Paul Thissen: Innovation in Action

Session Recap; Road Ahead

The challenges Minnesotans faced during the 2009 legislative session were enormous.  The final result was deeply disappointing.  In particular, Governor Pawlenty’s decision to cut health care for more than 30,000 of the poorest, most vulnerable Minnesotans – and to place in jeopardy hospitals across the state – is stunning and unacceptable.   If there was ever a single decision that makes it clear we need a new Governor, that reckless choice was it.

Setting aside all the spin, this is the stark reality:  The stalemate at the Capitol reflects a deep disagreement over our basic values and the direction of our state.  Are we better off to let every person fend for himself or do we owe each other an obligation to reach out in times of need?  Do community institutions matter enough to invest in or do we measure their value only in terms of what each of us gains from them as individuals?

If you agree with me that community does matter. . .   If you agree with me that Minnesota is great because of our belief that everyone have an opportunity to share in prosperity. . .   If you agree with me that our success should be measured not only against our tax ranking, but also by our commitment to social justice and quality of life . . .  please get involved in my campaign for Governor today.  CLICK HERE!

The truth is that together we can move Minnesota forward to a better future — and I worked hard this session to make that better future a reality.

More Kids Can See a Doctor: My several year effort to extend health coverage to Minnesota’s kids continued to meet success.  Despite warnings that it could not be done in a deficit year, we removed bureaucratic barriers to coverage for kids in families living on $3,000 a month or less.  The result is an additional 20,000 Minnesota kids receiving the health care they need to succeed.

Innovation in Government: I worked hard to pass two important initiatives to change the way our state does business.  The first demands more cooperation among our 87 counties to allow for greater efficiency and innovation.   The second initiative — Community Solutions Grants – encourages our non-profit partners to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to social challenges. The fund will reward those programs that can take small, innovative ideas statewide and that have a plan to become self-sustaining without the need for continued government support.

Planning for the Age Wave: With the huge baby boom generation beginning to retire, we must take action or the demands of an aging population for different types of housing, transportation and health care will overwhelm us.  My “Communities for a Lifetime” bill builds on legislation I passed in 2008 to assist municipalities throughout the state in helping their older residents stay active and engaged.

New Energy Solutions: Minnesota has made important progress to prepare for a new energy future, but with too little attention to thermal energy – the energy we use to heat our homes and offices.  This year, I passed legislation to make the production of thermal energy from renewable resources – solar, biomass and others – a priority for Minnesota.

Protecting Vulnerable Minnesotans: I am proud to have passed legislation that tightens Minnesota’s standards for guardians and conservators and reforms Minnesota’s largely unregulated system charged with safeguarding the lives and assets of citizens deemed unable to make their own decisions.  The law now clearly sets out a 15-point bill of rights for wards and protected persons.

If these are the same priorities you share — caring for the elderly, promoting the health of youth, taking our energy challenges head on, government  innovation — then you know why I’m running for Governor.

Join our effort today to put Minnesota’s values first.  Please visit www.paulthissen.com to learn more.

Hybrid Classes

Introduction/Background

New “hybrid” courses offered this year at Jefferson High School give students the opportunity to spend some days working online at home, in the library or at the local coffee shop and other days in a traditional classroom with an instructor.

Online courses are nothing new in the increasingly technological world, and hybrid courses are becoming more common at the college level. But Bloomington school officials aren’t aware of any other Twin Cities high schools that offer them.

Many of the classes are in major subject areas, such as physics and language arts.

My Idea

I would recommend that other schools look at hybrid courses. It better prepares students for college, increases technological skills, and its not a boring traditional method that will put the kids to sleep.

Hybrid courses are often preferable to online courses because students don’t completely give up the social interaction of the traditional classroom, said Richard Beach, a professor of English education at the University of Minnesota.

Hybrid classes work best for independent learners, good troubleshooters and good organizers.

Bloomington school officials don’t know if the classes have a positive impact on students’ test scores, but in surveys, students have said the classes are more engaging. They say they have improved their technology skills and that they feel better prepared for college.

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May 31 Office Opening Party

Paul speaking at the Memorial Day service in Richfield

Those under guardians get rights

JAMES ELI SHIFFER, Star Tribune

An estimated 22,000 Minnesotans live under the authority of court-appointed guardians and conservators, and about 3,000 new cases are added each year. Now those individuals, many of them suffering from mental illnesses or dementia, have new protections from misconduct on the part of those appointed to make decisions for them.

Motivated by stories about questionable behavior by guardians and conservators, the state Legislature voted overwhelmingly to strengthen oversight of what had been a virtually unregulated profession in Minnesota.

The law, which Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed Friday, creates a “bill of rights” for wards and protected persons, bolsters their ability to challenge decisions made on their behalf and requires guardians and conservators to register with the state courts starting in 2013.

The law stops short of requiring certification of people wanting to be guardians and conservators, a measure required in several other states. The original bill passed by the Senate included that requirement, but Sen. Mee Moua, the St. Paul DFLer who championed the guardianship reforms, said she agreed to take it out in order to reach a compromise.

The guardian bill was a victory for advocates for the mentally ill, disabled and seniors, as well as individuals who came to the Capitol with horror stories about a family member’s treatment by a guardian or conservator.

Some of those families brought their stories to Whistleblower, and my report in February about the costly guardianship and conservatorship of Peggy Greer of Excelsior was cited by lawmakers and advocates as the kind of situation they hope greater oversight will prevent.

Under the new law, guardians and conservators will have to make themselves and their decisions more visible to the court and interested persons, while wards have an affirmation of their rights to exercise as much liberty as their situations allow.

“We really think it will create more transparency to actions by guardians and more opportunities for court oversight,” said Patricia Siebert, an attorney with the Minnesota Disability Law Center.

“It’s not going to solve every problem out there,” said Rep. Paul Thissen, the Minneapolis DFLer who drove the bill in the House. “It does start down path of bringing more transparency and more eyes to the process.”