Hello!
Happy Opening Day of the Minnesota State Fair! I’ll be at the Minnesota House of Representatives booth from 10am-12pm on Sunday, September 1st. Grab a Pronto Pup and stop by to say hello! Before you head off to get your food on a stick and ride the giant slide, here’s a quick recap on what’s been going on at the State Capitol.
Insulin for All
Even with the Legislature adjourned until February 2020, work is still being done to find a solution for the insulin crisis in Minnesota. This life-saving drug for diabetics has skyrocketed in price, and just this summer another Minnesota has died from rationing their insulin they could no longer afford. I was proud to vote for the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act this session, which would create a program to provide insulin to those who could not afford it by placing a fee on insulin manufacturers. Unfortunately, disagreements on how the program should be paid for caused the bill to fail in the final hours of the legislative session. Something as important as this can’t afford to wait until February, which is why the DFL House is taking action.
Since session ended, work has continued to make sure this is an issue that isn’t placed on the back burner. Recent efforts include a bipartisan roundtable discussion on insulin, where legislators and advocates came together to discuss what can be done to make sure another Minnesotan never again dies from a lack of insulin. More conversations will be taking place in communities around Minnesota, and an interim committee will be meeting this fall. I stand with Governor Walz and House leadership in calling for a special session to address this issue and pass this bill. I hope you’ll join me in calling on our leaders in the Senate to take on the insulin crisis now.
If you’d like to get involved in the advocacy efforts around the #insulin4all movement, the Minnesota Chapter of T1International will be holding a rally on Sunday, August 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Centennial Lakes Park Amphitheater in Edina. You can find more information here.
The Shakopee Podcast
The most recent episode of the Shakopee Podcast is up! This week we have Dr. Terryl Raddatz, the director of the Scott County Mental Health Center, to discuss the mental health resources available to Shakopee. Mental health took center stage this session in numerous areas, from how we support our struggling farmers to caring for students in our schools. Dr. Raddatz offers some great insights into mental health, and how help can be found in our community. You can listen and subscribe by clicking the image below, or by listening to our soundcloud here. Other recent episodes include a deep dive on the Academies at Shakopee Senior High and all the work that goes into Rhythm on the Rails.
State Capitol Tours
Second only to the State Fair when it comes to St. Paul fun are the upcoming State Capitol tours we have specifically for the residents of Shakopee. You can still RSVP for Shakopee Family Day at the Capitol on September 7 (this is a new date) from 12-1pm, and another Shakopee Day at the Capitol on November 8 from 2-3pm. These tours will give you a special behind-the-scenes look at the Capitol, and may include a special guest or two.
Don’t forget interim office hours continue to be held every other Monday morning at Munkabeans, and every other Thursday afternoon at Badger Hill Brewing. You can find more information on office hours, including how to RSVP,here.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or comments you’d like to discuss, otherwise I hope to see you at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!
Brad |
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