Dear Neighbor,
Here’s the latest news from St. Paul.
HF 1349
This week, I presented a bill in the Judiciary committee that would provide $1.5 million for the biennium split 50/50 for start-up costs for new treatment courts in Greater Minnesota and for existing treatment courts in Hennepin and Ramsey County. Treatment courts are an important element of the justice system, where the court works with offenders to complete a treatment program so they can beat addiction and avoid ending up in court again for drug offenses.
Treatment courts have been shown to reduce incarceration and recidivism and improve unemployment rates for participants, and I’m proud to play a role in expanding these courts throughout Minnesota. Studies have shown that unemployment dropped from 62 percent at drug court entry to 37 percent at discharge for all participants, even if those participants did not graduate. Graduates of treatment court programs saw unemployment drop even further, to just 15 percent at graduation. Recidivism rates dropped to 28 percent among treatment court participants, compared to 41 percent of nonparticipants, and participants also spent an average of 74 fewer days in jail or prison compared to nonparticipants.
I was honored to have four members of the Wright County Drug Court Steering Committee (The Turn) in the audience and testifying about the court including: Judge Tenney; Darnell Brethorst, Court Administrator; Jared Forner (1st graduate of The Turn) and Mike MacMillan, Director of Court Services.
5G in Minnesota
Verizon turned on 5G in Minneapolis last Wednesday, the first location in the world to have access to this incredible new technology! My legislation to streamline and standardize regulations for wireless providers made it possible, and I’m proud of the role I played in making Minnesota first in the nation on this issue. This industry is estimated to spend $275 billion over seven years just in the United States, and it is estimated to generate $12.3 trillion in annual revenue across industries by 2035. I look forward to this technology expanding throughout our state soon!
Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Immigrants
Last week, the House passed a bill to issue drivers' licenses to immigrants here illegally who are currently legally prohibited from receiving one. The bill passed on nearly exclusively a party-line vote. When I posted the question on Facebook, the poll of 490 participants, 97% would have voted NO. I voted no because I oppose making Minnesota a "sanctuary state". The bill strictly prohibits the Department of Vehicle Services from sharing the immigration status and other identifying information with any agency or person outside of the Department of Vehicle Services including Federal, State or Local law enforcement. It further prohibits law enforcement or a criminal justice agency from taking any action on the basis of the possession of this drivers' license. Democrats this session have been prioritizing non-citizens and those who break the law, over law abiding citizens, and this is yet another example.
Taxpayer Funded Abortions
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) released information earlier this week showing that in 2017, taxpayer funded abortions hit a record high of $1.06 million for 4,356 abortions. With our current worker shortage being the justification for mass immigration, the loss of the 60 million babies aborted in the United States since 1973 makes this record high all the more tragic.
DFL Tax Increases
The DFL continues to introduce bills to increase taxes, with the latest being their omnibus bill to increase taxes by more than $4 billion in the next four years. They’ve also included many new or increased taxes in each of their omnibus bills, for a total of more than $12 billion in tax increases over the next four. With a $1 billion surplus, there is no reason to raise billions of dollars in taxes on Minnesotans. The Democrats are currently planning to raise taxes on gas, doctor visits, employee payroll, employers, and much more.
State of the State
I had the honor of bringing Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer to Governor Walz’s State of the State speech last Wednesday!
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As always, if you need assistance on an issue pertaining to state government or have concerns or ideas about legislation, my office is available to you. You can e-mail at Rep.Marion.ONeill@House.MN or call my office at 651-296-5063. You can also write a letter to me. My office address at the Capitol is 357 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155.
Sincerely,
Marion