Friends,
I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the great weather this past weekend. We've been quite busy at the Capitol this past week passing our tax relief and supplemental budget bills. We also announced our bonding bill and it received its first hearing this week in the Capital Investment Committee. Included in the bill was funding for the Red Lake School District (ISD 38) and for the one-room school district at the Northwest Angle School.
I am glad the work that has been done by these communities to secure funding is one step closer to reality. It has been great to get to know these advocates and work on behalf of our community to get these projects moving forward.
Public Safety Proposals Included in Omnibus
On Tuesday, the House passed our Public Safety Omnibus bill. Our bill is first and foremost committed to keeping Minnesotans safe, and it accomplishes that goal through important policy changes and additional funding in key areas. In the bill, we protect law enforcement officers and the communities they serve, keeps Minnesota’s roads safe, cracks down on dangerous sex offenders, increase penalties related to child pornography, and increase penalties for assaults against first responders like firemen and nurses.
I am proud to have authored many of these key provisions and will continue to make you and your family's safety one of my top priorities. Thank you for allowing me to serve you at the Capitol.
State Government Bill Prioritizes Veterans Homes
As part of the supplemental State Government Finance Supplemental budget bill passed last week, the House included funding for three veterans homes to be built in greater Minnesota. Using excess funds from the Vikings Stadium Reserve Account, the bill funds veterans homes in Bemidji, Preston, and Montevideo.
Providing this funding for the veterans home in Bemidji is long overdue and I am glad to see the hard work from everyone involved resulted in this being included in the House’s Budget proposal. The facility in Bemidji will fill a true hole in service and will serve veterans from 16 northern Minnesota counties, including four reservations. All of these veterans have earned and deserve the best care we can give them.
See footage from the press conference where we presented the bill here earlier last month.
Please continue to stay in touch to share your thoughts or concerns. My phone number is 651-296-4265 or you can email me at rep.matt.grossell@house.mn.
Have a great week and God Bless!
Matt