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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Dario Anselmo (R)

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Legislative Update from Rep. Dario Anselmo

Friday, January 20, 2017

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With my family on the House Floor after taking the oath of office on Tuesday, January 3rd

Dear Neighbor,

The 2017 legislative session has begun, and it’s an honor and privilege to be serving as your state representative. I look forward to advocating for the families, small businesses, schools and hardworking taxpayers of Edina over the next two years, and promise to work hard for you.

Periodically throughout the session, I will be sending legislative updates to keep you up to date with the latest news from Saint Paul.

This week’s update will cover several important bills that are moving through the legislature early this session.

Federal Tax Conformity

The House and Senate wasted no time passing House File 2 which was signed into law earlier this session. The bill, of which I am a co-author, conforms our state’s tax code to that of the federal government and provides $21.7 million in immediate tax relief to thousands of Minnesotans. Included in the legislation are provisions for higher education, families, teachers and homeowners.

This was important to get done quickly to give the Department of Revenue time to update tax filing programs like TurboTax and avoid undue complications for early filers.

It was great to get tax relief passed early for thousands of hardworking taxpayers across the state, and I am hopeful it will be the start of more bipartisan tax relief to come later this session.

Health Care Relief and Reform

This week, the House passed The 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access Act which is a top priority for many Minnesotans struggling to afford skyrocketing health insurance costs for themselves and their families.

This legislation funds a 25 percent premium reduction for qualifying people who purchased health insurance from our failing individual market. In addition, the legislation also includes a number of reforms to improve access to care, increase competition, preserve continuity of care for patients losing access to their doctors and lower costs.

Ensuring health insurance is both affordable and accessible to people in my community is a top priority, and this legislation is a needed first-step to begin addressing our state’s health care crisis.

Now that similar legislation has passed both bodies of the legislature, the next step is to negotiate the final version of the legislation between the House and Senate in a conference committee before making its way to Governor Dayton’s desk for his signature.

Real ID

Many people in our community fly regularly for work or on vacation with their families, and are concerned about Real ID compliance and what that means for domestic air travel.

Real ID legislation was passed by Congress in 2005, and if Minnesota does not comply and update their identification to meet federal requirements, state-issued driver’s licenses will no longer be an acceptable form of identification to board a domestic flight after January 2018.

The House is moving compliance legislation through the legislative process quickly, and it has already been heard in several committees. House File 3 will ensure Minnesotans will be able to continue to fly without unnecessary difficulty, and will also provide a second license free of charge if you have to upgrade to Real ID-compliant identification before your current ID expires.

I know this is a priority for Minnesotans who travel or visit federal facilities, and I will be supporting this legislation when it reaches the House Floor for a vote. I will keep you updated on its progress.

Edina Robotics Team Kickoff

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I had a great time at the Edina Robotics Team kickoff event earlier this month. STEM education is a critical component to a well-rounded education, and I will work on policies in the Education Finance Committee that help improve student learning this session.

It was wonderful to meet such a smart and inspiring group of Edina students, and I wish them luck as they compete this season!

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I welcome you to contact my office at any time to share your thoughts, concerns and ideas about what you would like to see happen this session. Your input is invaluable and helps me better represent the voices and priorities of our community. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4363 or by email at Rep.Dario.Anselmo@House.mn.

It is an honor and privilege to serve as your voice at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

Dario

 

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