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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Laurie Halverson (DFL)

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Legislative Update - February 13, 2015

Friday, February 13, 2015

Dear Neighbor,

 

This week at the Capitol we reviewed and passed the House Rules, which govern how the body conducts its day to day business and the process by which we pass laws. We will use these rules as we pass various bills for the rest of the two year legislative biennium.

 

Legislative Health Care Workforce Commission

 

I have been named by the Speaker of the House to the Legislative Health Care Workforce Commission. This group is charged by state statue to explore and recommend policy solutions to support an effective health care workforce for Minnesota. As our population ages, we face critical changes in our state's health care needs. I am looking forward to working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to find solutions to these issues.

 

ISD 197 Roundtable
I recently attended a round table discussion with ISD 197 school board members, teachers, principals, and parents. The group shared their vision for the students of the district and discussed how we can work together to best support great outcomes for our kids. School leaders report that investments made in school based mental health are having a positive impact by improving services and outcomes for students. In the coming year, priorities of the district include improved Pre-K school readiness to ensure that when kids enter kindergarten they are socially, emotionally, and educationally prepared to begin learning.

 

I agree with the district’s assessment that school readiness is crucial to meeting long-term goals for student success and to closing our achievement gap. That’s why I am sponsoring H.F. 266 to create additional school readiness opportunities for schools. I presented the bill to the House Education Finance Committee on Wednesday and it was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.

 

Behind the Scenes
The Capitol is undergoing major construction as part of a restoration project that will be completed in 2017. Marble and masonry repairs are nearing completion on the Capitol exterior, which if you’ve driven by lately you may have noticed is completely covered in scaffolding and plastic wrap. Many windows have been removed and boarded up as part of this process. Soon, some of this scaffolding will start to be removed. On the Capitol interior, work is beginning on a new HVAC system.

 

An unfortunate side effect of this construction is that public space in the Capitol is temporarily reduced and public tours are unavailable. If you are planning to visit the Capitol, don't hesitate to contact my office to set up some time to meet face to face. In light of the inability of groups to take historic tours, I'm happy to come to your group meeting and present information about the history of the Capitol. Please call me to set up some time. You can find more information on the restoration project here.

Hopes for a Productive Session
While I am happy to be back to work in St. Paul, I am disappointed with the slow start that we are seeing under new leadership of the House majority. Finding common ground and working for bipartisan solutions is one of my top priorities as a representative of o cur community. I continue to be hopeful that we can come together to advance the work of the people of Minnesota.

 

If you have any ideas for this year’s legislature please let me know. I appreciate your input. Please contact me anytime with your questions, concerns and comments.

 


Sincerely,

 

 

 

Laurie Halverson

State Representative