Dear Friends,
I hope you had a relaxing and fun-filled Independence Day weekend and were able to enjoy some of the great events around our community. It was great to see so many friends and neighbors at the Apple Valley Freedom Days last weekend.
Now that we're a few weeks into the start of the 2016-2017 budget, which started on July 1st, I wanted to send along some updates and information on new laws and what the new budget means for our community.
Some of the new laws you may have heard about include lifting the cap that was in place for the number of times nursing homes could play bingo each week. There is a new law requiring ridesharing services like Uber to provide additional insurance coverage that protects consumers and drivers.
Over the next two years, Rosemount-Apple Valley schools will see $331 per student in new education funding. Our education budget includes historic investments in proven early-education programs, including Pre-K scholarships that give meaningful school choice to parents of low-income and at-risk students.
Counties will see more money to improve and bolster their child protection efforts. We've seen too many tragic stories over the past few years of children who fell through the cracks of the child protection system. Bipartisan reforms this year will make sure we're adequately protecting vulnerable Minnesota children.
Republican-lead reforms to nursing home reimbursement rates will result in more funding for nursing homes who have been struggling in many parts of the state to keep their doors open. Efforts to attract more care workers were also included in the new budget as well. It's crucial that we have enough workers and enough nursing facilities to care for our aging loved ones so they can be well taken care of close to their families.
If you have any questions about the new budget or new laws that began on July 1, please contact me any time at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or call 651-296-4306. I'm always happy to answer questions!
COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Dakota County Legislative Breakfast
On Wednesday, July 8th, I attended the Dakota County Legislative Breakfast along with several of my House and Senate colleagues from the Dakota County area. We heard a review of the 2015 legislative session and discussed the county's priorities for the 2016 legislative session.
Rosemount Research & Outreach Center
Also on Wednesday, July 8th, I was able to tour the University of Minnesota Rosemount Research and Outreach Center. We learned from University staff about the valuable agricultural research that goes on right in our backyard. This research is extremely beneficial to farmers battling pests and diseases in their crops.
Rustic Junk'tion Ribbon Cutting
Last week I was able to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for Rustic Junk'tion, a new business that recently opened in Rosemount. This unique store sells repurposed vintage home goods and also holds do-it-yourself classes. To learn more, read the story in the Rosemount Townpages:
Veterans Career Fair
The largest veterans career fair in Minnesota is scheduled to take place next Wednesday, July 15 from 10AM-3PM at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. More than 125 employers will be present along with representatives from colleges, HR professionals, and other valuable resources with education and job training opportunities. For full details and directions to the fair, please visit the DEED website here.
Have a great weekend!
Anna Wills
State Representative, District 57B