Dear Neighbor,
Legislators returned to St. Paul this week as the 2024 session got up and running. It’s good to be back at the Capitol working for District 11A residents with crucial issues in store for the coming months.
Local focus
The people in our district deserve to have a state representative that puts constituents above all else and that has been my top priority since the day I swore the oath of office, without a doubt.
If it’s something that will help people in our district, I’ll support it. If it’s going to be bad news for my friends and neighbors, then I’ll oppose it. It’s strange you even have to say those words, but we see it all the time at the Capitol these days – particularly where legislators from Greater Minnesota jump on board with the Twin Cities metro agenda at the expense of their constituents. The next thing you know Democrats are raising taxes by $10 billion despite a $17.5 billion surplus or dealing another blow to mining.
I’m at the Capitol to advance what’s good for the people in District 11A – end of story. I spent the legislative interim crisscrossing our district to remain firmly in touch with local residents, to hear what’s on their mind. Please let me know if you would like to arrange a meeting either here in the district or at the Capitol and I will do my very best to accommodate you. Here are some of the people I’ve met with recently:
Community Health Board
Great meeting with the amazing representatives of Carlton and area Community Health Board. They updated me on the numerous challenges they are facing in our communities.
Law enforcement
Always good to spend time with some of our best present and past law-enforcement. Thank you for all you do!
School safety fix still needed
House Republicans on Day 1 of this session made a motion to suspend the rules and bring forward a bill (HF3489) to resolve the school resource officer issue in our schools. You may recall changes made to state law last year limit what SROs are allowed to do to de-escalate aggressive or violent situations, taking away tools they can use to keep students and teachers safe. In response, law enforcement agencies pulled SROs from numerous schools across Minnesota.
Unfortunately, the majority blocked this motion to take prompt action and continues delaying legislation that is needed to fix this serious public safety issue despite promises to put it on a fast track. Schools, students, and law enforcement have been waiting for months for a solution allowing SROs to return to their posts, ensuring school safety. Republicans will continue working until a real fix is passed and all SROs are back in schools.
Looking for feedback
District 11A residents are invited to participate in a survey of sorts I started on Facebook. You can visit my official page and leave a comment regarding what you would like the Legislature to prioritize this year. Click here for that link.
Helpful links
With so much happening at the Capitol this session, here are some links to resources that can help you follow along:
Look for more from the House soon. As always, please let me know how I can help.
Sincerely,
Jeff