Dear Neighbors,
On Tuesday we kicked off the 2019 Minnesota Legislative Session. I am honored to be representing you and our community in St. Paul. I’ll stay committed to working in a way that reflects our shared values, and delivering reasonable solutions which give everyone an opportunity to succeed. Tuesday was a special day of celebration, having my family join me at the Capitol for our swearing-in ceremony.
This session, I’ll be serving as the Vice Chair of the State Government Finance Division. Additionally, I’ve been appointed to the following House Committees: Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division; Commerce; Property and Local Tax Division; and Ethics. I’m looking forward to the work on each of these assignments, all of which are important to Bloomington residents.
To maintain our strong economy, it’s vital to invest in what has made Minnesota such an excellent place to live. We’ve long prided ourselves on having good public schools, but local budget cutbacks have put our kids, educators, and essential support staff in jeopardy. Every Minnesota student deserves an excellent public education, so I’m committed to fully funding our schools. Health care remains out of reach for too many, with prices they can’t afford and coverage that’s not comprehensive. I’ll be looking into a plan to allow all Minnesotans to access affordable, quality coverage through the MinnesotaCare Buy-In option. Minnesota families are also facing other challenges, like exorbitantly high child care costs and paid family and medical leave which is either too limited or unavailable entirely. I’m confident we can craft solutions together to address these barriers head on.
There are a number of other issues around which I’m hopeful we can find common ground quickly. Addressing the opioid crisis, strengthening protections for our aging parents, grandparents and neighbors in assisted living facilities, protecting funding for services for Minnesotans with disabilities, keeping our kids safe in school and better securing our elections system – among other issues – should all be solved on a collaborative basis. Minnesotans deserve an effective and accountable state government, so I’ll work to make progress on each of these quickly.
I encourage you to follow the happenings at the State Capitol throughout the legislative session. The nonpartisan House Public Information Services Office offers live streaming videos of floor and committee hearings. TPT’s Minnesota Channel also televises legislative proceedings Monday through Friday, and a schedule is available here. Please also feel free to share this update with your neighbors and friends; they can sign up for updates from my office here.
I can most effectively advocate for you with maximum input, ideas, and feedback. Additionally, if I can be of any assistance, please feel free to call me at 651-296-4218 or email me at rep.andrew.carlson@house.mn. Please also connect with me on Facebook here. I appreciate hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Andrew Carlson
State Representative