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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Ben Lien (DFL)

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Legislative Update - March 9, 2015

Monday, March 9, 2015

 Greetings from the House Floor,

 

I had committee hearings on two of my bills last week and supported Rep. Jeff Backer on a third. On Tuesday, I had a hearing in the Civil Law and Data Practices Committee on House File (HF) 773. This bill would mandate the Minnesota State College and University system (MnSCU) to publicly disclose the terms and conditions of contracts pertaining to its governance and operations with outside consultants. The bill was passed out of the committee and referred to the Higher Education Committee. Also on Tuesday, I had a hearing on HF 595 to fund the final phase of the Oakport flood mitigation project. This hearing was an informational hearing in the Capital Investment Committee. A larger bill to fund flood mitigation projects all around the state will receive an official hearing in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and then the Capital Investment Committee later this session. All bills for individual flood mitigation projects are receiving informational hearings in the Capital Investment Committee so committee members are familiar with the projects once the statewide bill is before them.

 

On Wednesday, I sat in and supported Rep. Backer on a hearing for a bill he is carrying to provide a funding increase for a non-profit senior care facility in his district, St. Francis, and the non-profit senior care facility in Moorhead, Eventide. It is HF 553 and would bring state reimbursement rates up to levels comparable to the reimbursement rates in North Dakota. North Dakota has higher reimbursement rates for senior care facilities and, as such, present a host of issues for facilities on the border like wages for employees and agreements between the two states for people who are residents of one state and live in a facility in the other. This is a very important bill for our region and the two facilities that are corner stones of our communities.

 

Also on Wednesday, the Legislature elected five members to the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. This happens through a joint House-Senate session during the odd numbered year of each biennium. The Regent candidates elected were incumbent Patricia Simmons from the 1st Congressional District, former student Regent Darrin Rosha from the 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Richard Beeson from the 4th Congressional District, Michael Hsu from the 6th Congressional District and Tom Anderson from the 7th Congressional District. As a member of the House Higher Education Committee, I had the opportunity to meet most of the candidates and vote on a recommended candidate for each seat in a House-Senate joint Higher Education Committee meeting earlier in the year. From the joint committee hearing, the recommended candidates go on to a final vote of the entire Legislature. The election of Regents is always an interesting process as candidates can be nominated and jump into the race at any point. I noticed several of the candidates, and now newly elected Regents, attended House Higher Education Committee hearings throughout the first half of the session. I am confident they understand what is needed to continue the University’s tradition of being a world class research institution and a place for students from across the state to receive an affordable education.

 

Bills passed off the House floor last week were HFs 134 (Veteran Trust Technical Changes), 423 (Staff Variance Requirement for Ambulance Services) and 2 (Clarifying Conditions for Teacher Licensure and Employment). HF 2 was debated on Thursday for about 7 hours. It makes changes to unrequested leaves of absence for teachers and teacher licensure. The provisions related to unrequested leaves of absence would remove local discretion school districts currently have in setting policies and consideration of teacher seniority in these decisions. It would also present an avenue for professionals in any given subject matter who are not teachers to get into the classroom. I did not vote for the bill. The real conversations about education need to focus on closing the achievement gap and preparing students to be college or career ready. I don’t see the value of HF 2 in either of these areas. I also question why folks are proposing changes to unrequested leaves of absence for teachers. It seems as though changes to these policy areas would be in anticipation of funding cuts to K-12 education, which I absolutely do not support. The best thing we can do for the future of our economy and workforce is prepare students to lead. HF 2 does not focus on our students. Instead, let’s talk about how we can better engage all students to discover the skills and talents they have to become the world’s greatest workforce.

 

Thank You for the Opportunity to Serve,

 

Ben