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Politics & Government

Capitol Review: Medical Treatment of Minors, Family Reunification and Unlawful Same Sex Marriages

Burnsville legislators have been busy working for their community. Here is what they've been doing:

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

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Representative Myhra is a retired CPA and teacher. She serves on the committees for Capital InvestmentEducation FinanceEducation Reform and Taxes.

Co-authored a bill relating to voter identification (HF1597)

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The bill proposes an amendment to Article 7 of the Minnesota Constitution. If passed, it would require all voters to present photographic identification prior to voting. Equal verification standards are required for all voters and the state must provide identification to all voters at no cost. The bill was introduced to the Government Operations and Elections Committee on April 27. 

Co-authored a bill relating to medical treatment of minors (HF1553) 

The bill defines a minor as any person under 18 years of age. It modifies the consent requirements for medical treatment of minors, parental access to a minor's medical records and provides an outline of minor consent agreements. The bill was introduced and referred to the Health and Human Services Reform Committee on April 26. 

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.

Authored the Family Reunification Act of 2011 (SF1339) 

The bill provides for the re-establishment of the legal parent and child relationship. It specifies that a legal parent and child relationship does not include the right to counsel. It also establishes juvenile court jurisdiction over the re-establishment of a legal parent and child relationship. The bill was introduced and referred to the  Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on April 28. 

Authored a bill relating to housing in Hennepin County (SF1325)

The bill extends the authority of Hennepin County to impose a mortgage registry and deed tax for residents of the county. The bill was introduced and referred to the Taxes Committee on April 28. 

Co-authored a bill relating to marriage (SF1308)

The bill proposes an amendment to Article 13 of the Minnesota constitution. If passed, the bill would define marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. The bill would not recognize same-sex marriages. The bill was introduced to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on April 27. 

Elsewhere at the State Capitol, area legislators have been extremely busy working on legislation involving the presidential election, Metrodome and emergency equipment.

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The House passed HF695 129-0 on April 27  that extends civil immunity to a municipality donating vehicles and equipment used in firefighting, ambulance and emergency medical treatment services, rescue, and hazardous materials response. 

The bill is necessary because larger fire departments often receive state grants to upgrade their equipment, leaving them with the problem of how to dispose of used equipment that still may be in good working order. Donating to smaller departments is problematic because of the possible liability issue.  

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Tara Mack (R-Apple Valley) and now moves to the Senate where Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) is the sponsor.

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Rep. Bev Scalze (DFL-Little Canada) sponsored HF1363 that would establish a Metrodome Task Force made up of legislators and sports officials. The group would be tasked with figuring out a way to keep the facility open for public use without a professional football team as a tenant.

With so much uncertainty about the Vikings’ future, Scalze told the non-partisan Public Information Services that she wants to ensure hundreds of college, high school and miscellaneous other events that take place annually at the Metrodome can continue there.

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A House committee signed off on a bipartisan plan to make sure the presidential candidate who gets the most votes always wins.

Sponsored by Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington), HF495 would enact an interstate compact to elect the U.S. president by popular vote. The bill proposes that Minnesota’s electoral votes be cast for the candidate who wins the national popular vote, rather than the state’s popular vote.

Supporters say the change would eliminate the issue of so-called “battleground states” having a disproportionate influence on presidential politics. Because many states reliably vote Democratic or Republican from one election to the next, presidential candidates often focus their attention on a handful of key states where the popular vote is more likely to swing.

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