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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Tim O'Driscoll (R)

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Legislative Update (March 6, 2015)

Friday, March 6, 2015

Greetings,

Here is an update of our week in Saint Paul.

House File 2 Passes the House

After a lengthy session, HF2 passed the House floor last night. This education bill addresses numerous E-12 education matters, including a provision which allows our teachers and school boards more flexibility in matters of seniority. The bill provides teachers and school boards the flexibility to adopt policies related to the determination of teachers placed on unrequested leave of absence. Despite some beliefs, this bill does not require a change in current seniority laws, but rather allows teachers and school districts the option to adopt a local policy relating to seniority. If no local policy were adopted, current state law would govern the unrequested leave of absence process.

Additionally, this bill helps our school districts hire fantastic teachers by fast-tracking licensure for licensed educators from other states, as well as allowing school districts with little to no candidates to pull from the community of subject experts.

This bill has bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, and the reevaluation of teacher layoff processes is supported by 80% of Minnesotans according to a Feb. 20-24th KSTP/SurveyUSA poll.

I am appreciative of the often difficult, but rewarding, job that our hardworking and dedicated teachers do to ensure that tomorrow’s leaders and workforce are educated for their future. I believe that this bill will continue to improve Minnesota’s education system.

Veteran De-Escalation Bill in Public Safety and Crime Prevention

My bill that prepares our law enforcement to de-escalate crisis situations involving veterans, HF406, was heard in the Public Safety and Crime Prevention committee yesterday. I’m excited to have great bipartisan support for this important bill that ensures our law enforcement professionals have all the resources they need to address delicate situations. The bill is being held in the Public Safety and Crime Prevention committee for possible inclusion in the Public Safety budget bill. You can learn more about my bill by reading the Saint Cloud Times’ article here.

Long-Term Care Credit in Taxes

HF407, which establishes a tax credit for those that choose to purchase long-term care insurance, was heard in yesterday’s Taxes committee and laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. My bill will encourage Minnesotans to invest in their long-term care by helping to offset the financial cost of a long-term care insurance plan. By encouraging early investment, we can reduce the number of Minnesotans requiring financial help from the state as they reside in our long-term care facilities.

Update on School Trust Lands

I’ve introduced HF887, a bill to use unclaimed lottery winnings to invest in our students by bolstering our school trust lands. The bill has been heard in the Education Innovation Policy committee and is awaiting a hearing in the Government Operations and Elections Policy committee. I recently sat down with House Information Services to speak about my bill on their Starting Lines show. You can learn more by clicking here.

Please be sure to stay in touch to discuss your thoughts and concerns on any legislation before the House, or any other issues where I can be of assistance to you. If you plan on coming to St. Paul, you can schedule an appointment to meet with me in my office by calling my Legislative Assistant, Dorene Kainz, at (651) 296-7808, or email me directly at rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn. Encourage your friends and family to stay involved and informed by signing up for my email updates here.  

Sincerely,

Tim

This Week in History: On March 1st, 1881, the first state capitol building burned while both chambers were in session. Three hundred employees and legislators escaped unscathed, but the building and the law library were considered a total loss. Fortunately, many of the historical documents were preserved. You can read a write-up on the incident here