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*March 17, 2023*






Dear Friends,

Last week House and Senate Republicans released our ?Safe & Sound Minnesota? plan to address the public safety needs of our state. Every Minnesotan, regardless of zip code, should feel safe in their community. Our policies will address the threat of violent?and repeat criminals, strengthen police?and?improve training for law enforcement,?and?hold judges?and?prosecutors accountable with public data?and?information.?Bills included in the package would:


* Add a new crime of carjacking to state statute;
* Increase penalties for fleeing police in a motor vehicle;
* Align fentanyl to the same weight thresholds?and penalties as heroin;?
* Increase sentences for those convicted with at least two prior crimes of violence;
* Support our state?s law enforcement officers with robust recruitment, training,?and?retention plans;?and
* Put in place transparency?and?accountability measures for the state?s courts.

I hope we can pass some of these bills this session so we can finally get serious about fighting crime in Minnesota.

It was another busy week of committee meetings. In Education Finance, we heard HF 1269 [ [link removed] ] which is the education omnibus bill. While there are some important components in this legislation, I have many concerns. Some troubling policies included in this bill are:


* *Non-Exclusionary Discipline Required. *This policy would make schools less safe and push good teachers out of the classroom. It takes away the rights of local school districts and principals to make decisions that are best for their schools. Good principals and schools already have these policies. MDE should do more to support schools struggling with student behavior instead of implementing a new statewide mandate.
* *Prohibiting PSEO from asking for a Statement of Faith. *MDE wants to prohibit religious institutions from participating in the on-site PSEO program based on that school?s religious viewpoint as expressed in a Statement of Faith. It is right that students should have multiple options for PSEO. They should be able to pick a school that meets their needs and future goals. This policy is blatant religious discrimination, and I will continue fighting to ensure it is not included in the final bill.

I spoke more about these concerns in committee, which you can watch here [ [link removed] ].

We brought forward a Minority Report on Wednesday during session to try to move forward with our education priorities, mainly addressing the literacy crisis in our state. As a reminder, half of students are unable to read at grade level so Republicans released our ?Reading RESET? plan earlier this month. Our plan includes:


* Funding for schools that would like to replace the ineffective literacy materials they are currently using and purchase proven Science of Reading curriculum and instructional materials and books;
* Funding for teacher training and professional development in the Science of Reading, and
* Funding for tutoring to help struggling students who have fallen behind in reading.

Our Reading RESET bill will be introduced next week. Education in Minnesota needs to be focused on literacy, local control, and innovation, not one-size-fits-all mandates that limits principals, teachers, and parents ability to work together to educate the next generation.

We were blessed to hear a Holocaust survivor in the Education Policy Committee this week. Hate has no place in Minnesota. I am proud that a bill to require Holocaust and genocide education for middle and high school students was unanimously approved. I strongly encourage you to listen to her testimony here [ [link removed] ].

*Did You Know? *

Finally, it?s pothole season! Did you know that if your car is damaged by a pothole, you may be eligible for compensation from MnDOT? If your car is damaged on a state highway, you can submit a claim with MnDOT. If your car is damaged in St. Paul or Minneapolis, you can submit claims directly with the respective cities. Kare 11 has a helpful article on eligibility and how to file a claim which you can read here [ [link removed] ]. ?






Please Contact Me

Please continue to reach out if I can be of any assistance to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-5185 or by email at [email protected].?

Have a great weekend!?

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Ben











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329 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.5185







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