Dear Neighbor,
Education, fireworks, and transportation are among the topics of this week. Also, I am going to be at Culver's in Albertville from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday March 7 (11025 61st St NE, Albertville, MN 55301). Please stop by to visit and let me know what's on your mind.
Education Reform
According to the MN Department of Education, between 2008 and 2013 approximately 2,200 teachers in Minnesota were laid off as a result of Last-In-First-Out (LIFO). Republicans passed HF 2 by the full House yesterday to address LIFO and other areas of education policy including: Teacher Licensure, Teacher Retention, and Teacher Evaluation. HF 2 will help to keep the most effective teachers in the classroom, empowers school districts to tap community experts to fill unmet needs to maintain or expand academic opportunities for Minnesota students, increases access to quality teachers through out-of-state teacher license recognition, encouraging regional licensure reciprocity, streamlining alternative pathways to teaching, and reinstating other licensure options. I voted in favor and the bill.
Committee Activity Highlights
FIREWORKS
Current Minnesota law only permits ground based fireworks, classified as “novelties and sparkling devices.” We heard HF 1089 in the Public Safety Committee this week which seeks to legalize “aerial and audible devices” fireworks sold for general public use containing 75 grams or less of a chemical mixture per tube for a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes in a device such as firecrackers and bottle rockets. If enacted into law, this change would bring Minnesota more consistent with what is legal to be sold and used in states such as Wisconsin and the Dakotas. M-80s and large display fireworks would remain illegal. The bill was not voted upon.
Other Bill Activity Highlights
CHIEF AUTHOR
AMONG THE BILLS I CO-AUTHORED
I have received many emails on these and other important subjects this session so, please, keep sending me feedback. It always is welcome and your thoughts, ideas and concerns help me continue doing my best to represent the people of District 30B.
Eric Lucero
State Representative
District 30B
Albertville, Hanover, Otsego, Saint Michael, and the Wright County portion of Dayton