Dear Friends,
The 2015 session is officially underway and it is a privilege and honor to once again serve you, your family, and your neighbors in St. Paul. I will continue to bring Northwestern Minnesota’s hard-working, common sense values to the Capitol.
Session Begins
January 6th marked the first day of session as all 134 members of the House were sworn in to begin their two year terms as State Representatives. Once the swearing in ceremony was complete, we elected Rep. Kurt Daudt to serve as our House Speaker as well as a Chief Clerk.
Legislative Priorities
This week, House Republicans revealed our “First Five” bills for the 2015 session. The priorities include growing better-paying jobs in all regions of the state; giving every child a world-class education; protecting the quality of life for our aging residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities; refocusing budget dollars towards road and bridge repair; and ensuring quality and fair health care access for all Minnesotans.
Committees
Over the course of the next several weeks, most of our work will be taking place in committees. Committees are where the majority of legislation is crafted and where public testimony will be heard on bills. I am fortunate enough to be serving on three committees this coming session. These include Legacy Funding Finance, Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance, and Greater Minnesota Economic and Workforce Development Policy, where I will serve as vice chairman.
I am especially looking forward to serving as vice chairman on the Greater Minnesota Economic and Workforce Development Policy committee where I will be able to work on issues of great importance to our district and all of Greater Minnesota. We all can agree that Greater Minnesota produces some of the greatest workers in the entire country. Unfortunately, the policies enacted over the last two years have caused a lot of hardship to businesses in Greater Minnesota. I am looking forward to rolling back the damage caused by these job-killing policies and working to make sure that Greater Minnesotans have good, high paying jobs.
Staying Connected
Please keep an eye on your email inbox as I will be sending out weekly updates to keep you up-to-speed on all the important issues and happenings that are taking place in St. Paul.
If you happen to be in St. Paul during the week, please feel free to stop by my office. Please note that my office number has changed and I am not located in room 413 of the State Office Building. As always, I can be reached via email at rep.steve.green@house.mn. To contact me by phone, call (651) 296-9918. Mail can be sent to Rep. Steve Green, 413 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.
Thank you and talk soon,
Steve