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State Representative Tim O'Driscoll
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7808
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
HOUSE BRIEFS
School Land Trust Bill Committee Passage
Greetings!
This week I have seen a lot of good momentum from my bills. Despite the release of the new redistricting maps this week, my focus remains on the issues of my current district and constituents. Information on the new district lines can be found here: http://www.gis.leg.mn/html/redistricting.html
School Trust Lands
My school land trust bill (HF2244) passed through two committees this week. On Tuesday it was heard in the House Education Finance Committee and was passed on to the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee, which heard the bill on Thursday. It has now been passed and sent to Government Operations and Elections Committee and should get a hearing on the House floor soon.
HF2244 will separate out the school trust lands from other lands managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. These lands were meant to be managed in such a way that they would generate financial benefit to our public school students.
Those who are supporting this management change believe that forming a separate commission would allow for more focus on managing trust lands, which would provide more benefit for our students.
Sex Offender Update
The Minnesota House of Representatives voted this week to close a loophole in the state's sex offender community notification law.
Under current state law, local law enforcement is prohibited from holding community notification meetings on sex offenders being released from the Minnesota Sexual Offender Program (MSOP) to a half-way house.
We were especially concerned with this as a judicial panel recently decided to provisionally discharge Clarence Opheim, a sex offender who molested 29 children in the 1970s and 1980s. Opheim is expected to be released from the MSOP program in the next week.
The bill passed the Minnesota House with near unanimous support. It was then sent to the Minnesota Senate. Governor Mark Dayton has indicated he will sign the bill into law.
Teacher Licensure
This week Governor Dayton made his first bill approval of the year when he signed House File 1770 into law.
The law now requires teacher candidates to pass the basic skills exam before being granted an initial teaching license. Former law required the basic skills test, but still allowed teachers in the classroom even if they failed. This legislation helps ensure that we are hiring effective teachers who will provide a high quality education for our children.
HF1770 passed 132-0 in the House and 60-1 in the Senate. Governor Dayton requested last week during his State of the State address that he be presented with bi-partisan bills. This bill met his request. We all agree that we need to raise the bar for teacher candidates in order to help solve the achievement gap.
Local Government Bank Deposits
On Thursday my local government bank deposits bill (HF2174) was heard in the House Government Operations and Elections Committee.
This bill would permit school districts, towns, counties, and cities to deposit funds in their official depository bank or credit union, under an arrangement permitting the depository bank to redeposit the funds into accounts at other banks that would serve as sub-custodians of the funds.
HF2174 will give local government more freedom to make decisions about their money. It will also create more jobs and opportunities for Minnesota banks and credit unions.
-Tim
News Items
- O'Driscoll Begins Second Term in MN House - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 4:00PM)
- MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF BILL TO MODIFY MANDATORY TIERED WATER PRICING FOR CITIES - (Posted: 2012-04-02 00:00:00)
- REPRESENTATIVE O’DRISCOLL’S LAND TRUST BILL PASSES THROUGH THE HOUSE - (Posted: 2012-03-19 00:00:00)
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