Legislative Update - Save The Date For Our April 12 Town Hall!

Mark your calendars - I hope to see you there!

Now here’s the latest on my work in the Minnesota House, and resources available to our community:
 

Meals on Wheels for Veterans

Earlier this week, I presented my first bill in committee, House File 3005. Simply put, my bill continues the funding for the veteran-specific program within Metro Meals on Wheels. With cuts and uncertainty around federal funding for senior nutrition, this continued state funding is needed now more than ever.

It’s a great program that takes on food insecurity and delivers nutritious, dietary-specific meals to vulnerable veterans - the Minnesotans that sacrificed so much to keep our country safe. This bill looks out for them.

I had a whole team behind me supporting this bill, but I especially want to thank the folks that testified with me: Patrick Rowan, the Executive Director of Metro Meals on Wheels; and Carter Drake, a veteran and Meals on Wheels recipient.

Our bill was “laid over” after our presentation, meaning that it will later be considered for inclusion in the House’s Veterans and Military Affairs’ budget. If you’d like to learn more about this issue and our bill, you can check out Kare 11’s story here.
 

Trans Day of Visibility

“To be visible is to be a target” - that was a line that really stuck with me during this week’s Trans Day of Visibility rally at the State Capitol.

For our trans siblings, their visibility isn’t contained to a single day, and that should be the same for our allyship. In Minnesota, even though we established some of the strongest protections for the trans community in the nation, every day we see a presidential administration that strives to make this community a target. A target for hate, bigotry, and dehumanization.

I am committed to this fight in solidarity with our trans siblings - a fight that needs to be more visible than ever - and I was so honored to mark the day alongside Rep. Leigh Finke, my legislative partner in representing Roseville.

I hope you’ll be a visible ally too. Not just today, but every day. If you’re looking for ways to get involved, OutFront Minnesota, one of the organizers for this week’s event, is a fantastic home for resources and calls to action.
 

Small Business Impact Survey

Amid additional federal tariffs taking effect today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is gathering information from affected small businesses in Minnesota.

In this period of uncertainty, there may be a lag in data, so this survey is a way for our Roseville and Shoreview business owners to communicate directly with the department now. The survey takes less than five minutes to complete. By collaborating with Minnesota's locally owned small businesses, which face significant challenges, we can proactively plan for the state's future needs.
 

Stay Connected

Regardless of whether you can attend our upcoming Town Hall, always feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or ideas you have on how to make our community and state better. You can reach me at rep.david.gottfried@house.mn.gov or 651-296-7153. You’ll either hear back from me, or my Legislative Assistant, Carl.

To keep up with my work in the House, you can either check out my legislative webpage, or follow along on my new official Facebook page. Thank you again for placing your trust in me. I can’t wait to see what we can build together!

Sincerely,

David Gottfried

State Representative

House District 40B