Capitol Update 4 2/1/2012 This week at the Capitol, members began to introduce bills, committees dove deeper into

content matter, and hot-button issues came to the forefront. Thank you to all who are calling, e-mailing, and participating in this legislative session. Your participation is vital.

(VIDEO) Senator Bonoff discusses news, events, and issues from the fourth week of the 2013 Legislative Session. Click here to watch.

Legislative Field Trip: University of Minnesota This past Tuesday, the entire Senate body was invited to participate in a tour of the University of Minnesotas new bio-medical and student services buildings. The tour was both informative and entertaining. Our first stop was to see the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research building that is currently under construction. We toured the facility and spoke with the Dean of the Medical School, Dr. Aaron Friedman, about some of the amazing research being done.

Our next stop was to visit the recently constructed Science Teaching and Student Services building. This high tech building offers a One-Stop location that students can access for all services. They dont need an appointment, all it takes is a swipe of their U-Card and they have easy access to fulfill many of their student needs. This building is also significant for its state of the art learning environment. The interactive classrooms are designed in a way that encourages discussion amongst students, facilitates hands-on learning experiences, takes advantage of the latest technology, and puts the emphasis on the student. This new way of learning contrasts the traditional lecture by a professor and really makes strides in putting the student learning and engagement at the center of each class. Click here for photos from our tour.

All-Day Kindergarten: Among the bills introduced early on this session, is the bill that would fund voluntary all-day kindergarten in our schools. Currently, Minnesota schools are allowed to offer all-day kindergarten but it is not funded. If you have followed my legislative career, you know that early childhood education is something that I care deeply about. I believe that we need to start early when it comes to providing world-class education for our children. I believe the return on investment for early education is strong and compelling. This is why I helped author an amendment to the bill that gives school districts the flexibility to use the new all day Kindergarten funds to alternatively invest in education for three and four year-olds.

Health Insurance Exchange: When Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, part of that law required all states to implement a Health Insurance Exchange. Each state is able to create an exchange on their own or in partnership with other states. However, if a state fails to create an exchange by January 1, 2014, all enrollees will automatically be put into the Federal Exchange. In Minnesota, we are planning to design our own version rather than use the Federal Exchange. What is a Health Insurance Exchange?
An exchange is an online marketplace where an applicant will be able to find health care coverage for their income and coverage needs. The Exchange will be able to determine an applicants eligibility for tax credits, cost sharing assistance, and public health care programs. The Exchange will also place coverage options in a standardized format to allow applicants to compare the levels of coverage offered by different plans. As directed by the ACA, all plans offered through the Exchange have to cover the benefits prescribed in the essential benefits set. Therefore, the plans in the Exchange will all contain coverage for the essential core of most applicants health care needs.

I have not yet heard this bill in committee. I will hear it in the Finance committee. It is very important so I will follow the details closely and will write about it when my committee has jurisdiction.

Senator Bonoff reviewing a bill with Senator Carla Nelson earlier this week.

Gun Control and Mental Illness Prevention: As the Federal Government is beginning to address the tragic growth of gun violence in our country, we as State policy makers must have a discussion as well. I have heard from many of you who are adamant about the need for gun control in the form of ammunition restrictions, assault-rifle bans, and increased background checks. I have also heard from many of you who believe that we do not need more gun control laws, but should instead enforce the laws that we already have. I have noticed that people on both sides of the issue are in favor of providing resources for increased mental health awareness and intervention, and I stand with you on this. If we can identify individuals in need of help and proactively provide the appropriate support, we will be able to prevent further acts of violence. You may have heard that President Obama will be coming to Minneapolis on Monday to discuss this issue. I am working closely with law enforcement officials in our community to determine how we might close some of the gaps in our system, particularly with regard to background checks and mental health records. Stopping this violence is a daunting task, but safe communities deserve as much attention as possible. I do understand and support the Constitutional freedoms that I have pledged to uphold. I also share with you the burden, the responsibility, and the privilege of making sure our communities are safe. I am your partner in that effort. TOPIC REWIND: Governor Daytons Budget Proposal I was pleased to see that many of you responded to the last weeks survey with your thoughts. Topic Rewind takes a look back at some of the responses I received. I will post arguments on both sides of the issue. There are many points of view and all are important to me. Click here for survey results and different points of view.

Next week, I will preview a few of the local legislative initiatives that I

am working on early in the session. They include, but are not limited to: Expanding Highway 494 Language Immersion Teacher Exception Hollydale High Voltage Prohibition St. Davids Capital Expansion

As always, Stay tuned to my Facebook and Twitter for updates throughout the week. I also sincerely appreciate hearing from you via email. Please do not hesitate to contact my office by emailing sen.terri.bonoff@senate.mn.

Have a safe and warm weekend! Best Regards,

Terri Bonoff