Dear Neighbors,
Before I get into this week’s update, I wanted to share with you that I had an angioplasty on Monday morning in St. Paul. I had not been feeling well for a few days, so I went to the hospital, and it was determined that this procedure was necessary.
I am already feeling much better and returned to the Capitol on Wednesday morning to continue my work representing you, your family, and our communities.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to share your well wishes and kind words during my brief recovery from the procedure.
Tax Omnibus Bill
Last week, the House approved this year’s tax omnibus bill. I did not support the bill because several provisions in it concerned me and laid the groundwork for even more tax increases in the near future.
Remember, despite a $17.5 billion budget surplus, Democrats raised taxes by $10 billion last year. There is absolutely no reason why tax increases of any kind should be on the table.
While I did not support the final version of the bill, I did support a very important amendment that was successfully added to the bill. This amendment increases the Veterans Homestead Tax Exemption. The Republican amendment will make a huge difference in the lives of veterans, especially disabled veterans.
During the debate, the Chair of the Veterans Committee, Rep. Jerry Newton, bucked his tax chair and spoke in favor of the amendment. This was a great reminder that veterans’ issues and supporting the men and women who have served our nation is one issue that truly unites all of us in St. Paul.
Again, while I was unable to support the House version of the bill, I imagine I will be able to for it if it returns from conference committee with the problematic provisions removed. I am hopeful that this will be the case because the Senate version passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Victory for Religious Liberty
This week, after months of effort we were able to finally pass legislation that restores a religious exemption to portions of the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA).
This had been an ongoing issue due to changes made in state law related to gender identity last year. Up until recently, the MHRA included an exemption for religious organizations including churches, synagogues, and faith-based schools to, among other things, hire teachers and ministers consistent with their mission and values.
Our unanimous vote this week restores these protections that have always existed and are consistent with the constitutional rights enjoyed by all Americans to practice their religion without coercion from the government.
Staying in Touch
If you plan to be in St. Paul anytime soon or would like to set up a time to meet back home, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. It would be great to chat with you about the issues that are important to you and your family.
You can call me at 651-296-2190 or email me at rep.roger.skraba@house.mn.gov.
Have a great day!
Roger