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State Representative Barb Yarusso
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0141
For more information contact: Susie Merthan 651-296-2955
E-Update
2013 Session Update: March 8
Dear friends,
It has been another busy week at the legislature. Policy deadlines are fast-approaching and we are working feverishly to get bills through the committee process and move forward with finalized legislative proposals.
TCAAP
The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) Bill that I’m working on this session was heard by the Transportation Finance Committee this week. The bill includes funding for improvements to trunk highways and county highways near the TCAAP site to help planned development and clean-up efforts. Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega, Arden Hills City Council member Brenda Holden and Jim Tolaas with Ramsey County Public Works all testified in Committee.
Teacher Licensure and Basic Skills
I presented another bill I’ve authored, HF 1257, in Education Policy Committee this week. The bill changes the current requirements for teachers who must take a basic skills test before receiving licensure. We want to make sure that teachers’ skills are being evaluated in a fair and effective way. This legislation will establish an advisory task force to make recommendations to the Board of Teaching, the education commissioner, and the legislature on further requirements for teachers’ basic skills evaluation.
Health Insurance Exchange
This week, both the House and Senate passed Health Insurance Exchange bills to comply with Federal guidelines. The exchange is an online marketplace where Minnesota families and small business employers will be able to purchase health insurance.
If Minnesota fails to pass this legislation by March 31, the Federal government will step in and establish a one-size-fits-all exchange. We have chosen to create our own exchange which will be more cost-effective and efficient because it will be tailored to the needs and expectations of Minnesotans.
Middle-class families are expected to save over $1 billion by using the exchange, and 300,000 uninsured Minnesotans are projected to gain coverage through the exchange by 2016. The exchange is self-funded through an up to 3.5% fee withheld from premiums. It is estimated that this number will end up being around 2.25%.
Please contact me anytime with your input on legislative issues. I can be reached by phone at (651) 296-0141 or by email at rep.barb.yarusso@house.mn. If you haven’t already, you can take Senator Scalze’s and my survey here: https://surveys.senate.mn/TakeSurvey.aspx?PageNumber=1&SurveyID=llMK788&Preview=true.
Sincerely,
Barb Yarusso
State Representative
News Items
- 2013 Session Update: Legislative Wrap-Up - (Posted: May 30 2013 4:52PM)
- 2013 Session Update: Jobs, Higher Education, Public Safety and Health and Human Services bills pass - (Posted: May 17 2013 10:11PM)
- 2013 Session Update: House passes anti-bullying and minimum wage legislation - (Posted: May 7 2013 8:54AM)
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