Friends and neighbors,
It has been a fast-moving month at the Capitol, but I couldn’t be happier to be back representing the people of District 29. We have an interesting Session ahead of us between the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, balancing the budget, and rebuilding our state after the difficult year Minnesotans have had. I remain committed to making positive legislative change for our community in any way I can.
One thing I am passionate about this year is getting kids back in school safely, as soon as possible, and with a plan to catch them up after missing almost an entire year of schooling. Our children deserve to have a normal childhood with their classmates and teachers. Isolation within distance learning has unknown consequences that we may not know the depth of for many years to come. This week a bill was passed to give the authority to local school boards to decide when or if they need to switch to distance learning. A state-wide, one-size-fits-all policy is not what is best for our kids. Rural and smaller community schools have different needs than large metro area schools.
The Senate Majority is also focused on keeping our elections safe and secure while ensuring confidence in Minnesotans that their vote is being counted. A bill requiring identification to vote passed the Senate State Government Committee this past week. Voter ID is being used in many other states and would act as one final security check before submitting your ballot. The bill has options for individuals who do not have state-issued ID such as provisional ballots or access to a state ID card free of charge. I believe this is a commonsense measure we need in place to restore voter confidence.
I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. As Session moves forward, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation comes before me.
Sincerely,
Bruce Anderson