Ladies and Gentlemen,
Three weeks into public office, my gratitude for the people of Woodbury who put their trust in me hasn’t worn off a bit. We’ve had a whirlwind couple of weeks in the legislature, and I want to update you on what we’ve been working on. I appreciate the advice that many of you have offered. I'm sure my predecessor, Rep. Kelly Fenton, would agree that the work is both fascinating and rewarding.
As a former teacher, support for education is a top priority for me. In the education finance committee last week I got to hear students from the Minnesota Youth Council share their perspective, advocating for school safety, funding for after-school programs and mental health support. Hearing these first-hand accounts brings to life how important the work we do here at the Capitol is.
Rep. Sandell with Minnesota Youth Council student
I am on the sub-committee on water, and will also serve on the Education Finance, Education Policy, and Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committees. .
Early childhood education is another of my priorities. When our children start school with the tools they need, it pays off 16 times over, throughout the course of their lives. That’s why I co-authored a bill to invest in early childhood education to give children ages birth to three the support they need to start off on the right foot.
I also co-authored legislation to provide earned sick and safe time for employees and prevent health insurance companies from removing coverage of life-saving drugs or equipment like insulin.
Looking ahead, stay tuned for details on a town hall meeting in February. We had a great conversation in early January and I look forward to continuing the dialogue with you about how we can strengthen our community and improve the lives of our families and our neighbors.
Finally, I want to mention the idea of bi-partisanship. The divisions here are deep, but the great majority of House members recognize the benefits of working together. Finding a way to do that should be a priority -- along with the legislation on our desks -- of this session.
Thank you for putting your trust in me. I work for you, and will always be available to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-6873 and email at rep.steve.sandell@house.mn. You can also follow my new House Facebook page here and stop into our office in room 521 of the State Office Building.
Sincerely,
Steve Sandell