Greetings,
FIRST MNLARS FIX SIGNED INTO LAW
Yesterday Governor Dayton signed into law legislation that begins to address a needed fix for the Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS). The program, unveiled in July, has been problematic for deputy registrars and many Minnesotans who have been unable to secure car titles and registrations in a timely fashion. It’s also caused financial headaches, as Minnesotans have already spent $93 million over ten years on a program that still isn’t fully functional.
While allocating $9.6 million to begin to fix the program, we also approved a number of accountability measures that will hopefully prevent more reckless state agency spending. This includes an appointment of an information technology auditor to the nonpartisan Legislative Auditor’s Office to closely monitor and report on the development and implementation of MNLARS.
PROTECTING HOMEOWNERS, ELDERLY ADULTS, AND OUR ELECTION SYSTEM
Legislation I’m sponsoring that would provide more consumer protection for homeowners was approved by Minnesota House Commerce Committee.
The proposal addresses potential local government special assessment misappropriations as they relate to housing improvements. The Commerce Committee approved the bill and it now heads to the Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee for further debate.
In other news, you’ll recall the Legislative Auditor’s Office found that some Minnesota state agencies have fallen short or failed in protecting vulnerable adults. That’s why I’m co-authoring a bill to improve protections and rights for nursing home residents and their families. This week, a number of local residents who advocate on behalf of the elderly visited my St. Paul office to discuss the elder abuse findings and other topics. My thanks to Jodi Speicher and Heather Wenzel of Good Shepherd and Katrice Sisson of the Alzheimer’s Association for sharing their thoughts.
A separate legislative auditor’s report found that Minnesota needs to enhance its voter registration system. This is why I’m authoring legislation that will modernize, secure, and update the election process in our state. With cybersecurity now a critical necessity in any future election, it’s important that Minnesota is prepared in case someone or some group attempts to infiltrate our voting system.
ST. PAUL VISITORS
On Wednesday I was able to visit with area residents at the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce Evening at the Capitol. It’s always good to meet with local business leaders and hear about the issues they’re facing and how they’d like us to solve their problems at the Capitol.
I also met with a number of school superintendents from across the state. We had a nice discussion about pensions, and they also shared their perspectives as to why more revenue is needed to assist with school safety initiatives and mental health services.
Other residents and groups I had the pleasure to meet with this week include:
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Minnesota Counties
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Minnesota State Patrol
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Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce
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Stearns County Park Board
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Insurance agents
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League of Minnesota Cities
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Minnesota Bankers
If you know of anyone who would like to receive future email updates, forward this email to them and have them sign up here. Also, if you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-7808 or rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Tim