Dear Neighbors,
Another week of the 2016 legislative session is in the books. Here is the latest news from the Capitol.
In this issue:
- Budget Targets
- Protecting Teachers from Violent Behavior
- MNsure Feedback Website
- Dayton Lions Pancake Breakfast
Budget Targets
In every odd-numbered year, the main responsibility of the legislature is to pass a state budget and fund government for the next two year cycle, called a biennium. During the even-numbered year, the legislature can make adjustments – up or down – to the budget based upon updated revenue numbers. On Thursday, House Republicans released their budget targets and adjustments for the 2016 session. With state government fully funded for Fiscal Years 2016-17, Republicans are proposing no net increase in spending. There are also several additional areas of state government where cost savings were found so those dollars can be re-dedicated and better utilized.
The feedback I’ve received from families in the northwest suburbs is to use the state's $900 million surplus to focus on middle-class tax relief and a transportation bill to fix our roads and bridges. I would much rather see the money that was over-collected from you returned through tax relief instead of using those dollars to expand state government.
The House Ways and Means Committee adopted the budget targets on Thursday evening, and we will use those figures as a basis to craft legislation in committee the remainder of session. Both a tax bill and transportation bill remain in conference committee from last year and are awaiting final negotiations with the Senate.
Protecting Teachers from Violent Behavior
On Tuesday, the Education Finance Committee heard legislation spearheaded by House Republicans that will put teachers back in charge of their classrooms and help protect teachers and staff from physical assault. Following several stories in the media over the past few months about student assaults of staff, this bill will take a number of positive steps to clarify a teacher's rights and make changes for the better.
First, the bill requires that a school board's district-wide discipline policy be consistent with a teacher's authority to control their classroom and manage student behavior, as well as allowing teachers to remove a student from their classroom should the need arise. It would also require that teachers be notified should a student with a history of violent behavior is to be placed in their classroom. Additionally, when schools put together reports on incidents involving students, they will also report on student-on-staff violence, helping to track how common these occurrences are in Minnesota schools.
Students, teachers and staff at our schools deserve a safe, positive environment that encourages learning and growth. Violence in our schools is unacceptable, and this bill is a positive step to help clarify teachers' rights in a classroom.
MNsure Feedback Website
Recently, the House State Government Finance Committee launched a website to gather feedback from Minnesotans about the problems they have experienced surrounding our health care exchange, MNsure. From its most recent failure to mail out required 1095-A tax forms on time to being unable to adjust people's coverage for things like a marriage or the birth of a child, the continued lack of accountability from MNsure is hurting many Minnesotans across the state.
Unfortunately, legislators do not always hear about the wide array of problems until they are brought to light by constituents. To gather more feedback from the people of our state, as well as hold MNsure responsible for the harm and headaches it can cause families and small businesses, this website was launched to gather input and feedback.
If you have a story related to MNsure, I encourage you to go to click on the link below and share your story.
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cmte/comment
Come to the Dayton Lion Pancake and French Toast Breakfast on Sunday!
This Sunday, April 10 from 8:00 a.m. to noon, the Dayton Lions Club is hosting their pancake and French toast breakfast in the Dayton Elementary School (12000 S. Diamond Lake Road) cafeteria. They will be serving pancakes, French toast, sausage, orange juice, coffee and milk, so stop by hungry!
The event is a free will offering with all proceeds benefiting Dayton Elementary and Champlin Park High School. So come down on Sunday to enjoy some great food for a great cause!
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As always, if you have any questions or concerns on an issue relating to state government, my office is available to help. My direct line is 651-296-7806. My email address is rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn and my mailing address is Room 459 State Office Building, 100 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Joyce
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/34A