BLOG: An Update on Emergency Sex Offender Legislation and Other Hot Topics

Emergency sex offender legislation will be the hot issue this week.  But teacher seniority and stadium talks are also heating up.  Rounding out this update are some great achievements by local young people and a new survey at www.JoeAtkins.com.

SEX OFFENDER NOTICE LAW BEING UPDATED.  Emergency action at the Capitol is being taken to close a loophole in the state's existing sex offender notification law.  Under current law, the public must be notified about the release of a sex offender but not if the sex offender is released to a halfway house first.  The notification law is being expanded in response to the surprising release of Clarence Opheim, a repeat sex offender who spent 18 years in the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.  Opheim is expected to be released to a halfway house soon.   

SENIORITY VS. EFFECTIVENESS: TEACHER LAYOFFS.  Is a teacher's experience or effectiveness more important when a school district is making layoff decisions?  Legislation that would place much more weight on a yet-to-be-developed effectiveness rating and less on seniority is moving forward at the Capitol. 

STADIUMS, NOT STADIUM.  As officials from the City of Minneapolis and Minnesota Vikings work toward an agreement on how to finance a new football stadium, the politics of passing such a deal get increasingly difficult.  Here's one reason why: As part of any deal, Minneapolis wants some money to help bail out the struggling Target Center, home of the Timberwolves and Lynx.  Hearing of this, St. Paul officials have insisted on getting money to upgrade the Xcel Center, home of the Wild and Swarm, which competes head-to-head with the Target Center for concerts, trade shows, and the like.   

STATE TOURNEY TIME.  This is my favorite time of year.  Congratulations to the Simley girls hockey team for making it to the section finals Friday night, before losing a tough, senior-laden South St. Paul team.  Likewise, congratulations to the Simley Dance Team who finished 8th in the State Jazz competition on Friday and to the Simley wrestling team for an overwhelming 75-0 section finals win on Saturday. 

SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS.  Thank you and congratulations to the following young men who were nominated for U.S. service academies and honored in a recent ceremony by Congressman John Kline.  They include Adam Jackson (Air Force Academy), Bryce Wilberding (West Point & Merchant Marine Academy), William Hoffman (Air Force Academy), and Stephen Sawyer (Naval Academy).  While all four are from Rosemount High School, Sawyer is an Inver Grove Heights resident.  He competes in track and field and is a member of the National Honor Society.

NEW SURVEY.  All new questions are posted at www.JoeAtkins.com.  There are questions about Minnesota's sex offender law, teacher layoffs, stadiums, and what sort of development ought to go in near the new Target store under construction at 80th & Robert.  Weigh in anonymously on the survey, and/or send me an email about these or any other legislative issues at Rep.JoeAtkins@house.mn.  Thank you!