Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are now in week two of the 2018 legislative session. Here is an update with the latest news from St. Paul.
Budget Forecast
The big news of the week for lawmakers was the February economic forecast which was released Wednesday morning, showing a healthy $329 million surplus. Legislators and the governor will use that information as we craft legislation this year.
The big takeaway is that our economy is strong because of Republican-led tax cuts at both the state and federal level. Here is Minnesota, we passed a comprehensive, middle-class tax bill last year that put more money back in the pockets of seniors, families, farmers and Main Street businesses.
My goal is to continue to limit government growth and ensure Minnesotans can keep more of their hard-earned money.
Aging Committee
The Subcommittee on Aging and Long-Term Care wasted no time getting to work this week, beginning to delve into what went wrong on reporting abuse and neglect of aging and vulnerable adults, and what we in the Legislature can do to address this issue.
This week we heard from the Minnesota Department of Health and Department of Human Services on what they are doing and where improvements have been made. Particular attention was given to the MAARC System (Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center), which provides a streamlined place for citizens across the state to report suspected maltreatment of vulnerable adults.
Protecting our loved ones, and ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect is vitally important, and I will share more with you as we work on the issue throughout the session.
House File 2282
On Wednesday, my bill House File 2282 received a hearing in the House Tax Committee. The bill was brought to me by local waste management companies, and will provide a refund of the solid waste management tax to facilities that meet certain recycling requirements. It’s supported by the Minnesota Counties and Minnesota Resource Recovery Association.
It’s a small bill, but will make a big difference for folks in this industry. I am pleased it got a hearing, and hope we can get it signed into law this year.
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It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. I am here to serve you!
Sincerely,
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B