Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Tax Conformity Update
As I shared last week, the House is advancing a comprehensive tax conformity proposal. It passed out of the House on Monday with bipartisan support.
Our plan will provide more than 2.1 million Minnesota filers with a tax cut next year, as we aim to simplify and reduce taxes for hardworking Minnesota taxpayers. With federal tax reform passed by Congress late last year, this gave our state a big opportunity to reform our tax code and ensure filers won’t face undue complications when they go to file their taxes in 2019.
The next step is to come to a final agreement with the Senate and Governor Dayton. My goal remains to ensure taxpayers can take full advantage of state and federal tax relief.
You can see a short video where I talk more about our tax bill, as well as our school safety package here.
Budget Adjustment Bills
In addition to our Tax bill, the House also acted on a number of other supplemental budget bills this week. We’re investing more in our transportation infrastructure, tackling rising health care costs, and advancing Met Council reforms.
Highlights include:
- Providing $385 million for transportation needs this year, using surplus funds leveraged with trunk highway bonds to repair and improve our roads and bridges
- Reinstating the impending 7 percent cut to the Disability Waiver Rate System
- Protecting our environment by encouraging less salt use in the winter months to protect our lakes, rivers and streams
- Addressing vulnerable adult abuse and neglect, strengthening the tools the state can use against perpetrators of abuse and holding state agencies accountable for their shortcomings on maltreatment investigations
- Strengthening penalties for those who assault a peace officer and for sex offenders, including those who possess or disseminate child pornography
- Funding three new veterans homes in Minnesota with excess Stadium Reserve Funds
- Cutting the MNsure tax on health plans to help lower health care costs for Minnesotans
- Combating the opioid epidemic
- Implementing reforms to reduce potential fraud and waste in our public health care system
- Requiring state agencies to spend 3.5 percent of their IT budget to support state cybersecurity
- Implementing Met Council reforms that would add elected officials to the Council and stagger their terms, as well as eliminate the Transportation Advisory Board
- Closing loopholes regarding the operation of a snowmobile or ATV for those who have been convicted of a DWI
Additionally, in the Public Safety bill passed this week, a provision I authored was included that would make it illegal for a peace officer to have sexual relations with someone in their custody. It’s shocking to me that this is not already state law, and I am pleased that my bill to close this egregious loophole was included in that legislative package.
You can read more about my bill in a recent story I did with the Pioneer Press here.
At the Capitol
With High School Page, Lillian
With constituent Holly Zelinksy
It’s Lyme Disease Awareness Month. I appreciate all of the advocates who came to the Capitol for this important cause!
***
As always, if you have ideas about what you would like to see happen this session or need assistance on a matter of state government, I welcome you to contact me. Please don’t hesitate to call (651-296-1147), email (rep.kelly.fenton@house.mn) or stop by my office.
Sincerely,
Kelly
Don’t forget to “like” me on Facebook to learn more about what’s happening at the Capitol.