A balanced budget, a billion dollar bonding bill, and the legalization of medical marijuana, those are just some of the results of this year’s 2014 legislative session. Four lawmakers representing the northern Minnesota region spent their morning discussing the outcome of the 2014 session today at a press conference in Bemidji.

The legislature forum highlighted some of this year’s successes for the Bemidji area, like getting funding to renovate Bemidji State University’s Memorial Hall. The meeting also gave lawmakers a chance to reflect on what work still needs to be done.

Some lawmakers envision liquor sales on Sunday being a hot topic in future sessions due to an everchanging political landscape. Others will let the public decide if the discussion of Sunday sales is on the horizon.

But, all the local legislators did agree that transportation issues, like expanding Highway 371, need attention in future sessions. Senator Rod Skoe said, “Whether it’s a tourist, or a wood product, or a farm product, it’s traveling on the roads, and roads are important for our economy.”

No matter what the pros and cons were during this legislative session, the lawmakers agree that getting input from the community will help them continue to move forward in the next session.

By — Lakeland PBS

Our mission to educate, entertain, enrich, and enlighten.