Dear friends,
Study abroad sunshine bill
I am co-authoring a bill this session titled “Tyler Hill's Sunshine Bill.” Tyler Hill was a teenager from Mound who died in Japan during a study abroad trip in 2007. There is currently no federal or state oversight of study abroad programs for high school students. The bill,
HF 987, would require study abroad programs to track and publish all illnesses and deaths that occur to students on their programs—an important step to ensure our children are safe when abroad for school.
Protecting those who protect us
Earlier this week, the House unanimously passed a bill to establish a statewide “Blue Alert” notification system that would help capture suspects who attack police officers. Blue Alerts would operate much like Amber Alerts that are issued when children go missing. A companion bill is making its way through the Senate.
The system would be activated if a law enforcement officer were killed or seriously injured and officials believed the perpetrator posed a threat to the public. Blue Alerts would include descriptions of suspects, their vehicles and license plate information, and would be sent out via TV and radio stations, cellphones, electronic highway signs and other outlets, in hopes that tips from the public would lead to an arrest. 21 states have Blue Alert systems.
One of the major reasons cited for this proposal was the killing of Officer Scott Patrick in July in Mendota Heights. After Patrick’s death, police chased the suspect for many hours before he was found.
Metropolitan Council Subcommittee
This session, I am serving on the Subcommittee on Metropolitan Council Accountability and Transparency. This subcommittee seeks to provide transparency with regard to the activities of the Metropolitan Council, an organization that is in charge of most public transportation in the Twin Cities, and many other important functions of regional municipal government. I am currently working with Representative Tony Albright (R- Prior Lake) to bring together a broad, bipartisan group of stakeholders to identify solutions to people's questions about governance and the overall scope of the Metropolitan Council.
Behind the Scenes
The Minnesota House Research Department is a great resource for citizens who are looking for information on a particular issue. This nonpartisan department that provides background and analysis on statues and legislation to Representatives, staff, and the public. Many useful tools are available so that the public can learn more about what’s happening at the Captiol. You can check out House Research at:
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/hrd.aspx. On the website, it is very easy to view bill summaries and find other useful information. You can also email questions to
House.Research@house.mn, or contact them by phone at 651-296-6753.
Please contact me anytime during the legislative session with your input. I can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4128 or by email
rep.laurie.halverson@house.mn. As always, thank you for the honor of serving you at the Capitol.
Best,
Laurie Halverson