Friends,
As we complete our 5th week of session the policy and financial committee deadlines have been set. The first deadline for committees to act on bills is March 10, the second deadline is March 17th, and the deadline to act on major appropriations and finance bills is March 31st.
Here is my update from the Capitol:
Two bills passed the full House this week
Two of the bills I have chief authored have passed the House this week:
HF46 is a consumer friendly bill that updates Minnesota’s real property laws to modernize current law regarding electronic signatures and also reduces filing fees.
HF13 will aid Minnesota non-profits and provides for additional protections to their directors and volunteers.
I am glad these common sense bills passed early this session and will hopefully soon be law.
REAL ID Video
Real ID continues to be in the news. It received its first committee hearing in the Senate this week and is now making progress there as well.
I created a video to further explain REAL ID, why we need it, and to clear up some misconceptions about what it is. Click here to watch it. Let me know if you have any questions.
Free Tax Preparation Sites now Open
The Minnesota Department of Revenue announced that more than 200 sites across the state are offering free tax assistance during tax season this year. There are two programs that are offering these services the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the AARP Tax-Aide program. Both programs have volunteers who are certified by the IRS to prepare basic tax returns in Minnesota.
The AARP Tax-Aide sites offer free tax preparation for all over the age of 50 without any income restrictions. The VITA program is available for those over the age of 60, for those with a disability, for those who speak limited or no English, or if your annual income is less than $54,000.
You can find the site nearest you here or call 651-297-3724. The list of items that you will need to bring when visiting a free tax prep site is available here.
People love living in Maple Grove
The city of Maple Grove contracted with the National Research Center to administer a survey of our citizens that was mailed to residents in August of 2016. The results are in and people really like living in Maple Grove: 98% of respondents said the quality of life is good or very good and almost all respondents would recommend living in Maple Grove. You can read more about the survey here.
If you are planning a trip to the Capitol or are with a school group on a trip, I encourage you to reach out as I'd love to be able to greet and show you around the newly restored building.
Please continue to share your thoughts with me about our state government; bill ideas and concerns are welcomed! I am honored to serve you at the Capitol. My email address is Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn, phone number 651-296-5502, and by mail: 375 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a great weekend!
Dennis