Volume 1, Number 13

Greetings, As you can imagine it has been a busy, but very productive session. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have completed their budget bills and we have started the conference committee process. I am honored to be appointed to serve on the Health and Human Services conference committee and the State Government, Veterans and Military Affairs conference committee. During the conference committee process, each budget bill (as well as some policy bills) will be placed in a committee with an equal number of Senate and House members. This group will work out the differences between the bills in meetings open to the public. Once they agree to one common bill, the legislation is sent back to the floor where the full Senate and House will vote on the new language. This is a time of session that comes with a lot of stress, late nights and tough negotiations. I am certain that we will find a way to agree on one budget that will resolve the current $627 million deficit and make needed investments to improve our state.

May 6, 2013

I enjoyed helping colleague Senator Sieben welcome the newest member of her family with an all-female Senate baby shower on Monday. Im proud to be a part of such a great, inspiring group of women!

A large portion of this budget will be directed toward education, from early education through college. The Senates E -12 Finance Bill invests $50 million to early education scholarships that focus on preparing children for kindergarten (MinneMinds). Next, we make a large investment to ensure that every parent has an opportunity to send their child to all-day kindergarten. Studies have shown that attending all-day kindergarten leads to quantifiable educational benefits, including improved literacy and math skills. Our budget will also increase the K-12 formula which will lead to $52 more per pupil in funding for our schools. Finally, in higher education we invest $263 million into our higher education system. Of this funding, $80 million will be used to bolster our state grants, making a college degree affordable to more Minnesotans. Also, the Senate tax bill reduces property taxes for all Minnesotans. Since 2003, Minnesotans have seen their property taxes increase by 86%. The Senates budget attempts to put an end to this troubling trend by offering $600 million in property tax relief. In regards to jobs, the Senate makes targeted investments that will lead to a stronger job climate. Our budget addresses this issue through a number of investments in economic development. Assisting major Minnesota job creators like 3M, the Mayo Clinic and the Mall of America as well as promoting programs for smaller businesses like the Greater Minnesota Business Property and Sales Tax Incentive Program, this legislation will lead to tens of thousands of new jobs around the state. Finally, the Health and Human Services Budget, which I will be serving in the bills conference committee, makes targeted investments in critical services and programs that serve Minnesotas most vulnerable populations while making difficult budget reductions. We were given the difficult task of reducing the Health and Human Services budget by $150 million. Over the past month we have met that target while reforming within the health and human service area. Most importantly, we were able to mitigate cuts to Minnesotas most vulnerable populations and the people that serve them. In the final two weeks I am hopeful that we can do even better within this budget. Thank you for taking the time to read about the Senates budget proposals. There will be a flurry of action over the next two weeks. I encourage you to stay tuned and stay in touch. Sincerely,

Around the District

Congratulations to Abigail Boadu and Ngan Nguyen, two students at Bloomington Kennedy High School who were recently awarded Gates Millennium Scholarships. These prestigious awards cover full tuition at the university or college of their choice. Congratulations to Edina High School, recently ranked second on the list of best high schools in Minnesota on the U.S. World News and Reports Best High Schools list, while Minnetonka High School ranked sixth, and Eden Prairie High School ranked twelfth on the same list. EHS also came in fourth in Minnesota on the Washington Posts list of most challenging high schools in the country. Its exciting to hear that Edina is leading the state in job growth! A recent report from the Star Tribune found that Edina added 3,285 jobs between 2010 and 2012, the highest actual job count in cities with a population of 50,000 or more people. I encourage Eden Prairie high school students interested in government to apply for the Students on Commissions programs. Students can serve for a semester on one of five commissions. More information on applying and specific commissions is available on the citys website.

Around the Capitol

New law creates pathway for parents, children to reuniteThe Family Reunification Act offers a way for some teenagers to return to the care of parents who had lost their legal rights. April designated as Genocide Awareness and Prevention MonthState will take extra steps to spread genocide awareness, education. Integration of new emergency technology gets goaheadNew law will expand the Statewide Radio Board as the Statewide Emergency Communications Board. Transit operators may get added protectionA stronger tool may be on the way to help law enforcement officials better protect operators of public buses and light rail lines. Safeguards for bikers in omnibus transportation policy billHouse passes new restrictions on turning and passing through bike lanes as part of omnibus policy bill. Dietitians, nutritionists could be added to drug protocolLicensed dietitians and nutritionists would be added to the list of licensed practitioners allowed to write drug prescriptions for their patients.

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Tweet of the Week

After a tax bill vote the Purple Caucus meets over nachos and popcorn. Bipartisanship does exist! pic.twitter.com/ qy3fTRgqft

The Week Ahead

Thursday: Im looking forward to the All-Senate Reunion! Friday: I hope juniors and seniors across the district enjoy their prom night!

I enjoyed warmer weather with members of the Purple Caucus after session last week. The Purple Caucus is a group of senators dedicated to promoting bipartisanship in the Senate.