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State Representative Tom Hackbarth
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2439
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Email update
Voter ID bill passes House; state economy surging
Dear Neighbor,
A bill allowing Minnesotans to decide whether photo ID should be required at the polls passed the House this week.
Pending Senate approval, Minnesota voters will be asked this question in November: “Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification on Election Day and that the state provide free identification to eligible voters?”
There is huge public support for this initiative as a way to support the integrity of our elections. A KSTP poll posted just this week shows close to 75 percent favor photo ID for voters. Other surveys consistently provide similar results.
It will be simple for the vast majority of Minnesotans to provide a photo ID at the polls. As the constitutional question states, those who do not have a photo ID may request one from the state. If, for whatever reason, you do not have a photo ID when you go to the poll, you still can cast a provisional ballot and provide verification later.
STATE ECONOMY SURGING
The changes Republicans have brought the state the last two sessions definitely are taking root and making a real difference in getting our economy back on track. A StarTribune article issued today says Minnesota has gained 32,300 jobs the last three months alone and we now have recovered more than half of the jobs lost during the recession.
Private-sector jobs are growing in Minnesota. This is what happens when we provide businesses with certainty. The Republican majority’s work in St. Paul is inspiring our entrepreneurs to invest and expand their workforce instead of holding tight, afraid of what government is going to do to them next.
Here is an interesting tidbit: Our state’s unemployment rate rose from 5.6 percent to 5.7 percent last month, but there is a silver lining to that development. A number of people who gave up looking for jobs during the recession were not accounted for in recent unemployment figures. Many of those people are coming off the bench to look for jobs now that businesses are hiring again.
That is a good thing and it is the reason our unemployment rate trickled upward. Let’s all hope decisions we are making at the Capitol continue leading our state back to prosperity.
Sincerely,
Tom Hackbarth
State Representative, District 48A
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