Legislative Update - The 2024 Legislative Session

Hello Friends, 

The 2024 Legislative Session began last week, and I couldn’t be happier to be back at work representing Shakopee in the Minnesota House. The hallways of the Capitol are once again full of Minnesotans advocating for what matters most to them. I’ve already met with several of our Shakopee neighbors, including one of my newest constituents!

Last year was a big one for our community and state, and we’ll look to build upon those accomplishments this year. As we start to tackle new and continuing issues, I want to hear from you! If you have a moment, I’d appreciate it if you took the time to take this short legislative survey and help guide our efforts in the coming months.

Rep. Brad Tabke’s 2024 Legislative Survey

Besides the survey, always feel free to contact my office with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas you have on our work. You can reach me at rep.brad.tabke@house.mn.gov or 651-296-8872, and you’ll either hear back from myself or my legislative assistant, Jared. You can also keep up to date by following my official Facebook page. 

You can also save the date for our upcoming Town Hall on March 12! You can use the QR code or RSVP by clicking here.

Investing in Shakopee

Last year, we passed the largest investment in infrastructure in state history, which largely dealt with unfinished projects that had gone unfunded for several years. In that bill, I secured funding for several local projects, including $11 million for riverbank stabilization, $500,000 to Scott County for public water access improvement, $18.4 million for infrastructure updates to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee, and $4 million along Merriam Junction Trail to prepare the riverbank for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge to downtown Carver.

This year, we’re looking to build on those wins by delivering even more investments in infrastructure for Shakopee. Ahead of this year’s legislative session, I invited the House Capital Investment Committee to Shakopee to hear from local officials and neighbors about the projects that are important to us. We talked about the Shakopee Innovation Hub, which would serve as a regional workforce training and entrepreneur incubator facility. 

There’s also the Louisville Regional Trail Corridor, 4.3 miles of multi-use trail, linking the Merriam Junction Regional Trail to the Big Woods Regional Trail - connecting the communities of Shakopee, Prior Lake, and Louisville Township. These are proposals I’ll be fighting for this year as we start to craft another bill focused on funding infrastructure projects throughout the state. 

Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit

Nearly 300,000 Minnesota households are eligible for the nation-leading Child Tax Credit the DFL passed last year! With our Child Tax Credit, families are saving up to $1,750 for each dependent. Democrats are cutting child poverty by one-third with this rebate.

You can claim the tax credit by filing a 2023 income tax return. The $1,750 credit is for each child 17 years old and younger, with no limit on the number of children. For all tax filers, this credit begins to phase out at an income level of $35,000 and fully phases out at a maximum of $90,750 for a family with four children.

You can learn more about the tax credit here. 

Your Yard Can BEE The Change

I was honored to author legislation last year that passed into law, providing additional funding for the state’s incredibly popular Lawns to Legumes program. Minnesota residents can now apply for fall 2024 Lawns to Legumes funding. The Lawns to Legumes program aims to increase habitat for at-risk pollinators in residential settings across the state by providing people with cost-share funding, workshops, coaching and gardening resources. 

Anyone can apply to be reimbursed for up to $400 in costs associated with establishing new pollinator habitat in their yards. Applications will be accepted through May 15, 2024. If you previously applied for the program, you will need to reapply to be considered for fall 2024 funding. 

If you have any questions about the Lawns to Legumes Program, the Child Tax Credit, or the bills I’m working on this year, always free to reach out!

I look forward to hearing from you!

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

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