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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
2007 Legislative Session Underway
With the swearing-in of 35 new members and a new Speaker of the House, the 2007 Legislative session got underway on Wednesday. The message from the voters in the November election was clear – they want their elected officials to work together on issues that matter most to Minnesotans – affordable health care for all, sustainable funding for education and meaningful property tax relief. These priorities, among others, will be foremost on the agenda as we move forward.
As a long time health care worker, I am very pleased to have been named Vice-Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. In all of my years in the health care industry, I don't remember a time when health care concerns weighed as heavily on people's minds as they do today. Whether it's access to coverage or the high cost of treatment and prescriptions, Minnesotans rank health care as their number one issue of concern.
A report that came out last year was especially troubling. According to the Children's Defense Fund, 68,000 Minnesota children are without health insurance. The number of uninsured children is growing, particularly for those under six years old, a crucial period for child development. For many, that means not getting routine check-ups and immunizations, leaving these young children vulnerable to illness and physical problems that grow more serious when not detected early.
I believe all Minnesotans agree every child should have the medical care they need. This is one of our top priorities for this session, and I am hopeful that my leadership on the Health Care Policy Committee can help make that happen. I was also appointed to the Health Care and Human Services Finance Committee, which will help solidify these efforts. It is simply not acceptable to tell a parent their child cannot receive the medical treatment they need because they don't have insurance.
My other committee appointments also reflect my top interests and priorities. I will serve on the Early Childhood Learning Finance Committee, and the Labor and Consumer Protection Committee.
As we move forward in this Legislative session, it will be important to work with members of both parties to reach a compromise on the important issues that face our state. Not only do we need to pass meaningful property tax relief, better funding for our schools and increased access to affordable health care, we also need to fund much-needed transportation projects and protect our environment. The state budget for the next two years is also on deck for this session.
It is very important for the future of our state that we meet these challenges. Please continue to contact me with your feedback and questions as the 2007 Legislative session gets underway. I can be reached at (651) 296-8237, 551 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.patti.fritz@house.mn.
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
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