Jasinski: How we are fixing roads and bridges
How we are fixing roads and bridges By Sen. John Jasinski Transportation might be the biggest reason I decided to run for the Senate. I watched for years as many tried, and failed, to deliver…
The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities honors Senator Ruud with Environment Award
(ST. PAUL) – Senator Carrie Ruud (R-Breezy Point) was honored with the Legislator of Distinction – Environment Award from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC). Senator Ruud played a pivotal role in finding a…
Sen. Howe and Rep. O’Driscoll respond to DeZURIK receiving PIPELINE Dual Training Program Grant
(ST. PAUL, MN) – Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) and Representative Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) issued the following statement on DeZURIK receiving the PIPELINE Dual Training Grant. “We are hearing remarkable stories on how this program is…
Senator Ingebrigtsen to serve on public safety working group addressing police-involved shootings
Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) has been appointed to serve on a working group to focus on police-involved deadly force encounters in Minnesota. The group will host a series of meetings with stakeholders to review and…
Senator Kiffmeyer Legislative Update July 25: DHS Dysfunction
Resignations and personnel issues this past week within the Department of Human Services (DHS) have more clearly revealed systemic dysfunction and chaos. After two deputy commissioners resigned, followed by Commissioner Lourey and his chief of…
Senate Republicans seek answers on DHS management issues
Today, Senator Michelle Benson, Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and Senator Julie Rosen, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, released several letters outlining data requests to Pam Wheelock, Acting Commissioner of the…
Commissioning the U.S.S. Minneapolis-St. Paul
Last Tuesday, Senator Bruce Anderson (R-Buffalo) met with Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, Jodi Greene, to discuss the commissioning of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) #21 named the U.S.S. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Ms. Greene (raised in…
Senator Jasinski attending Midwest Political Leaders Delegation to Taiwan
Minnesota Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault) is attending an exclusive 10-member, bipartisan, multi-state U.S. Midwest Political Leaders Delegation to Taiwan from July 21 – July 27. Minnesota Senate President Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) is also part of the delegation. The…
Senate Republicans renew call for independent Office of Inspector General
Today Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) renewed her call to split the Office of Inspector General into a separate department in light of the continued personnel and culture problems within DHS. Senate Republicans included the change in…
Senator Miller leading Midwest Political Leaders Delegation to Taiwan
Minnesota Senate President Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) is leading a 10-member, bipartisan, multi-state U.S. Midwest Political Leaders Delegation to Taiwan from July 21 – July 27. The trade mission will allow leaders to learn more about Taiwan and its…
Sen. Ingebrigtsen responds to Inspector General Carolyn Ham’s ongoing leave
Nearly four months ago, Minnesota’s Department of Human Services put Inspector General Carolyn Ham on leave to investigate a complaint regarding Ham’s management of fraud in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). In recent…
Sen. Howe responds to ongoing turmoil and leadership crisis at Department of Human Services
Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) issued the following statement regarding former Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Tony Lourey’s resignation and an exodus of other top leaders at the agency. “The abrupt, unexplained departure of Commissioner Lourey…
Senator Senjem announces Rochester’s Plummer House to receive state grant
This week, it was announced that a southeastern Minnesota project has received funding through the state’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant program. A history grant of $10,000 has been awarded to the Henry S.…
Senator Senjem joins Governor Walz, local officials for tour of area flood damage
Last week, Senator David Senjem (R-Rochester) joined Governor Tim Walz and other local and state officials for a tour of flood damage in southeastern Minnesota. The delegation included city, county, and state officials from across…
Sen. Jason Rarick receives Legislator of the Year award from the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association
The Minnesota Nursery Landscape Association (MNLA) this week honored Sen. Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) as one of their 2019 Legislators of the Year. MNLA President Scott Frampton of Landscape Renovations and Vice President Tim Malooly…
Senator Ruud invited to Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus
Senator Carrie Ruud (R-Breezy Point) has been invited to participate in the inaugural Patricia Birkholz Institute for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC) in Detroit. The institute is facilitating discussions between experts and a…
New laws effective August 1, 2019
As a result of bills passed and signed into law during the most recent legislative session, the following is a selection of new laws that will go into effect on August 1, 2019: Hospital billing…
Statement from Senator Benson on Acting Commissioner Wheelock and the resignation of DHS Chief of Staff Stacie Weeks
Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Michelle Benson released the following statement: “I was pleased to receive a call from Acting Commissioner Pam Wheelock last night. Leading an agency as massive and complex as…
Sen. Ingebrigtsen responds to resignation of former DHS commissioner
Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) issued the following statement regarding former Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Tony Lourey’s resignation.“Republicans have repeatedly raised concerns about serious flaws in Governor Walz’s administration in regards to the management and…
Statement from Sen. Jason Rarick on turmoil at the Minnesota Department of Human Services
Minnesota State Senator Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) today released the following statement in the wake of Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey’s resignation and the resignation of two deputy commissioners last week. “No matter…