Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update with the latest news from the Capitol.
Nearing the End of Session
We are entering into the last weekend of the legislative session, and House Republicans have made significant movement on budget offers to Governor Dayton. Our top priorities remain passing a comprehensive, middle-class tax relief bill, investing in our roads and bridges, and passing a responsible state budget.
We have already passed a balanced budget that funds our state’s shared priorities and are committed to getting our work done on time.
I will share more with you next week.
Real ID
For those concerned about boarding an airplane, entering a federal building or visiting a military base with your driver’s license, I wanted to share that Real ID legislation was signed into law this week. With this legislation, Minnesotans will have the option to opt-in and obtain federally compliant state-issued identification. Folks can also choose to continue with an ID under the current system.
This was a priority for many people across the state because if we did not act this year, beginning in January 2018, a Minnesota driver’s license would no longer work to board a domestic commercial flight. Folks deserve the peace of mind that they can continue to travel and visit federal buildings without undue hassle, and I am glad we got this done for our state.
Teacher Licensure Reform Gets Vetoed
While Governor Dayton signed Real ID into law, he unfortunately vetoed bipartisan legislation to reform our state’s broken teacher licensure system. It streamlined the process, added transparency to the system, and was focused on addressing our state’s teacher shortage which is a particular problem in many parts of Greater Minnesota.
This legislation came after much debate and input from stakeholders, educators and state leaders from both political parties. I am extremely disappointed that it was vetoed.
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Sincerely,
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B