THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING OUR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 59 TOWN HALL
Thank you to all the neighbors who joined us this past Monday at our legislative town hall. It was great to share a session update with all of you and to hear your concerns around education, health care, and transportation. Please continue to stay in touch!
THIS WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE
This week the Minnesota House passed five major budget bills: (1) education; (2) jobs and energy; (3) health and human services; (4) taxes; and (5) agriculture and housing.
EDUCATION
The Education budget bill makes investments in every student in every public school. We fully fund our schools and increases K-12 per-pupil funding by 3% in 2020 and 2% in 2021. Minneapolis Public Schools will receive an increase $668 per-pupil. The bill also targets resources to address special education underfunding and reforms the special education funding formula. We also provide funding for school districts to hire student support service personnel, like school counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and chemical dependency counselors. I am excited about the investment we make in increasing the number of teachers of color and American Indian teachers in Minnesota, from recruitment through retention.
You can find the House Public Information Services coverage here.
JOBS AND ENERGY
The House DFL is committed to restoring investments in economic development, workforce development and energy which have been short-changed in the last few years.
The jobs and energy budget bill includes three provisions that go a long way in bringing more economic security to more Minnesotans: paid family leave, wage theft, and earned sick and safe time. It also has funding in workforce development to community-based organizations that provide job training and assistance. On the energy side, we have provisions for 100% clean energy standard by 2050, expanded community solar, and to promote energy storage.
You can find the House Public Information Services coverage here.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Health & Human Services budget we passed tonight secures the Health Care Access Fund; reduces soaring prescription drug costs; puts Minnesota on the pathway to a public health care option; protects access to reproductive health care for women; addresses unacceptable health disparities; and protects elders and vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect.
You can find the House Public Information Services coverage here.
TAXES
The Tax bill levels the playing field and provides the resources needed for honest investments in education, health care, and safe and inclusive communities. We raise $1.2 billion by modifying special tax preferences to bring in big corporation’s foreign profits.
You can find the House Public Information Services coverage here.
AGRICULTURE AND HOUSING
The Agriculture and Housing bill makes investments in agriculture and food and housing. In agriculture, we strengthen farmer mental health counseling services; maintain and expand foreign and domestic trade markets for Minnesota farm products; provide funding and guidelines for oversight, inspection and management of Cervidae farms to fight the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD); prepare for catastrophic disaster events; increase grant funding to Good Food Access, Urban and Youth Agriculture; and Farm-to-School programs; fight the spread of invasive plants; fund the industrial hemp development program; and support beginning, urban and minority farmers.
In housing, we increases investments to address homelessness, build more workforce housing, help individuals with mental illness have stable housing, protect children, and provide financial empowerment and training to help households of color and low-income renters achieve homeownership. We also established a new pilot program to increase lead testing and make residential rental units “lead safe.”
You can find the House Public Information Services coverage here.
JORDAN WEEK OF KINDNESS 2019 – JUNE 1
Please join the Jordan Area Community Council and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to celebrate the Jordan neighborhood on Saturday, June 1, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event location is on Russell Ave N between 26th and 29th Ave.
The Jordan Week of Kindness 2019 features:
- Local food and entertainment
- Habitat homes open houses and lunch
- Housing resource fair
- Free mammograms from Park Nicollet, Blood Lead Testing for Children (Leadie Eddie)
- Zumba Class with Elite Noir and
- 30 more organizations
I encourage you to contact me with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Also, I am available during select hours on Monday and Friday mornings most weeks for in-district meetings, if Northside residents aren’t able to make it to the Capitol. If you would like to send me a message or set up an in-district meeting, you can reach me by phone at 651-296-4262 or by email at rep.fue.lee@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you!
Somali language e-update sign up page: http://eepurl.com/gjxKHH
Hmong language e-update sign up page: http://eepurl.com/gjxCHH
Spanish language e-update sign up page: http://eepurl.com/gjxIaf |
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