Dear Neighbor,
The 2015 Legislative Session officially began on January 6. In addition to all the newly elected officials taking the oath of office, a number of operating procedures are approved. The highlight was the installation of the new Chief Clerk, Patrick D. Murphy. Pat has been part of the Chief Clerk’s Office for quite a while and will do a great job.
After session on January 15th, the House held a ceremony and reception to honor the former Chief Clerk, Albin A. Mathiowetz, for 43 years of service. We are extremely fortunate to have such dedicated and knowledgeable individuals help us carry out the duties of the House of Representatives.
On the second day, January 7, legislators gathered at the Humphrey Institute for One Minnesota. This gives us a chance to hear from our State Demographer, our State Economist and other resources on issues that will be important during the next couple of years and beyond. The changing of our demographics is particularly important as we plan for the future.
The majority of committee work this month has been getting overviews from various agencies and organizations, but the bills are now starting to come through. I am serving on the following committees: Aging and Long-Term Care, Health and Human Service Reform, and Transportation Policy and Finance.
Recently, I spent a morning at Burnsville High School watching the Robotics Team work on their project, a robot that can stack recycle containers. The students use some sophisticated equipment to accomplish this task. I was fascinated by the 3-D printer. They make many of the parts they need with this machine, parts that they designed. In addition to building the robot, the team is also developing a presentation and a display about their work.
The project has to be done in six weeks, so the students and their adult mentors spend extensive time working on it. It means all day Saturday as well as many hours during the week.
I’d like to invite you to my upcoming town hall meeting with Senator Carlson on February 21 from 10:15-11:45 at the Wescott Library (1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan MN 55123). We will be discussing a variety of legislative issues and all are welcome.
Please be in touch anytime with your questions, comments and concerns. I appreciate hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Sandy Masin
State Representative