Issues

Education
Health Care
Transportation
Environment
Consumer Protection and Public Safety
Property Tax Relief & Jobs
Veterans

Education

Early Childhood

During the 2007 session, the E-12 Budget Bill fully restored Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE ) funding after the cuts made in 2003. As member of the Early Childhood Education Caucus, Ron Latz will continue promoting increased investment in early childhood education, immunizations, early diagnosis of disabilities, and quality child care that stimulates early learning.

No investment will pay greater dividends than making sure that our youngest citizens are ready to learn when they enter Kindergarten. Ron Latz supports legislation to make sure that we invest in our children. He has received a 100% rating from the Children’s Defense Fund and was named one of the organization’s “Children’s Champions”.

K-12

Ron Latz believes that investing in schools means investing in the future of Minnesota. Since 2006, the legislature increased the basic funding formula by 3%, provided additional funding for Special Education and worked toward increased money to lower class sizes. Ron maintains we can demand accountability and results only if we provide the resources to make it possible. He will continue to fight for investment in our education system to produce the kind of world-class education that our children deserve.

In 2008 and 2009 the State of Minnesota was faced with a large deficit that mirrored the U.S. economic downturn. The 2009 E-12 Education Budget Bill held school funding flat using Federal American Resource and Recovery Act dollars. The 2010 session will bring further financial challenges with the current biennium’s $1.0 billion deficit and a projected $6.2 billion deficit for the following budget cycle. State Senator Ron Latz will continue to fight for investment in our childrens’ education.

Higher Ed

As a member of the Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Committee, Ron Latz has worked and will continue to work to make sure our higher education system generates a well-educated workforce to compete in today’s global economy.

As a member of the committee, Ron Latz supported eliminating non-resident tuition for many of the Minnesota community colleges. It is estimated that 30-40% of students who come from another state stay in Minnesota to work. Making tuition affordable for all attracts talented students from inside and outside Minnesota to bolster Minnesota’s future workforce. Ron Latz continues to fight for investment in our Higher Education infrastructure with asset preservation as well as a new nano-technology building at the University of Minnesota.

Ron has fought to minimize budget cuts to the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges & Universities, believing that these investments in our human infrastructure will continue to provide a well-educated workforce and economic growth. For his work on these issues while on the Minnesota House of Representatives, the Minnesota State Colleges Student Association recognized Ron as its Legislator of the Year in 2003. As your Senator, Ron has continued to work to keep the University of Minnesota and MNSCU vibrant and affordable for the citizens of this state.

Health Care

Ron Latz supports universal health care insurance coverage as well as using state purchasing power to lower the price of prescription drugs for seniors and others while expanding insurance coverage, extending health insurance to all children and fighting one of the top causes of preventable death—secondhand tobacco smoke.

For five years, Ron led the effort to pass the “Freedom to Breathe Act” that extended the indoor smoking ban to all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. The law will reduce health care costs and improve the health of workers and customers in indoor public areas.

During his time in the State Senate, Ron Latz has helped to fight for health care reform by providing money for a statewide health improvement program to prevent chronic diseases and a health care home model that reduces cost for patients with chronic health conditions through coordinated care. The legislature has worked on increasing access, choice and payment reform. During the 2009 and 2010 legislative session, Sen. Ron Latz voted to restore funding to the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program.

Transportation

A comprehensive multi-modal transportation system advances business growth, jobs, the environment and our quality of life. This requires funding. While in the State Senate, Ron Latz supported a comprehensive transportation bill with a mix of transit and highway funding from a variety of sources that was enacted with a bipartisan veto override.

Ron Latz is a consistent supporter of light rail transit, and has carried the bonding/funding bill for the Southwest Light Rail Transit corridor that runs through Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. He believes in broadening transportation choices into an integrated multi-modal system. As Senator he will continue advocating for a transportation plan that will accommodate metropolitan regional growth patterns, reduce gridlock and pollution and transport people efficiently.

To advance this goal, Latz supported Northstar Commuter Rail, the Central Corridor transit way and I-35W Bus Rapid Transit, which passed this year. Sen. Latz was also the Senate author for the I-35W Bridge Survivor Compensation Bill that brought almost $40 million of monetary relief to the survivors of the bridge collapse.

As a Representative, Ron Latz worked with Rep. Steve Simon to pressure the Department of Transportation to move up the start date of the Highway 100 reconstruction. A short-term solution on Hwy. 100 was constructed and as State Senator, Ron has kept pushing to fully build out the project.

