Hello Northlanders,
I thank the constituents who continue to make the trip to the Capitol to share their thoughts on issues important to them. Yesterday I got to meet with members of SEIU, including constituent Pauline.
I also want to thank Cheryl and Liz from the Ely Area Food Shelf for visiting with me recently.
We’ve just passed the halfway point of the legislative session. Here’s an update from the Capitol.
Ending Veteran Suicide
Last week the House took an important step forward to raise the profile of the issue of veteran suicides. We unanimously approved HF 586, a bill to recognize the first Saturday of October each year as Veteran Suicide Awareness Day. It was moving to have the family of Justin Miller – a Minnesota Marine who tragically took his own life last year – in the House Chamber for the vote. We know there is a great deal of work ahead of us to address the mental health needs of our veterans, but I’m hopeful that this legislation will raise awareness of this issue and help us have a conversation about it.
Stopping Distracted Driving
Minnesotans deserve to be safe on our roads, and we want our friends, neighbors, and relatives to be safe, too. Unfortunately, too often safety takes a backseat to a cellphone, and this poses a great danger. On Tuesday night, I was proud to support HF 50, the bill to require a hands-free device in order to use a phone behind the wheel. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, distracted or inattentive driving was a contributing factor in one in five crashes from 2013-2017, resulting in an average of 53 deaths and 216 serious injuries each year. WCCO’s latest Reality Check highlighted that crashes and fatalities on the road decrease when states have hands-free cell phone laws on the books. If the Senate passes the measure, of which I am a co-author, Minnesota will join 16 other states and the District of Columbia in calling on drivers to go “hands-free” and instead, concentrate on the road.
Addressing Our Opioid Crisis
Tuesday we also took action to keep Minnesotans safe by approving HF 400, a bill to comprehensively address our state’s opioid crisis. This crisis continues to cause devastating tragedies for families across the state and there have been a significant concentration of them in northern Minnesota and in our tribal communities. Families and communities have been calling for solutions, and this bill contains several strategies for prevention, treatment, and recovery.
This bill creates an Opioid Stewardship Advisory Council, which will be funded by registration fees paid by drug manufacturers and distributors. While they have made massive profits, Big Pharma has yet to be part of the solution. I’m grateful for the Minnesotans who have told their stories and am hopeful this bill will give them hope beyond addiction, and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Snow Day Relief
The last bill we passed Tuesday provides a level of relief to school districts affected by the recent polar vortex. For school officials, cancelling school is a difficult decision as safety needs to be balanced with the obligation to deliver an education to kids. So many days were cancelled with little wiggle room in which districts can make their calendar work to make them up. SF 1743 essentially ensures school districts don’t miss out on any state funding from these cancelled days and makes sure hourly school employees receive compensation.
Permanent School Fund
Since statehood in 1858, Minnesota’s Permanent School Fund (PSF) delivers critical investments for school districts across the state. Our School Trust Lands were set aside to provide a continual source of funding for public education and are managed in a way that generates revenue. Mining and forestry activity contributes to this cause and the Mesabi Daily News had an in-depth article about it. With sound management and stewardship, this land can help create opportunities for Minnesotan students for generations to come.
Please continue to contact me with your feedback, input, and if I can ever be of assistance. It’s an honor to be your voice in Saint Paul.
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