A
weekly
message
from
your
Senator
Dear
Constituents
and
Friends,
The
third
week
of
session
kicked
off
with
an
extra
push
from
Governor
Dayton
and
a
collection
of
stories
from
Minnesotans
about
how
immediate
health
insurance
premium
relief
is
needed.
From
farmers
to
self-employed
software
engineers,
everyday
Minnesotans
shared
their
unique
stories
about
the
urgent
need
for
health
insurance
premium
relief. The
Senate
passed
a
premium
relief
bill
last
week.
The
House
passed
its
own
version
of
a
premium
relief
bill
Thursday.
The
Senate
and
House
will
meet
in
a
conference
committee
to
develop
a
final
bill.
Floor
sessions
were
relatively
quiet
this
week,
with
more
action
being
taken
in
committees.
The
Capital
Investment
Committee
released
its
Bonding
Bill
a
near
clone
of
the
Senate
Bonding
Bill
which
was
voted
on
last
session.
Looking
ahead,
next
week
is
expected
to
be
busier
with
Governor
Dayton
kicking
off
the
week
with
his
State
of
the
State
address
followed
by
the
release
of
his
2018-2019
budget
proposal.
My
colleagues
and
I
are
busy
drafting
and
introducing
bills
in
the
Senate.
I
am
happy
to
have
introduced
a
few
bills
aiming
at
ending
hunger,
S.F.
249
and
reducing
the
burden
of
student
debt
in
Minnesota,
S.F.
165,
(see
below
for
more
details).
I
appreciate
the
phone
calls,
visits
and
correspondence
as
we
continue
to
frame
the
budget
for
the
state
and
tackle
important
issues
like
insurance
premium
relief.
Sincerely,
Senator
Melisa
Franzen
Student
Loan
Debt
Reduction
Focus
of
Legislation
Introduced
by
DFL
Senator
Two
bills
introduced
this
week
in
the
Minnesota
Senate
will
help
Minnesota
students
and
their
families
pay
for
the
costs
of
higher
education.
The
Minnesota
College
Affordability
for
All
Act
will
guarantee
a
tuition-free
undergraduate
public
college
and
university
education
for
Minnesota
high
school
graduates
whose
families
make
less
than
$125,000
a
year.
The
act
makes
both
two-
and
four-year
higher
education
programs
tuition
free
for
Minnesota
families
who
qualify.
After
all
existing
grants
are
applied,
the
state
will
cover
any
remaining
tuition.
The
second
bill
would
provide
a
college
loan
tax
credit
for
students
and
families
up
to
$5,000
based
on
income.
The
credit
would
apply
for
dependent
students
with
parents
filing
jointly
with
incomes
between
$130,000
and
$145,000.
Students
with
independent
tax
status
and
household
incomes
between
$65,000
and
$95,000
annually
would
also
qualify
for
the
credit.
The
amount
of
the
credit
would
decrease
depending
on
income
level.
Student
loan
debt
continues
to
be
a
concern.
The
average
student
graduating
with
debt
in
Minnesota
carries
a
balance
of
$31,579.
This
is
the
fifth
highest
in
the
country.
Minnesota
also
ranks
third
highest
with
the
proportion
of
students
who
have
student
debt
about
70
percent
of
students.
The
legislation
builds
on
Senate
DFL
initiatives
passed
previously
to
address
student
loan
debt.
Included
were
college
tuition
reduction
and
freezes,
increased
state
grant
funding,
and
a
student
loan
refinancing
program
that
so
far
has
provided
relief
for
840
student
loan
borrowers.
(S.F.
156,S.F.
165)
Senate
introduces
$976
Million
Bonding
Bill
The
Senate
Capital
Investment
Committee
is
moving
quickly,
releasing
a
Bonding
Bill
on
Thursday
just
three
weeks
into
the
start
of
session.
The
$976
million
bill
includes
GO
bonds
and
additional
funding
from
a
variety
of
sources.
The
bill
closely
mirrors
the
Senate
bill
which
was
voted
on
the
floor
during
the
2016
session
and
supported
by
most
DFL
Senators.
The
committee
plans
on
reviewing
the
bill
next
Tuesday,
and
the
committee
will
vote
on
the
bill
next
Thursday.
Regardless
of
the
Senate’s
actions,
a
Bonding
Bill
must
originate
in
the
House
and
they
have
been
coy
about
the
prospects
of
a
bill
this
session.
Additionally,
any
bill
that
passes
the
Legislature
would
need
to
earn
the
signature
of
Governor
Dayton,
who
did
not
publically
weigh
in
on
the
Bonding
Bill
that
failed
to
pass
last
session.
It
is
likely
that
we
will
not
know
the
fate
of
a
Bonding
Bill
until
the
last
weeks
of
the
legislative
session.
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