Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the House, where we continue moving good bills through the committee process and to the floor for votes from the full body. Here’s the latest on some notable measures:
Protecting Minnesota Tax Dollars for Minnesotans
Legislation which prohibits immigrants here illegally from receiving state-funded benefits like free college through the North Star Promise is moving through House committees. Currently, immigrants here illegally qualify through the Dream Act for financial aid before legal Minnesota residents.
This bill (H.F. 10) is another one that fits right into my role as a taxpayer watchdog because it helps Minnesota’s government better manage taxpayer dollars by prioritizing benefits for legal citizens. It also restores fairness and accountability by making sure Minnesota tax dollars are serving Minnesotans first.
Safe and fair competition for girls
As mentioned in my last newsletter, I am among House Republicans championing H.F. 12, which says: “Only students of the female sex may participate in an elementary or secondary school athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls.”
This bill is squarely in line with polls showing an overwhelming 80 percent agree that biological sex should determine participation in sports, and that those born male at birth should be excluded from women’s sports.
St. Paul visitors
Thank you to all the people who have come to St. Paul to meet with me and discuss a variety of issues. This includes:
Meeker County Cooperative Light and Power Association
Minnesota Valley REC
MN soybean growers
UMD students
Supporting women, families
House Republicans have introduced H.F. 24 and H.F. 25 to help women and families. A press conference recently took place to take a closer look these proposals.
HF 25 appropriates $4 million in funding to women’s pregnancy centers and maternity homes. It is important to note this bill will be amended to take that funding out of the existing budget for the Minnesota Department of Health. To be clear, this is NOT a bill to support taxpayer-funded abortions, it’s about providing mothers with positive alternatives. By removing grant funding last year, Democrats actually limited women’s freedom to choose what is best for them.
HF 24 is titled the “Born Alive Rollback,” which extends legal protections to infants who are born alive after an abortion procedure. This bill would require that doctors protect the lives of infants under these adverse circumstances in the same way that they protect infants born under normal conditions. No matter the circumstances, an infant born alive should most definitely be given the dignity and humanity afforded to all people.
HFs 24 and 25 are moving through committees and should be on track to come to the floor soon.
TeenPact event
Registration is now open to for upcoming TeenPact classes at the Capitol in St. Paul as students from around the state gather for hands-on training in leadership and government.
TeenPact is a nationwide Christian non-profit educational ministry, known for its teen-oriented programs on leadership, citizenship, and government. It designed to help students understand the political process, value their liberty, and engage the culture. Through hands-on and practical teaching, TeenPact Students learn how to embrace their call as the next generation of leaders, find encouragement among like-minded peers, and develop the skills to engage the culture.
A four-day class will take place March 31-April 3 for ages 13-19, and a political workshop for that same age group is available April 4. A one-day class for ages 8-12 is scheduled for April 4. The class for ages 8-12 is a condensed version of the class for the older group. Students will pray for their leaders during a prayer walk, explore the State House, become legislators in a mock legislature where they discuss bills they’ve written themselves, and more. Additional information and registration details are available at teenpact.com/minnesota.
Until next time, have a good weekend and please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Scott