Dear Neighbors,
Thank you for your ongoing support as I continue advocating for our communities and region in St. Paul. Today, Friday, is the 1st and 2nd committee deadline, so much of our work this week has been spent in committee hearings debating and voting on legislation. These deadlines help winnow the topics and bills that will be discussed during the second half of this year’s legislative session.
By the end of the day today, bills must have received a favorable committee hearing in both the House and Senate otherwise they are effectively “dead” for the year.
Once we move into next week, we will get a clearer picture of the big issues that will dominate the final 2 months of the legislative session.
Aid for Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Legislation I am co-authoring that would provide emergency funding to save rural ambulance and EMS services received its first hearing this week in the Health Finance and Policy Committee.
This committee hearing is an important first step in seeing this legislation passed and signed into law by the governor.
EMS providers have been struggling under the current fee-for-service model for some time, leaving rural areas of the state, including many local communities, with dwindling access to ambulances and other EMS options.
There is no doubt that we need to make changes that address the structural problems facing these life-saving services, and I am committed to working towards those solutions. In the meantime, this funding would be critical in keeping these local providers afloat.
Supporting Law Enforcement and Public Safety
For years, I have been carrying legislation and working on an issue that originated in Grand Rapids that would establish statewide standards for 911 telecommunicators. My predecessor, former Rep. Sandy Layman, started the conversation around this issue and I have been happy to continue our work on this.
On Wednesday, in the House Public Safety Committee, legislation authored by Rep. Dan Wolgamott that is similar, but not identical to my bill, received a hearing. I joined Rep. Wolgamott at the hearing and helped introduce the bill before the committee.
You can watch my remarks on the bill by clicking here or the photo below.
I also wanted to mention that my colleagues who serve on the Public Safety Committee held a news conference this week highlighting several proposals in support of law enforcement, and the work they do to keep our communities safe.
Here is a summary of a few of the proposals:
- Allowing law enforcement agencies to purchase armored vehicles using state public safety aid that was allocated during last year’s legislative session. Agencies are currently prohibited from spending this aid on these tools.
- Expanding the use of tracking devices for fleeing motor vehicles to help prevent high-speed chases.
- Requiring county attorneys to disclose information regarding expert witnesses to peace officers in an officer-involved death incident. This is in direct response to the Trooper Londregan case.
Now, more than ever, we need to keep law enforcement and their families in our prayers and continue to support their work on behalf of all of us.
Staying in Touch
Stay tuned for more updates from St. Paul as the legislative session unfolds. In the meantime, please continue to reach out to my office for any questions, comments, or concerns about the bills, ideas, and issues that matter to all of us at the Capitol! Also, please make sure to share this link with anyone who may be interested in signing up for my newsletter: https://rb.gy/5slax9.
Contact me by phone at 651-296-4936 or via email at rep.spencer.igo@house.mn.gov.
Have a great weekend!
Spencer