Dear Neighbors,
We are in the last month of session and there are a lot of things I wish were accomplished by now. We have bills ready to reduce gun violence, save HCMC, increase housing affordability, and so much more. Unfortunately, it is difficult coming to agreements on these critical issues when you have folks who think it's advantageous when stuff doesn't get done. As one GOP colleague said, “A lot of people in my district, they look at me and they say, ‘Bjorn, you guys didn’t do anything last year.’ I said, ‘that’s exactly what we want.’”
They are gambling with Minnesotan’s lives and well-being, betting that a Legislature that doesn’t function will help them in an election year. I will continue to push for legislation that our community desperately needs. There is too much on the line to gamble it all away.
School Safety
One area of potential agreement is around improving school safety. Obviously the most important thing we can do is to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, but seeing as my GOP colleagues are allergic to saying the word “gun,” we have to consider other options available to us. There are several proposals being discussed at the moment, including increased mental health funding, improved reporting systems, and hardening school infrastructure. We have to make sure to take the right approach, for instance hardening our schools may sound like a great solution at first, but it begs the questions; what are we hardening our schools against? And do we want our kids to learn in a friendly and welcoming environment or in prison style schools?
We owe it to the Annunciation families to get something done this session to make our kids safer. I will continue to push for and support quality legislation that does just that.
Boundary Waters
We refuse to let international mining companies and the most corrupt administration in history sell out our most critical natural environment. Shame on GOP Legislators for betraying their state, we won't forget. We also won't back down, Minnesota is for Minnesotans, not corporate mining exploitation. We will save the Boundary Waters!
Get involved here.
Office of Inspector General Headed to the House Floor
Our DFL-led bipartisan bill to create an independent watchdog to crack down on fraud passed its final committee hurdle! Now it’s on its way to the House floor so we can make sure Minnesota tax dollars are used as intended because no amount of fraud is acceptable.
Ban on AI ‘Nudify’ Apps Passes
We passed nation-leading legislation to ban this exploitative and harmful technology in Minnesota. The bill will ensure Minnesotans don’t have to fear having their public photos turned into explicit imagery without their consent, and it will empower victims of this technology to sue those who unlawfully use or promote it.
Governments around the world have failed to react quickly enough to the dangers of AI. But here in Minnesota, thanks to the brave advocacy of victims of this exploitative AI technology, we’re stepping up and taking action.
Stay in Touch
If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Email me at rep.kaela.berg@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-5387. For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Kaela Berg
State Representative