Rep. Paul Rosenthal (49B) – Legislative Update
Work at the Capitol continues to ramp up with fewer than five weeks until the session concludes; final omnibus bills are being rolled out and the third and final deadline to pass most fiscal bills is set for tonight at midnight. Here’s an update from Saint Paul:
Omnibus Finance Bills Move Forward
The House Majority has announced their supplemental budget targets and have begun moving these bills through committees. The finance bills that moved forward this week include: Legacy, Education, Higher Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Natural Resources, Transportation, Agriculture, Public Safety, Jobs and Energy, and State Government.
As a member of the Transportation Finance Committee, I reviewed the omnibus transportation bill this week, which contains $101 million in funding. You can find a breakdown of funding allocation here. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, once again the 35W/494 interchange project was not considered for inclusion of the final bill.
It’s important for us as a legislature to work together on a balanced, bipartisan bill that includes long-term sustainability and compromise to fund improvement projects statewide including the 494 and 35W interchange.
Feel free to share your thoughts and commute stories on this corridor with Chair Torkelson here.
Moms Demand Action Day
This week, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America held a rally in the Capitol Rotunda to show that there’s still continued pressure to pass common sense gun laws in Minnesota. In fact, a recent poll released by Survey USA shows that 89% of gun owners favor background checks for all gun purchases. After the rally, I met with almost 40 constituents advocating on the issue, which to date, is the largest group I’ve ever met with during my time at the legislature.
Minnesota Values Project
Finally, a step back: In the months leading up to this year’s legislative session, my House colleagues and I engaged in a dialogue with Minnesotans across the state about our shared values and future. We facilitated thoughtful conversations all over Minnesota, for people from all walks of life. Based on those conversations, we’ve put forward the Minnesota Values Project — our goals, principles, and commitments to the people of Minnesota. Our shared values bring us together and can serve as a guide for how we move forward and how we make Minnesota work better for all of us.
You can learn more about the project and add your voice here.
Please continue to reach out with any questions, comments or feedback. I appreciate hearing from you on the important issues facing our state and community.
Sincerely,
Paul