Greetings,
We just wrapped up our busiest week of the session. The House passed three omnibus bills containing provisions ranging from education funding to long-term care. Here are a couple highlights that can help our area.
More Funding to Local School Districts
On Monday, the Minnesota House passed the K-12 and Higher Education supplemental budget bill (HF2749) with broad bipartisan support, 84-46. The Senate will also take up their supplemental budget bill this week as well.
The House education supplemental bill applies budget savings and other funds from the 2015 budget – which included $525 million in increased funding to our K-12 schools – to other educational needs. Our proposal provides for additional general education funding for Greater Minnesota schools.
This means that local school districts in our area would receive more funding each year for K-12 in the amounts below:
Albany - Avon School District - $44,122
Holdingford School District - $26,086
Sartell-St. Stephens School District - $96,590
Sauk Rapids - Rice School District - $108,391
St. Cloud School District - $236,047
Local districts would be required to make small, short-term local levy adjustments and the Senate and governor would need to agree to the reallocation for this change to become law.
Broadband Services and Education
Additional good news for education is that the House supplemental education bill includes matching grants for schools to help upgrade broadband services for better internet access in our educational endeavors. This initiative would allow schools to purchase wifi hotspots for students to check-out and take home. The idea is to provide high-speed internet to kids and families who may not have access.
Veteran Funding
Our area is home to a number of devoted military veterans. Yesterday, we passed additional funding to help our vets. $100,000 will go to Eagle’s Healing Nest near our area in Sauk Centre. This facility helps veterans and their families as they reintegrate into civilian life. We also passed $100,000 in veteran rent subsidies, and $300,000 for the State Soldiers Assistance Fund. We can’t thank our veterans enough for their service to our country. I’m extremely grateful for their sacrifice, and pleased to see these funding items in our bill.
REAL ID moving in the House
A bill that allows our state to issue identifications that are complaint with federal REAL ID regulation is moving through the House. We need to become compliant before the 2018 deadline so Minnesotans can board and travel on commercial airlines and gain access to certain federal facilities with their standard ID card.
The House proposal works to coordinate the issues of the new forms of identification and current driver license expirations in order to reduce costs and inconvenience in issuing and reissuing complaint licenses. Our goal is to have these REAL IDs ready by October of this year, but the Senate is looking for a later date of compliance.
Please Contact Me
I’ve appreciated your correspondence as we head toward the end of session. If you ever have a question on something we’re discussing, please call or email. I can be reached at 651-296-7808 or by email at rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
Tim