Hello Neighbors,
Glad to have some warmer weather this weekend and I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the outdoors. I personally am looking forward to wetting a line with my daughters.
The last week in St. Paul has been busy and I am pushing legislation on a number of fronts. First of all, I will have a hearing next Wednesday for my Child Protection Bill. This bill focuses on putting the safety of children first and to make sure that agencies and law enforcement is aligned. It is important to know that the people working in law enforcement and child protective services are doing very well in a complex environment. But, like all policy, we can do bettter.
I'm also hoping to soon have a hearing on House File 1, the Jobs Bill I wrote about in last week's update. This bill will help small companies grow in rural Minnesota and offers incentives for workforce development and research and development. Growing better-paying jobs, especially in Greater Minnesota, is key to ensuring prosperity for families across the state.
One of the highlights of the week was the unanimous passage of House File 6, which will provide nearly $20 million in immediate tax relief for families once signed into law. By conforming Minnesota tax code to the federal code (a practice known as "tax conformity"), Minnesota families will be able to take advantage of deductions on things like higher education tuition, out-of-pocket classroom expenses for teachers, and mortgage insurance premiums. With tax season officially starting next week, it was important that we act quickly to make sure Minnesotans wouldn't have to re-file or amend their returns to take advantage of these credits. The bill is expected to pass the Senate next week and is likely to be signed by Governor Dayton.
Best,
Ron