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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Randy Jessup (R)

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Legislative Update from the Capitol

Friday, April 7, 2017

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Greetings from the Capitol!

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to speak with fellow Bethel graduates and students at the Capitol for Bethel Day on the Hill. It was great to connect with so many alumni and students to discuss legislative issues important to them!

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Transportation:

Last Friday, the House passed the Transportation Finance Omnibus Bill that invests $6 billion in transportation infrastructure over the next decade, with $2 billion being spent in the next two years alone - without raising the gas tax. The bill is funded through bonds and a re-appropriation of auto-related taxes to be spent exclusively on transportation projects. Instead of increasing Minnesotan’s tax burden, I believe that using existing revenue from auto related taxes to improve and build our roads and bridges is more fiscally responsible.

Education:

Additionally, the House passed the Education Finance Omnibus Bill, which increases funding for our students and schools by $1.1 billion, including more than $300 million for early learning programs; $22 million for a targeted academic achievement initiative that funds before school, afterschool, and summer programs to help low-income students who are falling behind; and $40 million for enhanced school readiness aid. These new funding levels will help in closing the achievement gap.

Other highlights include:

  • Continuing efforts to strengthen teacher recruitment and retention, especially in areas with teacher shortages
  • Passing sweeping reforms to teacher licensure to help address the teacher workforce shortage
  • Repealing the “last in, first out” (LIFO) default in state statute to allow schools and local bargaining units to negotiate mutually beneficial staff retention decisions that better serve students, teachers and schools
  • Protecting kids by permitting school districts to provide child sexual abuse prevention instruction

Higher Education:

Earlier this week, the House passed the Higher Education Omnibus Bill which prioritizes college affordability through public school tuition freezes and reductions, accountability through student loan debt counseling, and accessibility to students previously unable to attend higher education programming. A piece of legislation that I authored this session that establishes a grant program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities is a part of the “accessibility” section of the bill. In order to qualify for a grant through the program, a student must meet the eligibility requirement for the state grant program, be enrolled in a postsecondary institution eligible for the state grant program, have an intellectual disability, and be enrolled in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary (CTP) program. Bethel University is one of the institutions of higher education in Minnesota that operate CTPs.

Public Safety:

The House also passed the Public Safety Omnibus Bill funding the state’s law enforcement sector and providing Minnesotans with a core function of state government: keeping its citizens safe.

Reforms in the bill include:

  • Allowing the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to replace an outdated predatory offender registry
  • Providing new revenue to address domestic violence prevention and terrorism recruitment
  • Creating stronger penalties and longer supervision for convicted sexual predators
  • Dedicating funds for additional sex trafficking prevention grants
  • Increasing penalties against those who possess and disseminate child pornography
  • Allocating new money to local law enforcement agencies to help them pay for officers’ training costs

These bills will be debated further in conference committee with the Senate before the Governor takes final action.

Java with Jessup:

Join me next Saturday, April 15th, at Raz’s Café (1049 Hwy 96 W, Shoreview) for another Java with Jessup. I hope to see you there!

Contact Me:

For any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-0141 or rep.randy.jessup@house.mn. Thank you for allowing me to represent you at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

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