Environment

Senator Ron Latz has long been an advocate for the environment. In 2005, while in the House, Ron Latz passed a bill to add up to $500,000 in private, voluntary funding for the state’s nongame wildlife fund. Tax preparers are now required to alert Minnesotans of the voluntary nongame wildlife check-off (look for the loon on your state tax form).

Ron Latz continued fighting for the environment in the State Senate. In 2008 Latz was one of 17 senators that received a 100% rating from Conservation Minnesota for his work on clean water, energy, habitat and recreation issues during the 2008 Legislative Session. Sen. Latz also supported legislation that prohibits Bisphenol A (BPA) from being used in children’s products, such as “sippy cups” and baby bottles.

In 2009, after a decade of debate, legislation authorized a constitutional amendment to be placed on the election ballot to dedicate revenue from an additional 3/8th of one cent in sales tax to: outdoor heritage; clean water, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage. Sen. Latz was proud to support the Clean Water Legacy Act that went on to be approved by more than 56 percent of voters in the 2008 general election. Sen. Latz will continue to support legislation that will make sure that we are leaving our environment better for the next generation.

Consumer Protection and Public Safety

As a legislator, Ron Latz has become recognized as a leading consumer advocate. While in the House, Ron Latz supported legislation that now allows Minnesotans a right to freeze their credit reports, something residents of few other states can do. That means no one can get credit in your name unless you authorize the freeze to be lifted.

In the State Senate, Ron continued to fight for consumers with the Car Buyers Bill of Rights. It requires car dealers to release credit report information to buyers as well as detailed information of what will be included in their payments. Sen. Latz, along with Rep. Steve Simon, worked to pass the Minnesota False Claims Act that aims to recover millions of taxpayer dollars stolen by those who knowingly submit false bills to the government. In 2009, Senator Ron Latz received an award from the Minnesota Association for Justice. In 2010, Sen. Latz introduced legislation to better regulate debt collectors.

To advance public safety, Sen. Latz was the chief author of legislation that, in 2007, created a two-county pilot project to put Ignition Interlock devices in repeat DWI offenders’ cars. In 2009, he sponsored and passed a bill that expanded the pilot project statewide. During the 2010 session, Ron has played a key role in advancing legislation to make Ignition Interlock a permanent part of Minnesota’s legal system, to help make sure people only drive while sober. This will reduce DWIs, save lives and help offenders keep their jobs.

Sen. Ron Latz believes that successful reentry programs are essential in reducing recidivism by aiding offenders when they are released into society. In 2009, Sen. Latz authored two pieces of legislation that reached these goals. These laws were a requirement for public employers to remove criminal records questions from the early stages of employment applications and a higher education criminal records notice for students entering specific fields of study.

Senator Ron Latz recently receive the Organizing Apprenticeship Project’s Award for advancing racial justice in Minnesota. Ron continues to support bills that streamline our judicial process, save money and keep our streets safe.

Property Tax Relief & Jobs

Senator Ron Latz has continued to fight for permanent property tax relief. Property taxes are skyrocketing, and state cuts to schools and local governments in 2003 that shifted costs onto property owners are partially to blame. In the Senate, Ron has worked to find solutions that aid local governments in reducing property taxes with legislation ranging from sales tax exemptions on purchases for cities and extensions of TIF districts for redevelopment and job creation. Ron will continue to fight in the Senate for property tax relief. Ron believes the state budget shouldn’t be balanced on the backs of property owners when the tax burden is shifted from the many to the few with a “No New Tax” pledge.

One way the State Legislature can create jobs is through a bonding bill. Sen. Latz has supported regional projects in the bonding bill. He was the chief Senate author the bill to fund the Southwest Light Rail Transitway Coridoor as well as the bill to fund infrastructure at the Perpich Center for the Arts.

As a member of the State Senate Ron has supported legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits, dislocated-worker benefits for discharged veterans as well as shared work expansion. This session, he is working on legislation that will require hourly wage earners to be paid for overtime after 40 hours a week instead of 48 hours a week that is in current state law.

Veterans

While in the House, Ron Latz By worked across the aisle to change current law and provide survivor benefits to the widow of Dave Day, the St. Louis Park police officer and Minnesota National Guardsman killed in Iraq. In the Senate, he proposed, and passed, legislation that requires State Colleges and Universities to develop course equivalent guidelines for military training.

During his time in the Senate, Ron Latz supported legislation that increased veterans funding and veterans outreach, invested in veterans health screening, provided protection for reservist-owned businesses and employment protection for family members of military personnel.