Students from Valley Crossing and Saint Ambrose stopped by the Capitol recently
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Congratulations to all of our high school graduates. I want to wish you the best as you start the next chapter of your life. Way to go! I also want to wish all students and their families a safe and fun summer.
Here is an update from St. Paul.
Governor Signs Legislation I Authored
Governor Dayton has recently acted positively on four bills that I authored, including one to ensure the east metro area has a say in the $850 million 3M settlement and my step therapy bill.
Step Therapy
As I’ve shared previously, my step therapy legislation establishes standards used by insurers and creates a clear override process for prescribing doctors to address situations where step therapy could be harmful to the health of a patient.
Step therapy is a measure that helps health insurance companies hold down costs, requiring patients to try less expensive alternative or generic brand drugs before the insurer will cover a more expensive medication prescribed by a provider. While it’s important to hold down health care costs, this process can also be harmful to patients, especially those with chronic diseases who often face lengthy delays before receiving the medication they need.
3M Settlement Bill
This legislation, with co-sponsors from throughout the east metro area, ensures public transparency and guardrails for the $850 million 3M settlement. The new law will make sure funds are used for the east metro to enhance the quality and sustainability of drinking water.
This legislation was critical to ensure that 3M settlement dollars stay in the east metro. The bill makes it clear that funding be directed toward cleaning up and protecting east metro communities from future contamination issues, and that our cities have a say in the process. This is about local control, ensuring safe and clean drinking water, and protecting our communities.
Cell Phone ecoATM Bill
This legislation, which I have also discussed in previous updates, authorizes ecoATM kiosks in Minnesota, which pay cash for used cell phones and other electronic devices. These kiosks operate in almost every state in the nation, but stopped in Minnesota after we passed kill switch legislation on smart phones in 2014. Policies in the bill ensure a number of protections, including safeguards to confirm phones being sold are not stolen. Kiosks will also be located in the physical store of their retail partners.
Streamlining Government
This legislation streamlines government, discontinuing the Ramsey soil and Water Conservation District and transferring all its duties and authorities to the Ramsey County Board.
Bonding and Pensions Bills Signed
Last week, Governor Dayton also signed into law the bonding and pension bills.
First, the bonding bill focused heavily on transportation infrastructure, water projects and asset preservation projects across our state. The package also included $25 million for school safety and $32 million to build three new veterans homes in Greater Minnesota.
Highlights include:
- $178 million for asset preservation
- $123 million for water-related projects
- $208 million for higher education construction
- $541 for transportation
- $28 million for mental health crisis centers
Next, the pension bill is also incredibly important for taxpayers across our state. According to Minnesota Management and Budget, this bipartisan legislation will eliminate $3.4 billion from the state's unfunded pension liability, improving the sustainability of pensions for police, volunteer firefighters, teachers, and public employees. It’s expected to save Minnesota taxpayers $57 million in fiscal year 2019 and $263 million in the next biennium.
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As always, if you have ideas about what you would like to see happen this session or need assistance on a matter of state government, I welcome you to contact me. Please don’t hesitate to call (651-296-1147), email (rep.kelly.fenton@house.mn) or stop by my office.
Sincerely,
Kelly
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