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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL)

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Legislative Update - March 13th, 2017

Monday, March 13, 2017

Dear neighbors,

 

The Fabric of Minnesota: An Opportunity Agenda for a Better Minnesota

Intent on closing educational opportunity and achievement gaps, addressing health disparities in communities of color, and focusing on creating strong communities in every corner of Minnesota, the Governor has secured an initial round of funding to begin addressing racial and economic disparities in communities across Minnesota. Throughout his proposed budget this session, the Governor has included proposing numerous investments. Click here to read more.

 

A bill that I have authored, HF2190, addresses those efforts. I met a lot of our neighbors this summer and one woman from Columbia Heights shared her story of how her non-profit agency is working hard to address the needs of East Africans with disabilities. My proposal for a two year grant would enable her agency to expand their efforts to provide resources and education as well as distributing items such as wheelchairs, walkers and other assistive items to those with disabilities. This bill has not had its first hearing but I have hopes that it will be included in the Governor’s equity package by the end of this session.

 

Committee Deadlines

Friday marked the first of three legislative committee deadlines. Each year, House and Senate Leaders set deadlines to manage bills as the measures make their way through the legislative process. Deadlines narrow the number of bills that receive final action. In the past, deadlines typically were not set until the end of March.

 

The 2017 committee deadlines are:

1st deadline: Friday, March 10 at midnight

2nd deadline: Friday, March 17 at midnight

3rd deadline: Friday, March 31 at midnight

 

Any policy bills that are under consideration must make it through the Senate or House by the first deadline. If a bill is heard and passed by the first deadline in either the House or Senate, it must go through the policy committees of the other body by second deadline.

 

By the third deadline on March 31st, committees must approve or not approve action on major budget and finance bills. Under certain circumstance, committees in either body can hear a bill that did not make the deadline.

 

Health Insurance Relief for Farmers

I sit on the Agriculture committee where I am hearing about the trials and tribulations of our rural farmers and cost of insuring their families is one of the major issues, as it is for many Minnesotans. Fortunately, Governor Dayton wants to build on the successes ofMinnesotaCare to lower the burden of health insurance for more Minnesota farmers and their families. This comes at a time when farm profits are dropping and individual health insurance market premiums across our state have skyrocketed. For many rural families, their choices are high-deductible plans with limited coverage often paying increased premium hikes of 40-60 percent over last year’s cost.

 

Counting on bipartisan efforts, Governor Dayton has a plan that would allow those who purchase health insurance on the individual marketplace would also have the option to buy into MinnesotaCare. This means that farmers would be able to select the plan that works best for them and their family. This makes good common sense to me.

 

Thank you, Rabbi Nord!

Rabbi Gail Nord of New Brighton joined us this week as our Chaplain of the Day. Thank you for your heartfelt prayer and blessing. Rabbi Nord is Director of Spiritual Care at the Benedictine Health System at Interlude of Fridley.

 

 

Saturday’s Town Hall Meeting

Thank you to those who joined Senator Carolyn Laine and me at our Town Hall meeting at the Columbia Heights Library this past Saturday. It was a packed room where we were able to hear from the folks who went to share their many concerns and issues. As your legislator, I appreciate hearing from the communities I represent whether it’s a phone message, an email, a visit to my office or conversing with me when I’m out in the community.

 

Are you watching the Eagle Cam?

Reports this morning share that eaglets 2 and 3 have made their appearance having hatched last Thursday and Friday! This is the fifth year that the DNR has live streamed the hatching of eaglets; allowing folks from all 50 states and 155 countries to watch the natural process. Click on the link above to see the mother eagle and her eaglets as they grow in real time. Look back on the process and learn more about our most famous raptor – the bald eagle.

 

Best,


Mary