Legislative Update- October 16, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you well. Earlier this month, the Minnesota House of Representatives held a ‘mini-session’ which brought us to Winona, Rochester, Austin and surrounding areas in Southeastern Minnesota. Though the Minnesota House doesn’t officially reconvene until February 2020, the mini-session offered an opportunity for my colleagues and I to see our work through a different lens outside of St. Paul. The last mini-session was in 1997 in Willmar, and we’re hoping our work this year restarts the tradition of holding offsite hearings as part of our efforts to make the Minnesota House more responsive and accessible.

Here’s an update from St. Paul:

Minnesota Values Project

The Minnesota Values Project is a partnership between Minnesotans, elected officials, and organizations to create a shared vision for the future of our state. Minnesotans care deeply about our state and we want to see one another succeed. Working together, we can strengthen our communities by improving education opportunities, making affordable healthcare a reality, and increasing economic prosperity for all Minnesotans. Please share your views with the Minnesota Values Project here.

Getting Tough on ‘Robo-Calls’

This week, my House colleagues announced plans for cracking down on predatory ‘robo-calls’. These spoofed calls are on the rise in Minnesota with reporting showing 387 million robo-calls made so far in 2019, which is approximately 58 calls per impacted person. Scammers are using the latest technology to swindle people, especially the elderly and vulnerable populations, and it’s time to fight back. Minnesotans are sick and tired of these invasive calls. I look forward to supporting this common-sense legislation when it’s introduced at the start of the 2020 session in February.

State Board, Council and Committee Vacancies-Apply Today!

You’re encouraged to apply to fill vacancies accepting applications for various state boards, councils and committees. The newest vacancies and the full list of 693 vacancies can be found here. Applications may be submitted online and within 21 days of the “Publish Date” listed on the ‘Open Positions’ page, to be assured of full consideration.

Coffee with John

Now that we’ve settled back into the fall routine with school, sports, and other activities, ‘Coffee with John’ community meetings will resume. We’ll meet at the usual spot, Morning Glory’s Bakery Cafe, in Rosemount at 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. People are welcome to come and go. Save the date for our upcoming gathering on November 2! I hope you can make it.

Keep in Touch

Please reach out with any questions or input. I value your feedback and am grateful to represent you in St. Paul.

Sincerely,

John