Week of April 15, 2007

On Monday, I attended a short floor session and then sat in on the electronic waste bill hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee. That bill, HF854, will now go to the "General Register," which means that it can be taken up on the floor pretty much any time. In the afternoon, I cleared out my e-mail and constituent communication (see below).

On Tuesday, I attended a short presentation on gun laws by a couple of groups, including city and county attorneys in the metro area; meeting of several suburban DFL legislators on issues of mutual interest; attended the DFL House Caucus; and attended a floor session that I blogged on separately.

Visitors: North Oaks resident/MD and representative of MN Medical Association about the MMA's legislative platform; lobbyist for and member of Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries on scrap metal provision of HF829; Anoka County Commissioner and representatives of MN Center for Environmental Advocacy and Sierra Club on de minimus exemptions on wetlands provision of environmental finance bill

Constituent contacts for April 15-22: Lino Lakes, Circle Pines, and Shoreview residents against good faith insurance bill; two Shoreview residents supporting family planning language in omnibus health and human services bill

Constituent contacts for April 8-14: Shoreview resident supporting a gas tax increase that is indexed to inflation and against micro-management by the state of local governments; Circle Pines driving school employee against a bill provision that would allow on-line driver education; North Oaks resident supporting a workers compensation bill (HF2248); North Oaks resident against good faith insurance proposal; Circle Pines resident supporting HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Shoreview? resident against good faith insurance proposal; Shoreview resident giving me input on "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Shoreview resident supporting HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; North Oaks businessperson supporting HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Shoreview resident supporting good faith insurance proposal; Shoreview resident supporting "single sales" corporate tax proposal; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Circle Pines resident in favor of tax increases; Shoreview resident against good faith insurance proposal; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident supporting a salary supplement for public employees; Lino Lakes resident supporting a tax increase; Lino Lakes resident supporting funding for transit and transportation; Shoreview resident about homeowner rights bill; Circle Pines dentist against HF1027, a tax on cosmetic surgery; North Oaks resident supporting E85; Lino Lakes resident against good faith insurance proposal; Forest Lake School District supporting HF234, a bill to eliminate a requirement for a primary election in school board elections; North Oaks resident with analysis on property tax proposals and supporting the Q-Comp teacher compensation proposal; Lino Lakes resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident against allowing benefits for same-sex public employee partners; Shoreview resident with question about a tax audit; North Oaks resident supporting nuclear power as an alternative to coal; Circle Pines resident supporting a salary supplement for state employees; Shoreview resident supporting a tax increase; Shoreview resident supporting comprehensive sex education; Lino Lakes dentist against HF1027, a tax on cosmetic surgery; Shoreview resident against good faith insurance proposal; Lino Lakes resident supporting a salary supplement for public employees; Shoreview resident supporting comprehensive sex education; Shoreview resident supporting a salary supplement for public employees; Shoreview resident supporting funds for clean water; Shoreview resident supporting funds for clean water; Lino Lakes resident supporting funds for clean water; Lino Lakes resident supporting a tax increase; unidentified constituent supporting a salary supplement for public employees; Circle Pines resident supporting comprehensive sex education; North Oaks dentist against HF1027, a tax on cosmetic surgery; Lexington City Manager about legislation on pensions for volunteer fire departments; North Oaks dentist against HF1027, a tax on cosmetic surgery; unidentified resident supporting salary supplement for public employees; Shoreview resident supporting salary supplement for public employees; Shoreview resident supporting funds for clean water; Shoreview resident supporting homeowners rights bill; six Circle Pines residents, six Lino Lakes residents; five Shoreview residents, and one North Oaks residents (all Qwest employees) asking for support of HF2351, a bill to allow more competition for video service to households; 43 district residents upset about a recent Star Tribune story on public expenditures for Muslims at Minneapolis Technical & Community College

Constituent contacts for April 1-7: Shoreview resident pleased with blog; North Oaks resident concerned about idea in Senate about incentives for healthy habits by people on public assistance; Lino Lakes resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident concerned about regressiveness of gas tax; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Shoreview high school resident interested in "hang-up-and-drive" bill; North Oaks resident supporting smoking ban without exemptions; Lino Lakes resident about crossbow hunting legislation; Lino Lakes mortgage lender concerned about HF1004 (a bill to crack down on predatory lending); Lino Lakes resident against an income tax increase; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Lino Lakes resident supporting funding for early education initiatives; Circle Pines resident about Parkinson's Disease; Shoreview resident supporting stem cell research funding; Shoreview resident against tax increases and regressiveness of the proposed gas tax increase; Shoreview resident supporting a tax increase to support transportation and education; Lino Lakes resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident against tax increases; unidentified constituent against gas tax increase; Lino Lakes resident against income tax increase; Shoreview resident against income and gas tax increase and supporting refund of the one-time surplus for this fiscal year; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Circle Pines resident with comments about property tax relief package (less LGA, more direct refunds to taxpayers); Circle Pines resident against income tax increases; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Lino Lakes resident against any tax increases and supporting pay-for-performance for teachers; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Shoreview resident supporting a salary supplement for public employees and support of a "lights on" bill to keep critical state government offices open in case of a government shutdown; Lino Lakes resident supporting a gas tax increase and a property tax decrease; Lino Lakes resident supporting HF1067, a bill on mental health and HF420, a bill to require physical education in K-12 schools; Shoreview resident pleased about information on property tax relief package; Shoreview resident in support of HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Lino Lakes resident supporting a tax increase; Shoreview? resident against the recent transportation bill; Lino Lakes resident supporting clean water and clean energy legislation; Blaine resident against tax increases; Circle Pines resident supporting HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Circle Pines resident against good faith insurance proposal; Shoreview resident supporting HF498, the "Stand Your Ground" firearms bill; Shoreview resident against tax increases; Circle Pines resident against good faith insurance proposal; Shoreview resident against good faith insurance proposal; Circle Pines couple against stem cell research; Lake Johanna Fire Relief Association against provisions in HF702 requiring that volunteer fire companies invest their pension funds with the State Investment Board; Anoka County Commissioners sending resolution opposed to revisions to the Wetlands Conservation Act; Circle Pines and Blaine residents asking for income tax credit for retired federal employees; Circle Pines resident supporting providing health coverage for all uninsured children; Circle Pines resident against comprehensive sex education; Shoreview resident about property taxes; Anoka County Library Board; North Oaks resident supporting Big Stone II coal power plant and puppy mill legislation; Lino Lakes resident on mortgage lender regulation; North Oaks resident about per diem and bill dealing with individuals with gastro-intestinal disorders; Shoreview and Lino Lakes residents supporting Runaway & Homeless Youth Act