Expensive Neighbors,
The legislature hit the bottom working this session and the primary three weeks have been a blur. I’ve to apologize for this being my first bulletin of the session, however I’ve been assigned to five committees and between attending committee conferences, assembly with constituents and different stakeholders and making ready my very own payments to be launched and heard, this has been my first actual alternative to take a seat again and mirror. I spent the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. birthday vacation weekend in my workplace finalizing the language for my very own housing, knowledge privateness, healthcare and transportation payments.
This session, I can be serving on these 5 committees:
- Transportation
- Well being
- Taxes
- Property Taxes
- Veterans and Army Affairs
Minnesota is dealing with a number of crucial points and we’re taking motion on all of them to fulfill the wants of all Minnesotans. We’re united in function and motion and can proceed to behave rapidly to enhance our state. I encourage you to move alongside my newsletter and Facebook page to your neighbors and group members to allow them to keep in contact with all we’re conducting.
This has been an eventful begin to the session. I’m honored that I get to function your Consultant throughout such a crucial time in our state’s historical past!
Passage of PRO Act
As we strategy the fiftieth anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade choice, the Home handed the PRO Act which protects Minnesotans’ proper to contraception, the correct to hold a being pregnant to time period, and the correct to abortion, and ensures the correct to privateness for private reproductive well being choices. It additionally prevents interference by anti-choice politicians who search to enact or defend medically pointless obstacles to complete reproductive well being care. We heard loud and clear that Minnesotans need their reproductive choices to be between them and their physician. I’m proud that we’re going to have the ability to enshrine this undeniably proper into state regulation.
The companion to the PRO Act, which repeals unconstitutional, outdated, and burdensome legal guidelines that deny reproductive freedom and autonomy, handed its first committee and can proceed to work via the method.
Tax Conformity was Signed into Regulation
Final week, Governor Walz signed the federal tax conformity invoice into regulation. This invoice will make a number of adjustments to convey Minnesota into conformity with federal tax regulation leading to over $100 million in tax cuts for households and companies whereas simplifying our tax filings, this 12 months. The actual fact we had been in a position to get this crucial invoice out the door within the second week of session is a testomony to our dedication to environment friendly and good governance. This invoice handed each chambers of the legislature unanimously. I look ahead to persevering with this momentum for the rest of the 12 months as we glance to make this a traditionally productive session.
Public Security Motion
This week, the Public Security Committee handed HF 25 which can make one of many largest investments in public security in state historical past. We’ll make a complete funding of over $300 million in 2023 in quite a lot of crucial packages to enhance security throughout the state. We’re taking a holistic strategy, funding all the things from violent crime investigation, group crime prevention, disaster response, prison investigation, and prison apprehension. This invoice acknowledges the very actual want to enhance our response to violent crime to enhance case closure charges instantly, whereas funding efforts to forestall the components which result in these crimes. This invoice will make an actual influence within the close to time period and long run. Our transit security invoice can be reintroduced by Rep Brad Tabke and me this coming week.
Different Essential Payments
There are lots of necessary payments shifting via the Home proper now, listed below are a couple of particularly crucial ones you have to be conscious of:
- 100% Renewable Power: We should take local weather motion now to ensure the way forward for our subsequent generations. This bill passed its first hurdle on Wednesday.
- Conversion Remedy Ban: Nobody must be compelled into ‘remedy’ which calls into query their very id and existence. Read about this bill here.
- Driver’s Licenses for All: Our invoice to permit all MN residents to use for and earn their driver’s licenses, regardless of their immigration standing, handed the Transportation Committee final week and is constant to work via committees. This invoice will make our roads safer whereas restoring justice and dignity to our immigrant neighbors.
Different payments making their approach via the method embrace the appropriation of the state matching funds to unlock a whole bunch of tens of millions of federal infrastructure act {dollars} for state infrastructure initiatives, legalization and regulation of adult-use hashish, equal rights modification, earned sick and secure time for all Minnesotans, voter safety and restoration of the vote. We’re laborious at work displaying that the federal government can work nicely, and it might work rapidly.
Hold in Contact
Don’t hesitate to succeed in out if I can present any help. Please comply with me on my Facebook page for additional updates and invite your family and friends to take action as nicely.
Thanks for the dignity of representing you on the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Steve Elkins
Consultant, District 50B
Minnesota Home of Representatives