Editor's note: The following comes from the office of Rep. Kelby Woodard. Minnesotans have once again come together to help our neighbors in distress. The Minnesota House on Friday approved a $167.5 million package to fund recovery efforts after high winds and flooding caused serious damage throughout Minnesota in June and July. Rice County is included among those set to receive aid. The bill received wide bipartisan support on its way to approval.  Rep. Kelby Woodard, R-Belle Plaine, said a set of much-needed disaster relief reforms are included in the legislation to ensure the funding is …

Hello Friends.  Attached is my session wrap up. I hope you find this information interesting.  Sincerely, Senator Al DeKruif Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter

Editor's Note: This is a press release from Sen. Al DeKruif's office. Firefighters and legislative leaders gathered at the State Capitol on Wednesday as Gov. Mark Dayton held a ceremonial signing of SF 1983, a bill chief authored by Sen. Al DeKruif (R-District 25), which will have a positive impact on protecting consumers and benefit Minnesota firefighters by increasing funding for training and providing for purchases needed for equipment for state emergency response building collapse and hazardous material teams. The bill also reduces the fee to consumers on their insurance policies, …

Dear Neighbors,  Attached please find my session wrap-up.  Perhaps this session could be described by the old movie title, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."  I will let you decide which won out in 2012.  This will be my last update, since the session has now ended.  Of course I will let you know of any significant developments between now and January 2013.  Thank you for paying attention to what goes on in St. Paul.  As Thomas Jefferson said, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."  Sincerely,Dave   Senator Dave ThompsonSenate District 36 Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on …

RACINO WARS END - MYSTIC/CANTERBURY REACH AGREEMENT Monday, Mystic Lake and Canterbury Park announced an agreement to increase the purses for horse racing at Canterbury.  I've been a long time supporter of the Racino. (allowing slots at Canterbury)  While I am disappointed that my bill to pass the Racino will now never become law, I am very happy that this agreement will revive Minnesota's horse breeding industry, improve the rural economy, and create additional private sector jobs.  Please reply and let me know what you think of this agreement.  Attached is a StarTribune story on this.   …

Dear Neighbor, It has been good to be back home, meeting with local citizens after the 2012 legislative session concluded in May. Here is a quick recap of what we have done the last two years in St. Paul. Warm regards,Kelby Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter Check out other popular Patch articles: PHOTOS: ARTech Graduates 14 Students PHOTOS: St. Dominic School Graduates 8 CherryBerry Frozen Yogurt Bar Coming to Northfield Northfield Starbucks to Open Next Week Rice County's Most Wanted for May PHOTOS: Northfield ALC Graduates 23

Dear Neighbors,  Please see the attached legislative update regarding the events at the Capitol this past week.  Thanks!Dave Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter Check out other popular Patch articles: PHOTOS: Arts a la Carte Feeds the Senses Northfield Artist Ray Jacobson Dies Northfield Man Charged with Heroin Possession Pharmacy Coming to Northfield Target What Should Go Here?: Hoffman's Photography Three Men Charged with Selling Cocaine in Northfield Area

The Minnesota Senate sent an environment bill to the Governor this weekend that included a proposal from Sen. Al DeKruif to lift state rules against individuals cutting dead or downed trees from river and stream banks. DeKruif, who represents Northfield, said one of his environmental concerns was the annual flooding that occurs on the Minnesota River from Mankato to the Twin Cities. “In the spring of the year, nearly every year, we have a real problem with flooding in that area,” DeKruif said. He cited tornado damage around St. Peter, which felled trees. “Local folks wanted to go in and cut …

Dear Neighbors,  The 2012 legislative session is winding down.  Attached please find my update for the week of April 23.  Thanks to those of you who came out to see me at the Mainstreet Cafe last night.   Sincerely, Dave   Senator Dave ThompsonSenate District 36

Under a plan authored by Sen. Al DeKruif schools will be allowed to share services and join together as “super-innovation zones,” asking leaders, teachers and parents to offer ideas to combine services within school districts, in exchange for the state lifting many mandates placed on local districts. The bill, which was approved 66-0 in the Senate Thursday, is a five-year pilot project that would encourage two or more schools to put together a plan on how they would innovate,” DeKruif said. “What this bill does is ease some of the mandates we place on schools. This bill is intended to get …

