Dear Neighbors,
The final weeks of the legislative session are approaching quickly, and the omnibus bills passed before the break are currently being negotiated in conference committees.
The conference committees include five members of the Senate and five members from the House and work to resolve differences between omnibus bills before they come back for votes. Overall, the quality of these bills have been poor. While the Agriculture Finance bill passed with bipartisan support, the Health and Human Services bill, the Jobs bill, and others did not.
While the discussions over these bills are happening in conference committees, I encourage you to still email and call the caucus leaders with your comments on the legislation.
Gov. Mark Dayton, D, 651-201-3400
Speaker of the House – Kurt Daudt, R, 651-296-5364
Majority Leader – Joyce Peppin, R, 651-296-7806
Minority Leader – Melissa Hortman, D, 651-296-4280
Burnsville High School visit
I had the opportunity to visit Burnsville High School last Friday and tour the new addition. I was impressed with the layout and the technology available to the students; the media center and portions dedicated to the arts are wonderful.
School District #191 should be proud of this addition. It reaffirms a commitment to the health and educational success of the students.
Cambodian Experience presentation
On April 17, I attended an extremely moving presentation at the Minnesota Humanities Center. The event included stories from people about fleeing the country and their time in refugee camps.
On April 17, 1975, Cambodia fell to the Khmer Rouge. During the five years of fighting, approximately 10% of Cambodia’s 7 million people died. After the fall, hundreds of thousands died or were murdered. One person present said, “April 17 is the day our hearts dropped to the bottom.”
While the stories are dramatic, survivors did not often discuss their experiences. I’m glad there is an effort now to capture those stories.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Sandra Masin
State Representative