Senator Carrie Ruud Announces Retirement
This week, State Senator Carrie Ruud announced that she will not be seeking another term in 2022. Senator Ruud was first elected in 2002. She serves as Chair of Senate Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee, on the Executive Committee of the Great Lakes Commission, IRRRB, Explore Minnesota Tourism Council, School Trust Commission and Past President of the National Foundation of Women Legislators.

“It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve Aitkin and Crow Wing Counties in the Minnesota Senate. I am grateful to my constituents for placing their trust and faith in me. I believe I have served with honesty and integrity.”

I want to thank my family, friends and all those who have so kindly supported me during my time in the Senate. My next plans, besides some vacation and time with those near and dear to me, are unclear. I will approach that future with a servant’s heart, faith in God and gratitude for all the opportunities and experiences.
 
Senate Approves Education Bill to Reverse Minnesota’s Declining Reading Scores
The Minnesota Senate approved an education bill that will reverse Minnesota’s chronically inadequate literacy scores. The legislation instructs school boards to develop a public, accountable plan that will achieve 90% reading proficiency by third grade; delivers funding to provide all Minnesota teachers with indispensable training in the science of reading instruction; and refocuses Regional Centers of Excellence to prioritize literacy.

The Senate’s focus on improving literacy comes on the heels of historic education bills that have fully funded K-12 schools, including $18.6 billion in total education funding in 2017, 2% annual student formula increases in 2019, and $1.1 billion in funding increases in 2021—including the largest formula growth in 15 years.

“Literacy has been linked with long-term life success, and it’s alarming that 52% of our state’s third graders are not reading at grade-level. We want our kids to be successful… we’ve already funded education at historical levels. It’s time we focus resources on improving literacy.”
  
Minnesota’s third grade reading proficiency has been flat or declined every year since 2013. Currently only about one-half of students are reading at grade level. The Senate’s education bill instructs each school district and charter school to develop a comprehensive plan with clearly defined benchmarks to achieve 90% reading proficiency by third grade, and to hold an annual public meeting to review progress and revise as needed.
 
Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) is a training program with a remarkable track record of success at improving reading scores. States like Mississippi are outperforming Minnesota in reading score increases in large part due to their use of LETRS, which trains teachers on the science of reading and the most effective ways to teach kids to read. The bill also appropriates key funding to provide teachers with LETRS program training by 2026.

Higher Education Bill—Help Students Learn Skills to Fill Good-Paying Jobs  
This week, the Minnesota Senate passed Higher Education and Workforce Development legislation to help alleviate worker shortages, prepare students for worthwhile careers, and improve safety at Minnesota colleges and universities.   

“The goals this year are simple—address critical workforce shortages in our state by helping support our students, so they are prepared to meet current workforce needs. Every Minnesota student should have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to prepare them for good-paying jobs in the modern economy—whether it is a 4-year or 2-year degree or technical program, we need to ensure that we put our future workforce in a position where they can thrive in high in-demand jobs that offer rewarding careers.”  
 
Keeping Minnesotans Safe… 
The bill makes a strong commitment to recruit more law enforcement officers to keep Minnesotans safe. The bill establishes a grant program for students pursuing law enforcement careers with an annual grant of $3,000. Eligible students must be enrolled in a law enforcement program and there is a limit to how much an individual can receive. 

The bill also includes funding to improve public safety at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Surging crime at the University of Minnesota is reaching new highs and is causing many parents and students to ask for more security on campus. The legislation will work to help every Minnesota student feel safe on their college campus.   
  
Preparing Students for Careers…
The legislation establishes a skills path program to provide secondary students with a pathway from high school to careers in skilled work and trades. The Office of Higher Education will award grants of up to $50,000 for up to ten secondary schools annually for the skills path program. This funding will help students learn the skills they need for worthwhile careers in good-paying jobs and addresses workforce shortage needs.  

Veterans’ Re-enlistment Bonuses, Veterans’ Homes, Housing Options & Bonuses 
With unanimous support, the Minnesota Senate this week passed legislation that makes critical investments into Veteran services across the state. This bill includes provisions that provide post-service resources, expand housing options, and fund enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses. The sole focus of this bill is to meet the needs of Veterans across Minnesota. 
 
Notably, this bill includes funding for upgrades and completion of the three new veterans homes across the state. Last year, homes in Bemidji, Preston, and Montevideo secured federal funding necessary to complete construction. Funding in this bill serves as the final capstone to make these homes operational by providing upgrades and improvements to strengthen the structures, and medical equipment and internal fixtures needed to make the homes operational. 

To compete with the modern workforce, the bill also provides necessary funding for an enlistment and re-enlistment bonus program, which will serve as an incentive for retaining and recruiting service members.

The bill includes language to honor the historical tradition of providing bonuses to service members that served during global conflicts. With the end of the Global War on Terror last year, the bill allocates $24 million for post-war bonuses to Minnesota Veterans that served after September 11, 2001.  
 
Minnesota has a time-honored tradition of providing post-service bonuses to the Veterans that served in major conflicts. By providing these bonuses, we are thanking those that stepped up to fight for freedom. No amount of financial compensation will be thanks enough for all they did during these wars and conflicts but including these bonuses is a start.

Additional Information…

Frontline Worker Pay
The Minnesota Legislature has passed a bill providing bonus pay for eligible COVID-19 frontline workers. Details of the program, including the application process and timelines, are still being finalized. For current information about eligibility requirements, where and when to apply, and to sign up to receive email updates about the program. 

Visit: Frontline Worker Pay
 
Pequot Lakes Business
It was a great pleasure to meet Commissioner Steve Grove, Minnesota Employment & Economic Development in Pequot Lakes last week…we visited Geek2Go (a local electronic repair shop) owned by a young entrepreneur.