There is a big pile of legislation pending in St. Paul this session.  The hot button issues of Taxes, Gun control, and same sex “marriage” have dominated the news.  Unfortunately, the HIX is already law, but there are lots of other issues of great importance still being debated, and your voice is important.

I have written previously about is the forced unionization of child care.  A bill: HF 950 was described in this post: Unionizing Small Business.

The vast majority of child care in Minnesota is done by independent home-based businesses.  HF 950 makes these businesses “employees” of the state.  This is because their customers pay their child care bills partly with Minnesota subsidies.

Joe Atkins (House district 52B-D) took exception when I erroneously wrote that he was a sponsor of  HF 950.  Patch responded by editing my post to remove references to Rep Atkins, and I responded with an apology post.

Now it is time to vote on HF 950.  Will the Minnesota legislature re-define independent businesses to be “employees” of the state?  Will our representatives put the needs of their union supporters above economic freedom for those businesses?

I have friends who run day care.  They ask me what this change in law will mean to them.  They keep asking me about whether they will have to pay union dues, even though they want nothing to do with the union.  They don’t want to raise their rates, but would have little choice if those dues were required.

Joe Atkins often posts here on Patch.  He writes about light hearted things like myths and paying students for grades.  I much prefer his posts on issues like this one  that at least try to justify his positions on issues that have enormous impact in Minnesota.

I would like to know whether he is going to vote for HF 950.  So would my friends who run day care.

I encourage my readers to ask all their representatives where they stand on HF 950.  Once this precedent is set, which independent businesses will be next?  There are few businesses who don’t have customers who get some kind of subsidy.

If you don’t know who your rep is, look it up here.

The DFL did very well in 2012, and is in full control in the Minnesota legislature.  Their agenda is clear – higher taxes, to be used for bailouts, mandates and public subsidies of all kinds.

We are the voters, and have a responsibility and a duty to engage in the political process and make our voices heard.  Look up your reps.  Tell them what you think.  If you don’t have time, or don’t care to weigh in, don’t complain when the laws are not to your liking.