Editor's note: Submitted by Rep. Kelby Woodard's office A bill Rep. Kelby Woodard authored to ensure residents in need of public defense receive representation during a misdemeanor appeal or post-conviction proceeding was signed into law by Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday. The Belle Plaine Republican’s bill (H.F. 2089) passed the House with broad bi-partisan support. The bill requires the court system to access funds previously available for sex offender classification appeals to provide for a public defense in misdemeanor appeals. Existing state law only provides for a public defense in felony …

Dear Neighbor, We are in the home stretch of the 2012 session and a couple of bills I authored recently passed the House of Representatives. One bill (H.F. 2089) ensures citizens in need of public defense receive representation during a misdemeanor appeal or post-conviction proceeding. It passed the House with broad bi-partisan support. The bill requires the court system to access funds previously available for sex offender classification appeals in order to provide for a public defense in misdemeanor appeals. Existing state law only provides for a public defense in felony cases, but a recent…

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter Dear Neighbors,  Please see the attached legislative update regarding the happenings at the Capitol this week. Also, take note of my in-district office hours on Thursday, April 26.  Dave   Senator Dave ThompsonSenate District 36

Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday vetoed a bill local legislators authored to protect successor companies from suffering undue asbestos liability in certain cases. Specifically, the Innocent Successor Asbestos-Related Liability Fairness Act (S.F. 1236) would limit the liability of successor companies in acquisitions that took place before 1972 – the year the federal government began regulating asbestos as a health risk – but only if that company did not manufacture asbestos after the merger.  Rep. Kelby Woodard (R-Belle Plaine) and Sen. Mike Parry (R-Waseca) are respective chief authors of the bill…

Dear Neighbor, As is tradition in the Legislature, the House and Senate will not be in session during the upcoming week, in observance of the Easter/Passover holidays. This will allow us to spend quality time with friends and family in our districts before returning to St. Paul for the home stretch of the session. Here is a short video clip where I provide more information on some important issues, including a bill which ensures schools may use teachers’ performance as a consideration during personnel decisions. One of the top news items from the Capitol this week is both the House and the …

Dear Neigbors,  Attached please find my update for the week ending April 5, 2012. The legislature will be out during the week of April 9. Have a Happy Easter and Passover!  Thanks,Dave   Senator Dave ThompsonSenate District 36 Be sure to follow Northfield Patch on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletters, which send you updates about stories, breaking news, announcements, events and blogs on our site.

BILL TO PAY BACK SCHOOLS SENT TO GOVERNORMy bill to pay back $430 million borrowed from schools was sent to the Governor today.  The state of Minnesota has over $1 billion in its cash accounts.  I believe we should use some of that money to pay off the debt the state owes schools.  This bill would leave our cash/budget reserve accounts at higher levels than the previous legislature did.  So far the Governor has been critical of this bill, but I'm hopeful he will reconsider and sign it.  The arguments against this bill have been...well...they have been pretty bizarre.  When you have cash, you …

Dear Neighbors, The session is winding down. It is not yet known exactly when we will adjourn, but we are definitely on the home stretch. We are shifting our time from committees to the floor. Sincerely,Dave Senator Dave ThompsonSenate District 36 Be sure to follow Northfield Patch on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletters, which send you updates about stories, breaking news, announcements, events and blogs on our site.

The Minnesota Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill authored by Sen. Al DeKruif (R-District 25) that aims to help ease high veteran unemployment rates in Minnesota. SF1689 encourages the state to make a greater effort to hire veterans by adding them to the list of protected groups for jobs in state civil service, and make them more sought out for recruitment by the state. DeKruif said state veterans groups highlight an unemployment rate of more than 22 percent for recently returned veterans.  Only Michigan and Indiana veterans fare worse, he said. “Clearly the best way to get …

Action picked up on the floor last week as we passed important bills, including one which allows Minnesotans to decide whether voters should be required to provide photo identification. After nine hours of active debate on the House floor, voters will be asked this simple question in November: “Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification on election day and that the state provide free identification to eligible voters?” This initiative to ensure voter integrity is widely popular in Minnesota, with surveys routinely showing support …