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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL)

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Legislative Update - May 18, 2018

Friday, May 18, 2018

Dear Neighbors,
 
The final weekend of the legislative session is upon us. All bills must be passed by midnight Sunday evening, and Governor Dayton has been clear that he will not call a special session. Recently, the Governor appeared before a joint caucus of House and Senate DFLers, perhaps for the final time, and it was a good chance to thank him for standing up for working families.
Lauren Sclar of Duluth spent this week at the Capitol participating in the House High School Page Program, a great educational opportunity for Minnesota High School Juniors.
A great deal of work remains left to do this session, and here’s a bit of an outline of where things stand.
 
Negotiations on the Budget and Taxes
 
A House and Senate conference committee, with five members of each chamber, is hashing out differences in each area of the state budget. The Governor is certainly weighing in as well, and he has identified at least 63 provisions to which he has strong objections. Additionally, Gov. Dayton has renewed his call for Emergency School Aid to help school districts facing massive budget cuts. We value education in Minnesota, but our schools can’t deliver the quality students count on if teachers are laid off, class sizes are increased, and program offerings are eliminated.
 
Due to the lack of action on this $138 million of one-time aid, Gov. Dayton this week vetoed the Republican tax bill. If we have the means to give tax cuts to corporations, we have the means to ensure students have the opportunities they deserve to achieve.
 
We must also expand affordable health care for Minnesotans, and one way to do this is the MinnesotaCare Buy-In. This would allow people to take advantage of premiums less expensive than on the private market, and with access to a vast network of quality doctors. I recently spoke at a press conference urging support for this initiative.
In their Health and Human Services Bill, Republicans included a provision precluding future consideration of this plan. Rather than looking at ways to limit access to quality, affordable health care, we should be expanding these opportunities. The MinnesotaCare Buy-In is one such opportunity.
 
Passing the Buck for Transportation
 
This week, the House approved a Republican-authored measure to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot dedicating sales tax revenues from auto repair and auto parts to transportation. While no one disputes our roads are in rough shape, they need new, dedicated revenue, and this wouldn’t get the job done. Further, it would take money away from other key values, like education and health care.
 
Below the Quadriga (golden horses) atop the State Capitol, there are six statues each representing the Virtues of Wisdom, Courage, Bounty, Truth, Integrity, and Prudence. The Capitol’s architect, Cass Gilbert, hoped these would inspire Minnesotans and legislators.
Virtue: Courage (photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society)
 
It appears that these are in short supply among some in the Republican legislative leadership, and unfortunately due to an absence of courage, they are choosing to pit roads vs. kids. This also shows a lack of wisdom.
 
Investments in Infrastructure
 
Earlier this week, the House passed its version of the bonding bill to invest in statewide infrastructure improvements. It contained several important items for Duluth, like renovation of A.B. Anderson Hall and other updates at UMD, $4 million for improvements at Glensheen, phase two of the Duluth Steam Plant project, and grant funding for Regional Mental Health Crisis Centers, for which Duluth is eligible. Investments in the bill only totaled $825 million, far short of Gov. Dayton’s request of $1.5 billion, which meant other key priorities like the sea walls were left out.
 
Later in the week, the Senate was unsuccessful in passing such a bill. We’ve worked extremely hard, together, to get these investments funded, and I’ll be pushing to get a more robust version of the bill over the finish line this weekend.
 
Common Sense Items Stall
 
One of the biggest disappointments about the overall picture at the Capitol is the lack of meaningful developments on the items we should all be able to agree on. Entering the session three months ago, there was a bipartisan commitment to tackle items like the opioid epidemic and abuse of seniors and other vulnerable adults. Big Pharma has deployed lobbyist muscle behind the scenes to stop a penny a pill tax on opioid manufacturers which would fund prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts to stop families from losing more loved ones due to this crisis. Regarding the issue of eldercare, instead of real solutions to protect seniors like enhanced licensing regulations with greater accountability, the Republican majority has instead advanced working groups and other inadequate solutions.
 
It was extremely disappointing earlier this week when, despite broad bipartisan support of legislators and over 80 percent of Minnesotans, advocates learned Republican leadership had no plans to schedule a vote for hands-free legislation for cellphone use behind the wheel. My colleagues and I tried to overcome parliamentary roadblocks to call an immediate vote Wednesday, but the effort was defeated on a party line basis. No one has been able to articulate why this lifesaving measure can’t move forward this session. As someone who has experienced three different crashes with family members caused by distracted drivers, I join other Minnesotans let down by this lack of action.
 
Keep in touch with your viewpoints and input.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jen Schultz
State Representative