I recently returned to work full-time after taking some time off to undergo surgery for bladder cancer. Being away was difficult, but my recovery was made easier by the great many well-wishers who sent cards, and relayed prayers and positive messages to me. My family and I want to say “thank you” for the overwhelming support during the last few weeks.

Let me also say, I was fortunate that the cancer was detected early. As a long-time proponent for cancer screening, I want to reaffirm the importance of testing. An early diagnosis can lead to the two words you want to hear – treatable and curable.

My return to the Capitol coincides with the final few weeks of the legislative session, a crucial time with a number of significant issues on the agenda. I am keying in on education initiatives, regulatory reforms to aid small businesses, recommendations from the Senate Task Force on Heroin, ethics reform, and several local issues.

Ensuring our students have the tools they need to succeed in the classroom is always on the top of my priority list. I am co-sponsoring a pair of bills which would be a real win for students.

Senate bill 7461 would reduce standardized testing and ensure tests are provided to students, parents, and teachers so that they can be used to improve the manner in which teachers teach and students learn.

Senate bill 7462 would immediately decouple teacher evaluations from test results and direct the Board of Regents to establish a committee to research and develop and alternate, research-based method for teacher evaluations.