Lawns, Legumes, and Legalization

Dear Neighbors, 

We’re wrapping up week two of the 2023 Legislative Session, and we’ve already passed bills off the House floor - including a fast-tracked federal conformity tax bill, and another to protect individuals from discrimination based on natural hair types. I was proud to vote for both bipartisan bills.

I also passed my bill to continue funding the Lawns to Legumes program out of its first committee hearing. This is a popular program the legislature established in 2019 to assist homeowners who want to convert their lawns to pollinator-friendly habitat.

Thank you to everyone that came out to testify for our bill!

Thousands of Minnesotans across the state have already participated in the successful Lawns to Legumes program. With pollinators being vital to our food and plant production, this program is a win-win that helps Minnesotans get involved in preserving their habitat. You can find more information on this program at the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources website. 

Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis

Last week, my House DFL colleagues officially introduced legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis, of which I’m a co-author. When we first started crafting this legislation during my first term, we held a town hall in Shakopee and other gatherings all over the state to bring in the public for the early stages of this bill. 

We heard so many incredible stories and thoughtful comments at our event, and I want to thank all the veterans, parents, law enforcement, elected officials, and public health professionals who joined us to help ensure that if we legalize cannabis, we do it in a way that increases access for veterans and improves public health and safety. That’s the bill we’re delivering now.

Minnesota’s current cannabis laws are doing more harm than good, and I’m incredibly excited to move this proposal forward to address inequities, create economic opportunities, and update outdated laws. 

Stay Connected

As a result of redistricting changes, some areas of Shakopee may have a new state representative. To find out if your state representative or senator has changed, click here. To change your email subscription, visit the Subscriber Preferences Page.

If you haven’t yet, you can also follow along on our official legislative Facebook page - the same one I used before. This will be a great source for information on the latest projects we’re working on, but if you’re looking for assistance or an answer to a question, contacting our legislative office is the best way we can serve you. 

Brad Tabke, State Representative | Rep.Brad.Tabke@house.mn.gov

Jared Margolis, Legislative Assistant | Jared.Margolis@house.mn.gov