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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Anna Wills (R)

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News from Rep. Anna Wills 6-24-2016

Friday, June 24, 2016

Hello Friends,

Things have really quieted down this month as we shift into summer. Here are a few items of note from the past couple of weeks and some things to put on your calendar looking forward.

 

Legislative Surrogacy Commission

I was recently appointed to serve on the Legislative Surrogacy Commission. This group will meet to discuss how our state should approach the growing questions that surround commercial surrogacy, especially since there is currently nothing in state law that addresses this industry at all. I look forward to discussing these issues with fellow legislators and stakeholders. Our first meeting, if you are interested in attending, will be next Tuesday, June 28th, at 2pm in room 2412 of the Minnesota Senate Building in St. Paul.

 

Latest news from MNsure

Yesterday, Blue Cross Blue Shield sent out a statement saying they would begin pulling out of the individual insurance market, including MNsure. This will severely limit options for consumers, considering Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the biggest insurance providers in Minnesota.

House Republicans passed several bills this last session to improve accountability for the MNsure bureaucracy, and give relief to families who have been confronted with higher health care costs. Unfortunately, our efforts were not supported by legislators across the aisle, preventing these bills from being signed into law.

 

No Progress with Special Session

As many of you are probably aware, there has been very little progress made toward planning a special session. Governor Dayton is remaining steadfast in his massive bonding bill spending demands, and still refuses to hold a special session to pass the tax bill alone (with his two modifications). Here is a link to an article with more details, as well as videos of press conferences held by Governor Dayton and House and Senate Republicans earlier this week: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=11325

I will continue to update you regarding any new developments.

 

August Primary Absentee Voting

For anyone planning to vote in the primary this August, absentee voting begins today. To request an absentee ballot, follow this link to the Secretary of State’s website: https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/ABRegistration/ABRegistrationStep1.aspx

 

Rosemount City Plan Meeting

The City of Rosemount is updating its Comprehensive Plan, which sets city development goals for the next 25 years. There will be a meeting this coming Monday, June 27th, at 6:30 at Rosemount City Hall if you are interested in participating in the discussion. For more information, call (651) 322-2051.

 

Veterans Open House and Job Fair

Next month the Dakota-Scott WorkForce Center is sponsoring an Open House at Inver Hills Community College and a Career Fair at Earle Brown Heritage Center for veterans looking to continue their education or seeking employment. Here are the dates and links to more information:

 

 

 

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Application Deadline

In order to address the teacher shortage in some Minnesota school districts, we have introduced a teacher loan forgiveness program through the Office on Higher Education. Qualifying applicants may receive $1000 per year for up to five years. The deadline to apply for this program is June 30th.

 

 

 

 

In the Community

On June 16th, the Dakota County Commissioners held a post-session discussion with myself and other legislators who represent various communities in Dakota County. The meeting was very productive, and I look forward to future discussions regarding Dakota County’s legislative priorities and goals in the future.

 

 

 

 

Also on June 16th, I joined about 6300 people at the Capitol at the Decision America event held by Franklin Graham. It was great to join so many people in praying for our state and our nation.

 

 

 

 

On Tuesday, June 21st, I had the pleasure of attending the Apple Valley Chamber ribbon-cutting for Integrative Chiropractic and Performance. It's wonderful to have them as a part of our community, and look forward to seeing what the future holds for them!

 

 

(Photo Credit: Apple Valley Chamber)

Stay in Touch

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with your comments, questions, and concerns. Email me any time at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or call 651-296-4306. You can also follow my updates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/repannawills and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/annacwills.

 

Sincerely,

Anna Wills

State Representative 57B

Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Coates