Dear Neighbors,
I hope you all have been safe and warm through this week’s snow, ice, and sleet storm. The Minnesota House of Representatives has been busy with budget bills moving through committee. We’re entering our Easter/Passover break, but when we’re back, there will be a flurry of activity passing bills off the House floor, then working to find common ground with the Senate.
Here’s a quick update.
Full Minnesota Values Budget released
I’m pleased to report that the Minnesota House DFL has released a complete budget several weeks from the end of the legislative session.
This has us ahead of the usual legislative schedule and on pace to meet the additional deadlines Governor Walz, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka, and I agreed to in February. By May 1st, all major finance bills will pass off the House and Senate floors and conference committees will begin meeting. Conference committees will compare the House and Senate budget approaches side-by-side, and look for compromise.
More information on the House’s proposed budget can be found here.
Fair taxes and world-class schools
Introducing our tax and education proposals
On Monday, we unveiled our tax bill and proposed funding for education. All Minnesota children deserve a world-class education. But years of Republican trickle-down economics and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy have left our schools underfunded. Without stronger state funding, class sizes will continue to grow; school districts will have to lay off teachers, and our school districts will have no choice but turn to operating levies, driving up property taxes, just to meet the basics.
Our Minnesota Values Budget proposes investing in education to strengthen our workforce and support our students. We propose investing an additional $1.2 billion dollars in education — $900 million in E-12 so that we can provide better support for all our E-12 students and $300 million in higher education to freeze tuition at our public colleges and universities.
Tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations have exploded income and wealth inequality. Our tax bill works to restore tax fairness, closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the wealthy to pay their fair share, while expanding the Working Family Tax Credit and providing property tax cuts for our families and seniors.
You can learn more about our tax bill here and more about our education budget here.
Hands-free bill signed into law
On Friday, Governor Walz signed HF 50 into law. The new law goes into effect on August 1st and prohibits drivers from using their cell phones unless their phones are in hands-free mode.
Minnesotans deserve to be safe on our roadways. We’ve heard so many heart-wrenching stories from Minnesotans of family members lost because people are on their smartphones instead of focusing on the road. There is clear evidence from other states that these types of laws save lives, and I was glad to see the conference committee work together to reach an agreement on this important issue.
Legislative Survey
It’s an honor to serve our community, and I’d like your feedback on issues being discussed at the State Capitol. You can fill out the 2019 Legislative Survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019mn36b. Thank you to those who have already responded!
As always, please contact me anytime with your input. I appreciate hearing from you! You can reach me at 651-296-4280 or at rep.melissa.hortman@house.mn. You can also keep up with what’s happening at the Capitol by liking my legislative Facebook page. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Melissa Hortman
Legislative Updates in Multiple Languages
Links to subscribe to legislative updates in non-English languages are available below:
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