As a new legislator coming to St. Paul, the 2015 session was a whirlwind of learning new legislative lingo, committee hearings, visiting with constituents and lengthy floor sessions. I even got to experience a special session, where we debated and passed tweaked budget bills that were vetoed by Gov. Dayton last month in addition to a few others.

The bills we passed this year are going to make a big difference for Minnesota schools, farmers and our aging loved ones. While some disgruntled special interests and members on the other side of the aisle are trying to spin this session in a negative light, I think it’s important to highlight some of the many good things that were passed this year and what we will work to address during the second year of our work in 2016.

As a former teacher, I’m excited about what the education bill signed by Governor Dayton will do for our schools. Albert Lea schools are set to see an increase of more than $500 per student, and increases of more than $300 for Alden Public Schools, United South Central, Blooming Prairie, Hayfield and Glenville.

We increased school choice for parents, making historic investments in early learning scholarships and programs that will help put more of our youngest learners on a path to future success and help close our state’s achievement gap. We also were able to reduce state-mandated testing, a bill that I chief authored in the House, which will give teachers more time to do what they do best—teach!

The Higher Education bill will freeze tuition for Riverland Community College in 2016, and will actually lower tuition in 2017 saving students money on student loans and making higher education more affordable. Legislation I worked on to bring more teachers to shortage areas by offering loan forgiveness to new teachers was also included in the Higher Education bill.

Our Agriculture and Environment bill delivered relief to farmers devastated by avian flu and the state agencies who have been working to put a stop to the epidemic.

The Jobs and Energy bill included an unemployment benefits extension for poultry workers laid off due to avian flu and steelworkers who have been laid off on the Iron Range, as well as provisions to address workforce housing shortages, job training, and broadband funding.

The legislation I was most excited about was the Health and Human Services (HHS) bill signed by the Governor last month. The HHS bill includes generational reforms that will help keep doors open at senior care facilities in Greater Minnesota, and makes funding more equitable for facilities in rural areas compared to the Metro.

Two of the largest facilities here in Albert Lea—Good Samaritan Society and St. John’s Lutheran Home—will see funding increases of more than 30 percent. This will help nursing homes like these and others provide quality care for our aging loved ones, and keep our elders close to their families by preventing closures.

All of these incredible accomplishments were made on a bipartisan basis, approved by the GOP House, the DFL Senate, and DFL Governor Dayton. It’s a consistent goal of mine to put people before politics, and I’m glad that on many occasions this session legislators on both sides were successfully able to do that and work on legislation that will be good for our state.

With the 2015 session now in the rear-view mirror, we are now looking ahead to 2016. Two issues at the top of my list for 2016 are transportation and middle class tax relief.

House Republicans worked to limit spending and keep government from growing faster than family budgets, and were able to leave more than $800 million unspent as a safety cushion in case of an economic downturn. This money will be available for tax relief and transportation next session, and many experts expect the budget surplus to grow to $1 billion or more over the next year.

It’s my hope we will be able to come together on a long-term transportation plan that addresses our roads and bridges without raising taxes. While we weren’t able to come to an agreement this year, we passed new funding for smaller cities like Wells, Glenville, and Hayfield to fix their roads, and passed more than $150 million in bonding funds for high-priority road and bridge projects across the state.

What do you hope to see the legislature focus on next year? I will be meeting with as many constituents as possible over the summer, getting feedback and hearing from people in our community about their hopes and ideas for the 2016 session. Please contact my office any time at rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn or call 651-296-8216. I’m so blessed to be your voice in Saint Paul, and am truly grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me to represent District 27A.

 

Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, is the District 27A representative.