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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL)

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Legislative Update - April 5, 2019

Friday, April 5, 2019
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Hello Northlanders,

Plenty of union members came down to Saint Paul this week including some from Teamsters Joint Council 32.

Members of the International Union of Operating Engineers came down as well.

Here’s an update from another busy week at the Capitol.

State of the State

Wednesday night, Governor Tim Walz delivered his first State of the State address. I enjoyed hearing Governor Walz lay out an optimistic vision not just for the rest of the session, but for our whole state. “One Minnesota” means that while we all may have differences, we all want the same things for our families and our communities. We all want and deserve excellent schools, health care we can afford, good roads to drive on, and good jobs with fair wages and benefits.

You can watch the address here. The speech made me feel positive about the chances for us to all get together, move beyond our partisan differences, and get some good work done to strengthen the future of Minnesota.

Much of this work is centered on assembling a two-year budget for the state. Here are some budget updates from the committees on which I serve.

Veterans and Military Affairs

I have the honor to chair the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division. In this role, I’ve put our responsibility to uphold our promises we’ve made to the brave Americans who have put on the uniform at the forefront. The new Veterans and Military Affairs Budget includes ongoing funding for important priorities like our state’s five veterans homes, soldier assistance programming, and GI Bill administration. It also increases investments in programs and services for veterans, veterans’ cemeteries, an expansion of the C.O.R.E (Counseling and Case Management, Outreach, Referral and Education) program to address veteran homelessness. The budget also includes funding for a Minnesota Medal of Honor Commemorative Memorial to be built on the Capitol complex and funding for the Armed Forces Service Center at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. I’m also proud we’ve incorporated an expansion of Veterans Courts and new sentencing recommendations for veterans who have experienced PTSD, or another service-related disorder, to refer them to treatment for substance abuse or mental health problems rather than jail or prison

Jobs and Economic Development

The House Jobs Budget protects wages, ensures employees have time to care for their families and themselves, invests in both struggling and innovative industries, and includes support and training for workers. Highlights in the bill include Paid Family Leave, Earned Sick and Safe Time, and wage theft protection and enforcement. The budget also invests in the Minnesota Innovation Collaborative, vocational rehabilitation services, financial assistance to our dairy farms, a provision requiring “net neutrality,” and regulations on predatory payday lending practices.

Agriculture and Food

Our House Agriculture and Food Budget includes investments in the Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute. Notably in the bill are some strategies aimed to end Chronic Wasting Disease among deer herds. The budget also includes provisions related to farmer mental health, pesticide applications, pollinators, industrial hemp, beginning farmers (including women and farmers of color), the state Farm Advocate program, and the Farm to School program for school meals.

Environment and Natural Resources

In the Environment and Natural Resources section of the budget we invest in the Department of Natural Resources, Board of Water and Soil Resources, and Explore Minnesota Tourism. It also includes funding for water recreation, forest roads, and ATV/ORV trails, and includes other initiatives regarding responsible carpet recycling, ash tree removal and emerald ash borer prevention, aquatic invasive species prevention, and more.

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