By Jeanne Poppe

State Representative, District 27B

I hope you all stayed safe during the snowstorm earlier this week. It may be the last one of the winter and, with warmer weather around the corner, things are heating up at the Capitol as well.

Austin Daily Herald column

You can read my most recent column in the Austin Daily Herald by clicking here (www.austindailyherald.com/2018/03/urgent-action-needed-for-license-and-registration-system/). In it, I give some background on where things sit with Minnesota’s License and Registration System (MNLARS) and what needs to happen to better serve the drivers, dealers, and deputy registrars who use it.

Ag Visitors this week

On Tuesday, the FFA had their legislative day and it was a pleasure to meet so many knowledgeable and engaged future ag leaders. Here’s a photo with the State FFA officers — young women from all over Minnesota.

Also this week, AgriGrowth, a nonprofit representing and advocating for the Minnesota food and agriculture industry had its first Day at the Capitol and the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association hosted their “Day on the Hill” Thursday. Fittingly, March 4-10 was Ag Safety Week across the country. What a great week to meet with young leaders in agriculture and ag industry advocates.

History Matters Day and library advocates

On Thursday, the Minnesota Historical Society put on the History Matters Day at the Capitol. The event included opportunities for the public to engage with state legislators on why history matters in Minnesota and to advocate for projects important to protecting it. Randy Forster from the Mower County Historical Society also stopped by to remind me why “history matters!”

The Minnesota Library Association had its legislative day at the Capitol on Tuesday to discuss and advocate for the issues facing public libraries and their staff across the state.

Budget forecast

At the end of February, the budget forecast for 2018-2019 was released, showing a modest surplus. The forecast attempts to predict how various factors, including employment, wages, taxable goods and services and more, will impact the state budget during the forecast period. You can read more about the process here (https://mn.gov/mmb/forecast/overview/). The forecasts we receive impact the development of tax and spending laws and help us to enact a balanced budget.

Feel free to reach out with any thoughts or concerns as session moves forward.