Neighbors,
Expanding Victims Rights
Victims have the right to know when their abuser is released from jail, and they deserve to know who is posting the bail. That is not the case under current law. My bill, HF 128, had its first hearing in the Public Safety Committee last week and would address this issue.
If there is something wrong with the bail system, this bill would help bring those issues to light. Any racial disparities in the bail system would be exposed, once exposed there would be an opportunity to address and fix the issue.
House Democrats Release Budget
House Democrats released details of their budget proposal confirming that they, like the Governor, will seek to raise taxes on Minnesotans at a time when the state has over a billion-dollar budget surplus, is expecting almost $8 billion in aid from the federal government, and is sitting on billions in state budget reserves.
It should go without saying that this is a terrible idea for Minnesota. I plan to share additional details on their budget proposal in the weeks ahead.
Week in Review
Last week, I voted once again to end the peacetime emergency powers that the Governor has wielded for more than a year. The House GOP also tried to bring the following issues to the floor for votes that were blocked:
- SAFE Account: Our $35 million proposal for public safety response is a compromise that can pass with bipartisan support. It provides law enforcement funding for the Chauvin trial that prioritizes the city/county agencies that are involved in mutual aid agreements while setting aside controversial policy issues that Democrats were pushing.
- PPP Exemption: The Senate voted last week, with a veto-proof majority, to exempt Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from state taxes. Minnesota is currently the only state in the Upper Midwest to tax these funds. Our bill would provide a full exemption and give businesses the peace of mind they need right now.
- Unemployment Insurance Exemption: The legislation would exempt $10,200 in Unemployment Insurance income, the same exempted by the federal government.
- Summer Learning: We put forward a compromise proposal that would make funding available to schools if they choose to have in-person learning options this summer. It includes funding for mental health and early learning scholarships and would be reimbursed by the federal money that is coming from the latest COVID relief bill.
I will keep pushing to make sure we address the needs of our law enforcement, businesses, and families.
Staying in Touch
Please be sure to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas on ways to improve state government. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4237 or via email at rep.paul.novotny@house.mn.
Have a good day,
Paul