With Jeannie Meine, a coordinator from Lutheran Social Services (LSS) in Crookston last Friday. I also had a wonderful lunch with the LSS group in East Grand Forks that day.
.Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week the House passed a number of omnibus bills. Here is an update from Saint Paul.
Education Omnibus Bill
On Monday, the House passed a bipartisan education bill that makes a number of key reforms to address the priorities of students, schools, educators and parents across Minnesota. The bill reprioritizes existing funding, helping to save school districts money by repaying loans early at their request, and using those cost savings to re-invest in our shared priorities.
First, I am pleased that an initiative I authored to fund mobile labs was included in the education bill this year. The labs will travel to teach students manufacturing and welding skills. Partnering with MnSCU educators, students will learn valuable, hands-on skills and gain practical experience, helping jumpstart their post-secondary education or possibly giving them the skills needed to secure a technical job right out of high school. What's more, these mobile labs would also partner with local businesses so students can use cutting edge equipment for their studies.
Many employers in Greater Minnesota are looking for employees with welding and manufacturing skills, and this program will help address those needs with the help of mobile labs and a working collaboration between public high schools and postsecondary institutions.
In addition to mobile labs, the bill also addresses the teacher shortage, an issue important to many schools and families in Northwest Minnesota. Furthermore, the legislation will help reduce the funding disparity between metro and rural school districts, implement innovative programs to help close the achievement gap, and address violence in our schools, ensuring teachers have control of their classroom and can remove disruptive students.
For higher education in our state, the legislation helps reduce college costs by directing the Minnesota Department of Education to collaborate with MnSCU schools to use MCA test scores to exempt students from taking costly remedial courses that do not count toward graduation requirements. It also directs the Office of Higher Education to increase awareness of federal loan forgiveness programs. Finally, the bill expands post-secondary opportunities for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Tied with last year's historic education funding increases, this year's bill focuses on the pressing needs of students, schools and rural communities with policy and funding provisions that work for Northwest Minnesota.
Protecting Women
This week during the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill debate, I amended the legislation on the House Floor to require licensure of abortion facilities, insisting they meet the requirements of outpatient surgical centers. It would also require the Commissioner of Health to perform inspections of abortion facilities.
This provision is about the safety and well-being of women, and I am pleased it was passed on the floor this week.
Lands Bill
This year, I am carrying the Lands bill, legislation that pertains to land acquisitions dealing with the state. For me, the goal of this legislation is to facilitate the sale of land owned by Minnesota state government that would be better in the hands of the private sector.
Additionally, in the legislation is a provision for the Klondike flood retention project in Northwest Minnesota for the Two Rivers Watershed District in Kittson and Roseau counties. To ease the financial costs, the state would donate some land to the local watershed district as well as trade school trust lands in the project area.
We all know that Northwest Minnesota is flat and flooding in our communities can be absolutely devastating. The Klondike Project is an important flood mitigation project for our area.
The Lands bill passed the Ways and Means Committee and will soon be up on the House Floor.
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If I can ever assist you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. I am here to serve you!
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B