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State Representative Chris Swedzinski

251 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5374

For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520

Posted: 2011-05-06 00:00:00
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SESSION UPDATE

News From Representative Swedzinski

Friends –

We are at the final stretch now with only 2 weeks to go until the end of session; we are projected to wrap up session on May 23rd. This week a number of Constitutional Amendments were introduced to be put on the ballot in November of 2012. Some of them include a marriage amendment, voter ID, a legislative super-majority to pass a tax increase, and spending caps.

Marriage Amendment: This bill, House File 1613, was introduced in the Senate as well and is proposing an amendment to the Minnesota constitution, article XIII recognizing marriage as a union between a man and a woman. This bill will put the question before voters in November of 2012 to amend the state constitution to define marriage in Minnesota as a union of one man and one woman. It has already passed the Civil Law Committee and will move through other committees before it comes to the House floor.

Voter ID: The Voter ID bill, introduced by Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, would require providing photo identification before one can vote. This bill proposes an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution requiring voters to present photographic identification and to establish eligibility to vote prior to casting a ballot. The amendment would also require the state to issue free identification to eligible voters.

Taxes: Rep. Steve Drazkowski has introduced, House File 1598, a bill that would require a super-majority of the legislature to increase taxes, just as bonding (borrowing money) requires a super-majority to pass. A super-majority would be 81 votes in the House. Requires a three-fifths vote by each house of the legislature to enact a law that:

• Increases the general rate of an income or sales tax
• Increases the tax base of an income or sales tax
• Increases property taxes
• Enacts a new statewide tax of any type

Spending Cap: H. F. 1612, authored by Rep. Keith Downey, proposes an amendment to the Minnesota constitution requiring that state expenditures from all sources for a two-year state budget must be limited to the amount of revenues received by the state for the previous biennium (two year period). It specifies that one-time repayments are exempt from this requirement and allows additional expenditures for a declared national security or peacetime emergency.

This week the first redistricting map plan was introduced by House Redistricting Chair Rep. Sarah Anderson. Please know that through negotiations this map could again, change. The district, as mapped right now, would include the cities of Walnut Grove, Revere, Morgan, Clements and the townships include: Three Lakes, Morgan, Springdale, and North Hero. Click here for more information: http://www.gis.leg.mn/redist2010/plans.php?plname=L1101_0


As always let me know if I can be of help to you in any way. You can email me at rep.chris.swedzinski@house.mn or call my office at 651-296-5374.

Best,

Chris

P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook for legislative updates: http://goo.gl/tYBW5

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