Dear Neighbors,
It’s been another fascinating and fast-moving week in St. Paul. The bulk of our work at this point in session has been in committee, hearing about bills and listening to public testimony concerning those bills. I believe the committee process is incredibly important, as it gives the public and experts opportunity to weigh in on a subject and helps us as legislators make better decisions regarding the bills that we are considering. Speaking of public input, I also had many local visitors from back home, which I will highlight below.
Local Visitors
I had a ton of local visitors this week, which I absolutely love! Whether it be through a visit to my office, or just a quick call or email, I really value hearing from the residents of our area. It’s important for me to hear your feedback about issues we’re working on in the legislature, or simply learning about something where I can help out.
Among the people and groups that came to St. Paul to see me this week were Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen, Councilman Larry Baker, and ALEDA director Ryan Nolander, who shared about local government issues. I also met with a great group of local motorcyclists with the A.B.A.T.E. club, including their chapter president, Virgil Legried, and Albert Lea resident, Jerry Collins. One of the issues that is high on their priority list, as is mine, is distracted driving.
Other local residents who came this week include Robert Hoffman and Daniel Gullickson to talk about housing; Alden farmer Dan Erickson; area resident Jerry Meurer and others advocating for the very important subject of disability services; members of the Freeborn-Mower Electrical Co-op; and more. It was great to see so many local people at the Capitol this week.
Foster Care and Youth Day
On Monday, I took part in a rally for Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill. Foster parents and foster kids are near and dear to my heart, and I have carried legislation pertaining to this subject in past sessions. I recently introduced a bill (HF3626) relating to foster care sibling rights. This bill would create guidelines to help keep our foster youth connected with their siblings. It does so by promoting close connections for foster siblings (when it is in the best interest of each sibling), including visits, phone calls, and taking part in important celebrations like birthdays. We all know how incredibly important family and siblings are to us, and that is no different for our foster youth. Thank you to all those who attended this rally!
Local Pastor Gives Opening Prayer
Yesterday, Pastor John Holt of First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, along with his wife Joan, made a special visit to the Capitol so Pastor John could give the opening prayer for session. It was so nice to see them here and Pastor John gave a beautiful prayer. I always appreciate the opening prayer for our daily sessions, and I think Pastor John offered an especially good one!
Please Contact Me
As always, please call, email, or visit me in St. Paul if you need anything; I’m here to help.
Enjoy your weekend,
Peggy