Dear neighbors
The 2024 legislative session is entering its final hours, as the state constitution requires the task to be completed by midnight on Sunday, May 19th. As I write this update, we are debating implementing gun violence prevention measures that would hold straw buyers accountable for illegal transactions and ban binary triggers. Earlier today, we began debate on the ERA bill. After four hours of discussion on the amendments, we tabled the bill with a conference committee report. I hope to return to the ERA discussion later this evening or early Saturday morning.
I am happy to share that I have passed through Educational Finance Council Committee Report!
I am honored to work with my dedicated colleagues and staff on the Board of Education.
The House retained all but one of the fiscal and policy provisions and adopted several Senate provisions that strengthened the bill. We had a great education finance team that built the bill based on the investments we made last year. Here’s what I particularly like about this bill:
- More than $32 million in new funding was invested in the Read Act to pay for teachers’ time as they receive training. Our local school districts will receive $251,591 (Hopkins), $310,441 (Edina), and $156,753 (St. Louis Park).
- $35 million allocated directly to schools for literacy support to implement the LEAD Act. These are funds allocated last year and schools had to apply in December. To date, they are directly donating to schools this July: $278,661 to Hopkins, $343,843 to Edina, and $173,619 to St. Louis Park.
- Student Teacher Scholarship Pilot Project to pay salaries to student teachers placed in public schools during the 2024-2025 school year. Students in teacher preparation programs at the University of Massachusetts (Duluth, Crookston, Fond du Lac), State Universities (Minnesota State University, Mankato, Bemidji, St. Cloud, Winona), and Augsburg College earn over 7,000 students during their student teaching period. dollar.
- A powerful absenteeism testing project in 12 school districts across the state that aims to innovate and collaborate on ways to keep students focused and engaged in the classroom. School districts will receive funding to be part of the demonstration zones in Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Burnsville, Northfield, Rochester, Mankato, Windham, Red Lake, Moorhead, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Cook County and Chisholm.
- Funding for the Minnesota Youth Council and YMCA Youth Government to bring more student voices to the Capitol.
As part of the Conference Committee process, the Children and Families Supplementary Budget was integrated into the Education Finance Conference Committee Report. Speaker Dave Pinto and I entered the Minnesota House of Representatives together after the 2014 election. We both had a passion for funding early childhood and K-12 school systems. It was exciting to work on legislation that focuses on our youngest learners and those entering the workforce after high school.
Additional recently passed bills and conference committee reports are listed below.
- The Commerce Policy Council’s report provides funding to support enactment of the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA), coordinates the Department of Commerce’s two industry assessments, and provides significant guidance on where cannabis programs will be housed. Make changes, cancel unused grants, and more.
- of environment and natural resources The conference committee’s report includes significant investments in tree planting and emerald ash borer response, inventory updates for public water bodies, strengthening and enforcement policies for Minnesota’s air quality ordinances, a regulatory framework for helium gas production, and Includes state-driven expanded producer responsibility legislation for packaging materials. recycling.
- of HR service policy The conference committee’s report continues to make historic investments to help the most vulnerable. This bipartisan bill clarifies several items from last year’s bill and provides improvements for Minnesotans with disabilities, people recovering from substance use disorders, and recipients who rely on exempt services.
- of Health supplementary budget and policy Budget proposal. This powerful bill takes meaningful steps to help Minnesotans expand health insurance coverage, improve access, strengthen patient protections, reform emergency medical services, and address mental health.
- of Election Committee Policy and Finance Conference Committee Report. The report’s policy provisions focus on improving voter access and election transparency. It targets policy areas where states can increase voter turnout and ensure voters have recourse if voting is restricted. It strengthens disclosure requirements for those seeking to influence elections, expands voter access and understanding, and increases election transparency.
- of Higher education supplement Conference Committee Report. The bill would freeze tuition at Minnesota State University for two years, fully fund the University of Minnesota’s system-wide safety and security requirements, and provide free college to students with household incomes of less than $80,000. This is in addition to last year’s record funding increases for Minnesota universities. investment.
- of Agricultural training The budget includes reauthorization of the Food Safety and Defense Task Force, farm-to-school grants, creation of the first Spanish-language commercial pesticide applicator exam, and addressing the groundwater nitrate crisis.
- of Climate and energy budgets and policies The bill includes reforms to the permitting process for clean energy projects, support for geothermal energy generation, and additional investments and policies to ensure we meet the goal of 100% clean energy by 2040, which Congress set last year. contained.
- of conference committee report Crack down on hidden and deceptive fees and help consumers get fair and upfront prices for event tickets, restaurant meals, hotels, credit cards, and more.
New state flag raised
On Minnesota’s 166th birthday, Saturday, May 11, 2024, the new Minnesota flag was flown at the Capitol for the first time.
Photo provided by: House Photography
Connect with the community
It was great this week to welcome Juli Rasmussen, her two grandsons, and daughter from State House and give them a behind-the-scenes tour. It is always rewarding to have the opportunity to visit the House floor with people from our community. Especially during the chaotic and unpredictable schedule on the last day of the session.
keep in touch
If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, please continue to contact us at [email protected] or 651-296-9889. Because session termination is fluid, email is the quickest way to contact us.
Have a nice weekend!
Cheryl Youakim
state representative
