Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2015 legislative session kicked off on Tuesday, and I am excited to get back to work at the Capitol. It’s a privilege to be your state representative, and I look forward to bringing the priorities of District 39A to St. Paul for the next two years.
Additionally, I am honored to be chairing the House Veterans Division, a committee dedicated to passing legislation that benefits both our active military members and retired veterans throughout Minnesota. I will be keeping you updated throughout the session on bills that are being worked on and passed from my committee.
In addition to the Veterans Division, I will also be serving on the Education Finance, State Government Finance and Ways and Means committees.
Republican Priorities for 2015
Although session just started on Tuesday, House Republicans are already getting to work and have introduced House Files 1-5, our top five priorities this session that we believe will benefit Minnesotans across the state.
Here is a short overview of each bill:
-
House File 1: Growing better-paying jobs in Minnesota by encouraging investments in business through tax credits, cutting down on unnecessary government regulations and limiting state agencies’ power to impede on a competitive business climate.
-
House File 2: Giving every child a chance for a world-class education by reforming teacher licensure and empowering school districts to hire and maintain effective teachers.
-
House File 3: Protecting aging adults’ quality of life by attracting top quality nursing home and health care workers into the field through student loan forgiveness and by creating savings plans to cover long-term care costs.
-
House File 4: Refocusing transportation dollars for roads and bridges and requiring MnDOT to find additional savings to reinvest in infrastructure.
-
House File 5: Ensuring fair access to affordable health care by reining in MNsure with additional oversight and eliminating unchecked compensation for bloated bonuses and executive salaries.
I believe that this session, the DFL-led Senate and GOP-led House can work together to find compromise on these, and a number of other important initiatives, passing legislation that proves beneficial for Minnesota families and small businesses.
As always, it is an honor and privilege to be your state representative. If I can ever be of assistance to you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am here to serve you!
Sincerely,
Bob