Dear Neighbors,
The 2016 Minnesota Legislative Session is now in its second week. With session expected to last just 10 weeks, all the work that needs to be done is given a very compressed time frame. I’ve been spending a great deal of time both in committee and meeting with constituents. Yesterday, 14 different organizations held “Days on the Hill” with their members coming to the Capitol to visit their legislators. 10 more organizations came to visit today.
Recently, I had the chance to sit down for an interview with Sarah Alain from House Public Information Services. I hope you will take a couple minutes to watch it and learn a bit more about my background and priorities as a legislator. It can be accessed on House Info’s YouTube page here.
Youth Suicide Prevention Bill
I was honored to have the Education Innovation Policy Committee hear a bill of mine yesterday, HF2622, to help us stop losing our young people to suicide. The bill requires teachers to have one of their required staff development hours be spent learning how to recognize students who are showing signs of the serious mental illnesses that are often precursors to suicide. Teachers can then refer these students to the proper professionals so they can get the proper care.
In 2014 over 50 K-12 students tragically took their own lives. A nationwide survey of students showed that the one person a child is most likely to go to if they suspect that a friend is suicidal is a teacher. Arming teachers with this knowledge will enable them to take action that could save lives.
The bill was well received, and it is my hope that it will become law this session.
Governor’s Supplemental Budget
Yesterday, Governor Mark Dayton introduced his supplemental budget proposal. With a shrinking budget surplus, projected to be $900 million back in February, he responsibly exercises caution in this proposal, leaving over $200 million on the bottom line hopefully for the budget reserve, and little in the way of large, ongoing spending proposals. While we have now experienced six straight budget surpluses, we must take steps to ensure we don’t fall into deficits again if the economy were to take a downward turn in the future.
In the budget, the Governor includes smart investments in education, job growth, and targeted tax relief to Minnesota families. These are all steps to expand economic opportunity for all Minnesotans. You can dive into the details of his proposal here.
Key Issues to Resolve
Key issues this session include consideration of a comprehensive transportation and transit package, a tax bill to provide relief to families and small and medium sized businesses, a fix for our state’s noncompliance with federal REAL ID requirements for commercial air travelers, and a bonding bill to fund infrastructure improvements of our state assets. Committees are holding hearings on these items currently, and I suspect details of some of these bills to emerge soon.
As always, I hope you will be in touch with me with any questions or comments you have as session progresses. It’s an honor to represent you in St. Paul, and if there is any way I can ever be of assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Best regards,
Yvonne Selcer
State Representative