Hello Friends!
I trust that this summer is going well for you and your families. I wanted to take a minute to give you a midsummer update. I have been staying very busy keeping up-to-date on the issues that are important to you and our district. I have been attending many of the meetings and events throughout the four-county area our district covers. As you know the 2015 Legislature officially ended in June when the governor called a special session.
The final bills were passed after much work and negotiation. Here's a quick snapshot:
Energy Issues
The governor and the metro DFL strongly resisted many of the affordable energy reform bills I had authored.
Here are a few results:
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My bill, HF1210, the Rate Payer Protection Act, which would have protected consumers against "green energy" price spikes was rejected.
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My bill, HF95, which would have allowed large hydro power plants to be counted as renewable energy was rejected.
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My bill, HF1505, which would have given us reasonable renewable energy standards was rejected.
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My bill, HF891, which would have given individual communities local control against out-of-state solar expansion was rejected.
The House GOP Energy Committee was able to make some headway this session. These are the bills that made the final round of negotiations:
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HF1437, Garofalo, put limits on expensive net metering. This should provide much needed relief to Municipal and Cooperative power companies.
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HF484, Urdahl, which would allow small power companies to receive aid if they sustain damage from natural disasters.
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My bill, HF2033, should cut government waste. Right now, the Commerce Department and the Public Utilities Commission both work on energy issues.
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My bill, HF333, requires legislative approval BEFORE Minnesota submits to an EPA mandated energy plan. We won a partial victory on this one. We will have an in-depth legislative review of the final Minnesota EPA plan, and have time to take action before the governor subjects the entire state to the new EPA mandates.
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Multi-year rate plans. This should allow power providers to reduce costs to consumers.
As you can see, the battle to keep affordable energy, and the thousands of jobs connected to it, is going to be a tough one. I promise that I will never stop fighting for our power plants, our jobs and our communities. The battle is just getting started.
The battle for affordable energy is also taking place on the federal level. Recently, the EPA lost a Supreme Court Case pertaining to emissions. The Court ruled against the EPA because it did not consider the economic impact on citizens. Also, the U.S. Congress voted to pass HR 2042, the Rate Payer Protection Act. All of the Minnesota GOP members of Congress and DFL member Collin Peterson voted for HR 2042. It is now before the U.S. Senate for a vote. I urge you to contact your U.S. Senators and tell them to vote in favor of this bill.
Second Amendment Rights
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My bill, HF 722, The Emergency Powers Act, passed. Your Second Amendment Rights cannot be violated in Minnesota, during times of Emergency.
Cottage Food Industry
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My bill, HF 910, Cottage Food Bill, passed. People are now able to sell home foods to further their personal incomes.
Local Landfill Bill
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My bill, HF 668, gives local communities local control over landfills. In the past, this decision was made by the MPCA alone.
Agriculture
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I authored three amendments that give local farmers more control over their own land when it comes to irrigation issues. All three passed.
I was selected by the Minnesota House to attend a series of bipartisan energy conferences. It is my full intention to keep our affordable energy options open. Our power plants, our jobs and our futures depend on it. These conferences are not paid for with tax dollars.
In closing, the state has just released its fiscal update for the quarter. Minnesota has brought in about $500 million in additional income. This means an additional $500 million in surplus dollars. In reality, the State of Minnesota over-billed YOU the tax payer - again.
I believe that if you are over charged, then you should get a refund. I will push for this option.
However, if this is cannot be achieved, then I will push to use the new surplus to pay off state debt or for tax relief.
This summer I hope to see you in one of our local parades or at one of our county fairs. It is an honor and privilege to serve you in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
God's peace to you,
Jim