Hello Neighbors,
A chilling week as a blast of cold settled in our area. I hope everyone has been able to stay warm and that no one suffered any heating problems. The good news is that Spring is not far away. The way I see it, we are only six good fish fries from birds and warmer weather.
The legislative season has warmed up and a couple of the bills I am working on have moved through committee, and there is a quite a bit to cover this week.
Broadband
Last week I received notification that our area was a recipient of a border-to-border broadband grant that would bring service to parts of Morrison County. While that is encouraging, we need to keep building on the rural broadband initiative.
My bill to keep the border-to-border broadband program funded passed the Greater Minnesota Jobs Committee on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, my bill to expand regional library telecommunications passed the Education Finance committee. This bill is also part of my goal to continue to bring better broadband speeds to Greater Minnesota.
Child Protection
On Tuesday, my signature piece of legislation regarding the safety of children passed the Health and Human Services Reform committee and is scheduled for a vote on the House Floor next Monday. This bill places children front and center as a our primary concern in maltreatment cases and allows the state to look at historical allegations when determining the safety of a child. It is a small step forward on a complex problem.
Jobs and Workforce Housing
Next week will also be a busy week as I expand my efforts to boost high-paying jobs and workforce housing for Greater Minnesota. I have diligently worked to give businesses a climate where they can expand and hire more people. Those efforts will continue next week.
Lastly, I was visited this week by many folks from the district. Thank you for coming down. It was refreshing to talk to the farmers, builders, and city officials who came to visit. If you're planning a visit to Saint Paul, please contact my office at rep.ron.kresha@house.mn or call 651-296-4247. Your visits, input, and feedback are always welcome.
WARMEST Regards,
Ron