Friends and neighbors,
At midnight tonight we will have passed our second of three committee deadlines and will be returning to the community for a week-long legislative break. I have been working hard to improve Minnesota’s future for my two children and yours!
Road and Bridge Act of 2015 and Budget Introduction
Two top priorities of the Republican caucus were introduced at the beginning of this week: The Road and Bridge Act of 2015 and the budget proposal.
The act, introduced on Monday, appropriates long-term funding for transportation infrastructure across our state. The ten-year, $7 billion plan provides reliable transportation funding in the short- and long-term, creates a new Transportation Stability Fund to fund projects in our district and across the state, and appropriates finances for repairs and expansions statewide.
On Tuesday, we introduced our budget proposal. Our proposal spends $3 billion less than the Governor’s proposal, while continuing to invest in quality education for our children, ensuring top-notch care for our elderly and vulnerable, and protecting and improving our transportation infrastructure.
I look forward to discussing the act and our budget in our community and with my colleagues at the Capitol.
Bills Approach Second Deadline
As we approach tonight’s deadline, I have been hard at work in committee to pass bills that address needs in our community and our state. HF1342, a bipartisan piece of legislation, makes technical updates to the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. HF2009 ensures the coverage of chemotherapy and cancer therapeutics by insurance plans. Both bills continue to advance towards the House floor, as do many other pieces of legislation I have introduced this session.
“Coffee and Conversation with Dennis” on March 30th
The legislative break gives us a unique opportunity to spend additional time in our community. I am looking forward to using this time to meet with many of you. I hope that you will join me at “Coffee and Conversation with Dennis” from 5-7:00pm on Monday, March 30th at the Byerly’s in Maple Grove (12880 Elm Creek Boulevard, Maple Grove, MN 55369). See you there!
Legislative Survey
Please take the time to fill out my 2015 Legislative Survey. Your thoughts on the issues facing our community and our state are valuable to me!
I am continually thankful for the opportunity to meet and discuss your thoughts and concerns on legislation and community issues. This week, I was honored to be visited by the Garthwait family. It was great to give them a tour and hear more about their thoughts on our work at the legislature! I also met with Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who was at the Capitol to testify on a piece of legislation before the Transportation committee. As always, please contact me at (651) 296-5356 if you plan on visiting the Capitol. You can also contact me via email at Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy the Easter and Passover weekend with your friends and family. I hope that all families with children in ISD279 enjoy the opportunity to relax and reconnect during Spring Break!
Dennis