Greetings!
In this week’s newsletter, I will give you an update on my veteran de-escalation bill, the Omnibus Pensions Bill, School Trust Lands, and constituents at the Capitol.
House File 2489
For those following my weekly email updates, my veteran de-escalation bill has been placed in the Public Safety Omnibus Bill with a $50,000 appropriation. These funds are in addition to the $100,000 from last session. While the additional appropriation is not a done deal yet, I am glad the bill is progressing.
The appropriation will go toward training law enforcement officials on how to manage veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a crisis situation. This initiative has strong bipartisan support and backing from the law enforcement community.
Teaching police proven methods to de-escalate situations for veterans experiencing PTSD is so crucial for not only the well being of veterans, but the safety of law enforcement as well. Resolving a dangerous situation without further violence or even arrest can be achieved with proper training.
Omnibus Pensions Bill
Today in the House Government Operations Committee, we heard House File 1951—the Omnibus Pensions Bill. I am concerned about several of the provisions in this bill.
Some key highlights include:
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Full consolidation of the Duluth Teachers Pension Fund into the Teachers Retirement Association at a cost of $15.346 million per year until shortfalls have been backfilled to accomplish a funded merger
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An additional $7 million per year to the St. Paul Teachers’ Fund to help with shortfalls
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No study included for long range fixes to keep pensions solvent
Update on School Trust Lands
As chair of the School Trust Lands Commission, I am continuing to try and save taxpayer dollars while also ensuring our trust lands continue to benefit Minnesota’s schoolchildren.
A new proposal to restructure staffing for school trust lands at a cost of $400,000 to the state would reap long term cost savings and make school trust lands more profitable going forward. When the commission met last Monday, we discussed the proposal in more depth, and I believe this will be a bargain for Minnesota taxpayers and our schools.
Constituents at the Capitol
Many constituent groups are coming to St. Paul to represent their local businesses and interests. It’s wonderful to meet with people from all over the district and hear their stories. I hope many more of you will have a chance to make it down here this year, and if not, please don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions, concerns or ideas you may have.
This week, I met with a number of groups.
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Members from the Benton and Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation Districts visited my office on Tuesday to discuss several legislative concerns.
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Local AFSCME members came down to discuss pensions and minimum wage.
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Students from St. Cloud Technical College visited the Capitol on Wednesday.
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On Thursday, I met with constituents from Education Minnesota and Minnesota Citizens of the Arts.
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Local insurance folks came down on Thursday for Minnesota Insurance and Financial Services Day.
Thank you for letting me be your voice at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Tim
Fun Factoid: According to the DNR, Minnesota has the largest wolf and bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states.