people in the neighborhood,
With only a few days left in the 2024 Congress, we spend most of our time on the House floor passing bills and conference committee reports.The Minnesota House of Representatives passed it this week. Education Policy Council Committee report. I am the Chair of the Education Policy Committee and the author of legislation that builds on last year’s historic education budget by prioritizing policies that improve student experiences and outcomes in Minnesota’s schools.
This comprehensive bill builds on significant funding from the 2023 session. This wide-ranging policy bill focuses on important measures to give schools more flexibility, address student mental health, eliminate some red tape, address protected speech, and more. I am. We must put students at the center, and this legislation focuses squarely on children. I am proud to vote “yes” on this report. Things to note are:
- Banning of books is prohibited.
- Require schools to adopt student cell phone use policies to ensure schools have a consistent approach to keeping students focused on learning.
- Eliminating unnecessary paperwork allows special education teachers to spend more time interacting with students and ensures that teachers receive the training they need to meet the needs of their students.
- Requires schools to provide mental health education to students in grades 4-12 (starting in the 2026-27 school year).
- Create a process for students to access mental health services through telehealth without leaving the school building.
- By enabling the introduction of a four-day school week, boards of education will have more flexibility in determining schedules.
- Improve state oversight and accountability for charter schools.
- Establish clear guidelines for what is and isn’t protected speech in school newspapers, allowing students to engage in lively discussions without fear of censorship if they cross subjective lines.
- Expand access to PSEO and concurrent enrollment courses, allowing more students to earn free college credit while still in high school.
Video of the floor discussion is available on the House Press Service YouTube channel.
Other important bills passed
Additional legislation and conference committee reports were recently passed.
- 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 finance and policy 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 Budget proposal. 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 Saturday, May 11, 2024, the new Minnesota flag was raised at the Capitol for the first time.
Stay connected to the Legislature
The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Affairs Service provides bipartisan summaries of notable bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with House members. daily session Publication.Subscribe to receive these here. Track the bills that interest you. My Bills For general information about the House of Commons, click on the website.
As many of you may know, I will be retiring from the Diet at the end of this year. In the meantime, please share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback on the issues that matter to you. We look forward to hearing from you, so please feel free to contact us by phone or email at any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It is an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
laurie pryor
state representative
