Dear Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Survey
My 2015 Legislative Survey is now available to take online. Your input is valuable to me, and I'd like to hear from you about important issues happening at the Capitol this session.
Click on this link to take my legislative survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Kiel2015
Your feedback is appreciated!
HF 2 Passes in the House
On Thursday, the House debated and passed HF 2, an education reform bill that improves student learning and helps schools attract and retain quality teachers in the classroom.
For our district, one of the biggest benefits of the legislation, should it be signed into law, is that it increases access to great teachers by streamlining alternative pathways to teaching and by encouraging regional reciprocity for teacher licenses. For qualified teachers coming from neighboring states like North Dakota, it can be an expensive and time-consuming process to become licensed in our state, and HF 2 would make it easier.
Additionally, the bill also offers more flexibility to school districts, allowing factors besides seniority to be considered when making difficult layoff decisions. Currently under state law, only seniority can be used when making staff retention decisions unless other factors are negotiated between the district and local union.
HF 2 adds that in addition to seniority and other locally negotiated criteria, merit-based teacher evaluations must also be used to make staffing decisions, ensuring that the best and most effective educators are teaching in our classrooms.
Finally, the bill empowers school districts to tap community experts to offer vocational and career courses, expanding academic opportunities for students.
Border City Development Zone Program
This week in the Greater Minnesota Economic and Workforce Development Committee, my bill HF 894 was heard. The Border City Development Zone Program bill has bipartisan support and would make the tax climate more favorable for border cities, allowing them to better compete with our neighbors.
The program would apply to Breckenridge, Dilworth, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, and Ortonville and provides a $1 million allocation for border city aid each year.
Jobs Training Bills
Also this week in the Greater Minnesota Economic and Workforce Development Committee, we heard HF 750 and HF 751, two bills that would help shrink the skills gap in Greater Minnesota. Through tax credits and grants, businesses will receive money to help train workers in technical and specialized areas to ensure more local businesses are able to hire the workers they need.
Abortion Licensure Bill
On Wednesday in the Health and Human Services Reform Committee, they heard my bill HF 606. This legislation creates licensing requirements for certain facilities that perform ten or more abortions per month, and also requires those facilities to meet the licensure requirements of outpatient services centers.
Regents
On Wednesday in a joint meeting of the House and Senate, the Legislature selected five regents to serve at the University of Minnesota. Darrin Rosha, Dr. Patricia Simmons, Richard Beeson, Thomas Anderson and Michael Hsu were all chosen to serve on the twelve-member board.
I am hopeful that these folks will not only do a great job serving the University, but also prioritize real reform within the system that will lower student tuition.
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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!
Have a great weekend!
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B