Capitol Review: Northfield Senator's Bill Prohibits School Employees to Use School Resources for Elections

Editor's note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they're voting, the bills they're writing and the issues they're getting behind. Come back to Northfield Patch every Monday for a new Capitol Review.

Here’s what’s happened this past week with bills authored or co-authored by local legislators:

State Sen. Dave Thompson (R-District 36) of Lakeville

• Authored a bill that would prohibit "public school employees from using public funds and resources to advocate to pass, elect, or defeat a political candidate, ballot question, or pending legislation." SF0577 was introduced Thursday.

• Work continues on these bills, which Thompson previously authored or co-authored: a bill that would reduce the number of members in the House of Representatives and the Senate (SF0419); a bill that would limit the availability of evidence derived from a collective law process, in the court room for civil and criminal proceedings (SF0344); a bill that makes statutory conforming amendments relating to civil actions. The bill also makes assignments for receiverships and creditors. (SF0352); a bill authored (SF0056).

• Thompson serves on the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, Education Committee, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, and State Government Innovation and Veterans Committee.

• Tweet of the week: "@TwoPuttTommy You're funny. Setting wages for employees that are paid by taxpayers is now the equivalent of private sector price controls."

• Thompson's Twitter handle is @ThompsonSenate

State Sen. Al DeKruif (R-District 25) of Madison Lake

• Authored a bill that would allow high school freshmen and sophomores enroll for college in the school classes to earn college credits. SF0510 was introduced Feb. 28.

• Work continues on these bills, which DeKruif previously authored or co-authored: a bill to eliminate sales tax for purchases made by local government bodies, including counties, cities and townships (SF0371); a bill that would modify the Minnesota rural preserve property tax program (SF0298); a bill that would increase sanctions for careless driving resulting in a death to be a gross misdemeanor. Currently it’s a misdemeanor (SF0201);

• A bill that would change eligibility requirements for unemployment insurance for minors of business owners (SF0114); a bill that would provided a phased-in subtraction for military retirement pay (SF0041); a bill that would abolish prohibition of certificate of need for new nuclear power plants (SF0004); a bill that would restore the Green acres and agriculture classification to pre-2008 (SF0002).

• DeKruif serves on the Education Committee, Jobs and Economic Growth Committee and the Transportation Committee.

State Rep. Kelby Woodard (R-District 25B) of Belle Plaine

• Authored a bill that would create a commission called MNovate. It would "assist the governor, the legislature, the commissioner of education, and learning communities of Minnesota. The mission of the commission is to provide leadership for the creation of new and innovative models of public schools and schooling resulting in:
      • models of learning designed around individual needs and aspirations;
      • evaluations of new ways of learning;
      • new professional opportunities for teachers; and
      • improved efficiency of the public early childhood through grade 12 education system."

• Authored a bill that would change the definition of sex trafficking to include the term "commercial sex acts," which is defined as a "sex act on account of which anything of value is given or received by any person."HF0750 was introduced Feb. 28.

• Work continues on these bills, which Woodard previously authored or co-authored: a bill that would amend statutes in relation to the Minnesota Youthworks program and recast it as the AmeriCorps Innovation program, aligning it with federal law (HF0617); a bill that would streamline revenue for health and safety programs, relating to education finance (HF0420); a bill that would allow students who perform well at public schools that consistently underperform to enroll at a private school with financial assistance from the state. There are several requirements needed to make students eligible, such as the child's family income being equal to or less than 175 percent of the federal income level (HF0273); a bill that would require photo identification to vote (HF0210);

• A bill that would limit funding for abortion for state-sponsored health programs, unless required to continue in federal programs (HF0201); a bill that would change the language of the basic skills test aspiring teachers are required to take to earn their licenses. The wording would change from "successfully complete" to "pass"(HF0183); a bill that would delay charter school authorizer approval from June 30, 2011, to June 30, 2012 (HF0134);

• A bill that would change the language of insurance coverage of dependents of a deceased peace officer or firefighter (HF0149); a bill that would introduce "Choose Life" license plates (HF0091); a bill that would repeal the political contribution refund (HF0066); a bill that would restore the Green acres and agriculture classification to pre-2008 (HF0012); a bill that would establish a Healthy Minnesota contribution program, redesigning service delivery for lower-income MinnesotaCare enrollees (HF0008); a bill that would abolish some local government mandates (HF0007); a bill that would increase the penalty for those convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (HF0006).

• Woodard is vice chair of the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee. He also serves on the Education Finance Committee and Education Reform Committee.

• Tweet of the week: "Enjoyed my town hall with Carleton students (and a few adults ) on Friday. Respectful questions and dialogue in true MN fashion.#mnleg"

• Woodard's Twitter handle is @KelbyWoodard

State Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-District 36B) of Farmington

•Garofalo proposed several bills last week in relation to school district financing, including one that would clarify interest payments on the permanent school fund.HF0785 was introduced Thursday.

• Work continues on these bills, which Garofalo previously authored: two bills that would appropriate more than $3 million toward projects around Lake Byllesby in Cannon Falls. The first bill, HF0490, would appropriate $1.5 million through a bond sale to complete the Lake Byllesby Dam spillway project. The second bill, HF0491, would appropriate another $1.5 million for a pedestrian bridge to span the Cannon River in Lake Byllesby Regional Park.; a bill that would offer the presidency to the candidate who receives the popular vote, rendering the Electoral College obsolete (HF0495); a bill that would reinstate a general education aid reduction for certain taconite distributions. (HF0306);

• A bill that would require photo identification to receive Minnesota Family Investment Program assistance and would restrict users from using monthly cash payments to purchase tobacco, alcohol or lottery tickets (HF0171); a bill that would exempt pet sales from sales taxes (HF0036); a bill that would amend teacher licensure provisions by establishing an alternative teacher preparation program that allows eligible individuals to acquire a two-year limited-term teaching license (HF0063), a bill that would increase sanctions for careless driving resulting in a death to be a gross misdemeanor. Currently it’s a misdemeanor (HF0068).

• Garofalo chairs the Education Finance Committee this session. He also sits on the Redistricting Committee, Taxes Committee and Ways and Means Committee.

• Tweet of the week: "Ok. I gotta admit Charlie Sheen is fun 2 watch - in kind of the same way it is "fun 2 watch" a car right before it is going to roll over."

• Garofalo's Twitter handle is @PatGarofalo