Legislative UpdateDear friends and neighbors, We had a busy week here at the Capitol! Although the number of visitors has slowed down, our focus is shifting. Our first two committee deadlines are next Friday, so much of this week has been dedicated to thorough preparation. We have been carefully reviewing legislation, talking amongst colleagues, and making final adjustments to ensure bills are ready for consideration. These deadlines play a crucial role in determining which proposals move forward in the legislative process. The third deadline will follow the next week, marking another important step in advancing key policies. I will continue to provide updates as we progress through each stage. Got Milk Bill I had the opportunity to introduce my 'Got Milk' bill in the Education Finance committee on Tuesday this week. Many thanks to Beth Geise, Superintendent of Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools, who came to testify in support of this bill. We had a lot of great discussion about the bill, and especially about the many issues that it addresses. Our school lunch lines should not waste taxpayer money and food, and my bill saves both of those things. I am grateful to have bipartisan support on the bill, which underlines its commonsense nature. The bill was laid over in the Education Finance committee for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill later this session. Considering its strong bipartisan support, I am very confident that this bill will pass off the House floor eventually.  Myself and Beth Geise, Superintendent of Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools at the HF2387 bill hearing Walz Continues Budget CutsThe governor recently released his revised budget, which now includes cuts to the Veterinary Student Reimbursement Program. He has also proposed reductions for nursing homes, senior living facilities, and schools, among other areas. With a looming $6 billion deficit, and after Democrats squandered an $18 billion surplus while raising taxes by $10 billion last session, Walz is scrambling to save face and present a sustainable budget proposal. However, he is certainly not achieving that by balancing the budget on the backs of Greater Minnesotans. There is no reason this budget should put our seniors and students at risk, and I remain firmly committed to opposing such proposals. It is important to highlight that the governor’s recommendations are not the final guidelines for our budget. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the House and Senate to craft the budget before sending it to the governor for approval. Regardless of what Tim Walz believes constitutes a good budget, it is the legislators in the House and Senate who have the authority to make that decision. HF1464I am carrying this bill, HF1464, which will provide funding for water quality improvements on French Lake in Rice County. This bill has been referred to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee for its first hearing, which I am hopeful will happen next week. Bills like these remind me of my responsibility to fight for our communities and their needs, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so! I will keep you updated on this bill after I introduce it. MFBF MeetingI got to meet with Carolyn Olson, Vice President of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) this week, which was awesome. Agriculture-focused meetings have been ongoing since the beginning of session, and I really enjoy them. It is great to hear from different stakeholders across the industry about the challenges that they are facing and how I can help. Thank you for visiting, Carolyn!  |