Dear neighbors,
At this point in the session, our chief responsibility is setting a state budget for the next two years. My House colleagues and I recently announced the framework for the Minnesota Values Budget, which makes significant investments in education, affordable health care, and building safe, inclusive communities. I’m excited to continue working on a budget that reflects our shared Minnesota values!
At the Capitol
The next step in the budget process is working in our finance committees to put together omnibus bills – legislation that includes many individual bills. After the committees approve the budget, the bills will go to the House floor for a vote. After the Senate approves their budget, members of both bodies will meet to work through differences.
Two of the committees that I work on have completed and passed a budget for their area. The Energy and Climate Division approved a bill that would help prevent further consequences due to climate change. I’m proud that my Solar on Schools bill (HF 1133) and two proposals to help the University of Minnesota and state colleges transition to clean energy (HF 1787 and HF 1788) were included! More details are available in this article from Session Daily.
The Health and Human Services budget, which passed out of committee last Thursday, would strengthen health care for all Minnesotans. The bill would make health care more affordable, lower the cost of prescription drugs, improve care for women, and expand coverage. This fact sheet has more information on the contents of the bill.
I also serve on the State Government Finance Division. The committee unveiled our budget proposal yesterday. We’ll hold public hearings to listen to feedback from Minnesotans and discuss the bill before voting on it later this week. Stay tuned for more details!
Last Wednesday, Governor Walz delivered his first State of the State. He emphasized the importance of the stories of Minnesotans and shared several of those stories with all of us. I appreciated the governor’s focus on coming together to find solutions! I was joined by my son Charlie. If you’d like to watch Governor Walz’s inspiring speech, a video is available here.
I recently met with a group of advocates from the YMCA and Youth Services network to talk about homeless youth and how we can better support them. This is a problem we shouldn’t have in Minnesota!
In the District
I attended a transportation event at the Park-n-Ride on 394 and Hopkins Crossroads. It was hosted by Met Council and focused on our need for improvements to roads and bridges as well as our transit system. All levels of government were in attendance as well as the business community. This is a great opportunity for collaboration!
Thank you for your interest in the work we do at the Capitol. If you’d like to receive the most up-to-date information on what’s going on, you can follow me on Facebook. Please continue to share your stories, questions, and feedback!
Sincerely,
Patty Acomb
State Representative