Dear Neighbors,
The legislative session is entering its final days. We must adjourn on or before Monday, May 21 but the constitution dictates we can only pass bills until midnight on Sunday night, May 20. Here’s an update from the Capitol.
Where Things Stand
Currently, joint House/Senate conference committees are considering the omnibus finance bill, with each area of the state budget included), as well as the tax bill. To little avail, Governor Dayton has repeatedly urged Republicans in the House and Senate majorities to work with him on the issues on which we can find common ground, like protecting seniors and vulnerable adults from abuse, ending the state’s opioid crisis, shoring up state pensions and making schools safer. The Dayton Administration has sent Republican leaders 270 pages of input and concerns about legislation being considered without much of a response.
The Governor has made clear he will not call a special session to resolve anything not getting done on time. Those in legislative leadership should take this seriously and put us in a position to deliver results for Minnesotans by next weekend.
Investing in Infrastructure
The bonding bill, which funds public infrastructure improvements throughout the state, also remains on our to-do list. Before session Gov. Dayton announced his plan totaling $1.5 billion of investments in our higher education institutions, clean water infrastructure, bridges, dams, and other important assets. On Monday the House will consider the majority’s current proposal which totals just $825 million.
This bill is unique in that it requires a 3/5ths supermajority to pass, meaning the vote needs to be bipartisan. Investments in our infrastructure are investments in our community and create more opportunities for shared prosperity. I hope we can pass a robust package of investments to address needs across Minnesota.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Today wraps up Teacher Appreciation Week. I’m grateful for the wonderful teachers I had and want to thank all of our dedicated educators for their tireless work to help young people achieve and prepare them for lifelong learning.
But we can’t keep expecting our teachers to do more with less and many districts are facing significant budget shortfalls. In Minnesota we have a tradition of quality schools, but larger class sizes, fewer programming options, and teacher layoffs simply won’t allow us to maintain this level of excellence. We still have some time to come together and pass Gov. Dayton’s proposal for emergency school aid this session. Our students, teachers, and families are counting on us to make these investments.
Continue to reach out with your viewpoints and ideas. Feel free to email or call me any time.
Sincerely,
Debra Hilstrom
State Representative