Greetings –
Here is an update of our week in St. Paul and a highlight of things to come in the House.
House Transportation Bill
The House transportation omnibus bill is scheduled to be heard on the House floor on Tuesday. This bill is a $7 billion, ten-year investment in all roads and the 330 bridges statewide. Rather than raising the gas tax, which would cost average Minnesota families an additional $600 at the pump annually, the bill reallocates funds from existing sources to make comprehensive investments to improve and expand roads and bridges.
Moving Transportation Forward in Central Minnesota
As a part of our efforts to improve funding for road and bridge projects, two bills were heard this week in the Senate transportation committee to be considered for possible inclusion in the Senate bonding bill, should a bill come forward this session. The two projects are the Benton County Road 3 reconstruction from the Sauk Rapids bridge eastbound to Highway 10. The second is the construction and expansion project in Sartell on 4th Avenue South to Heritage Drive and then to 23rd Street South. This will help increase the circulation of traffic in Sartell and will decrease emergency response times for EMS services.
Emergency Response to Avian Influenza
You may have read about the unexpected avian influenza outbreak that is affecting the poultry industry in Minnesota. Last night, the House voted to suspend rules and take swift action to provide funding for avian influenza emergency response. This sudden problem is affecting farmers statewide, impacting their poultry and their business operations. I’m thankful to my colleagues for recognizing this disaster and taking action to protect our farmers.
Stay in Touch
Please encourage your friends and neighbors to take my Legislative Survey and sign up for my email updates here. I look forward to communicating valuable information with you, and hearing your feedback on legislation before the House. You can always reach out to me directly by calling my Legislative Assistant at (651) 296-3780 or via email at rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
Rep. Tim O’Driscoll
This Week in History: As we celebrated the end of the Civil War this past week, it’s important to note that Minnesota offered the first troops at the outbreak of the Civil War. On April 14th, 1861, then-Governor Alexander Ramsey commissioned one thousand Minnesota soldiers to defend the country. This group of men made up the renowned First Minnesota Regiment. Our proud tradition of selfless Minnesotans serving our nation continues to this day, and I am proud to be the author of legislation that helps our troops return to civilian life.