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Dear Granite City Neighbors,?
We?re just wrapping a short week coming back from the Easter recess! The break allowed all of us lawmakers to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the legislature and recharge back home. I?m grateful for the time I got to spend with my family, and the opportunities to touch base with neighbors and friends. Best of all, my daughter Polly celebrated her First Communion!
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I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday weekend as well!
Now that we?re back in St. Paul, we?re ramping up to kick the legislative pace into overdrive for the second half of the session. This week, we started the process of passing our committee?s policy proposals off the House floor. Here?s an update on that along with the latest news and resources available:
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Supporting Higher Education
As the Vice Chair of the House Higher Education Committee, I?m very pleased with the package of policy proposals we put together to build on last year?s historic investments and support our students, provide our postsecondary institutions with the tools they need, and educate tomorrow?s workforce. Our committee?s policy bill passed off the House floor yesterday with strong bipartisan support!?
I?m especially proud of the provision I authored in our policy bill that ensures the $10 million investment we made in St. Cloud?s CentraCare Medical School last year can be used as intended. This medical school won?t just be a win for St. Cloud, but for all of Central Minnesota! Building this campus is a crucial component for increasing access to healthcare and educating the next generation of outstate physicians.
Another highlight of the bill expands the state?s workforce development scholarships. In 2017, the Legislature established a state workforce development scholarship program that has provided funding for hundreds of $2,500 scholarships. In order to build the clean energy workforce of the future, the legislation adds the energy sector to the list of the program?s applicable, high-demand fields.
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Our committee put together a great bill this year, and I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to make it even better!
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Transportation, Early Education, Vets & Military Affairs
We didn?t stop with Higher Education this week, we also passed several other policy proposals from our committees on Transportation, Early Education, and Veterans and Military Affairs. Like our Higher Education bill, these were all full of great ideas for improving the lives of Minnesotans and capitalizing on the investments we made last year.?
In our Transportation bill, the committee put forward a series of proposals that would make sure child car seats are up to snuff, improve public safety, and ensure our state troopers are compensated at levels competitive with other law enforcement agencies, which should serve to buoy law enforcement pay statewide.
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We?ve got more policy bills coming up next week, so keep an eye out for my next update!
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?From the Capitol? Radio Interview
Be sure to tune in to WJON every Wednesday at 10:40am, when I join Kelly Cordes to discuss the latest legislative news. This week, Kelly and I discussed the legislative break, my recent meeting with St. Cloud nurses, and my efforts to improve the pensions of our police officers and firefighters.?
You can catch our conversation here.
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You can tune in every week to hear me on WJON, Wednesdays at 10:40am.
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Keeping Our Experienced Police Officers
Minnesota is experiencing a law enforcement workforce shortage that poses a direct threat to the safety of our communities. With police departments already short 1,000 officer positions, this is going to get even worse as approximately 2,400 officers will reach retirement age within the next two years.?
This week I presented my bipartisan bill, HF 5137, to incentivize officers who reach retirement age to stay in uniform by allowing them to receive their pensions with no penalty as they continue their law enforcement service.
This bill encourages seasoned professionals to continue to work while enriching the skill and knowledge pool within agencies, leading to improved public safety outcomes for our communities.
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I?m proud to author this legislation in partnership with the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police, the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, and Law Enforcement Labor Services.
Let?s ensure police departments have the officers they need to keep our communities safe!
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Stay Connected
Thank you for reading this week?s update! In the remaining month and a half of the legislative session, I hope you?ll reach out with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas you have regarding my work in the Minnesota House. Feel free to email me at [email protected] or give my office a call at 651-296-6612.
As always, you can also stay up to date by following my official Facebook page, subscribing to these regular email updates if you haven?t already, and checking my legislative webpage for the latest information from my office.?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,?
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Rep. Dan Wolgamott
Speaker Pro Tempore
District 14B
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