Local Legislators Return Home With The 2018 Legislative Session In Mind

It was a year of many changes at Minnesota’s Capitol, beginning with the high influx of newly-elected freshman representatives that had high hopes for a successful first year. Now that the session is complete, many of the representatives have started to reflect the 2017 session.

The House took on key issues that often went head to head with Governor Mark Dayton, and some House representatives were disappointed in the final outcome on some of the bills. For Republican Representative Matt Grossell, it was Governor Dayton’s removal of the Bemidji and Montevideo veterans homes.

Another project that was hoping to get the governors signature this session was the funding for the replacement of Hagg Sauer Hall at Bemidji State University. Even though the funding fell through this year, Republican Representative Matt Bliss has a plan to try and make it happen next session.

Another project that surfaced during the session was the ongoing discussion on the expansion of the Paul Bunyan Expressway. Representative Bliss had a bill in place but pulled it so that he could get the communities of Walker and Bemidji to work together.

With the 2017 session completed, preparations for the 2018 legislative session have only just begun.

Representatives Bliss and Grossell along with Senator Paul Utke will take part in a legislative forum hosted by the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce at the Double Tree hotel Friday morning.