Dear Neighbors,
The Minnesota House just finished its floor session today, and we will be off next week for the Easter and Passover break. When we return, the legislature will begin taking up budget bills on the House floor and debating some of the most important priorities of the session. To that end, I would be grateful if you would take a moment to complete my brief legislative survey. I would love to learn more about your values and priorities as we enter this important phase of the legislative session.
You can fill out my legislative survey online here, and a Spanish language version here.
77th Street Underpass Included in House Bonding Bill
We had exciting news for Richfield and our entire south metro region this week when my bill to fund the last phase of our 77th Street/Cedar Underpass was included in the House Capital Investment Bill. A major thank you to Mayor Maria Regan Gonzalez and local leaders that came to the Capitol to testify on this important project. With this funding we could break ground soon on an important investment for our region and state.
Thus far the House has moved much more quickly than the Senate on a variety of issues, and bonding is no exception. Unfortunately, the Senate Capital Investment committee has not even met yet this session. Over the final weeks of the session, we will work to make the case for the importance of a bonding bill to strengthen statewide infrastructure and asset preservation across the state. There is no reason to stall on bread-and-butter investments for our state’s future.
Follow Legislative Action on the House Floor
When the legislative session ramps up after the break we will be debating many important bills. For example, on Tuesday, April 23rd, we will be debating our Education Bill which includes significant investments in our kids’ future from cradle-to-career, as well as a Jobs Bill that includes statewide paid parental leave. On Wednesday, April 24th, we will be debating our Health Care Bill, which includes the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act and other important provisions to make health care more affordable and accessible. There are many ways for you to follow the legislative action on the House floor: the Minnesota House live stream, the House DFL Facebook and Twitter pages, or following along with #mnleg hashtag.
Stay In Touch
As always, please contact me if you have any questions or comments on the legislative process. You can reach me at rep.michael.howard@house.mn, or at (651) 296-7158. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Michael Howard