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Legislative Update
Like last week, this week has been full of committee meetings as we get into the swing of session. This week in Commerce we heard several bills aimed at increasing price transparency in health care, which unfortunately had some serious issues that need to be addressed. There were serious data privacy concerns, and one bill in particular would hurt rural hospitals. In the middle of a pandemic, hurting hospitals in Greater Minnesota is the last thing we need.
We have also had a lot of discussion this week about a public safety bill that would create a State Aid for Emergencies (SAFE) account in anticipation of possible unrest during the upcoming trial. As a supporter of law enforcement, I want to make sure officers have the resources needed to respond to potential riots. Unfortunately, this bill does not fix the whole problem—Minnesota's three largest law enforcement organizations have said that agencies are less likely to respond as a result of anti-police sentiment. As a coalition of law enforcement associations wrote to the Public Safety committee, "Our members’ concern is due to the continued demonization of law enforcement officers by certain public officials at various levels of government." As this bill moves forward, I hope those issues will be addressed.
Last Thursday I unfortunately was excused from our floor session to attend a family funeral. While I was sadly unable to vote on the issues that came up that day, I would like to thank all those who have sent messages of support during a difficult time.
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Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions or comments. It's an honor to be your voice at the Capitol!
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/RepTamaTheis
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201 State Office Building 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, MN 55155 651.296.6316 |
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