Category: SD37

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: May 17, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather we’ve had lately! It’s the final week of the 2019 legislative session, and I’m working hard to deliver a state budget that benefits our community and strengthens the entire state.

Now that the House and Senate have passed their entire budget, members of each chamber are meeting in conference committees to resolve differences between the two proposals. There’s a conference committee for every section of the budget, and five members from the House and five from the Senate serve on each one. It’s their responsibility to compare the two versions of the budget and compromise on a bill that will be sent back to both bodies for a vote.

Transportation Conference Committee
Minnesotans should be able to travel quickly and safely to work, school, the grocery store, and other locations. However, our roads, bridges, and transit are currently in need of significant repairs and improvements. I’m proud to be one of the members of the Transportation Conference Committee that’s finding solutions! Continue reading “Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: May 17, 2019”

Sen. Hoffman, Sen. Newton, and Sen. Abeler receive Hmong medals of honor

Sen. Jim Abeler, Sen. Jerry Newton and Sen. John Hoffman are pictured from left to right with Sen. Foung Hawj, Captain Xai Nou Paul Vang and Lieutenant Charles Vu after receiving their medals of honor in appreciation to their support of the Hmong community.

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Sen. John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin), Sen. Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), and Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) received the One Star Leadership Medals of appreciation from the Hmong Special Guerilla Unit and its late leader General Vang Pao.

The Hmong Special Guerilla Unit is credited with saving hundreds of American soldiers and pilots in Laos during the Vietnam War, at great cost of life in their Hmong community.

The medal, designed by the late General Vang Pao, was given to the legislators to honor the three Senators for their long-term relationship with the Hmong community. They lent bipartisan support in designating May 14 as the special recognition day for the Hmong Veterans of the Secret War in Laos. The path to this recognition has been very difficult.

“It is a great honor to receive this very important medal of honor from Hmong Special Gorilla Unit. They were instrumental in preventing the threat of communism from spreading deeper in Southeast Asia,” Sen. Hoffman said.

“Many soldiers owe these brave men and women their lives,” said Sen. Newton. “I am among those who owe them an eternal debt.”

“The selfless sacrifice by these brave men and women on behalf of American soldiers is truly impressive,” said Sen. Abeler. “As the Hmong have no home country, it is particularly valuable that we can honor them in this special way.”

 

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: April 9, 2019

Dear neighbors,

In the House, my colleagues and I began announcing the major components of the state budget this week. I’m particularly excited by the new transportation and jobs budgets!

Fixing Our Roads, Bridges, and Transit
All Minnesotans know that the start of spring is also the beginning of pothole season. Our infrastructure is crumbling, and the average motorist pays $350 for vehicle repairs every year due to poor road conditions. On their most recent infrastructure report card, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Minnesota’s roads a “D+.” Bridges received a “C,” and transit was awarded a “C-.”

Our transportation budget makes honest investments to fix our roads, bridges, and transit. It would address public safety hazards, improve access to transit, and ensure our transportation system serves every Minnesotan. A fact sheet with more information is available here. You can also watch the announcement here. Continue reading “Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: April 9, 2019”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 5, 2019

 

On Wednesday this week, Governor Tim Walz gave his first State of the State address.  He emphasized that even though Minnesota is currently the only state with a divided legislature, we have the opportunity to be a exemplar of nonpartisan cooperation: “I’ll tell you right now the story that not just Minnesota needs but the country needs is a bipartisan and a split government that came together for the good of the people and moved things forward.”

I echo Governor Walz’s comments that we need to reach across the aisle and be a model for bipartisanship. I thought the perfect opportunity to put this into action would be the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

Unfortunately, yesterday the Senate Veterans Committee missed a golden opportunity to accept DFL amendments that would have fully funded the Minnesota National Guard and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs budget requests. In response to this inaction, I sent out the following press release Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 5, 2019”

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: March 28, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

As I reflect back on the past week, I’m amazed by the great work accomplished in the House! We passed legislation to address the opioid epidemic, make our road ways safer, and strengthen sexual harassment laws. There’s more hard work to do in the last two months of session, but I’m proud to be part of the House DFL and excited to see what’s next.

Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
Last Monday the House passed a bill that would hold Big Pharma accountable for the opioid epidemic and get much-needed help to people who are struggling with addiction (HF 400). The opioid epidemic causes more deaths each year and has created a significant strain on Minnesota families and taxpayers. Opioid manufacturers and distributors have collected billions of dollars in profits without having to pay a dime to help solve the crisis they started. This legislation would provide $20 million for prevention, treatment, and recovery services by increasing fees paid by Big Pharma.

I talked about my family’s battle prior to the vote on HF 400. Continue reading “Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: March 28, 2019”

Situation in the Minnesota Senate

Minnesota is the only state legislature in the country. Like the GOP controlled U.S. Senate, our Minnesota Senate Speaker is blocking bills from being heard.

Here are the issues that are being stonewalled (Sen. Gazelka is beginning to talk about allowing the gun safety bills to be heard):

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: March 19, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

This week I’ll be highlighting some legislation that the House has passed recently, including one of my bills! I’ll also be sharing details for some of the plans that I’ve introduced.

