 Quick Start to the Legislative SessionLegislators gaveled in for the 2023 legislative session on Tuesday. Rev. Paul Feela, former pastor of Lumen Christi Church in our community, delivered a wonderful opening prayer. I was honored to take the oath of office again. The entire day was a stirring reminder of how precious and important our democracy is. The day after the opening ceremonies, on Wednesday, House and Senate leadership unveiled a preview of our priorities, which will help Minnesotans to thrive. You can watch the press conference here. That same day, my first committee meeting, in Taxes, was to hear and pass a "tax conformity" bill with bipartisan support. We are hitting the ground running!  Reproductive RightsMinnesota is fortunate to have our own state version of Roe v. Wade, called Doe v. Gomez. That court decision recognizes the right of Minnesotans to make their own reproductive health care decisions. However, we know that court decisions are only as strong as the judges that uphold them. This is why one of the first bills moving at the Legislature is the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. I'm proud to be a co-author on this bill, which has passed its first committee. I expect that it will come to the House floor soon. |