Empowering our SchoolsI’m currently carrying several bills to help empower our schools with the ability to better care for our kids. House File 3558, which was heard in the Education Finance Committee this week, would add roof replacement to the list of large-scale projects all school districts are able to levy their communities for. Currently, school districts who are under a levy cap are forced to undertake roof replacements piece by piece, creating construction headaches, disruptions in learning, and an unevenly aging roof. Another piece of legislation I authored would allow LPNs to administer an epi-pen to a student in need without having to call the nurse for permission. Reducing this extra bureaucratic step will save precious moments when a student is in desperate need of an epi-pen. A separate bill I authored would clarify language about school nurses giving students lifesaving drugs in emergency situations. Since many school nurses are on contract and not school employees, updating this language will ensure that students receive the care they need at the exact time they need it without legal hurdles. Own Home Services GrantsAnother bill of mine would fund Own Home Services Grants to help people who live in congregate settings like group homes to transition into independent housing. As written, the bill would require federal resources are exhausted before State resources are used. The End of Life Options ActLast month, the House Health Finance and Policy Committee held a hearing on HF1930, a bill to establish end-of-life options for terminally ill adults. This week, the bill was heard in the Public Safety Committee. The bill, known as the End-of-Life Options Act, is modeled after an Oregon law which allows legal adults who are diagnosed with a terminal illness and determined to be of sound mind to be prescribed life-ending medication, usually to be taken at home. Patients who meet the requirements for this type of care deserve to be able to die at home in the company of loved ones, and on their own terms. If patients choose, they deserve the comfort of knowing they have the option to go when it becomes unbearable without government interference. Tax Season UpdateDFLers have been making big moves to help working families, and you’ll feel some of the benefits this year as you file your 2023 taxes. During the first week of the 2024 legislative session, the House passed a technical corrections bill for the 2023 Tax Bill. This was our very first action on the floor this year because it will affect nearly all Minnesotans as we prepare to file taxes. This bill ensures all Minnesotans receive the return they’re entitled to. The biggest change from last year’s bill was updating how we account for inflation, and the adjustment will save Minnesotans around $300 million dollars as they file 2023 taxes.  If you’re a renter, don't forget to claim your property tax refund! This is the first year renters will be able to receive this credit with their tax filing rather than later in the year. Along with making it simpler and more convenient, we also expanded the credit to many Minnesotans who didn’t qualify previously. I also want to remind you that nearly 300,000 Minnesota households are eligible for the nation-leading Child Tax Credit! With our Child Tax Credit, families will save up to $1,750 for each dependent. Democrats are cutting child poverty by one-third with this rebate. You can claim the tax credit by filing a 2023 income tax return. The $1,750 credit is for each child 17 years old and younger, with no limit on the number of children. For all tax filers, this credit begins to phase out at an income level of $35,000 and fully phases out at a maximum of $90,750 for a family with four children. Minnesota families: If you qualify, file your taxes to make sure you claim the benefits available to you. |