Hello, Neighbors,
The warm weather has been great, but I’m sure there’s a few hockey fans out there who want to be on the pond or local outdoor rink. For those missing winter, I’m sure we’ll be back to normal Minnesota temps in no time. Until then, I’ll enjoy the warm up.
It was a busy week in St. Paul, and I want to make sure to keep you informed about what we’re discussing.
Health Care
As you probably know, the individual health insurance market is on the verge of collapse. This session, House Republicans wanted to provide relief and common sense reform. Last night, the Minnesota House approved the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access bill on a bipartisan vote. The legislation provides emergency premium relief for those in need, and includes reforms to preserve access in critical, life-saving cases. Minnesotans need this relief – along with more common-sense reforms – to help correct the mistakes of Obamacare and MNsure.
The bill is headed to conference committee where the House, Senate, and Governor will look for a middle ground on this issue. While I hope we can have this bill signed as soon as possible, I’m also anxious to see further reforms to Minnesota’s broken health care system.
Early Childhood Education
One of my passions at the Legislature is helping at-risk kids. One way to do this is provide accessible early education for low income students. While some think a one-size-fits-all approach is best, I prefer the state use flexible, early learning scholarships to reach children in need. I recently penned a letter with DFL Senator Melisa Franzen on this very topic. If you have a second, I’d encourage you to give it a read.
Please Contact Me
I always appreciate seeing you when I’m in town over the weekends. If we haven’t chatted recently, I’d encourage you to call or email my office. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what’s happening in St. Paul.
Warmest Regards,
Ron