Early Friday morning the 2017 legislative session came to a successful close. Lawmakers delivered on earlier promises to reverse years of gridlock by working with the Governor to balance the budget with responsible spending and reasonable tax reductions. The advancing Minnesota agenda put forth in February came to life with bipartisan approval of comprehensive tax relief, significant statewide transportation investments, and increases to the general education fund.

The legislature passed the largest tax relief package in nearly two decades, providing nearly $650 million in relief to all taxpayers. Two of Senator Pratt’s initiatives included in the Tax Bill are a credit for teachers who qualify to teach College-in-the-Schools courses in high schools and an incentive for rural residents to partner with their local Soil & Water districts. The $300 million transportation bill will secure safer and faster commutes with repairs to thousands of roads and bridges across the state.

Sen. Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake) played a key role in achieving major education investments as a negotiator for the final K-12 budget bill. The bill raises total biennial funding by $1.3 billion over the next two years and boosts the per pupil formula allowance by 2% each year, which was the top priority for public and charter schools. As the Chair of the Education Policy Committee, he focused on closing the achievement gap by promoting measures to improve reading abilities of students.

Sen. Pratt was also the chief author of legislation to pass REAL ID and Teacher Licensure Reform in the Senate. Both are celebrated as major bipartisan victories and critical priorities for this session. He released the following statement Friday morning:

“We worked hard this session to prioritize what Minnesota families value – education, a strong economy, and good jobs. We invested in our future with considerable tax relief, increased funding for education, and infrastructure upgrades,” said Sen. Pratt. “Minnesotans expect us to work together. I am pleased we were able to work across the aisle to find forward-looking, thoughtful solutions that will enhance the quality of life for everyone; now and for years to come.”

 

Sen. Eric Pratt is currently serving his second term in the Minnesota State Senate, representing Scott County communities. Sen. Pratt is the Chair of the Education Policy Committee and Vice Chair of the Education Finance Committee. Sen. Pratt is a member of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection, Energy and Utilities, Rules and Administration, and Taxes. He served on the Education, Real ID, and Teacher Licensure conference committees.