Last session the Minnesota Legislature took a major step in addressing our state’s road and bridge repair needs by passing a new law that dedicates billions of dollars over the next ten years to transportation. We were able to do this without raising any taxes....
As lawmakers departed St. Paul for the Easter/Passover holiday break, we successfully met our second deadline. So what does this mean? The first deadline is for committees to act favorably on bills in the house of origin was March 22. The second deadline is...
On March 14, Governor Dayton gave his final State of the State address to members of the Minnesota Legislature. Generally speaking, he used his time to point out a number of positives over the past few years. But there were a pair of areas that I found were...
During my time in the Minnesota House, I’ve found some of the best ideas for legislation happens through conversations with constituents. Some time ago, an Owatonna resident contacted me with his concerns about identity theft. He wanted a means to protect his...
The recent tragedy in Florida has once again brought the school safety issue back to the legislative forefront. It’s a good discussion to have. And as we have this conversation, it’s my belief that addressing children’s mental health must also play a major...
My fellow Minnesota lawmakers and I have returned to St. Paul for the start of the 2018 Legislative Session. With a two-year budget approved last year, you may be wondering what legislators might be working on over the next three months. In reality, we have...
This week, the Minnesota House and Senate have been approving budget bills and sending them to Governor Dayton for his review, and hopefully his signature. While the governor has had lukewarm interest at best in trying to find a budget compromise with the...
In order for a bill to become law - or in the case of our budget, several spending bills – the House, Senate, and governor all must agree on the bill’s language. Currently we are in a situation where the House and Senate have negotiated budget bills so we can...
In an effort to make both a short term and long range commitment to road and bridge improvements across Minnesota, the Minnesota House of Representatives has passed legislation that would make a major funding investment into statewide transportation needs. ...
As lawmakers heard last fall, lowering the cost of health insurance is a top priority for Minnesotans. Earlier this session, lawmakers provided premium relief to eligible subscribers and approved other reforms, such as allowing for-profit HMO’s to operate in...