Emergency Insulin Bill
The HHS Finance Division held a committee hearing for the emergency insulin bill on Tuesday. This bill was originally set to cost $10.4 million a year and only included those without insurance. It has since grown to include 70% of all patients, even those with insurance and nearly quadrupled in cost to $38 million a year.
Even though the bill’s author has been working on the bill for a year, the committee members did not receive the 34 page, detailed fiscal note for the bill until 30 minutes after the committee hearing started, leaving legislators no time to research or properly critique the bill. A vote was forced at the end of the committee, before members even had time to read and question the analysis. This is not how the government should operate. This type of practice creates bad policy and encourages poor spending, or worse, the influence of money in politics.
You can find my comments during committee here: Rep. Munson on the Emergency Insulin Bill in HHS Finance.
Cassie's Law
On Wednesday, I presented “Cassie’s Law” to the Public Safety Committee for my first hearing of the session. My bill aims to help people whose judgement is limited due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).As the chief author of this bill, I worked with Tim Barry, the father of Cassondra Barry. After suffering a stroke, Cassondra was left with severe damage to her frontal lobe and has caused major deficits in her sense of consequences and inhibition controls. These deficits have resulted in behaviors that have catapulted her into the criminal justice system.
This bill directs judges to order a neuropsychological evaluation prior to sentencing when a defendant has a prior history of a TBI. If the evaluation reveals a lack of impulse control due to a TBI, then sentences could be adjusted to seek effective treatment.
You can listen to a discussion of the language here: https://ktoe.com/2020/02/20/rep-munson-pushes-for-cassies-law/
2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties
Congratulations to the FOUR Minnesota Counties who have now passed resolutions declaring their status as 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries: Clearwater, Marshall, Roseau, Wadena!
These counties are taking a stand to protect their Second Amendment rights. If you are interested in seeing your county become a Second Amendment sanctuary county, visit the resources page on our website at https://www.newhousegop.com/2_a_counties. Individuals from dozens of communities have signed the petition to join the movement in support of Second Amendment sanctuary counties.
Even the media in Greater Minnesota is pretty excited about what these counties are doing. Listen to my interview with The Jay Thomas Show. I come in at the 28:10 minute mark.
Gun Free Zones
Last week, I introduced a bill against gun free zones, which requires property owners, who choose to remove your right to self-defense (by posting a gun free zone sign), to be responsible for defending you while on their property. We all know that gun free zones only mean law abiding citizens are defenseless. They attract bad actors and are not really gun free zones. We have over 300,000 citizens with active carry permits in Minnesota. We need to have a conversation on what ‘gun free’ zones actually mean, and how ‘gun free’ zones create soft targets.
The non-partisan house information service chose this bill for their first video of the session. It also has received praise from Law Enforcement Today, a national trade publication.
Legislative Town Hall
On Friday evening, I held a town hall at the Mapleton Community Center and discussed legislation and answered questions about a broad variety of topics. If you would like me to speak to a group in your area, or arrange a town hall, please contact my office. I plan to have more throughout the district.
Coming up Next Week
- Looking forward to a visit with folks from Lake Crystal to discuss projects in the district, as well as, several other constituent groups throughout the week.
- DFL Leadership is planning to bring forward HF 5 & HF 11 for floor votes - these are bills for massive expansions to Paid Family Leave and Sick Leave in Minnesota. This will add over a billion dollars in new employment taxes and 400 new bureaucrats added to the government. I will be voting ‘no’ on these bills, because many small business owners, farmers, and self-employed people, have told me this kind of government mandate will make them close their doors. They simply can't afford it, and neither can you!
- Don't forget to attend your precinct caucuses on Tuesday night, Feb. 25th! If you need to know where your caucus is being held, you can find out here: https://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/
If you visit the Capitol in Saint Paul, please drop by and say hello! If you know a date you will be in town, please call or email my Legislative Assistant, Barbara, and she will get you on the calendar. Her number is 651-297-1307 or barbara.smith@house.mn
Watch the Minnesota House on Public TV
Video: Streaming Website. Also you can watch committees and Floor Sessions on YouTube.