Dear Neighbors, Here at the House, we’re hard at work passing budget bills to invest in our state government and agencies for the next two years. Many of our bills are passing with bipartisan support. Due to the current reality of a 67-67 tied House, many of these bills include provisions I support and those I disagree with. However, we must compromise to pass a state budget, and even as bills are passing, conversations are continuing to ensure that the final version is the best it can be. Here’s a quick recap of some of the bills we have voted on so far: - An Agriculture Budget that invests in Farm to School Programs, worker protections for bird flu, and supports new farmers with down payment assistance.
- A Higher Education Budget that makes it easier for Minnesotans to pursue higher education and protects the North Star Promise program.
- A Transportation Budget that builds reliable roads and sturdy bridges, invests in aviation infrastructure, and more.
- A Commerce Budget (the committee I co-chair), that protects Minnesotans from securities fraud, addresses increases in homeowners insurance premiums, and protects investments for consumers.
- A Veterans Budget that invests in those who served our country.
- A Public Safety & Judiciary Budget that improves and supports victim services, police training, and privacy protections for judges.
- A Legacy Bill that uses our lottery proceeds wisely to enhance our environment, protect our clean water, expand parks and trails, and celebrate arts, culture, and history.
- A State Government and Elections Budget that preserves key services, invests in the Attorney General’s capacity to fight consumer and Medicaid fraud, and supports the state workers.
- A Housing budget that takes steps to address Minnesota’s housing shortage crisis.
- An Environment and Natural Resources Budget that maintains our groundbreaking protection of Minnesotans’ land, water, and air from threats like PFAS, nitrates, and aquatic invasive species.
- A Energy bill that promotes proven clean energy sources, lowers energy costs for families, creates high-paying clean energy jobs, and builds a more resilient energy system.
- A Workforce bill that preserves the landmark worker protections enacted in the 2023-2024 biennium while making strategic investments in workforce development.
- Health bills investing in our entire health care infrastructure—from hospitals and pharmacies to emergency medical services—while focusing on accessibility for all Minnesotans.
I’ll expand on more of these bills below. Meeting with our Community Open World LearningI had the pleasure of meeting with students at Open World Learning, part of Saint Paul Public Schools. They presented their thoughtful research on issues they’re passionate about, including mental health, teen pregnancy, public safety, higher education, healthcare, and suicide prevention. Their presentations were insightful and well-prepared—I was truly impressed by their work and came away with a deeper understanding of each topic!  Almanac AppearanceLast week, I had the honor of joining Senator Foung Hawj on Almanac to discuss our legislation recognizing the Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) and the Hmong and Lao veterans who courageously served in the Secret War alongside U.S. forces. These veterans risked their lives in support of American interests and were promised support that, for far too long, went unfulfilled. With the passage of this year’s Veterans budget bill, Minnesota is finally taking meaningful action to honor their service. These veterans will now receive long-overdue recognition and the respect they have always deserved. Minnesota has a moral obligation to acknowledge the sacrifices of these brave individuals—many of whom sought refuge here and helped build the vibrant Hmong and Lao communities we are proud to have across our state. This initiative represents an important step in keeping our promise and upholding our shared values of service, honor, and community. You can view our segment here.  YWCA Saint Paul TourI recently had the opportunity to tour one of the YWCA St. Paul Housing Program sites, located right here in our district. It was powerful to see firsthand how this program provides safe, affordable housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Beyond housing, the YWCA offers critical wraparound services—ranging from financial and life skills education to support navigating schools, healthcare, and community resources. These services help build long-term stability and independence. A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated staff whose compassion and commitment were evident throughout our visit. Your work truly changes lives. I was honored to carry the bonding bill in the 2023–2024 session to help rehabilitate facilities like this one, ensuring they remain a cornerstone of support for our community.  Second Harvest Heartland TourOne in five Minnesota households experiences food insecurity, and that number rises to 26% for households with children. No child can focus in school on an empty stomach, and families cannot thrive without access to nutritious food. Thank you to Second Harvest Heartland for their unwavering commitment to addressing hunger in our state. Through essential programs like SNAP and CSFP, innovative initiatives like Kitchen Coalition and FoodRx, and strong school partnerships, they are reaching Minnesotans in every corner of the state. I’m grateful for the opportunity to tour their facility and see firsthand the impact they are making. Their efforts are a vital part of building a healthier, more equitable Minnesota.  Community Updates Impacts of Federal Cuts on Medicaid in Minnesota As the federal government discusses potentially massive cuts to Medicaid, it’s important to look at how this would impact Minnesota and who it would primarily impact. As a legislature, we would be forced to make really difficult budget decisions around what to cut and how to raise revenue to continue to meet the most pressing needs. These cuts would result in a harmful loss of coverage for kids, people with disabilities, and our seniors. This means nursing homes are going understaffed and undersupplied, kids not getting the care and medication they need, and folks with disabilities without the support they need to live full lives. This would not be an efficient government, nor would it mean we are saving you money as a taxpayer. It would mean the government can’t afford to do its job or take care of its constituents, it would mean the costs of the negative outcomes of not giving people care would be felt elsewhere. That doesn’t sound like good governance to me; I’ll do all I can at the House to protect these crucial services.  Graduation Rates Reach All-Time High Graduation rates have reached a historic high! When we invest in our kids we see results. Minnesota still has a long way to go to return to our nation-leading education outcomes, but this is an encouraging start. I'll continue to invest in our youth and public education, let's keep up this good progress!  Stay ConnectedPlease continue to reach out to my office at 651-296-8799 or rep.kaohly.her@house.mn.gov, and you’ll hear back from me or my Legislative Assistant, Emma. I always appreciate hearing from you! You can also follow along on my official Facebook page, and subscribe to these regular emails if you haven’t already. Thank you again for the incredible honor of representing our community! Sincerely, Kaohly Vang Her |