Session End Report 2010

Dear Neighbors,

The economic situation we find ourselves in has been stressful to all of us. Unemployment statistics are troubling, and when they affect you or close family members, they are no longer just "numbers." I've worked hard at the legislature to attempt to address the fiscal and economic challenges facing our state, our families and our communities. And while we have a tough road in front of us, we have made progress.

Working together, the legislature acted to confront the fiscal and economic problems facing our state. We worked quickly to pass this year's bonding bill, pinpointing high-priority infrastructure projects to get thousands of Minnesotans back to work. And we passed a tax reform package designed to spur private investment and entrepreneurship.

We worked together to make the cuts necessary to address Minnesota's budget crisis. But we carefully prioritized schools, public safety, nursing homes, and hospitals—minimizing the recession's impact on our students and Minnesota's most vulnerable.

It is an honor to represent our community, and I thank you for your continued input and feedback. Please contact me with your questions and concerns. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

2010 LEGISLATIVE REPORT		JULIE'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Passed legislation to protect our water by preventing the inappropriate siting of landfills in our communities (HF3003) Secured bonding for Lake Elmo water and sewer improvements (HF2501) Passed legislation to provide greater funding opportunities for 4-H (HF3392) Authored positive changes to Charitable Gambling law to assist the Stillwater American Legion Post (HF2422) As a founding member of the bipartisan Small Business Caucus, helped craft eight pieces of legislation to help small businesses prosper and hire new workers Authorized building an enhanced web-based portal for small businesses and entrepreneurs to access all public and private resources for development and technical assistance (HF2839) Authored legislation to provide county mandate relief in human services programs (HF3422) Modified Medicaid benefit packages to decrease costs while maintaining medically necessary services (HF3269 & HF3837)
BIPARTISAN BUDGET SOLUTIONS Made billions in necessary spending reductions Prioritized public safety, schools, and nursing homes Reformed health and human service programs to reduce costs Protected K-12 schools from direct budget cuts HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS Restored General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) for 85,000 Minnesotans, including 8,000 veterans Fought for adequate hospital funding Minimized cuts to elderly, disabled and vulnerable PUBLIC SAFETY & CONSUMER PROTECTION Passed major changes to strengthen DWI laws, including requiring ignition locks for repeat offenders Strengthened laws against identify theft Strengthened homeowner warranty statute to protect owners who find mold or other defects ENVIRONMENT Tightened requirements for siting future landfills to protect water resources Invested new dedicated funding in clean water efforts, outdoors heritage, and parks and trails Took action to help contain the spread of invasive species	CREATING JOBS & HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES As a founding member of the bipartisan Small Business Caucus, gave small businesses a new voice at the Capitol Put thousands of Minnesotans back to work through targeted infrastructure investments Brought business and environmental groups together to streamline environmental permitting Passed bipartisan bills and tax reforms to help small businesses Julie (third from left) confers on legislation with members of the House bipartisan Small Business Caucus
Julie Bunn...Working for a Stronger Minnesota!