Dear Neighbors,
It’s been one year since my family joined me at the Capitol on January 8, 2019 as I took the oath of office for my second term in the Minnesota House. I remain deeply grateful for the engagement from community members about the issues that matter to all of us. I’m proud that even in a divided government, we worked together to deliver on values like a world-class education, a strong economy, and safe and healthy communities.
The start of the new term also meant taking on a new responsibility as Vice Chair of the House Higher Education Division. All Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to get a college degree or technical training without experiencing insurmountable debt. Our budget took strong steps to stabilize tuition, and affordable college is critical to our competitiveness as a state. I successfully chief-authored legislation to increase investments in Workforce Development Scholarships, which provide incentives to students entering high-demand fields like information technology, health care services, manufacturing, and early childhood education.
Serving on the Education Finance Division, I fought for honest investments in Minnesota’s schools to ensure all students can receive an excellent education and to prevent teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and property tax increases. Lawmakers also extended funding for voluntary pre-K opportunities, addressed the increasing cost of special education to better ensure the needs of all learners are met, invested in school safety, and delivered funding for school-linked mental health grants.
I’m proud of other work we accomplished including a solution to protect health care for 1.2 million Minnesotans, and a “hands-free” law to keep drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone else safe on our roads. Our work will continue in the 2020 legislative session, which starts on February 11. I’m committed to progress on critical priorities like emergency access to insulin for those who can’t afford their prescriptions, a renewed push to prevent gun violence, and paid family and medical leave for all Minnesota workers.
Visits with Community Members
A December trip to Glen Lake Elementary to meet with sixth-graders.
Over Winter Break, community member Matthew Adam and his family took a tour of the State Capitol.
Joined students at Notre Dame Academy in Minnetonka to talk about my work at the State Capitol.
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Laurie Pryor
State Representative