Legislative Update - Hold The Vote!

Dear Neighbors, 

In the final days of session, we are fighting hour by hour for change that will save lives. The last 24 hours have been particularly powerful, with Minnesotans filling the Capitol pushing for action on gun violence prevention.

For more than a week, Speaker Lisa Demuth has been holding our comprehensive gun reform bill hostage, preventing an up-or-down vote. We have been using every tool we can to push toward action and ultimately a vote. 

Yesterday, House Democrats made a motion to vote on the legislation, with my colleagues and I standing up to share the ways gun violence has impacted every corner of the state. We’ve all been touched in some way. I shared my story about coaching Annunciation kids, and the courage that families are showing in sharing their trauma in the belief that we can save the lives of others.

After hours of sharing tragic stories underlining the urgency of this legislation, Republicans continued to block a vote on this bill. But we’re not going to stop there. 

Since the Floor Session ended last night, House Democrats, including myself, have been holding a sit-in on the House Floor, one we’ll continue until the House gavels in on Saturday to bring attention to our push for change.

We’ve been live-streaming the sit-in off and on since last night, periodically joined by other elected leaders, gun violence prevention advocates, and Minnesotans like the Annunciation parents who have had their lives upended by gun violence. 

We don’t have much time left in this session, but we have more than enough time for Republicans to do the right thing. 

Hold the vote!

Our Housing Bill

I firmly believe that progress can be made when it comes to preventing gun violence, in large part because we have seen meaningful bipartisan accomplishments in numerous other areas. Just this week, a major deal was struck that would deliver desperately-needed support to HCMC and set the framework for a $1.2 billion infrastructure bill, among other agreements. 

On top of that, our $165 million bipartisan Housing bill is now on its way to Governor Walz to be signed into law. The escalating cost of housing is pricing Minnesotans out of the American Dream from border-to-border, and this bill is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we work together in our narrowly divided legislature.

Our strong, bipartisan bill provides a lifeline to renters, builds new homes both to rent and to own, and recognizes the urgent need to step up to make housing more affordable for all Minnesotans. We expect the Governor to sign the bill into law soon – this relief couldn’t come soon enough to our struggling communities!

I’ll be here at the State Capitol through the weekend, fighting to help as many Minnesotans as possible. Whether that’s gun violence prevention, support for communities impacted by ICE, or ways to make life more affordable, every hour counts. 

In partnership,

Michael Howard