The week for Rick Hansen

This is from Rep. Rick Hansen's email update and it tells us what he is up to this week. The "Meatpacking Bill of Rights" seems inocent enough untill you read it and find out that this looks like he is trying to give special priveledges to illegal immegrants. It seems that it would give them the right to sue an employer as well. This bill also makes a request for the establishment of the position of a meatpacking industry workers rights ombudsman in the Department of Labor and Industry. This is an ubsurd and redundant bill which duplicates many, many present workers rights laws that are already in effect both at the state and federal levels. It also creates new government jobs. More of our tax dollars to be wasted.

You can look at these bills at,

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/

Type in the bill number and all the info will come up.

MEATPACKING BILL OF RIGHTS

On Friday, HF 643 will be heard in Rep. Davnie's Labor and Consumer Protection Committee at 10:00 AM in Room 5 of the State Capitol. I will be presenting the bill and hope to have several folks testifying.

Here is a sample of the text of this bill,

Subd. 4. Information provided to employee by employer.
(a) An employer must provide an explanation in an employee's native language of the employee's rights and duties as an employee either person to person or through written materials that, at a minimum, include:
(1) a complete description of the salary and benefits plans as they relate to the employee;
(2) a job description for the employee's position;
(3) a description of leave policies;
(4) a description of the work hours and work hours policy; and
(5) a description of the occupational hazards known to exist for the position.
(b) The explanation must also include information on the following employee rights as protected by state or federal law and a description of where additional information about those rights may be obtained:
(1) the right to organize and bargain collectively;
(2) the right to a safe workplace; and2.8(3) the right to be free from discrimination.
Subd. 5. Civil action. A person aggrieved as a result of a violation of this section may file suit in any district court of this state. If the court finds that the respondent has intentionally violated this section, the court may award damages up to and including an amount equal to the original damages and may provide injunctive relief.
Subd. 6. Criminal penalty. An employer who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.


SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION CHECKOFF

Tomorrow I will introduce a bill to provide a voluntary checkoff on the income tax for years 2007 and 2008 to go to the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) sesquicentennial celebrations around the state, including grants to cities and counties planning celebrations of Minnesota's 150th Anniversary in 2008.

DITCH BUFFERS This one involves requiring that all ditches have there banks planted with a "permanent strip of perennial vegetation" 16-1/2 feet along the edges of ditches. This will cost us taxpayers by providing reimbursement to every one effected in any way by the construction and modifications to these ditches. Farmers would get reimbursed for loss of crops along these perennial corridors and the list goes on and on of the lucky people that would reap the proceeds of our tax money.
Tomorrow HF 577 will be heard in the House Environment Committee. This bill is the result of 2 years of work on the issue of establishing native vegetative buffers along public drainage ditches. This is a broad based compromise to protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat.


VENISON DONATION PROGRAM Here's one I am willing to agree on! It's only a buck!

On Monday, HF 278 will be heard in the Game, Fish and Forestry Division. This bill establishes a surcharge on deer license to pay for the processing of donated deer to go to food shelves. Iowa and Wisconsin have similar programs.

ANTIMICROBIAL LICENSING

The issue of mold in homes is a growing concern. I have introduced HF 402 to prepare licensing (like other pesticide applicator licensing requirements) for those persons applying antimicrobials for hire for mold. This is not intended to apply to housecleaners et al. HF 402 will also be heard in committee on Monday.