Legislative Update - January 28, 2014

I hope you and your families are staying warm and safe during this second round of the polar vortex. Despite the cold outside, activity is heating up at the Capitol as we get closer to the start of the Legislative Session. This week, many committees are meeting to hold informational hearings on recently-introduced legislation.

Bipartisan Health Care Cost Study Group

In addition to participating regular legislative committees, I am co-chairing a bipartisan Legislative Study Group on Health Care Costs with Rep. Tara Mack.

The cost of health care is an increasingly prominent issue we face as a state and a nation. Health care costs have grown at 2-3 times the rate of inflation over the past decade and slowing this growth is becoming an imperative, especially as we prepare for the baby boomer generation to enter the over-60-age group and retire. This demographic shift will require more care and incur higher costs.

As we work on solutions, we need a strong understanding of the problem. In an effort to do just that, we formed this study group. We will be holding meetings on February 6 and February 11, with more meetings to follow.

I’m hopeful that through the bipartisan work of this committee, we will be on the path to creating strong solutions to tackle this problem.

Help for Victims of Domestic Abuse

Today, the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women released the 2013 edition of the Femicide Report, memorializing the 37 Minnesotans known to be killed due to domestic violence last year. Of those murdered, 24 women were murdered by a current or former partner; at least 7 men were murdered by a partner; at least 6 friends and family were murdered; and 12 minor children were left without parents.

I’ve signed on as a co-author to two pieces of bipartisan legislation: one provides domestic violence victims a right to notification of a convicted offender’s location upon release from incarceration; the other increases law enforcements’ ability to apprehend and arrest domestic violence perpetrators who have fled the scene of a crime or are gone-on-arrival.

We all saw the stories of the tragedies last year. Those tragedies have heightened public concern and we need to act. I will continue to work with my legislative colleagues on both sides of the aisle to increase safety for Minnesotans.

Public Integrity

Today, the House Elections Committee held an informational hearing on my legislation to require more economic disclosure from candidates for public office. The bill would require a candidate’s spouse to disclose their financial interests and require candidates working as independent contractors or consultants to list the business category they’re working in.

The goal of this bill is to avoid conflicts of interest where a legislator is working on an issue or regulating an industry that directly affects their income or their family’s income. Minnesota is known as a state with great integrity and we need to keep it that way. I’m hopeful that this bill will receive bipartisan support and pass this year.

Minnesota Gains 9,500 Jobs in December

The Department of Employment and Economic Development announced last week that Minnesota gained 9,500 jobs in December. Minnesota gained 45,900 jobs last year and our unemployment rate is at 4.6%, well below the national rate of 6.7%.

We know that we have more work to do, but our economy is on the right track and continuing to grow. You can read more about the December jobs report here.

As always, feel free contact me with any questions, concerns, or ideas. I would like to hear your thoughts on the “Unsession” and a number of other topics that will likely come up this year. You can reach me at 651-296-4128 or rep.laurie.halverson@house.mn. You can also “Like” my legislative page on Facebook. Thank you for the honor of being your voice in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Sincerely,

Laurie Halverson

State Representative

District 51B