Accessibility menu
State Representative Tom Hackbarth
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2439
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
OP/ED COLUMN
WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATE
Hello from the State Capitol!
The Dream Act
A bill called the Dream Act, which would give illegal immigrants in-state tuition costs at Minnesota post-secondary institutions. The bill was held over by the House Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division for possible inclusion in its omnibus bill. (HF 722)
Smoking ban keeps moving
The House Finance Committee debated the smoking ban this week. Several amendments were offered, including one which would excuse affected bars and restaurants who meet certain conditions, such as installed ventilation systems and enclosed smoking areas, and are exempted by their local governments. That amendment failed, but was passed after being reoffered, with an addition of a smoking room that employees would not be permitted to enter while at work. The bill now goes to the House Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division. (HF 305)
Funding for K-12 Education
The omnibus K-12 education bill would provide a $919 million increase in funding from the current biennium. The money would come from a new fourth tier income tax. The bill includes a 3 percent increase in base funding; $152 million for a combination of technology upgrades, innovation and reform proposals, gifted and talented programs and funding for school libraries; $125 million in property tax relief; $106 million increase in special education funding would allow mandates to be funded and would allow research in programs to reduce special education needs; and a $95 million boost for voluntary all-day kindergarten to allow all school districts to participate in the program. (HF 6)
Fragrance Free Schools
Minneapolis schools could be going fragrance free in an effort to curb asthma attacks by students and teachers. The bill would create a working group that includes students, teachers, a school administrator and one member of the Board of Education to recommend an education campaign to inform students and parents about the potentially harmful effects of fragrance products. The bill was held over by the House Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division for possible omnibus inclusion. (HF 2148)
Protecting our youngest children
That was the basis of concern of a bill which was held over for possible omnibus inclusion this week. The bill would ask the commissioner of health to create a stakeholder committee to review scientific literature on the health effects of Lindane on children and to report findings to the Legislature by January 2008. The proposal specifically targets its use for lice. (HF 917)
Sincerely,
Tom
News Items
- Dems propose to spend and tax - (Posted: Mar 22 2013 12:00AM)
- Statewide insurance plan makes headlines - (Posted: Mar 15 2013 12:00AM)
- Bill is the poster for government waste - (Posted: Mar 7 2013 12:00AM)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.