Fewer than ten days after the opening of the legislative session, the Minnesota State Senate voted Thursday to pass its first two pieces of legislation. The two bills, each passed with bipartisan support, directly address two areas of great concern to rural Minnesotans: rising health insurance premiums and an increasing tax burden.

“I was happy to cast my vote in favor of these two bills, marking the beginning of a series of health insurance reforms and tax relief this session. Minnesotans are expecting us to act, and by passing these pieces of legislation within the first two weeks of session, we are making good on that commitment. The reality is health insurance on the individual market is too costly the citizens of southwestern Minnesota deserve a market with more options, greater flexibility, and lower costs,” said Sen. Bill Weber (R-Luverne).

The health insurance premium relief package, dubbed the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access Act, offers premium relief to Minnesotans who purchase health insurance on the individual market and have been faced with steep premium increases as a result of Obamacare. The package also offers a series of reforms, paving the way for a discussion in the coming weeks on larger, long-term reforms to the insurance market.

The tax conformity bill aims to close gaps between the state and federal tax code, conforming to changes on the federal level. Its provisions contain $21 million in tax relief, including, among others, an elimination of the marriage penalty in the Working Family Tax Credit phase-out and a provision to extend the statute of limitations for certain veterans to collect combat pay.

Sen. Weber represents Senate District 22, which includes Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties. He is serving his second term in the Minnesota Senate.