Greetings from the Capitol! It was another busy week here in St. Paul with the Senate continuing to debate numerous bills for final passage every day. With a large build up of bills to pass, we held session every day and passed dozens of bills last week. Most of these bills were technical in nature, and did not have any controversy to them. As we get closer to the end of session, we look forward to debating the bonding bill, a second tax bill, and possibly a bill legalizing medical marijuana. As always, I want to thank every one of you for making the effort to call and write with your input and advice.

Advance Practice Registered Nurse Bill Passed Senate
After some serious compromise work on this legislation by doctors, nurses, and legislators throughout the state, the Minnesota Senate passed S.F. 511, a bill regarding Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) licensure and regulations with strong bipartisan support in a unanimous “yes” on the floor Thursday.

It is well known that Minnesota faces a shortage of doctors in rural areas of the state. It is my sincere hope that the provisions in S.F. 511 will help address this need for access to affordable health care in the rural and underserved communities of Minnesota. I have heard from doctors, nurses, and patients both in support and opposition to this bill, and believe that after all the negotiations and research that has gone into the compromise language, we have produced a bill all Minnesotans can stand behind.

I have no doubt that the APRNs licensed under this bill will be completely competent caregivers. They are individuals who have advanced degrees, extensive experience in patient care, and have been certified by a licensing board as proficient in core competencies. This bill allows compassionate and talented APRNs to practice at the fullest extent of their ability so they can help those who need care the most. This bill successfully expanded access to good health care for underserved Minnesotans. I look forward to seeing our medical community of doctors and nurses continue to work together to provide superior Minnesotan health care to all our communities.

Senate Bonding Bill
After delaying announcement of its contents for nearly the entire legislative session, Senate Democrats unveiled the provisions of the bonding bill they have constructed earlier this morning. The bill currently spends $846 million. Last year, Democrats & Republicans agreed to cap spending in the bonding bill at this level. Though the Democratic Party has spend the first few months of session trying to raise the amount spent in the bill, my Republican colleagues and I have stood firm at this number to avoid a government spending increase even higher that the 10% increase that Democrats have already enacted. We will also continue to fight the funding approval of the $90 million Senate
Office Building, which the majority of Minnesotans believe to be a lavish, unnecessary, and wasteful use of state resources. With so many projects that would truly benefit Minnesotan communities fighting for funding in the bonding bill, I cannot support such a large sum of money going towards a new Senate office building.

I know many of you care very deeply about several project proposals being considered for inclusion in the bonding bill that would benefit our community, such as the Lake Wobegon Trail extension, the St. Cloud Convention Center, the Eastman Hall renovation, and more. Rest assured that I will be carefully reviewing what the Democrats have chosen to include in the bill, and do all I can to fight for the projects that are important to our community.

Medical Marijuana Proposals Advancing in Both Houses
Proposals to legalize medical marijuana have been on a roller coaster this session. At the start of session, these proposals were considered dead due to Governor Dayton’s statement that he would not sign any legislation legalizing medical marijuana. Tired of facing the political pressure, Governor Dayton recently relented on his position and challenged the legislature to pass a bill. House and Senate Democrats have acted swiftly in reviving legislation and have since moved several proposals through each house. Last week, House Democrats announced a compromise that is not opposed by law enforcement. Their bill would create a clinical trial allowing limited participation by children and adults with severe illnesses. It would include the option of one state-based manufacturer of medication if no federal source is available, vapor delivery under in-person supervision of a healthcare professional, and prohibits smoking of the drug as well as growing your own. The Senate bill being considered provides for the legal use of medical marijuana for certain medical conditions, if verified by a doctor. To obtain medical marijuana, a qualifying patient must apply for and obtain a registry identification card. A qualifying individual may only have access to marijuana from one registered treatment center and is allowed to use the medical marijuana in several forms, including smoking.

KEEP IN TOUCH
During this legislative session we will work to keep you informed. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and neighbors, encouraging them to subscribe by going to my Senate page and typing in their e-mail into the “subscribe” bar. The same process can be used to unsubscribe from this mailing list. Follow this link to subscribe. You can also e-mail my legislative assistant at tricia.ellis@senate.mn to sign up. We will always welcome your ideas, questions, and comments. You can also find me on Twitter (@Senjohnpederson) and Facebook. Please call or write any time.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our District in St. Paul!

John Pederson
27 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
sen.john.pederson@senate.m