Dear Neighbors,
High School Page Program
This week in St. Paul, I was fortunate to spend time with a bright high school student from our district, Elijah Rockhold. Elijah took part in the Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program, and spent his week attending committee hearings, assisting House staff, and meeting legislators and other elected officials. He is just the second person ever from Chanhassen High School to take part in the page program.
I wanted to pass along his story and encourage other students to consider researching this opportunity. Elijah is a Victoria resident, junior in high school, participates in speech and debate, and has a passionate interest in government. What I found most interesting was his appreciation for the Page Program, and for trying something new. I asked him why other high schoolers should look into the program and he answered, “Why not?...There’s nothing you won’t like about this week because it covers such a breadth of issues.”
I feel the same way. The Page Program offers a unique insider perspective into what happens in our state Legislature. If you know a student interested in law, government, or politics, there’s no better way to gain experience or meet individuals involved in this process. I’d encourage any student who will be a junior next fall to click here and learn more about what the High School Page Program has to offer.
I’d like to thank Elijah for his work this week, and for taking the time to share his thoughts. Keep an eye out for this kid; he’s going to do big things in the future.
Omnibus Bills Passing
This week, the House passed three omnibus bills that covered education, job growth, agriculture, environment issues, health and human services, state government finance, and public safety. It was a lot of debate over a number of topics, but I’m proud of what we passed on to the Senate.
Assisting Veterans
What stands out to me is our commitment to helping Minnesota’s military veterans. We made significant investments to a number of different vets initiatives. $100,000 will go to veteran rent subsidies. Another $100,000 is allocated as a grant to Eagle’s Healing Nest to help veterans transition back into civilian life. An additional $300,000 will be sent to the State Soldiers Assistance Fund. I’m extremely grateful for the sacrifice of our veterans, and hope our proposal goes to help those serving our country.
State Auditor Reform
As you know, I’ve been pushing to make the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) more accountable to the people, and to taxpayer dollars. Yesterday, we passed a provision that the OSA would be required to submit a plan to the Legislature about how it will audit local units of government. There’s been concern over possible pressuring of counties by the OSA, and that’s something we can’t stand for.
The OSA would also have to report any costs to counties due to the MNsure IT system. We know MNsure has been costly for counties to administer, but we need to know exactly what we’re forcing local governments to spend on this failing exchange.
Sharing Your Opinion
Please contact me to share your thoughts on this or any other issues that affect you and your family. I’m here to serve you, and hope you’ll reach out. You can schedule an appointment to visit me in my office by calling (651) 296-4282 or email me directly at rep.jim.nash@house.mn.
Enjoy your weekend,
Jim