Dear Friends,
This week the Senate passed the tax conformity bill passed by the House last week, meaning the $20 million in tax relief for teachers, college students, and homeowners will soon be signed into law by Governor Dayton.
It's great to see how quickly this legislation moved through the process so that Minnesotans have more than three months to get their taxes completed without having to re-file their taxes to get the deductions they are entitled to.
I heard some interesting presentations in the two education committees on charter schools and early childhood education this past week. It was enjoyable to hear from fellow educators who are doing great work in those areas.
We also heard a presentation in the Agriculture Finance Committee from the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) that I found particularly interesting.
AURI helps develop new uses for agricultural products through science and technology and partners with businesses and entrepreneurs to bring those ideas to reality. One entrepreneur from Faribault who talked with our committee showed us how he utilized the research from AURI to make use of the coffee bean byproducts from his organic coffee roasting company, making natural fertilizer, biodegradable planting pots, handbags, and more. Very interesting stuff!
March for Life
Yesterday more than 1,000 Minnesotans came to Saint Paul from across the state for the annual March for Life Rally. The group marched from the Cathedral down the hill and ended in front of the Capitol where the rally took place. It was great to see so many Minnesotans gathered to support the pro-life cause. I had the chance to speak with many attendees who shared with me their inspiring stories and reasons why they chose to come on a cold January weekday to Saint Paul for this event. I joined a bipartisan group of legislators at the rally, and was proud to stand for such a wonderful cause.
These were students from Saint Paul—it's great to see young people passionate and getting involved by coming to the Capitol to support an issue they care about.
I'm committed to doing what I can to protect life and the unborn. As a teacher, how can I be anything but pro-life after looking into the eyes of so many precious first graders all these years? Unborn children are our society's most vulnerable and precious gift, and should be given the chance to live out their dreams and fulfill their potential whether it be with their mother and father or with an adopted family.
Have a great weekend,
Peggy Bennett
State Representative, District 27A