The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee passed its omnibus budget bill (SF 485) today on a unanimous vote. The bill provides $8 million in new funding for the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and provides a total of $208.22 million.
On Tuesday, the House DFL majority released their budget targets, calling for significant new investment in Minnesota’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including a $721.7 million increase from the base in funding for education.
Senator Chuck Wiger of Senate District 43 attends a binational climate meeting on March 18 with White Bear Lake city officials to discuss collaborative approaches to climate-smart.
Senate Republicans unveiled their budget targets Tuesday, which includes a voucher proposal that provides funding for non-public school tuition, textbooks, computers and other school services and once again underfunds Minnesota’s public schools at a time of crisis.
Local elected officials, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Representative Leon Lillie (DFL-North St. Paul) and Senator Chuck Wiger (DFL-Maplewood) held a wide-ranging discussion on the status of transportation projects in the Maplewood, Mahtomedi, North St. Paul, White Bear Lake, Willernie, and Oakdale area Monday, with a focus on funding and the need to move up Highway 36 interchange improvements in the MnDOT priority lists.
Legislation was heard in the Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee Friday to ensure students, staff, and parents are notified when environmental hazards are present at Minnesota’s schools.