Dear Neighbors,
I was proud to be joined by my family and thousands of other Minnesotans at this year’s March for Life at the State Capitol. This is such an inspiring event to attend as we come together to peacefully protest our state and nation’s abortion laws.
It was especially meaningful to be joined by my family at this year’s march. Thank you to those of you that took time out of your busy lives to attend. I would also like to thank the folks back home that took part in the annual Crow Wing County March for Life. My son Ken and daughter Kelly joined my parents at this year’s march in Brainerd. Ken even gave a speech, defending the unborn, on my behalf.
It goes without saying, but abortion is a moral stain on our nation. As long as I am your state representative, I will continue to stand up for the rights of the unborn.
Macy’s Law Receives First Hearing in Senate
On Tuesday, a bill that I’ve been working on since my first term the House received a hearing in the State Senate. The fact that it’s receiving a hearing so early in session is certainly a good sign and I'm cautiously optimistic. You may remember Governor Dayton's disappointing veto last year.
Our work on this issue is in honor of Macy Kujava. Many of you are familiar with Macy’s story; she was placed in a vegetative state after a horrific car accident that occurred in rural Crow Wing County back in 2015. Macy’s 4-year-old daughter also suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash.
The driver of the other car was driving with a revoked license and had previously had his license suspended 13 times.
My bill would increase penalties for folks that are driving on a revoked or suspended license and cause a crash that results in great bodily harm, and would also create a three strikes approach for drivers who continue to drive in spite of having a revoked or suspended license.
I will be sure to keep you updated on this as it moves through the legislative process.
Tackling Distracted Driving
On Tuesday, the House Transportation Policy and Finance Committee heard a bill that would ban cellphone use behind the wheel without a hands-free device.
This is a first step in trying to address the growing concern with distracted driving on our roads.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the Department of Public Safety shared information that revealed distracted driving causes roughly 20 percent of crashes on the state’s roadways and kills an average of 53 people each year.
The bill would ban all handheld mobile device usage, including making phone calls, texting, accessing applications, and playing audio or video content. It would include exceptions for activating or deactivating features on the device using a one-touch mode, some emergency situations, and for use in emergency vehicles when used for official duties.
Stay tuned on this as it’s sure to make some other committee stops.
Staying in Touch
That’s all for this week’s update. I will have more information for you as the session progresses. In the meantime, I urge you to contact me to share any thoughts, concerns, or questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4333 or via email at rep.josh.heintzeman@house.mn.
Thanks and have a great weekend,
Josh