Legislative Record

Service in the Legislature: A Record of Achievement

January 11, 2010| Posted in Legislative Record

Paul has never shied away from carrying important, complex or controversial legislation. He has been centrally involved (often as Chief Author) in:

HEALTH CARE

• Health Care Reform Bill of 2008: “the prize of the 2008 session” (Star Tribune)

• Covering 40,000 more kids with health insurance and creating a public option for every child

• Reforming electronic records and billing (saving $70 million per year)

• Providing families with option to choose hospice in end-of-life care

• Providing the disabled with flexibility and control over assistance dollars

• Allowing small communities to control how long-term care dollars are used

ENVIRONMENT

• Prioritizing thermal energy production from renewable resources for the first time in state history

• Reducing sources of phosphorous in lakes and streams

• Advocating renewable energy standards since 2003

GOVERNMENT REFORM

• Reforming government services with new laws requiring county cooperation, efficiency, and innovation

• Encouraging entrepreneurship on social issues with Community Solutions Grants that will themselves become self-sustaining

• Helping municipalities become “Communities for a Lifetime” by keeping their older residents active and engaged

• Reforming eminent domain laws to protect homeowners and small businesses

• Streamlining government reporting requirements and requiring cost-benefit analysis of privatization proposals

PENSIONS

• Merging the Minneapolis Teacher Pension Fund into the statewide fund and enacting related pension reforms

ELECTION LAW

• Reforming campaign to reduce incentives for partisanship and speed up the resolution of complaints

• Requiring that high school seniors get voter registration cards

VETERANS

• Preserve housing and other benefits for homeless veterans

• Securing bonding for All Veterans Memorial in Richfield

CONSUMER PROTECTION

• Tightening standards for guardians and conservators with a 15-point bill of rights for wards and protected persons

• Writing and passing the Abigail Taylor Pool Safety Bill

• Curbing refund loans and other abusive tax-preparer practices

• Cracking down on unregulated lottery services providers

• Prohibiting sales of lead jewelry to children


LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

(2009-10)

Health and Human Services Policy Committee (Chair); Finance Committee. Health and Human Services Finance Committee, Environment Policy and Oversight Commission, Game and Fish Division, Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, Health Care Access Commission (Member); Speaker Pro Tempore of House of Representatives

(2007-08)

Health and Human Services Policy Committee (Chair); Rules Committee, Finance Committee, Health and Human Services Finance Committee, Biosciences and Emerging Technologies Committee, Telecommunications Division, Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, Health Care Access Commission, Health Care Transformation Task Force (Member); Speaker Pro Tempore of House of Representatives