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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Connie Bernardy (DFL)

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Legislative Update - April 1, 2016

Friday, April 1, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

With nearly four weeks behind us in the 2016 legislative session, today already marks the first committee deadline for bills to move forward. This means that unless a policy bill has been acted upon favorably by all necessary committees in either the House or the Senate, unless it makes a special visit to the Rules Committee, its prospects for passage are extremely dim. This week has been full of committee meetings, with many of them being extended into the evening. I have a hearing on a transportation transparency and accountability bill up in committee next week. I’m collaborating with Democrats and Republicans to pass this legislation. We need a transportation system that allows Minnesotans to safely get to work, school, and healthcare visits no matter how they choose to travel. This bill will help create a transportation system that meets the needs of people from 1-101.

Next Friday marks the second committee deadline, meaning that if a bill meets the first deadline in one body, it must be through committee in the other body. 2,379 bills were introduced in 2015, and 1,415 have been introduced this year. These deadlines will shrink the number of bills still eligible to pass considerably.

REAL ID

Major action was taken on the House Floor this week on Tuesday when a bill enabling the state of Minnesota to move toward implementation of the federal REAL ID act passed on a vote of 125-2. This act, passed by Congress in 2005, requires certain security enhancements to driver’s licenses for citizens to board airplanes or enter certain federal facilities. In 2009, the Legislature passed and Gov. Pawlenty signed a bill prohibiting the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) from complying with this measure.

Originally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was set to require state compliance sometime in 2016, but in January they pushed this back to 2018. The bill which passed Tuesdaymoves us in the right direction by requiring DPS to begin the planning process for eventual implementation and to provide a report to the Legislature outlining what steps are necessary for this to occur. Another bill will be needed at a later date to actually take the action of REAL ID implementation. Minnesotans have waited too long for this problem to be solved, and I hope we can swiftly remove any question folks have when they renew their licenses as to whether they will be adequate for air travel, or for entering other countries.

As always, please keep in touch with your feedback on the issues important to you. It’s an honor to represent the community in which I grew up at the Capitol.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Sincerely,

Connie Bernardy

State Representative