June 19, 2012

Sen. Dave Brown Announces Local Meeting with Rep. Sondra Erickson

(ST. PAUL) -- State Senator Dave Brown (R-Becker) and Representative Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton) will be conducting a series of informal town hall meetings to listen to concerns and ideas from residents. The legislators will give an update of the 2012 Legislative Session and answer questions from their constituents. All residents are invited to participate.

“We are honored to represent the people of District 16 at the State Capitol, and we look forward to hearing about the issues that are important to our constituents,” said Brown.

The schedule for the meetings is as follows:

Princeton Town Hall Meeting
Monday, July 9; Noon
Princeton Public Library
100 4th Avenue South
Princeton, MN 55371

Milaca Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, July 11; Noon
MJ’s Restaurant and Bakery
520 10th Avenue Southeast
Milaca, MN 56353

Onamia Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, July 11; 5:00 PM
Onamia Veterans Club
38692 Highway 169
Onamia, MN 56359

Foley Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, July 12; 5:00 PM
Mr. Jim’s
840 Highway 23
Foley, MN 56329

Wahkon Town Hall Meeting
Friday, July 13; 2:00 PM
Wahkon City Hall
151 2nd Street East
Wahkon, MN 56386

Isle Town Hall Meeting
Friday, July 13; 5:00 PM
Isle City Hall, Chamber Hall
285 2nd Avenue South
Isle, MN 56342

Constituents wishing to find out more information about upcoming meetings can contact Senator Dave Brown by phone at (651) 296-8075.  He can also be contacted via email at sen.david.brown@senate.mn, or via U.S. Mail at 75 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Capitol Building, Room 205, St. Paul, MN 55155.

Friends,

This past session, I wrote and supported legislation
based on my core principles; I was vocal in opposing
legislation that did not meet those principles. Two bills
that I drafted this year – a flat tax and a constitutional
amendment preventing future school shifts – are pieces
of legislation that will compel lawmakers to make wiser
budget decisions. My flat tax bill, according to projections,
would put $1.2 billion back in taxpayers’ pockets
and would force lawmakers to cut general fund spending.
My constitutional amendment would prevent future
legislatures from borrowing more than 10% from
schools to pay for the state’s programs. These two bills
will continue to be a priority for me next session.

This year, I have strived to look out for the taxpayers.
Whether it is questioning the expansion of budgets or
bonding that goes beyond infrastructure and public
building repairs, I have opposed legislation that does
not fit conservative legislative values.

We have worked hard to pass legislation that encourages
job growth. I have sponsored legislation that returns
funding to the developmentally disabled and
handicapped care facilities and we have watched as
economic forecasts continue to show positive numbers.
I believe that the state is moving in the right direction,
and the legislation we enacted over the past two years
is key factor in Minnesota’s economic recovery.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in Saint Paul.

-Dave Brown

PROTECTING LIFE

Lawmakers considered two measures this week to protect the lives of mothers and unborn children.

Last Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed House File 2341 (SF 1912) with bipartisan support, an effort to protect women from the risk of death or serious complications resulting from administration of abortion-inducing drugs. The bill requires a physician to be physically present when any drug or chemical is used by a patient for the purpose of inducing an abortion.  Administration of the RU-486 abortion drug can leave female patients with complications in their reproductive, cardiovascular, digestive, and central nervous systems and patients can even lose their lives.  It is common-sense to have a physician present when performing any major medical procedure and especially in this case; taking a medication that carries serious risks. This bill was vetoed by the Governor this Monday the 30^th.

Another measure, Senate File 1921 (HF 2340), would provide for the licensing and inspection of abortion clinics to ensure thesame health and safety measures required of outpatient surgical centers are followed at abortion clinics. Abortion clinics -- unlike hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient surgical centers, barber and cosmetology shops, and massage and tattoo parlors -- are not currently licensed or inspected by the State of Minnesota. Instead, they have been permitted to operate without state oversight as long as the physicians who work in the clinics are licensed.  Despite earning large, bi-partisan support in its passage, the Governor vetoed the bill on Thursday.

SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE

The Omnibus Agriculture Policy Bill conference committee report unanimously passed through the Minnesota State Senate last Tuesday afternoon. The legislation allows for flexibility, streamlining and clarification within the Department of Agriculture relating to several different programs. It also ensures that Minnesota’s livestock and agricultural industries are properly managed.

One out of every five jobs in Minnesota is related to agriculture. Arguably the most important industry in our state, we need to repeal obsolete provisions and remove unneeded reports to create efficiencies in government that benefit the agriculture industry and our state’s economic outlook.

The final bill was presented to Governor Dayton this past Wednesday and was signed on Monday.

E-VERIFY VETOED

Governor Mark Dayton rejected efforts Tuesday by lawmakers to verify employment eligibility of all newly hired employees in the legislative, executive and judicial branches by using the federal E-Verify program. The measure (HF 1976) passed with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Since it can take between three and four months for the federal government to validate employment eligibility through the federally required I-9 form, there is a significant period in which state employers would be training illegal workers and, in some cases, granting access to sensitive information. The E-Verify system uses a free website managed by the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security to check the individual’s status in mere minutes.

Republicans and Democrats came together to pass this bill, protecting taxpayers and streamlining the identification process to determine employee eligibility.  Unfortunately, the measure was vetoed by Governor Dayton.

Schools

House File 2506 was signed into law this week, containing two important provisions affecting schools.  First, this bill repeals state-mandated staff development allocations and allows each local school board to determine its own approach. Staff development is ultimately a strategic judgment call that should be left to locally-elected officials.  The second provision establishes a requirement for school districts to provide secondary students onetime CPR instruction, equipping youth with skills that could save someone’s life in the event of cardiac arrest. Community resources exist to assist with and/or provide the training to the students.

In an effort to support our school children, Minnesota’s school trust lands need to be maximized.  The Minnesota Senate reached consensus with the House and passed a conference committee report Wednesday to create efficiency and transparency in government as it related to school trust lands, ultimately benefitting Minnesota students.

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