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State Representative Matt Dean
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3018
For more information contact: Amber Berhow 651-296-5520
NEWS COLUMN
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE MATT DEAN March 24, 2006
Hello from the Capitol! Here are a few highlights of this week’s legislative happenings:
Performance Pay for Legislators
On Thursday a “performance pay for legislators” bill I authored passed in the Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Committee by a vote of 17 to 5. When we want results, we look to accountability. This bill is about accountability, not about pointing fingers. It looks to the future, not the past.
The legislation seeks to penalize legislators for failure to complete their legislative duties on time by withholding salaries. This would specifically apply in budget years, when the legislature is required to pass a state budget by a May adjournment deadline. Both the Governor and legislators would forfeit June salaries if appropriation and revenue bills were not passed. The bill also provides for pay forfeiture in even-numbered years if lawmakers fail to correct budget imbalances based on prior forecasts.
This bill will demand accountability on the part of lawmakers. Families in my district are held accountable for completing jobs on time. It makes perfect sense to expect the same of lawmakers. The bill will now move on to the State Government Finance Committee.
Chemical Health Services across State Borders
A second bill I authored passed this week passed in the Health Committee. The legislation will allow interstate contracts to be used for chemical health services. This will benefit individuals living near a state border, as it would allow them to obtain chemical health services in the neighboring state, while the home state still provided payment. Patients will be able to receive care closer to home in many instances.
Stopping Local Government from Passing Sanctuary Ordinances
On Monday the House passed a bill to prevent local government from adopting laws that block government employees from inquiring as to an individual’s immigration status. Currently, Minneapolis and St. Paul have adopted ordinances that bar law enforcement from enforcing federal civil immigration laws unless a person’s immigration status is a part of the crime. The bill, authored by Rep. Jim Knoblach (R-St. Cloud), passed by a vote of 94-37. The new law will not require law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, but simply prevents units of government from passing laws that forbid them to do so.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of assistance on a state legislative issue. Have a good week!
News Items
- DEAN SWORN IN FOR FIFTH TERM - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 3:00PM)
- STATE REPRESENTATIVE MATT DEAN SELECTED AS 2010 HENRY TOLL FELLOW - (Posted: 2010-05-26 00:00:00)
- State Rep. Dean Reacts to St. Croix Bridge Decision - (Posted: 2010-03-15 00:00:00)
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