Dear neighbors,
This has been a busy week now that committees are meeting full time. Thankfully, floor sessions have been short and we haven’t had any late nights. Here are a few updates from the St. Paul and around the community.
Health Care Premium Relief
What we want most for Minnesotans at the Capitol is that they have access to affordable and dependable health coverage for themselves and their families. I'm pretty sure we can agree that the large rate jumps for Minnesotans on the individual market are unacceptable. We've begun the busy and important committee work at the Capitol to bring relief to families. I sit on the State Government Finance Committee and this week's discussions focused on the proposed legislation addressing the drastically increasing health care premiums and possible relief options. Should the legislature align with the Governor's bill to provide a 25 percent premium reduction for 125,000 Minnesotans, they could feel relief by March. Unfortunately, with the alternative plan Minnesotans may not find a check in the mail until 2018.
Justice Department Listening Forums
Emotions have run high at the Department of Justice community listening sessions surrounding the tragic death of Philando Castile by a St. Anthony police officer. Tuesday evening I sat in on the second of three community meetings. I listened to the testimony of our St. Anthony community members, some as young as 12 years old, as they shared their stories and their relationships with the police. I am inspired by the passion and empathy of our community. I look forward to future discussions.
This is the first step in the comprehensive assessment by the Department of Justice. Throughout the process the DOJ will bring in policing experts to explore the St. Anthony department's documents, accompany officers on calls and interview officers about the changes they'd like to see in their department. Investigators will look at the department's hiring and recruitment practices. To share your thoughts contact the core assessment team by email at SaintAnthonyPD.CRITA@usdoj.gov.
League of Women Voters Legislative Panel
Wednesday night I was the guest at the New Brighton League of Women Voters at their legislative Forum. Our district legislators were invited to discuss the start of session and issues that reflect their mission. The League of Women Voters of the United States is a nonpartisan political membership organization whose goal is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide. They accomplish this by informed and active participation of citizens in government, working to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. I would like to thank the League for their hospitality and thorough discussion on voting reform, education and local issues. For more information on the League of Women Voters or to join go to www.lwvmn.org.
If you have any other legislative questions or concerns please reach out to me by email rep.mary.kuneshpodein@house.mn or by phone 651-296-4331.
Sincerely,
Mary Kunesh-Podein
State Representative