Dear Neighbors, I hope you had a great Easter, Passover, or Ramadan celebration last week. The Legislature returned from our annual recess on Tuesday after observing these holidays, and with less than six weeks to go until adjournment, our work is cut out for us. The $9.25 billion surplus gives us an opportunity not only to respond to the state’s crises by lowering costs, but to make transformational change that gets us all on the path to success after an incredibly challenging two years. After all, as the late Senator Wellstone said, “we all do better, when we all do better.” On the House side, we’ve built our supplemental budget blueprint to deliver investments in important priorities that allow us to meet the needs of and lower costs for Minnesota families, students, seniors, and small businesses. We will begin to vet, discuss, and pass these bills off the House Floor beginning as soon as next week. After that, House and Senate negotiations take place in the form of a conference committee, which is how differences within each version of a bill are resolved. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on our progress when these bills advance. Update on Legislation to Bring Civility Back to Youth SportsMany of you expressed interest in the legislation I’m authoring that would impose a fine on unruly fans at youth sporting events. Although it did pass its first hurdle in the House, the Senate decided not to give the bill a public hearing. This is no doubt disappointing, but I’m glad we were able to start the conversation on how we can bring civility back to the court or field. The Star Tribune published an editorial backing the legislation and you can read it here. Earth DayMore than a billion people in 190 countries celebrate Earth Day. Many of them use this opportunity to plant a tree, bike to work, or make lifestyle adjustments. These may seem like small changes, but together, they can make a big impact. Recycling clothing and used items is a great way to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and keep them out of landfills. |