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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Dan Fabian (R)

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Capitol Update from Rep. Dan Fabian

Friday, April 28, 2017

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With Thief River Falls Airport Manager Joe Hedrick

Dear Neighbors,

Here is an update with the latest news from the Capitol.

Pro-Life Legislation Passes House

On Monday, the House passed two, bipartisan pro-life bills that stand up for taxpayers and the health and safety of women.  Both pro-life bills gained support from both House Republicans and Democrats, and are also top priorities of MCCL (Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life).

The first bill, House File 809, would allow Minnesota to join 33 other states and the federal government by prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion, except in certain circumstances. Many Minnesotans in our area and across the state do not want their tax dollars to go toward abortion which is why this legislation is so important.

The other bill, House File 812, protects the health and safety of women by requiring that any abortion facility that performs ten or more abortions per month to be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health. It would also hold these facilities to the standards of their own industry including Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation, ensuring that women are not exposed to unsafe or unsanitary conditions.

House File 985

On Thursday, the House passed my bill which protects private property owners and stops the expansion of trespasser rights, codifying previous court rulings. In short, this bill is about protecting property owners from frivolous lawsuits by trespassers on private property.

The bill has support from a number of groups including the Farm Bureau, Farmers’ Union, AgriGrowth, as well as trade associations, chambers and businesses across the state. Similar legislation has passed in 26 states, including every state bordering Minnesota.

This is a commonsense bill, and I am hopeful we can get it signed into law this year.

Budget Negotiations

Last month, Governor Dayton wrote a letter requesting that he and the Legislature “set joint conference committee targets no later than Friday, April 28, 2017.” The House agreed to those terms, and requested that Governor Dayton, his administration and his commissioners work with the Legislature to negotiate a compromise budget in an open and transparent conference committee process.

Unfortunately, this week the governor chose to backtrack on that agreement, telling his commissioners they are unable to negotiate with us at this time and removing himself from the budget negotiating process. With less than a month to go before adjournment, I am disappointed and frustrated that we are not all working together at this point to solve problems and pass a comprehensive budget that best serves the people of our state. In an effort to keep moving forward toward a final compromise, House and Senate Republicans released their own set of joint targets earlier today so conference committees can continue their work.

These kinds of actions are exactly why folks in Northwest Minnesota are tired of politics as usual, and I am hoping he will join the Legislature soon in good-faith negotiations. I will keep you posted. 

Buffers

I am disappointed that Governor Dayton remarked this week that he will not negotiate on buffers, refusing to listen to voices and disrespecting the people in Greater Minnesota. Rural folks impacted by this new law are rightly asking for clarification and more time to meet these requirements.

I talked to the Fargo newspaper this week as did farmers and other folks in rural Minnesota who shared some of their concerns about buffers. You can read the story here.

Follow me on Facebook!

To stay up-to-date on what’s happening at your State Capitol, feel free to “like” my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RepDanFabian.

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My door is always open to the needs and priorities of our area. Please feel free to let me know if I can be of assistance to you and your family. I am here to serve you!

Dan

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