Supporting Career Pathways in Rochester Schools
Dear Neighbors,
As the legislative session continues to ramp up, I have been honored to meet with constituents and advocacy groups here at the Capitol, including members of ISAIAH, UNIDOS, and the Minnesota Farmers Union.
I also met with members of the Mayo Clinic (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) department on how we can better support their work, which is critical, especially in the context of recent court rulings threatening in-vitro fertilization in Alabama.
This Monday, the House passed our first bill of 2024, with a nearly unanimous vote of 128-2. The bill is a technical corrections tax bill that will help ensure that as many Minnesotans as possible will fully experience the benefits of the 2023 Tax bill.
PTECH in Rochester Schools
This week, Rochester Public School Superintendent Dr. Kent Pekel testified before the Education Finance Committee on a bill I am co-authoring to support Rochester’s PTECH program.
The Pathways in Technology Early College High School Program, or PTECH for short, allows our students to earn both a high school diploma and a two-year postgraduate degree in a STEM field through internships, worksite visits, and more. In Rochester, that means supporting nursing and information technology (I.T.) which are incredibly in-demand fields for our community.
I am proud to be a co-author of this bill and want to thank fellow Rochester Rep. Kim Hicks for authoring the bill, and Dr. Pekel for taking the time to testify in support. You can watch the hearing here.
Insulin Prices Capped
Democrats are dedicated to reducing the cost of health care and protecting against price-gouging. Earlier this month, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a landmark settlement with the Eli Lily insulin company that caps insulin at just $35 for the next 5 years.
Drug companies raised the price of insulin by over 1,100% between 1990 and 2020, and this settlement ensures that Minnesotans can afford their lives and live with dignity, safety, and respect.
You can learn more about the settlement and how to get insulin for just $35 a month here: https://www.ag.state.mn.us/MNinsulin35/.
Murdered & Missing Indigenous Relatives Day of Remembrance
Last Wednesday we honored Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Day of Remembrance. Our colleagues in the Native American Legislative Caucus took a moment to reflect on this day, its importance, and held a moment of silence. You can watch their remarks here:
For more information, I encourage you to check out the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office, a first-in-the-nation office we established in 2021.
Stay Connected!
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Warmly,
Andy Smith,
State Representative