Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Dan Schoen (DFL)

Back to profile

Legislative Update - March 18, 2016

Friday, March 18, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

The Legislative Session is in full swing, with much of my time being consumed by committee meetings and House Floor sessions, which will become all the more frequent. When I’m not in committee or on the floor, I’m meeting with folks from all sorts of organizations who come to visit the Capitol. The two busiest days this week were Tuesday, when about 14 different groups held a “Day on the Hill,” and Wednesday when 10 more groups came by.

Governor’s Supplemental Budget

Governor Mark Dayton unveiled his supplemental budget proposal this week. As you may know, the February Budget Forecast showed a surplus of $900 million, so the Governor updated his budget to reflect this. I think the Governor takes a solid approach, making smart investments in education, health care, job creation, and tax relief targeted to ordinary Minnesotans. He does this while leaving our budget in a sound position should the economy unexpectedly take a dip in the future.

Highlights of the proposal include $25 million to expand pre-K on a voluntary basis for four year olds, $100 million for high-speed broadband expansion, and several increases in mental health funding in our schools, our criminal justice system, and in our communities. The budget helps relieve the squeeze on middle-class families with an increases and expanded eligibility for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and the Working Family Tax Credit. He also includes one-time boosts in both Local Government Aid and County Program Aid, which both help lower property taxes. As you may recall, the House Majority last session attempted to take an ax to LGA, which is a stark contrast with the actions taken two years prior which helped our local governments.

Significantly, the proposal includes $100 million to begin addressing racial disparities in our communities. This is a problem that legislators on both sides of the aisle recognize needs fixing, but there has been little in the way of concrete proposals to accomplish this. I am proud of Gov. Dayton for his leadership in this area.

Paid Family Leave

As I mentioned in a previous update, a new coalition announced a plan last week to implement Paid Family Leave in the state of Minnesota. This proposal is authored in the Senate by our Senator Katie Sieben, and over here in the House by Rep. Jason Metsa from Virginia.

The United States is an outlier when it comes to this. We are the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee paid maternity leave. Only 13% of employees in the U.S. have access to full pay through their employers while out on the Family Medical Leave Act, and only 40 percent of private industry workers have access to short-term disability insurance. These percentages are even lower for low-income and part time workers and those from diverse populations.

The bill would provide up to 12 weeks paid leave for pregnancy and medical issues and 12 weeks for bonding with a new child or caring for a seriously-ill family member. It would be paid for through a small payroll tax paid for by both employers and employees averaging $2.71 per week.

Simply put, Minnesotans shouldn’t need to be forced to choose between spending time with a newborn baby or losing out on income, or caring for a sick loved one or losing out on income. This is a basic human, family value and our laws and employment situations should be in line with the situations for most families, with most children having both parents in the workforce.

Community Events

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 19, Cottage Grove Parks and Rec is bringing back the Egg Hunt at the Ice Arena. Check-in is at8:45 a.m. and the hunt begins at 9:00 a.m. $6 admission includes 10 eggs (redeemable for a prize), pictures with the Easter Bunny (bring your own camera), bunny games, craft station and cookies and juice. Call Parks and Rec at 651-458-3400 for more information.

On Saturday, April 2, a free gardening workshop will be held from 10:00 a.m. – noon at the Cottage Grove Public Works Building (8635 West Point Douglas Rd. S.). Enjoy a morning of informal presentations, educational displays, and an opportunity to have your gardening questions answered by U of MN Extension Master Gardeners. Presentations will focus on entry gardens, creating beautiful pots, and basic design principles. The workshops are tailored for new as well as experienced gardeners. For more information visit www.mastergardenersinwashingtonco.org.

On Saturday, April, 23, Stone Soup Thrift Shop hosts its annually “Soup-er Bowl” at Park Grove Bowl. Bowling times are 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m, 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. To register visit Stone Soup online at www.stonesoupthriftshop.org.

Warm regards,

Dan Schoen

State Representative