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*April 15, 2024
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

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I hope you?re enjoying the first few days of spring! I want to address two topics that have been stirring up quite a bit of debate in the Legislature this week ?the recent passage of the Elections Omnibus Bill and the Education Policy Omnibus Bill.??

The* Elections Omnibus Bill* has been sold as a step towards making voting more accessible, but let?s peel back the layers of this legislative onion. The bill permits same-day voter registration without requiring a verified permanent address. Yes, you heard that right. It seems we?re now setting the stage for a voting free-for-all, where the mere description of where one might live is enough to get you a ballot on Election Day. The bill also fails to require provisional ballots, making Minnesota a standout?though not in a way we might aspire to be. While 48 other states use provisional ballots to ensure electoral integrity, our state has decided to skip that step.?

During the debates, my colleagues and I pushed for amendments to rein in this free-wheeling approach, suggesting sensible measures like enacting provisional ballots and tightening up on absentee ballot security. Sadly, but not surprisingly, these amendments were shot down on party-line votes.* I find this bill to be a step in the wrong direction.* Ensuring the integrity of our electoral process is paramount, and this legislation seems to be more about convenience than security. Rest assured,* I will continue to advocate for electoral reforms that ensure every Minnesotan's vote is both easy to cast and hard to dispute.**?*

Onto education. Late Thursday night,* the DFL majority pushed through their Education Policy Omnibus Bill*. It's important to clarify that this isn't the Education Finance Bill?we're bracing for that one next. But let's talk about the bill that just passed: it represents a colossal missed opportunity. It's a lost chance to bolster our children's safety, enhance literacy rates, and alleviate the staggering burden of over 65 new mandates imposed on our school districts last year by the DFL.?

As your representative,* I'm deeply concerned about our ability to truly improve educational outcomes and restore confidence in our schools.* My House Republican colleagues and I came to the table armed with several amendments aimed at making meaningful changes. Sadly, all were summarily dismissed. Among these, one particularly vital amendment, the A-2, was championed by my colleague Rep. Ben Bakeberg. This amendment sought to give our schools some much-needed relief by rolling back some of the nearly 70 mandates dumped onto our educators' laps last year.?

*One of these mandates is especially troubling*, and it?s something I want to draw your attention to. It has drastically limited our teachers' ability to maintain orderly, peaceful, and safe classrooms. Last year's policy effectively handcuffed our educators by banning them from expelling or even temporarily removing students who display disruptive or violent behavior. This is not just a minor rule change; it's a sweeping one-size-fits-all regulation that has already had consequences.?

I've spoken with teachers right here in our district who have felt compelled to leave the profession they love because the legislature has stripped them of their ability to manage their classrooms effectively. They are unable to safeguard themselves or their students from disruptive, sometimes violent, behaviors. This isn't just unfair?it's unacceptable. It's unfair to the victims of such behaviors, to the teachers charged with educating our youth, and to the majority of students, who are deprived of a safe and focused learning environment.?

The current approach is a disservice to everyone involved in the educational process. *Our children and educators deserve better than to be caught in the crossfire of ill-conceived policies that prioritize bureaucratic checkbox-ticking over the real, on-the-ground needs of our schools.**?*

As we anticipate further discussions and the upcoming Education Finance Bill, rest assured that I will continue to fight for sensible policies that genuinely support our educators, protect our students, and lift the unnecessary burdens from our school districts. We need legislation that empowers, not encumbers, our educational community.?

Stay tuned, and as always, thank you for your support and engagement as we navigate these critical issues together.?






Please Contact Me

I encourage you to please contact me with any questions or input by phone at 651-296-4231 or by email at [email protected].

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335 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph. 651.296.4231







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