Neighbors,
Southwest Cable TV stopped in last week to talk about the legislative session, the work we've completed, and the work left to do. You can watch our conversation here. For the remainder of session we'll be vetting and voting on budgets for a variety of areas. This week we're covering education, jobs, energy and health and human services.
Education
All Minnesotans deserve a great education, no matter where they live in our state. Our education budget invests in every student in every public school. By making investments in early childhood education, we're allowing all of our state's youngest learners to get off to a great start.
Here are some highlights from the budget:
- Increase per-pupil funding by 3% in the first year and by another 2% in the second year of the biennium.
- Address Minnesota’s special education funding shortfall.
- Protect access to voluntary Pre-K programs for 4,000 children.
- Let schools hire additional student support staff, such as licensed counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses.
- My bill to expand students’ ability to earn college credits and develop skills through career and technical education programs.
I wrote about my bills I introduced to increase service learning, strengthen economic education, and reduce local school districts' dependence on local property tax hikes in a piece to the Woodbury Bulletin, which you can read here.
Jobs and Energy
The House DFL passed a budget on Wednesday which includes access to Paid Family and Medical Leave and Earned Sick and Safe Time for all Minnesotans, tougher protections for the 39,000 Minnesotans who face wage theft every year, and a pathway to adopt 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050. The budget is focused on improving the lives of all Minnesotans by improving economic security for families, and I hope we can get Republican support in the Senate.
Minnesota is one of the fastest-warming states in the country and we know we are already experiencing impacts of climate change. We need to act now to save our planet. Minnesotans are rightfully demanding that we take action for our children, and for generations to come after us.
Minnesota’s clean energy economy is expanding rapidly and outpacing other states. It makes sense for our environment and for our economy to lead the transition to clean energy, creating jobs while protecting our state’s natural resources and beauty. That's what our energy budget does.
Other major components in the Jobs and Energy budget include:
- Vocational rehabilitation services
- Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief
- Net Neutrality
- Protections against predatory payday lenders
- Solar on Schools program
- Electric bus grants
 
Thank you to those who joined Senator Susan Kent, Representative Tou Xiong, and I for our SD53 town hall!
Thanks for reading! Please reach out if there are ways I can better serve you and our community.
Sincerely,
Steve Sandell |