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"In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation. All believers are called to faithful citizenship, to become informed, active, and responsible participants in the political process."
Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2003

 

 

 

MCC Addresses Key Legislative Issues in Weekly Columns
 

The Minnesota Catholic Conference publishes a weekly column during the Legislative Session addressing issues which staff members are actively pursuing at the legislature. They range from life to education to social justice issues. All columns are released to diocesan newspapers for publication. The column, entitled Faith in the Public Arena, is an excellent way to acquaint yourself with key legislative topics that impact all Minnesotans, through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.

This year's columns can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

 Faith in the Public Arena Columns

The most recent Faith in the Public Arena column can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

 FIPA 9.11 Health Care

 

USCCB Announces New "Faithful Citizenship" Website
 

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has created a new website to help disseminate the new document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship." "Forming Consciences" is an in-depth guide to help Catholics understand all of the issues at stake when electing government officials. The website includes pages for catechists and teachers to help teach the material to students, as well as pages for parishes, families, and young adults. Click on the link below to discover this wonderful new resource!

There is also a webpage dedicated to youth. You can click on the "Youth" tab once you are on the Faithful Citizenship website or go straight to the page by clicking on the link below.

Faithful Citizenship for Youth

If you would like to print a bulletin insert version of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, you can click on the link below. If you would like to order them, go to the Faithful Citizenship website.

Bulletin Insert

 

MCC Opposes Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill
 

Minnesota Senate S.F. 100 uses language that specifically will utilize taxpayer dollars to fund embryonic stem cell research at the University of Minnesota. This research will destroy live human embryos, thus ending an innocent life. MCC Executive Director Chris Leifeld has written to the legislative committee to oppose this bill. Click on the link to read his letter.

Letter to the Committee

To see how this bill is progressing, you can click on the following link to go to the Minnesota Legislature's website to read the latest update.

S.F. 100 Status

MCC Supports Increase in Minimum Wage
 

Minnesota’s current minimum wage is not a living wage. The current state minimum wage for large employers (enterprises with annual receipts of $625,000 or more) is $6.15. The current state minimum wage for small employers (enterprises with annual receipts of less that $625,000) is $5.25. The current federal minimum wage is $5.85 (note: if an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum rate). However, on July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage will increase to $6.55, thereby exceeding Minnesota’s minimum wage. Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage will increase for the third and final time to $7.25. Presently, 32 states have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum wage and 3 states have minimum wages lower than the federal minimum wage. If Minnesota fails to pass legislation this session increasing the minimum wage, it will be included among those few states with minimum wages lower than the federal rate.

The MCC supports House File 456 and Senate File 875 which increase the minimum wage from $6.15 to $7.90 for large employers and from $5.25 to $6.75 for small employers. an At our current minimum wage, hard-working Minnesotans are earning poverty-level incomes – incomes that are insufficient to provide themselves and their families with basic necessities.

Archbishop Harry Flynn testified in support of a higher minimum wage in Minnesota on this bill on Valentine's Day, Thursday, February 14, 2008. You can read Archbishop Flynn's testimony below.

Archbishop Flynn's Testimony

 

MCC Legislative Agenda 2008
 

You can now view our 2008 Legislative Agenda! You will need  Adobe® Acrobat Reader® to be able to view this document.
  Legislative Agenda

 

 

If you do not have Adobe® Acrobat Reader®, you can download this free program by following the link below.   

  

            Get Adobe Reader   

 

 

Freedom of Religion Upheld in Minnesota Court of Appeals
 

 

The MN State Court of Appeals ruled that churches may choose their own wording when posting signs banning firearms on the premises. Previously, state-mandated language reading “[organization name] bans guns on these premises” was required in order to ban firearms.  A suit brought by Edina Community Lutheran Church argued that entrances to Lutheran churches are for “important religious messages that can be traced to Martin Luther’s act of nailing the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.” On Tuesday, February 5, 2008 the court ruled unanimously in favor of Edina Community Lutheran because of that argument and the fact that the MN law presented an unconstitutional infringement on religious freedom. Churches must still post signs, but now they can choose whatever wording they see fit.

 

MCC Welcomes Alexandra Fitzsimmons as New Policy Director / Communications
 

The MCC is happy to introduce to you Alexandra Fitzsimmons, our new MCC Policy Director / Communications.  In this role, she will serve the MCC in part, as Social Concerns Director. 

 

In anticipation of the 2008 legislative session, Alex is eagerly familiarizing herself with social concerns policy issues. Alex comes to the MCC after more than four years representing Minnesota consumers in automobile fraud, debt collection harassment, repossession, and foreclosure cases. While a student at William Mitchell College of Law, she clerked with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services’ housing unit and taught Street Law to at-risk youth through the Minnesota Justice Foundation. As a Public Interest Law Fellow with Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota, Alex researched state children’s health insurance policies and programs throughout the United States. In addition to policy issues, she will also be working in the area of Communications. Alex is a graduate of the College of St. Catherine and a member of the Cathedral of St. Paul parish.  She can be reached at (651) 227-8777 ext. 206 or at afitzsimmons@mncc.org.  

 

 

2008 Legislative Session Reconvenes

The Minnesota Legislature returned for the second year of tile 85th session at noon, Feb. 12. According to the State Constitution, the Legislature is allowed 120 days over the biennium in which to get its work completed. Last year, it took 75 legislative days, leaving 45 days for this year's work. Legislators must complete their work by the first Monday after the third Saturday in May, or May 19.

Traditionally, the second year of the biennium is commonly known as the "bonding year," and is reserved for consideration of investment in capital projects. Local units of government, higher education systems and state agencies have submitted proposals totaling more than $3 billion. However, to stay within debt service guidelines, the general obligation bonding cap is likely to be around $965 million, an amount the governor has proposed. Once the February Economic Forecast is released, the bonding number could be adjusted.

House Spealter Margaret Anderson Kelliher @FL-Mpls) and House Majority Leader Tony Sertich (DFL-Chisholm) have announced committee deadlines in the House. They are:

* March 14- committees act favorably on bills in the house of origin;

* March 19 -committees act favorably on bills or companions that met the first deadline in the other body; and

*March 28 -committees act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.

Committees are to meet as scheduled in the afternoon of the first day of session. However, no committee meetings will be held before 3 p.m. Feb. 13 due to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's State of the State Address in St. Cloud.

An Easter Break is tentatively scheduled from 5 p.m. March 19 to noon March 25.

Information about the legislative process and the Minnesota House of Representatives can be accessed through the House Web site at www.house.mn.

The Minnesota State Legislature

Through the Minnesota State Legislature's website, you can search for bills, contact your legislators, access reports issued by House Research and Secretary of the Senate Information Office, and find schedules for upcoming committee hearings and floor sessions.

 

MN Legislature

Minnesota Catholic Conference Catholic Advocacy  

Network  -  MNCAN

The Minnesota Catholic Conference is providing an advocacy tool to help individuals act on public policy matters that impact the common good. The Minnesota Catholic Advocacy Network, or MNCAN for short, provides access to information and an easy way to communicate with lawmakers.  Follow the link below to learn more.

 

Join MNCAN!

 

 



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