Dear Neighbor,
The first month of session is in the history books! While we generally had a bipartisan agreement on the need to pass important bills such as insurance premium relief, there’s been a lot of partisan posturing that we’re sure to see making things more difficult in the coming months. As your voice at the Capitol, I’m committed to crafting a two year budget that ensures Minnesotans are given the opportunity they deserve to get ahead, and not to focus on the policies that divide us.
Here are a few news items from the last week:
Minnesota Health Plan
Last, Thursday I held a press conference to introduce the Minnesota Health Plan, which will cover all Minnesotans under a single payer system. This is a long-term solution to the rapidly rising healthcare crisis we’re in. Under my plan, the average businesses would save $1,214 per-year, per-employee on health care costs; the average family would save $3,512 a year on health care costs; and the State of Minnesota would save $65 billion over the next ten years. Minnesotans know our healthcare system is broken, and this is the type of solution they deserve.
Minnesota FCCLA
The Minnesota Family, Career and Community Leaders of America make a positive impact on students across Minnesota. This important program helps thousands of students gain life and academic skills in public speaking, time management, and all manner of areas important to them. I met with citizen-lobbyist Abigail Allen from New Ulm with Family Career and Community Leaders of America this week.
Homes for All
A statewide group of 150 nonprofits, faith communities, school districts and many others have been advocating for affordable housing. Stable and affordable housing is vital so children can succeed and families can thrive in a home they own. Increasing investments in housing will go a long way toward ending homelessness, giving students more stability and families a place they can permanently call home. The Lutheran Church has been active as one of the faith communities working on this. I met with local constituent, the Rev. Mike Mandsager to discuss the important work Homes for All is doing.
Make Your Calendar
I hope you and your friends will join me and Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South Saint Paul) for a community forum on climate change. We’ll be updating you on where we are legislatively and what we can do as a community.
What: Climate of Change
When: Tuesday, February 21st from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Carleton College’s Weitz Center – Room 236
Preemption in Committee Tomorrow
Last Thursday, the House Jobs Committee heard a “preemption” bill that would stop local communities from setting their own policies for workers. This Republican bill would stop communities from implementing pro-worker policies such as sick leave, family leave, or a higher minimum wage. This legislation will even roll back sick time for hundreds of thousands of people working in the Twin Cities. This is exactly the type of divisive, anti-worker legislation we’ve seen around the country. Minnesotans know they deserve a fair shake and this isn’t it. I came to the Capitol to help people get ahead, not to make it even harder for them to get by, and that’s why I’m opposing this bill.
The bill is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, February 8th at 10:15 a.m. in the Government Operations Committee. I encourage you to watch the committee or contact the bill author to voice your opinions.
Thursday on the Floor
This Thursday we’ll be hearing three bills related to energy deregulation. I’ll have an amendment to encourage decentralized production, which will encourage more energy produced locally. This will help develop our local and rural economies, rather than being dependent on coal from the rust belt or oil from the Alberta tar sands.
Forward this to your Friends and Neighbors
Don’t forget to forward this update to your friends and neighbors so they can keep up with what’s going on at the Capitol. There’s a lot going on here and if people don’t know about it, they won’t be able to have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them. People can sign-up for my weekly e-updates here.
Sincerely,
David Bly