Capitol Review: Gambling, Health Insurance and the Cedar Avenue Bridge

Editor's note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they're voting, the bills they're writing and the issues they're getting behind. Come back to Burnsville Patch every week for a new Capitol Review.

Have a look at what Burnsville legislators have been doing recently:

Rep. Pam Myhra (R-District 40A) of Burnsville
Email: rep.pam.myhra@house.mn
Phone: 651-296-9895

Representative Myhra is a retired CPA and teacher. She serves on the committees for Capital Investment, Education Finance, Education Reform and Taxes.

Co-authored a bill relating to taxes (HF1598)

The bill proposes an amendment to Article 4 of the Minnesota Constitution. If passed it would require a three-fifths vote by both houses of the legislature to increase certain taxes. According to its language, the proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2012 general election.

The bill was introduced and referred to the Taxes Committee on April 28. It was re-referred to the Ways and Means Committee on May 3.  

Sen. Dan D. Hall (R-District 40) of Burnsville
Email: sen.dan.hall@senate.mn
Phone: 651-296-5975

Senator Hall was elected in 2010 and is serving his first term in office. He is the vice chair of theEnvironment and Natural Resources Committee. He also serves on the committees for Health and Human Service and Judiciary Public Safety.

Co-authored a bill relating to health insurance exchange (SF1343)

The bill prohibits the creation, operation, or existence of a health insurance exchange in Minnesota. A health insurance exchange is defined as a selection of HMOs, PPOs and fee-for-service plans operating within a network and administered by private insurance companies. The bill was introduced on May 2 to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

Co-authored a bill relating to capital investments (SF1366)

The bill modifies a prior appropriation to the City of Bloomington for renovation of the Old Cedar Avenue bridge and development of the Long Meadow Lake multimodal trail connection and the Minnesota Valley State trail segment. The bill was introduced and referred to the Capital Investment Committee on May 3.  

Co-authored a bill related to state budget spending (SF1378)

The bill proposes an amendment to Article 11 of the Minnesota Constitution which would limit the level of budgeted spending to 98 percent of the amount forecast to be collected in the biennium. The bill was introduced and referred to the Taxes Committee on May 4.  

Co-authored a bill related to gambling (SF1399)

The bill would outlaw Class III gambling—excluding lottery and on-track horse-racing—in the State of Minnesota. The bill was introduced and referred to the State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee on May 5.  

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Elsewhere in the legislature, the House of Representatives passed 74-55 an omnibus education policy bill that aims to empower parents, improve teaching and learning and increase student achievement, it was reported in the non-partisan Public Information Services. 

Sponsored by House Education Reform Committee Chairwoman Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton),HF1381, next goes to the Senate where Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista) is the sponsor.

The bill’s hallmark is a literacy plan that would require students to repeat third grade if they are not reading at grade level and provide instructional supports for struggling readers starting in kindergarten.