Dear Neighbors,
We’re into the negotiating part of the legislative session. The House and the Senate have come together to agree on our budget, and that puts us way ahead of schedule compared to other years I’ve been in the legislature. Now, the legislature will meet with the governor’s office to establish overall budget targets. My hope is the governor is willing to compromise now so we’re not pushed up to the end of session. Being that we’re ahead of schedule, I’m optimistic we’ll do our part in time.
This week, the Civil Law Committee heard an important bill dealing with a very difficult topic. My colleague, Rep. Mary Franson, presented her bill to further criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM). The bill would establish a felony penalty for any parent or guardian who consents to the female genital mutilation of a child. It’s a horrific crime that was made even more appalling following the heartbreaking testimony of Farhio Khalif, a woman who endured this as a child. Again, this is a difficult issue to talk about, but it’s important to have this conversation now to protect against this crime in the future.
Things will be moving quickly in the last couple weeks, so please stay in touch if you have questions about what we’re discussing. Feel free to reach out if you need anything.
Enjoy the warm weather this weekend,
Peggy