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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Lyndon Carlson, Sr. (DFL)

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2014 Session Update: April 14

Monday, April 14, 2014
Dear Neighbors,
 
With the Legislature scheduled to adjourn in just a little over a month, I want to update you on some of the key legislative issues.  We made a lot of progress in 2013 by passing a balanced budget, paying back our schools in full, and providing property tax relief.
 
Now in 2014, Minnesota has a strong budget surplus, our employers created 45,000 jobs last year, and our unemployment rate is one of the lowest rates in the country.  Minnesota is moving forward and making progress, and the Legislature is continuing to focus on strengthening our middle class.  Some of the major accomplishments of the session as a result of the improved economic situation:  
  • Provided tax cuts for middle-class Minnesotans.  
  • Approved a significant, investment-focused supplemental budget.  
  • Provided funding for school lunches in cases where students do not have sufficient funds.  
  • Passed the Safe and Supportive Schools Act and the Women's Economic Security Act.  
  • Approved a bill to increase the minimum wage.
Tax-Cut Legislation:  The Minnesota Legislature worked quickly with Governor Dayton this session to pass $508 million in middle-class tax cuts for more than one million Minnesotans.  More recently, the House approved a second tax bill that includes further tax cuts for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and members of the military.   Homeowners already receiving a refund will see a three percent increase in their refund.   Renters already receiving a Renters’ Credit Refund will see a six percent increase.  This is in addition to the tax relief passed in 2013 for homeowners and renters.  
 
Supplemental Budget:  The House is building on the progress already made this year with a supplemental budget that provides targeted investments for middle class families, students, and seniors.  These investments are in addition to investments made last year.  
 
Highlights of the supplemental budget include:
 
Job creation and infrastructure: Invests in economic development resources to support job growth and the business   sectors critical to Minnesota’s economic future.  It also invests in additional statewide infrastructure and expands broadband access.
Education: Provides a funding increase for K-12 schools to further improve education outcomes and to provide greater access to affordable, high-quality early learning opportunities.  It invests in our higher education institutions to improve students’ access to an affordable college education.
Health Care and Human Services: Provides an increase for home- and community-based health care workers who provide care for the elderly and disabled.  It also increases funding for nursing homes and provides additional investments in senior nutrition.
Transportation: Provides funding to help local governments throughout the state address the need to repair potholes after the worst winter in recent memory.  It also provides funding for additional statewide highway repairs as well as increases funding for Safe Routes to Schools to help Minnesota students get to and from school more safely.
Disaster Assistance: Establishes a Disaster Assistance Contingency Account to provide critical disaster relief without the need for a special legislative session.
Environment and Agriculture: Invests in food shelf funding.  Funding will go to Second Harvest to reimburse food producers for labor costs when producers donate surplus food to food banks.  It also establishes the Terrestrial Invasive Species Research Center to conduct research on invasive and problematic plants and pests in Minnesota.
 
School Lunch Funding:  The House unanimously passed and the Governor signed a bill to provide additional funding to the school lunch program.  This guarantees that no child will go without lunch in a Minnesota school because of the inability to pay.  
 
Women's Economic Security Act:  The House passed the Women’s Economic Security Act, building on Minnesota’s positive economic progress by ensuring opportunities for women to succeed in the workplace and to provide for their families.  Providing these policies and economic opportunities for women, who make up half of the state’s workforce, is key to our state’s economic future.  When women have equal opportunities to succeed, our families, communities, and economy are stronger.  Highlights of the Act:
  • Allows mothers to stay in the workforce by expanding family leave and providing reasonable accommodations for pregnant and nursing employees.
  • Expands access to high-quality, affordable childcare.
  • Decreases the gender pay gap by providing equal employment opportunities for women in high-wage, high-demand nontraditional work.
  • Reduces the gender pay gap through increased enforcement of equal pay laws for state contractors and by allowing employees to discuss pay inequities.
  • Addresses economic consequences of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault.
  • Requires a report from Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) on the potential for a state-administered plan for workers without access to workplace retirement savings plans along with other alternative private sector options.
Minimum Wage Bill:  The House and the Senate have passed the bill to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour and indexed to inflation. Minnesota currently has one of the lowest minimum wage rates in the country at $6.15 an hour, while the federal minimum wage is set at $7.25. The last time we raised the minimum wage was nearly a decade ago. Raising the minimum wage supports hard-working Minnesotans and their families by providing them with added economic security and more spending power to benefit the economy.
 
It’s been a productive legislative session and there is still work to be done for Minnesota families and businesses.  Passing a capital investment bill is critical to creating jobs and improving our state’s infrastructure.  The proposal invests in infrastructure improvements, economic development, transportation, housing, higher education, clean water, and wastewater systems.  The bill invests in every part of the state.  
 
Your input is valuable.   If you have comments or questions on legislative issues, feel free to contact me.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lyndon Carlson
State Representative