Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Town Halls
Just a reminder that I will be co-hosting six community town halls April 10-12 in Fertile, Fosston, Red Lake Falls, Crookston, Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks.
For more information, click here. I hope to see you there!
Omnibus Bills
This week, the House continued to debate and pass budget omnibus bills. The bills we passed or are set to pass today include Public Safety, Higher Education, Legacy, State Government Finance, Job Growth and Energy Affordability, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services.
Here are a few highlights from the budget bills:
- Agriculture: Supports our farmers and ag community, providing resources for ag emergencies, providing rapid response for plant pests and pathogens, and supporting production ag research, education and youth development
- Public Safety: Works to keep Minnesotans safe, gives law enforcement the tools they need, creates stronger penalties for convicted sexual predators, funds domestic violence and terrorist recruitment prevention, and increases penalties for those participating in illegal protests on highways
- Higher Education: Addresses college affordability through tuition freezes and reductions at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and improves student accessibility to higher education for students with learning differences
- Legacy: Invests over $100 million to restore and protect our water, including aid for counties to create buffers, as well as redirecting Lessard-Sams to focus on land enhancements instead of additional land acquisitions
- State Government Finance: Works to rein in state government spending, limit FTE growth, and increase accountability and transparency. Also protects funding for veteran programs and ends politician welfare by eliminating the public campaign subsidy program
- Job Growth and Energy Affordability: Works to lower energy costs for consumers by streamlining regulations for providers; improves vocational training for students entering into the trades; works to return $700 million in unclaimed property to Minnesotans; and provides grants for Greater Minnesota businesses looking to expand, helping them retrain workers in their community as jobs become available
- Health and Human Services: Prioritizes the protection of Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens, extends the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group, expands scholarship for nursing facility RNs and LPNs to address workforce shortages, and repeals our broken health care exchange, MNsure
Health Care Update
I just wanted to share a quick update that Governor Dayton allowed the state-based reinsurance bill to become law this week. It is projected to lower health care premiums by 18 percent or more according to Minnesota Management and Budget, improving access and affordability to health care coverage for folks in our area and across the state.
Capitol Essay Contest
The Governor’s Office and State Capitol Grand Opening Planning Committee announced a statewide essay contest to celebrate the historic reopening of the Minnesota State Capitol after renovations. The contest is open to grades 3-12, and students who submit the top essay in each of the age categories will be invited to share their essay during the grand opening celebration on August 12, 2017. Additionally, winners will also receive a $1,000 Minnesota College Savings Plan.
This essay contest is a great opportunity for Northwest Minnesota students to show their creativity, and I encourage local students to submit their original essay and share what the Minnesota State Capitol means to them.
Submissions are due by April 28, 2017. More information on topics and how to submit an essay can be found at http://mn.gov/admin/capitol-restoration/grand-opening/.
Around the Capitol
Forest LaPorte, an RN at Crookston Riverview came to discuss staffing ratios and health care. Thank you for stopping by!
With Champ the UMD Mascot
With educators from East Grand Forks and Crookston. Pictured with Erin Droun, Sarah Kanten, Kim Davidson and Laurie Arnason
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If I can ever assist you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. I am here to serve you!
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B