Dear Neighbors,
Session continues to fly by as we work to pass bills that will improve the lives of your typical Minnesotan. Here is what I’ve been working on.
1. Accelerated Coursework - Helping Students Thrive
- I authored a bill that would automatically enroll into advanced courses those students who demonstrate proficiency in a subject area via a strong standardized test score or an earlier course grade, for example.
- Advanced courses provide fantastic educational opportunities and are proven to improve student outcomes. Even so, it can be difficult for students to access these courses, and we’ve seen a troubling decline in recent years. These trends are especially apparent among low-income and students of color.
- My bill will work to reverse this trend to ensure that as many students receive as strong an education as possible. The Star Tribune wrote a great article on this bill, which you can read here.
2. House Passes SRO Update - Ensuring the Safety of our Students
- On Monday the House passed our school resource officer (SRO) bill which will improve the safety of our schools.
- This was a bipartisan vote which was crafted with input from key stakeholders like law enforcement, educators, and students. This is a prime example of what we can accomplish when we work together!
- This strong bill will allow SROs to return to schools that want them, require additional training for SROs, and create a new POST board policy to ensure best practices are followed across the state.
3. Bringing Major Sporting Events to Minnesota - Play Ball!
- My bill to provide funding to help attract major sporting events to Minnesota was heard in the House Commerce committee this week. The legend Lou Nanne spoke in favor!
- This bill has a fantastic return on investment and would lead to more jobs and more tourist visits, helping to boost our economy.
- Read more about this exciting bill, here.
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.matt.norris@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-2907. If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here, and follow my Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent our community. Please stay in touch!
Sincerely,
Matt Norris, District 32B
507 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155