Friends,
This was a busy and productive week at the Capitol. We bookended the week by passing two large and popular pieces of legislation: on Monday we passed Sunday Sales and on Thursday we passed the REAL ID bill. Read about that and more below. Have a great weekend!
REAL ID
On Thursday, we passed Real ID. It contained a provision requiring people to have to prove who they really are. The immigration issue is not a city, county, or even state issue. The Federal government needs to resolve the immigration issue and do it quickly.
It is frustrating to hear from people who are forced to work and live in terrible conditions due to their legal status. It is my hope that the federal government is able to get a handle on the immigration issue and resolve it in a productive way. I am involved in an effort to pressure the Feds to act on this issue.
The REAL ID bill we passed will give Minnesotans the choice to obtain a driver’s license that is compliant with federal standards and thus able to be used to board planes and enter federal facilities, including military bases.
My colleague made a video you can watch to explain what REAL ID is and what it does.
Sunday Sales
The Minnesota House passed legislation Monday that would legalize the sale of liquor, beer, and wine on Sundays, the first time in state history that standalone legislation on this issue has been voted on or approved. The bill passed on a bipartisan 85-45 vote, and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Minnesotans have been asking for this change for years. I am proud to have supported this bill and glad we can finally put this issue behind us.
Canterbury Park Ongoing Operation
My bill, HF 1010, passed through the State Government Finance Committee this week. It will make sure Canterbury Park and other facilities that fall under the Racing Commission are able to stay open during government shutdowns. This is important as we have such a short window where these facilities are able to operate in Minnesota, even a few weeks is devastating.
House File 251 – Seat belt gag order removal
This is a bill to remove the gag order on whether or not a person was wearing a seat belt in a court case. Currently a defendant cannot introduce evidence that shows a plaintiff was or was not wearing a seatbelt. My bill will allow for evidence to be presented as to whether or not a seatbelt was used. Other states already allow for this evidence to be introduced.
This bill passed the Civil Law & Data Practices Committee and will next be heard in the Public Safety & Security Policy and Finance Committee on Wednesday March 1st.
If you have any other questions on any of my bills or anything else going on at the legislature, please reach out to my office at (651) 296-8872. You can also reach me via email at rep.bob.loonan@house.mn.
Have a great week,
Bob