Budget FrameworkLegislative leaders and Governor Walz have agreed on the supplemental budget framework for the 2024 session. The budget allows lawmakers to address the most urgent challenges impacting working families and communities. In addition, it maintains our stable economic forecast into future years. This legislative session focuses in part on crafting a bonding bill, and we are committed to investing in statewide infrastructure projects to help communities protect access to safe drinking water, fix roads and bridges, encourage innovation at our colleges, universities, and tech schools, get tools to our first responders to they can answer the call during emergencies, and help all Minnesota communities thrive. I am strongly advocating for the Mendota Water Project, as well as a proposal by my colleague Rep. Mary Frances Clardy to replace the Mendota Heights Police Station and City Hall. Addressing Workforce Shortages in Dakota CountyThis week, I presented a bill to address workforce shortages in disability services for Dakota County. County Commissioner and former State Representative Laurie Halverson joined me to testify, as well as Dakota County Social Services Director Evan Henspeter. I’ve long been an advocate for disability services and accessibility, both personally and professionally. As your State Representative, I’m committed to continuing these efforts to create a more inclusive Minnesota.  State of the State AddressLast Tuesday, I joined my colleagues down in Owatonna for the Governor’s 6th State of the State Address. Many of his words rang incredibly true – though we made historic progress for Minnesota last session, there’s still much to be done. We’re on track to make Minnesota the best place to raise a family, but our work is not finished. You can watch the Governor’s full address here.  Happy Easter, Ramadan Murabek, and Ah Freilichen PurimTo everyone who has celebrated a holiday over the past few weeks, I hope it was filled with joy and loved ones. My family spent Easter weekend up in Lutsen for some cozy family time in the snow. Last week, my daughter joined me at the Capitol and we enjoyed some hamantaschen in celebration of Purim! Regardless of what you celebrate, this sure is a delicious time of year.  Our Community at the CapitolThis week I got to see and hear from several members of the community, including superintendents and school board members from ISDs 197 and 196, advocates for Disability Services Day, Dakota County United Educators, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, and the Alzheimer’s Association. I always appreciate when constituents make the trip up to the Capitol, and always value any input you have on issues that you care about.  Expanding Access to Affordable, High-Quality Health CareAll Minnesotans deserve to live healthy lives with economic security, and DFLers at the Capitol are committed to expanding access to affordable, quality health care. Unfortunately, too many Minnesotans currently can’t afford health insurance or have health insurance they can’t afford to use. Working families without employer-based insurance often face outrageous premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. For instance, many plans on the individual market have annual deductibles of $7,000 or higher. This puts Minnesotans in an impossible predicament, which leads to people avoiding care and results in poor health outcomes – sometimes with tragic consequences. One plan to solve this problem impacting middle-class Minnesotans is the MinnesotaCare Public Option. It would allow all Minnesotans to access comprehensive health insurance coverage – with vision, dental, and more – with low out-of-pocket costs and a large network of quality medical providers. People enrolled in the Public Option would pay their own premiums – with significantly lower prices than what’s available currently on the individual market – determined on a sliding scale based on income. MinnesotaCare has been a nation-leading, highly successful, and trusted health insurance program serving low-income working Minnesotans for over 30 years. The bill creating a MinnesotaCare Public Option – which would expand affordable health insurance to thousands of more Minnesotans – is advancing through the committee process in the House. |