Dear Northlanders,
I hope this email finds you well, despite the bitter cold we all withstand as Minnesotans in wintertime. Be sure to check on your neighbors, especially those who may be vulnerable like seniors or those with disabilities. If you need help with your heating bills, there are resources available. The Minnesota Department of Commerce has information here.
Last Friday, Sen. Tom Bakk and I had a productive discussion with members of the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners. We discussed their priorities for this legislative session, and had the opportunity to check out plans for a new campground in the City of Big Falls.
Helmets to Hardhats
Wednesday in the Labor Committee, we approved the “Helmets to Hardhats” bill, which will help veterans get experience and connections to jobs within the skilled trades. The bill would invest $800,000 in the upcoming two-year budget to help get them into building and construction apprenticeship programs.
When their service ends, our veterans face many challenges, and one of them shouldn’t be lack of career prospects. Our building trades have phenomenal apprenticeship programs and we should do everything we can to plug veterans into them. The bill’s next stop is the Veterans and Military Affairs Division, which I chair.
The Price of Insulin
Simply, people with diabetes need insulin to survive. Over the last 14 years though, the price of insulin has jumped almost 600 percent. Studies have shown that as many as 1 in 4 people with diabetes have elected to ration their insulin due to cost.
No Minnesotan should have to put their life in jeopardy because they can’t afford needed medication. This week, legislation was introduced which would make a supply of insulin available on an emergency basis so people with diabetes could get their prescriptions filled, even if they are facing financial difficulty. I expect that this legislative session we will more broadly discuss the sky-high costs of prescription drugs, and getting a handle on insulin is just one piece of this.
Hands-Free Legislation
This week the House Transportation Division advanced a bill requiring drivers who talk on their cell phones to be in “hands-free” mode. In Minnesota, about one-fifth of all crashes result from distracted driving. An average of 53 Minnesotans have tragically lost their lives due to distracted driving over the last five years. I know how much folks depend on their cell phones these days, but safety has to come first. At the Legislature, progress on issues like these takes time, and it’s clear that now is the time for Minnesota drivers to go hands-free.
Lastly, I want to give a huge thank you to our federal workers who continue to do their jobs without a paycheck. It’s unconscionable that these folks and their livelihoods are trapped in a partisan political battle in Washington. I hope this shutdown can get taken care of soon and these workers and their families can again have a sense of economic security.
Feel free to contact me with your feedback.
Sincerely,
Rob Ecklund
State Representative
Rep. Rob Ecklund
409 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
www.house.mn/03A
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Chair, House Veterans and Military Affairs Policy and Finance Division
Phone: 651-296-2190
E-mail: rep.rob.ecklund@house.mn
Legislative Assistant: Josh Kilgard, 651-296-3918