Dear Friends,
From my family to yours, Happy Easter! I will be attending Good Friday service tomorrow and look forward to Resurrection Sunday services as well. I hope you are able to spend time with family and loved ones this weekend!
On Wednesday, my broadband bill was heard before the Job Growth and Energy Committee.
This bill, which cleared its first committee last week, makes a $35,000,000 appropriation to the state’s border-to-border broadband program while also seeking to make the broadband grant process more transparent and flexible.
Broadband accessibility is an issue that I am passionate about! My goal is to provide more state grants that match with local private investments to connect hard to reach areas across the state.
While not everyone agrees that state dollars should be used to cover these costs, this much needed expansion has not happened. Because of this, a “gap” plan is needed. I am hoping that Kandiyohi County will have an application ready when we refund the grant program.
I had another bill heard in the Health and Human Services Finance Committee on Tuesday that would appropriate state bonding dollars to build a new Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Services (CABHS) hospital in Willmar.
The hospital, which is currently located in Willmar, is the only hospital of its kind in Minnesota—one that treats children and adolescents with serious mental health issues.
Unfortunately, this kids’ hospital is in danger of being closed in 2017 and there is currently no plan on where these kids will go. I am working on that plan.
Thank you to the members of AFSCME that testified and supported this critical hospital for kids.
As always, my door is open and I want to hear your feedback and comments. Reach my office any time by contacting rep.dave.baker@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-6206.
Have a great weekend and Happy Easter,
Dave