Dear Friends,
With the warmer temperatures we’ve been having lately, it appears we have finally turned the corner and spring is here to stay. It’s been great seeing spring sports finally able to get outside for a few games and meets. Please stay safe as you enjoy the warm weather this weekend.
House Approves Education Bill
Last night, the House approved this year’s education omnibus bill. The broadly supported, bipartisan legislation focuses heavily on improving school safety, and includes a multifaceted approach to give school districts the resources and flexibility needed to address school safety and student mental health. Highlights of the package include allowing for the expanded use of long-term facilities maintenance revenue for building security upgrades; strengthening the state’s commitment to school-linked mental health grants; and increasing funding for Safe Schools Revenue to provide schools with resources to determine how to best address this issue. The bill invests over $27 million in school safety initiatives in total.
In addition, the bill does a number of other important things to bring more transparency to school finance and performance reporting. It would strengthen laws around teacher misconduct to protect students, create a resource to enable parents to research and compare schools to determine the best fit for their children, and establish a Special Education Working Group to examine rising costs in this area. Moreover, to ensure education dollars are being properly allocated within districts and reaching the intended students, the bill would double the number of school audits each year.
Finally, the bill contains a number of higher education provisions. This portion consists of measures to fund student loan debt counseling, back a textbook affordability initiative, and support crucial cybersecurity programs at our state’s higher education institutions.
This bill will have a positive impact on Minnesota schools and students, and I was proud to vote in favor of it on the House floor last night. We will now have to work out the differences between this bill and the Senate’s proposal in order to send it to the Governor for final approval.
Prescription Drug Disposal
Tomorrow - Saturday, April 28 – is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This is a great opportunity to remove unused, dangerous medications from your home and have them disposed of in a safe and responsible way. For additional information or to find a drop-off location near you, please click here.
Please Contact Me
In the final month of session, if you have any questions or concerns about any of the bills that will come before me on the House floor, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by email at rep.ron.kresha@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-4247. I appreciate hearing from constituents and value your feedback and input.
Have a great weekend,
Ron