer!
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B