Week In Review
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The Legislature faces a May 21st constitutional deadline to complete its work, meaning only 3 weeks remain to have public discussion on a wide range of proposals that will impact nearly every Minnesotan in one form or another.
Yesterday the Senate passed a supplemental budget on a vote of 34-31. There are some good things in this bill, but I ultimately voted against it. This bill weakens collective bargaining rights, tells teachers what they can and can’t say in their classrooms, and cuts funding from crucial services. The Legislature has a lot of work to do to help build the state all Minnesotans deserve.
I was disappointed that the Senate supplemental budget bill did not contain “a penny a pill” legislation to provide urgently needed resources for opioid prevention and treatment services. This program would raise $20 million a year to combat the dramatic rise in opioid overdose deaths. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state had 395 opioid deaths in 2016, an 18% increase over 2015. Of those 395 deaths, 194 were linked to prescription opioids.
Efforts to address this heartbreaking epidemic are happening at every level of government; however, the manufacturers of opioids have contributed very little in proportion to their role in helping to create the problem. This bill would alleviate some of the burden on Minnesota taxpayers by requiring the pharmaceutical industry to pitch in and do what is right. Here’s the bottom line. Opioids should be more difficult to obtain, and drug companies should help with the costs of addiction treatment.
On the Senate Floor last night I made some comments about protecting our neighbors in Coon Rapids. You can see my comments here. My first and foremost obligation to the citizens of Senate District 37 is safety. I will continue to work with all the necessary people to solve this problem.
If you have any questions or wish to unsubscribe from this Newsletter please feel free to contact my office at 651-296-2556 or by email at sen.jerry.newton@senate.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Jerry Newton
State Senator
District 37