Open Meeting Law Bill
The House voted nearly unanimously in favor of my open meeting bill (HF 281), legislation that allows people to participate in city council meetings via Skype or other tools if they are serving in the military or if they are directed by a doctor not to be exposed to the public. Currently, folks aren’t permitted to call into a meeting with Skype or other tools if the place that they are calling from is not open to the public.

Equal Rights Amendment
All Minnesotans deserve equal rights under our Constitution. The House recently approved Equal Rights Amendment (HF 13), which states “equality under the law shall not be abridged or denied on account of gender.” If the proposal is approved by the Senate, Minnesotans will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to adopt the ERA in 2020. I was proud to cast my vote for gender equality as we recognize Women’s History Month.

Veterans Suicide Awareness
Veterans are 1.5 times more likely to end their own lives than civilians. Last Monday, the House passed a proposal to designate the first Saturday of each October as Veteran Suicide Awareness Day (HF 586). Bringing public awareness to this issue is just the first step. I’m committed to working with veterans and their families to provide better mental health resources to those who serve our country.

National Sports Center Funding
Thousands of Minnesotans use the National Sports Center in Blaine for a range of activities. The National Sports Center is the world’s largest amateur sports facility and welcomes nearly four million visitors each year. The facility has hosted world-class athletes, but also serves thousands of local families and Minnesotans. Maintaining the fields, rinks, golf course, and other buildings for all visitors to enjoy requires a great deal of work. I’ve introduced legislation to invest in a new maintenance building for the National Sports Center (HF 2118), as well as asset preservation legislation to ensure that the National Sports Center can make much needed repairs (HF 2484).

Blaine Public Safety Facility
I recently introduced a plan to bring a greater Twin Cities public safety training facility to Blaine (HF 773). This facility would bring jobs to the area and make our communities safer. The bill has received a public hearing. Stay tuned for updates as it goes through the legislative process.

I always appreciate hearing from constituents, so please feel free to share your questions or opinions.

Sincerely,

Erin Koegel
State Representative

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 8, 2019

It’s Halftime at the 2019 Legislature

We are now entering the third month of the 2019 Legislative Session, and as the first committee deadline approaches things will really begin to move quickly as we work to create a budget. A budget funding essential programs and services over the next two years is the most critical work my colleagues and I will do this year.

On February 28, we received the updated February Forecast from Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), which gave us a clear picture of the state’s fiscal outlook. According to MMB, the state has a positive balance of just over $1 billion. However, since the November forecast, that balance has decreased by $492 million. Now, we must find the right balance between making smart investments without threatening budget stability as we look beyond 2020.  More information regarding the State’s budget can be found here.

Before the MMB forecast, Governor Walz released a budget proposal outlining his priorities. His proposal included historic investments in education, increasing access and reducing the costs of health care, stronger support for local governments, and new funding for our state’s transportation network. This is only a starting point and now must be revised with the updated forecast numbers. While the governor’s budget will change, we must continue to focus on the issues that are affecting working Minnesotans like education, health care, and infrastructure. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 8, 2019”

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: March 6, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I’ve spent a lot of time on the road recently as the Transportation Finance and Policy Division is hosting a series of field hearings. It can be difficult for people to travel to the Capitol, so the committee went directly to community members in St. Cloud, north Minneapolis, Savage, and Blaine. I appreciated the opportunity to listen and learn about local transportation challenges and look forward to hearing from folks in Mankato on Friday.

Transportation Field Hearings

I presented three bills during the public hearing at Blaine City Hall. The first (HF 1310) is a proposal for road safety improvements on Highway 47, also known as University Avenue. It also conducts an engineering evaluation of the roadway, which extends from Columbia Heights to Coon Rapids. Many residents, myself included, have seen or heard of the many incidents along this stretch. We must act to make University Avenue safer and prevent more fatalities.

I also introduced legislation (HF 1697) to put a full interchange at East River Road in Coon Rapids. I grew up in this area, so I’ve taken this stretch of road quite often, and I believe this project would be a great way to finish the Highway 610 corridor and make it more accessible.

Drivers should be paying attention all the time, but it’s particularly important in work zones where driving conditions can change. My final plan (HF 1408) would require drivers to follow the instructions of flaggers and use their cell phones in a hands-free mode in work zones, protecting vulnerable construction workers and drivers.

Thank you to the many community members who made it to the hearing. If you weren’t able to come, you can watch the entire event here.

Freedom to Drive
Minnesotans packed the hearing room and the overflow room last Thursday for the first public hearing of Driver’s Licenses for All (HF 1500). This would allow all Minnesotans to get a driver’s license without proving legal immigration status. When you’re driving on the road, your immigration status doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve been trained, licensed, and insured.

Ensuring everyone has access to driver’s licenses would make our roads safer and grow the economy. I voted in favor of the bill with the majority of the Transportation Finance and Policy Division. Video of the public hearing is available here.

I always appreciate hearing from constituents, so please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Erin Koegel
State Representative