Legislative Update - March 28, 2023
Dear Neighbors,
I would like to invite you to attend a Town Hall event this Saturday, April 1st from 1:00-2:00 p.m. at the Maple Grove Library (8001 Main St. N. Maple Grove, MN 55369). I will be joined by Hennepin County Commissioner Kevin Anderson, as well as other members of the community to discuss the legislature’s proposal on Paid Family and Medical Leave. You can RSVP on Facebook here, I hope you can join us!
Charitable Gaming Tax Reduction
Last week I was proud to present my bill reducing taxes for charitable gaming on organizations such as the Lions Club, Maple Grove Firefighters Relief Association, and the Osseo Maple Grove Hockey Association, allowing them to keep more money in their mission and reinvest back into the community.
I was joined in the Taxes Committee by members of the Osseo/Maple Grove American Legion Post 172 and the help of Al Lund as they cheered me on in support of the Charitable Gaming Tax Reduction. With great bipartisan support, I’m crossing my fingers this is the year we give charities more money back on their mission to do great things in our communities!
ERA Virtual Rally
I joined state legislators nationwide last week on the 100th anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment’s introduction in Congress to talk about the importance of ensuring equality under the law for all, regardless of sex and gender. We had a great discussion about the need for the ERA, and I shared how excited I am that this year we can finally pass my bill calling on the U.S. Congress to recognize state ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and adopt it as the 28th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution.
Every citizen deserves to be treated with equality under the law. This is fundamental to the vision we hold for the United States and Minnesota. We must ensure equality under the law is our core value! You can watch the press conference here.
Bill Presentations
In the past couple of weeks, I have been presenting multiple bills in front of committees as we near legislative deadlines. I am working as hard as possible to deliver for our community and for families across the state of Minnesota. I am glad to report that my bill to strengthen domestic violence prevention laws, which was supported by Maple Grove Police, has been included in this year’s public safety package!
On March 17, I presented my bill to expand and renovate the Maple Grove Community Center to the Capital Investment Committee. This is a go-to destination for our community, including kids, seniors, families, and more but as Maple Grove’s population has grown, the community center has not. My bill will help install energy-efficient systems, expand athletic facilities, and renovate community spaces. I was joined by Mayor Mark Steffenson and our city administrator who spoke in support of the bill!
Last Thursday, I presented a bill to fund the Greater Twin Cities United Way grant program. These funds will help train teachers and caregivers in childcare centers in trauma-informed care to make sure all Minnesotan children can grow up healthy and receive the level of care they deserve. Early childhood development is so important, and United Way has a proven record in improving outcomes for the kids they have served. I was proud to present this bill in front of the Children and Families Committee, which you can watch here.
Stay Connected
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have. I can be reached at 651-296-1761 or rep.kristin.bahner@house.mn.gov. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe.
Sincerely,
Kristin Bahner
Your State Representative