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State Representative Kurt Daudt
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5364
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
HOUSE BRIEFS
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Hello Neighbors,
The 2012 legislative session is now underway. It’s an honor to continue to serve the residents of Minnesota House district 17A and the State of Minnesota.
When I arrived in St. Paul last year, we were facing a nearly $6.2 billion deficit, according to November 2010 projections. As a result of hard work and some very tough decisions, we were able to come to agreement with Gov. Dayton and balance the state's budget without increasing taxes.
In November 2011, the Minnesota Management and Budget’s yearly forecast predicted an $876 million surplus for the current biennium. By law, this money will be used to fill up state cash-reserve accounts before it can be used for any other purpose. This surplus represents a dramatic turnaround from this time last year; however, it doesn't mean the state is out of the woods yet. This year we plan to build on the reforms that led to this surplus in an effort we are calling “Reform 2.0”.
“Reform 2.0” will feature several government reform ideas focused on creating a competitive business climate, high performing education and smaller, more cost-effective government. After receiving input from business owners, local government leaders, and interested citizens on how to reform state and local government, we’ve developed a list of reforms for this session. “Reform 2.0” will modernize outdated, rigid public systems that have failed to respond to the evolving needs of Minnesota’s economy and citizens.
My major focus for this initiative will be welfare reform. I authored a bill that the Governor signed into law last year which improved regulations for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. It is now illegal to purchase alcohol and tobacco with the EBT card. These restrictions also require liquor stores, tobacco stores, gambling establishments, and tattoo parlors to block EBT transactions. We now put the recipient’s name on the card to make it easier to prevent fraudulent use.
Along with this law, we have now appointed a Minnesota EBT Business Task Force. I have recently been appointed as the chair of that task force and consider this appointment an honor. This year I plan to institute the following reforms:
• I recently introduced House File 2080 which enhances current EBT statute to further protect against fraud. It would also reduce lifetime welfare benefits from five to three years for new applicants.
• I plan to introduce legislation that would restrict EBT use to in-state purchases and prevent our welfare dollars from leaving the state.
• I also plan to extend the residency requirement from 30 to 60 days. Previous extensions have been denied by the court system, however, the 60 day requirement was recently upheld by a Wisconsin court and I am confident that it could be upheld here as well.
• I plan to add requirements that ensure a photo ID is required for use of an EBT card in the state of Minnesota. This requirement may also include a photo printed directly on the EBT card itself.
I believe that the legislation we pass this year will go a long way toward reforming government and restoring common-sense and accountability to the taxpayer.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to share your thoughts on the legislative session.
-Kurt
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News Items
- House Republicans Finalize Leadership Team - (Posted: 2012-12-17 00:00:00)
- House Republicans Elect Whip and Assistant Leaders - (Posted: 2012-12-12 00:00:00)
- House Republican Leader Kurt Daudt Chooses Rep. Jenifer Loon as Deputy Leader - (Posted: 2012-11-19 00:00:00)
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