Greetings from the Capitol,
This week, my niece, Julianne Backer of Graceville participated in the High School Page Program.
The High School Page Program was established in 1975 in order to provide high school students with a meaningful opportunity to watch the legislative process close-up and see the inner workings of state government.
On Monday, I met with Luke Goettle, Mr. Roy Mayeda and Micah Christensen from Campbell-Tintah Public Schools. They also testified in the Legacy Funding Finance Committee in favor of the Red River Basin River Watch program. The Red River Basin River Watch is a student engagement program that provides flood research and watershed education for the Red River Basin.
On Wednesday, I met with Andrew Barsness of Hoffman with the National Young Farmers Coalition. We discussed House File 608, which would provide income tax credits for new farmers.
Appleton Prison:
In an effort to solve Minnesota’s prison problem and bring hundreds of good-paying union jobs back to western Minnesota, I co-authored a piece of legislation with Rep. Tim Miller from Prinsburg that would re-open the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton. The state needs housing for offenders and we have a facility that can fulfill those needs.
The bill would allow offenders to be housed in non-publicly owned facilities. It also would require the state to enter into a contract to operate and purchase, or lease to own, the Prairie Correctional Facility. I believe that with the new makeup of the Senate, this bill has chance to reach the Governor’s desk.
Ditch Mowing:
As you may remember from a previous legislative update from me, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), by the direction of Governor Dayton, issued a new policy requiring a permit for landowners to obtain in order to mow ditches.
A bill to remedy this issue is currently moving through the committee process in the legislature and I expect it to come before the House of Representatives for a vote of the entire body later in session.
REAL ID Compliance:
On Thursday, The House passed House File 3, which puts Minnesota in compliance with a federal law, known as the REAL ID Act.
To recap: the U.S. Congress passed REAL ID in 2005 with the intention to make it more difficult for potential terrorists to obtain a fraudulent identification card. The state of Minnesota needs to be in compliance by January 22, 2018; if the state is not compliant by then, Minnesotans will not be able to board airplanes, or visit military bases and federal buildings.
The differences between what a REAL ID compliant license would look like and the current driver's license are minor. The REAL ID verifies the license holder’s legal status in the United States and ensures they are not licensed in more than one state. The bill that passed Thursday allows for a dual track system for Minnesotans to become REAL ID compliant; you can either apply to get a REAL ID, or use your current state driver's license and a passport as your forms of identification.
I am hopeful for swift action by the Senate and for the Governor’s signature.
Staying in Touch:
Please be sure to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government. I can be reached by phone at either 651-296-4929, 701-361-1909, or via email at rep.jeff.backer@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
