Friends and neighbors –
I learned something pretty shocking this week: every year, there are somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000 school bus stop-arm violations at school bus stops. It is a mind-blowing figure, and it really is a disaster waiting to happen.
The effort to curb the number of violations began before my time in the Senate, with Republicans spearheading an effort to equip Minnesota school buses with outward-facing cameras in order to crack down on violators.
This week the Senate’s Transportation Committee heard two more bills to build on that progress. One of those bills would extend the stop-arm to six feet, making it much easier to see. In other places where bigger stop-arms have been implemented, incidents have been reduced 89%.
These are small but significant changes that will help us keep children safe and prevent tragedies before they happen.
Nuclear energy must be part of our energy future
Republicans have been real champions when it comes to creating an energy future that’s clean, reliable, and won’t break the bank. When the Democrats pushed through their Blackout Bill, we tried to help out the people of Minnesota by offering some improvements. A lot of these amendments stressed the importance of nuclear energy in our energy mix. Unfortunately, Democrats shot them all down.
This week, though, the Senate Environment Committee held a hearing on a Republican nuclear energy bill. Senate File 1171 would have Minnesota take a close look at the costs, benefits, and consequences of advanced nuclear technology reactors.
It’s not much, I’ll grant you that. But it’s an essential and necessary step forward. The question is, were Democrats just putting on a show with this hearing? Or were they serious about nuclear energy’s place in our future? We’ll see.
Contact me
Your feedback, ideas, and concerns are what allow me to serve you to the best of my ability. Please share your thoughts with me any time at sen.bill.lieske@senate.mn or 651-296-5101.
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It is a privilege to serve you!