Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Nels Pierson (R)

Back to profile

Legislative Update (April 27, 2018)

Friday, April 27, 2018

Dear Neighbors,

It appears that we have finally turned the corner and that spring is here to stay.  I hope you have been able to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather we’ve been having lately.

Before the weekend gets underway, I wanted to send out a quick update with some news from the legislature.

On Tuesday morning, I had the opportunity to speak about the issues and policy proposals pertinent to our state’s disability community at the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities’ “Tuesdays at the Capitol” discussion.

House Image

Education Bill Passed by House

Last night, the House passed its bipartisan education omnibus bill.  This legislation includes our comprehensive school safety package, which champions a multifaceted approach that would give school districts the flexibility and resources to address school safety and student mental health.  Highlights of the package include allowing for the expanded use of long-term facilities maintenance revenue for facility security upgrades; strengthening the state’s commitment to school-linked mental health grants; and increasing funding for Safe Schools Revenue to provide schools with the resources to determine how to best address this issue. 

Additionally, the bill does a number of other important things to bring more transparency to school finance and performance reporting.  It would strengthen laws around teacher misconduct to protect students, create a resource to enable parents to research and compare schools to determine the best fit for their children, and establish a Special Education Working Group to examine rising costs in this area.

In the higher education portion of the bill, there are measures to fund student loan debt counseling, back a textbook affordability initiatives, reform the regent selection process, and support critical cybersecurity programs at our state’s higher education institutions.

This bill is a win for Minnesota’s students and I was proud to vote in favor of it on the House floor.  We will now have to work out the differences between this bill and the Senate’s proposal in order to send it to the Governor for final approval. 

Students at the Capitol

I had an awesome time meeting up with students from Stewartville and Chatfield during their tours of the Capitol this week.  Field trips to the Capitol are a great way for students to learn more about government and spark an interest in civic engagement

House Image

House Image

House Image

Prescription Drug Disposal

Tomorrow - Saturday, April 28 – is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to remove unused, dangerous medication from your home and have it disposed of in a safe and responsible way.  Opioid abuse is so often the result of excess prescription drugs laying around people’s homes, so eliminating that possibility can make a big difference.  For additional information or to find a drop-off location near you, please click here.

Please Contact Me

Please continue to stay in touch to share your thoughts on the issues that will be coming before me for votes on the House floor in the weeks ahead.  You can reach me via phone at (651) 296-4378 or via email at rep.nels.pierson@house.mn.  Also, if you’re going to be visiting the Capitol, please do not hesitate to set up a time to stop by and chat.

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

House Image

Nels