Polar vortex slows down legislation
In light of the recent weather conditions, it has been a fairly slow week at the State Capitol. I hope you all stayed safe during the freezing temperatures.
Because of the cold, one of my bill hearings has been delayed until next week. This coming Monday, February 4th, I will be presenting a bill to require that all Minnesota high school students take a course on personal financial literacy. I am hoping for this to earn bipartisan support in the Senate Education Committee, which will be meeting at 3pm that Monday.
Catching up with a former student
One of the highlights of my week included catching up with Pete Knaeble, a former student who is now a firefighter with the city of Edina. He has also recently been appointed as the administrator of Minnesota’s emergency response unit, Task Force 1. We talked about public service, and the role of 911. As he put it: you call them when you have a problem you cannot solve. I could not be more proud of the work he is doing.
Bill hearings begin next week
Despite the weather, it was a productive week for the Education and Environment Committees this week. In education we discussed reading and literacy, and then in Environment we took a tour of Ever-Green Energy’s wood waste facility to learn about conservation. Informational hearings are now wrapping up and bill hearings will begin next week in both committees.
Pride Institute
Earlier today, I had the opportunity to visit the Pride Institute in Eden Prairie. The Pride Institute is a rehabilitation center for individuals in the LGBTQ+ community struggling with chemical dependency and mental health issues. It has been open for 30+ years and it is known as the nation’s first mental health treatment center dedicated to serving those in the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you to Terri Hayden for meeting with me and showing me around, and thank you to the employees who do such a good job of providing treatment for those in need.