Dear Neighbors,
There is now less than a week remaining until the end of the legislative session. The Republican majority leaders in the House and Senate decide when bills come before us on the floor, and decided to send veto-certain bills to Governor Dayton over the course of the last week. I don’t believe this tactic was helpful in reaching compromise with the Governor but remain hopeful that progress can still be made so we adjourn in time next Monday. At this time of surplus, I believe we should be working towards a budget that works for all Minnesotans.
As noted before, Governor Dayton and his administration have detailed their concerns in 190 pages of letters and nearly 1,700 meetings with Republican leaders throughout this legislative session. The Governor outlined his numerous reasons for vetoing these bills in the veto letters I’ve added below.
Veto Letters from Governor Dayton:
Chapter 41, SF 780: This is the omnibus agriculture finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 42, HF 888: This is the omnibus environment and natural resources finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 43, HF 890: This is the omnibus E-12 education finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 44, SF605: This is the omnibus state government, military and veterans affairs finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 45, SF 800: This is the omnibus health and human services finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 62, HF 861: This is the omnibus transportation finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 63, SF 803: This is the omnibus public safety and judiciary finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 64, SF 1937: This is the omnibus jobs and energy finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 65, SF 2214: This is the omnibus higher education finance bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Chapter 66, HF 4: This is the omnibus tax bill. To read Governor Dayton’s veto letter, click here.
Governor’s Fishing Opener in St. Cloud
I was honored to participate in this year’s Fishing Opener on the Mississippi River in St. Cloud. I was invited by the Department of Natural Resources Commissioner, Tom Landwehr. Commissioner Landwehr also invited me to bring my son with me (I chose not to bring my two-year-old). We had never fished on a river before and had a great experience, with my son catching two walleyes!
Want to Learn to Fish?
Our Department of Natural Resources has a great program called “I Can Fish!” This program is a great introduction to fishing, equipment is provided and the goal is that you will leave with the basic skills to go fishing on your own in the future. The program is just $5 for adults and free for children under 12. There are also similar programs for camping, climbing, paddling, mountain biking and archery. Check it out!
Hunting & Fishing Column in the Pioneer Press
I recently submitted a column to the Pioneer Press regarding support for hunting, fishing and conservation. You can read it as the second entry here.
Omnibus Public Safety Bill
As a member of the House Public Safety Committee, I was hoping that a better omnibus bill would come back from conference committee. Public safety is normally an area where we have wide bipartisan agreement, but choosing to underfund our courts, public defenders, legal aid, prisons, and other vital areas of government is reckless. I voted against this bill because I don’t think it will make our state more safe.
You can see my speech during the floor debate below:
Pop-Up Pints and Politics Tomorrow!
Join members of the House DFL Caucus over a beer to learn more about what's happening at the Capitol in the last days of the 2017 legislative session.
Where: Flat Earth Brewing (699 Minnehaha Ave E. Saint Paul, MN 55106)
When: Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Again, it is an honor to be your voice at the Capitol. Please do not hesitate to contact me about any issues or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Jamie
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