 Dear Neighbors, My heart is with the families, loved ones, and colleagues of the Burnsville public safety heroes who were killed on Sunday. This tragedy reminds all of us of the difficult and dangerous work our first responders carry out daily to our neighbors. Our Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, West Saint Paul, Lilydale, and Sunfish Lake communities stand with Burnsville and lend our full support to the community while they deal with this horrific event and try to begin the healing process. On Monday, legislators representing the Burnsville area delivered remarks and asked for a moment of silence, which you can watch here.  Our work continues in St. Paul at the Capitol. Here’s a look at what I’ve been up to and some legislation I’m carrying for our community: Legislation UpdateA couple of my bills to support schools and students received committee hearings this week. The first is a bipartisan proposal that would make available grants to families having difficulty paying for driver’s education. Students and parents now incur all expenses — which can be up to $500 — of the driver’s education program offered by school districts. We want our roads to be safe and ensuring new drivers can afford to learn the rules of the road benefits all of us. The nonpartisan office of House Public Information has more details you can read here.  The second bill would address how schools count credits for K-12 students. Currently, a high school must provide students with at least 1,020 hours of instruction each year. My bill would allow districts to award credit based on the student’s mastery of the subject rather than the number of hours of instruction in the subject the student has received. Connected to CommunityThis week, I was honored to attend the swearing-in of Mendota Heights' two newest police officers. The Mendota Heights Police Department also presented MH resident Chad Greely with a Citizen Award to recognize his lifesaving efforts in preventing the suicide of a neighbor experiencing a mental health crisis. Our police departments and first responders are an integral part of keeping our community safe, which is why I supported delivering $509,895 in Public Safety Aid to MH to assist with training, equipment, and violence prevention.  I'm grateful for the veterans who selflessly serve to defend our freedoms. I was glad to have a chance to meet with these local heroes from our district who are advocating gun violence prevention measures. They know more than anyone that certain weapons – like assault rifles – are designed for war zones, not our city streets. All Minnesotans deserve the freedom to be safe from gun violence at work, school, home, or any other public place, and I appreciated the time our community members took to make their voices heard.  I also had a chance to welcome constituents advocating for legislation to make filling out the FAFSA easier ahead of college and for improvements to healthcare access and overall health outcomes for all Minnesotans.  Keep in TouchPlease continue to reach out and contact me anytime at rep.mary.frances.clardy@house.mn.gov or 651-296-3533. Your input and questions are important to me. You’re also welcome to follow me on my Capitol Facebook page for more updates. Thank you for the honor of representing our neighbors in House District 53A. Forward, Mary Frances Clardy
State Representative Representative Mary Frances Clardy529 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155Phone: 651-296-3533
Email: rep.mary.frances.clardy@house.mn.gov (replies to this newsletter are not monitored)
Website: https://www.house.mn.gov/53A
Legislative Assistant: Jacob Hooper, 651-296-9647 |