Dear Friends,
It is an honor to work for you at the Capitol and to serve as your voice on the many pressing issues facing Lakeville and our state. We had a busy week, and I wanted to make sure you’re up to speed.
Health Care
Yesterday, the House approved the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access bill on a bipartisan vote. We moved quickly to pass this legislation in the House so we could provide premium relief and common-sense reforms for those buying their health insurance on the individual market.
Minnesotans put a Republican Legislature in St. Paul so we could tackle this issue. Our bill provides a 25% premium reduction for those buying insurance on the individual market. This will go a long way when you consider premiums have risen as much as 60% this year. We also have reforms to increase competition and access to care.
It’s important to know that these reforms are just a start. Minnesota used to have one of the top health care systems in the country, and there’s lots of ways to move us back in that direction. I’m anxious to see further improvements to stabilize this system as we proceed through session.
Education
It’s the first year of the biennium which means we’ll be planning Minnesota’s budget. A large chunk of this spending is devoted to E-12 funding. Especially in Lakeville, we’re proud of our state’s schools. We demonstrated that last biennium as we dedicated $525 million in new funding for education. We also increased early education scholarships to help shrink the achievement gap.
It wasn’t just funding increases that made a difference. We had meaningful reforms to improve teach licensure, create safer schools, and increase classroom learning. I’m proud to support Minnesota schools, and look forward to creating a responsible, education-focused budget this session.
Met Council
One thing I’m working on this session is changes to the Metropolitan Council. This group of unelected officials has control over development around the Twin Cities, but there aren’t checks to their power. We’re holding hearings to discuss Met Council reform, as well as smarter, efficient forms of transit. Transit to and from Lakeville is an important topic, and one we have to research going forward.
Normandale Visit
Last week, I visited Normandale Community College to learn more about some of their programs. It was great meeting with staff and students to hear more about one of our local higher education institutions. Thanks to Dr. Joyce Ester for hosting!
Have a great weekend,
Jon Koznick
State Representative, Lakeville, 58A