Minnesota Issues, Minnesota Values

Agriculture

Agriculture is a very important part of our rural communities and Minnesota economy. Rep. Brod understands this importance and has supported a number of bills to support and enhance agriculture and our agribusiness economy. In addition, Laura is authoring legislation to improve the fairness in our taxation of agricultural properties for the purposes of school capital levy referendum.

Renewable Energy

Rep. Brod has been a strong supporter of efforts to increase the use and production of ethanol and biodiesel in Minnesota. This is good for our state, our agriculture economy, and our environment. In addition, Laura has been active in bi-partisan efforts to encourage the use of hybrid technology and improvement of flex-fuel technology for vehicles.

Environment

Our significant and varied natural resources set us apart from other states. Rep. Brod has been supportive of a number of state initiatives dedicated to our natural resources such as state bonding dollars for the CREP program, Waterfowl Management Areas, and is a supporter of the Clean Water Legacy Act to clean up our lakes and rivers. Laura is also supports of dedicating 3/16 of the existing sales tax to the environment and natural resources.

Military and Veteran Legislation

Rep. Brod has championed several Veteran and National Guard initiatives, including bills which increase tuition reimbursement rates, provide liability protection for National Guard members on state active duty, protect Guard and Reservists from discrimination in hiring, and provide improved notification to Minnesota Veterans regarding specific health risks and medical information access. Laura has also supported the exemption of military pensions from State Income Tax and in providing protection from and buffers for family members at military funerals from protesters. Laura has also authored legislation moving up the state primary to improve the process of absentee balloting for our military men and women serving overseas.

Reducing Abortions

Rep. Brod does not believe that taxpayers should foot the bill for abortions and is authoring the Abortion Regulation Act which will end taxpayer funding of abortions. In in order to assure safety of mother, we are also looking to require doctors who provide abortions to obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital. Rep. Brod also supported the Taxpayer Protection Act which prohibited state dollars from being used by organizations which provide abortion services.

Getting Mercury out of Vaccines

It is common sense that we should not continue to allow mercury to be used as a preservative in our vaccine supply and injected into our family members. In order to assure public confidence in our vaccines and move toward improved vaccine safety, Rep. Brod has authored a bill to disallow the use of mercury containing vaccines whenever possible. Back in 1999, we started to remove mercury, in the form of the preservative Thimerasol, from our vaccines. The legislation that Rep. Brod is bringing forward will finally move toward reaching the final step of getting Mercury out of vaccines.