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State Representative Tim Mahoney
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4277
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
NEWS COLUMN
THIS SESSION CALLS FOR INNOVATION IN BIOSCIENCE AND GENOMICS
These first weeks of session have been very productive in the House. With bipartisan cooperation on the part of both the legislature and the Governor we passed the Federal Conformity bill with unanimous support. In doing so, we were able to grant much-needed tax relief to college students, military personnel, and teachers who purchase books and supplies for their students out of their own pockets.
But there is much more to be done. I hope that this partnership, along with further strides for bipartisan cooperation among my legislative colleagues in the House and Senate, will provide further avenues of progress for health care reform, property tax relief, and fair funding for our schools.
As a legislator I am committed to this spirit of innovation. As Chair the Biosciences and Emerging Technologies Committee, I am eager to begin the important work of finding new ways to support science and technological discovery within our own state and laying the foundation for the jobs of the future. Such work will not only benefit science, but our state's economy as well.
On January 18, legislation that I co-authored to increase funding for the University of Minnesota & Mayo Clinic's Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics was introduced on the House floor and will be heard in committee soon. In existence since 2003, the Partnership has paired two of the state's leading medical researchers in the attempt to make new scientific advancements, find innovative ways to improve health care, and provide significant benefits for Minnesota's economy.
This bill will provide additional resources to a program that has already yielded positive results in the field of science and for the economy of our state. The program can and must put Minnesota on the leading edge of bioscience research, discovery, and innovation. To ensure that the Partnership is afforded the opportunity to expand the scope of its impact in the fields of medicine and bioscience, and effectively provide positive results for our state, the time to re-invest in this important program is now.
Thus far the Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics has made important strides in the fight against Alzheimer's, prostate cancer, and heart disease. With the additional funding that that this bill will provide, even more can be done in Minnesota to regain our position of leadership in scientific research.
Not only does the Partnership stimulate the creation of new technologies and much-needed improvement in health care, but it also has the potential to create new jobs for Minnesotans and additional revenue for the state itself. Therefore, the economic impact of increased investment in this program is a good choice for our state. For the program's history of success and potential positive impact for state and local economies, it is imperative to act quickly on this important legislation.
The scientific results of the program and the efforts of its leaders to inform people around the state about its impact on the economy speak for themselves. The Partnership has done more than just create new innovations in medical science. It has taken a proactive approach in making a positive impact on the Minnesota economy by spreading the word across the state about the positive impacts its research has and will continue to have on our economy.
This bill must now undergo the full legislative process. However, with widespread support throughout the legislature to address health care in the state, the Governor's support, and the Partnership's history of success in science and economic development, this bill has a good chance this session.
The office of State Representative is as much my office as yours. I see this column as a way to keep you informed and in partnership with me in the best interest of our community and this state as a whole.
I encourage you to be in regular contact with me in response to this column and any other issue concerning this community or our state. Your participation in the legislative process is essential. I rely heavily on your input and take your voice seriously in the work I am doing. It is only through your voice and partnership that you and I can be fully aware of and effectively responsive to the needs of our community. Please contact me at (651) 296-4277, 591 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.tim.mahoney@house.mn.
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