Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Highway Safety Study Legislation
This week, I introduced House File 1856, a bipartisan bill to study safety improvements for the 94/694/494 highway interchange in Woodbury. This highway interchange is the second most traveled in the state, and can be quite dangerous, seeing numerous car crashes and semi-truck tip overs each year.
Improving our roads and infrastructure continues to be one of my top legislative priorities, and by requiring MnDOT to do this study and cost analysis, it will jumpstart upgrades to this stretch of highway.
You can read more about my bill in the Woodbury Bulletin here.
The bill will receive its first hearing Monday in the Transportation Policy and Finance Committee. Representatives from Washington County and Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens are scheduled to testify on behalf of my bill.
Survey
My 2015 Legislative Survey is available to take online, giving me another opportunity to receive feedback from constituents about important issues being debated at the State Capitol.
If you haven't done so yet, please take a moment to take my short survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Fenton2015
Also don't forget to share it with your friends and family in District 53B. Your input is valuable!
Education Savings Account for Students with Special Needs Act
Another one of my bills that has been moving through the legislative process this session is the Education Savings Account for Students with Special Needs Act. While our public schools do a great job educating our kids, some schools don’t have the special education programs to meet the needs of every student. By using a student's per pupil funding to set up an education savings account, their parents are empowered to choose educational options that best fit the needs of their child. Families can use the money in the account for tuition to a school that better caters to their child's needs, for therapies, for textbooks or for tutoring.
Offering more choice and flexibility, many children in other states with similar savings account programs have thrived when their academic options have been expanded. Furthermore, if signed into law, this will have a positive impact for parents whose financial situation may limit their child's options otherwise.
Parents know the needs of their children better than anyone, and my legislation is about ensuring every special needs student in Minnesota has a chance to succeed academically.
***
As your voice in St. Paul, if I can be of any assistance to you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Kelly
Don’t forget to “like” me on Facebook to learn more about what’s happening at the Capitol.