Neighbors,

I want to begin by saying that I am here to support and stand with our community while we make sense of and grieve the loss of five people during the recent fire at Cedar Riverside public housing. 

A requirement for sprinklers would have saved lives. They are a simple, highly-effective tool that should be fully-employed in all high-rises, new and old. That is why I plan to pass legislation to require retrofitting older high rise buildings with life-saving sprinkler systems so Minnesotans can feel secure in their homes. By requiring sprinklers, we can avoid another preventable tragedy. You can read more at the following links:

• "Former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson: 'I think we failed' on sprinkler requirements for old high-rises"
• "Gudoomiyihii hore ee Minnesota Gud. Arne Carlson: "Waxa ay ila tahay in aan ku fashilanay" in rusheeyayaasha waajib laga dhigo dhismayaasha dhaadheer ee gaboobay"

Responding to the Opioid Crisis

I would like to thank all who attended and participated in our recent opioid crisis listening session. Listening to those impacted by the opioid epidemic informs us that the only way to overcome this crisis is with community-driven solutions. The most successful efforts are those that are created and implemented by people with tight-knit and often life-long connections to the communities they serve.

Helping youth and adults to overcome substance use disorder isn’t simply a matter of finding them a job, housing or providing them medical treatment, though those are important. As many people stated, even for those battling substance use disorder who want to get help, seeking treatment or just talking about it with a friend or family member can be scary and overwhelming. 

We also heard that we must provide culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate education, awareness and support to individuals, families, and caregivers to understand the importance of prevention, identification, treatment, and recovery. I am deeply committed to doing whatever it takes to address this crisis. Read more about our meeting here. 

Community Highlights 

It was great to meet with U of M students at the Minnesota Student Association's "Cookies with Constituents" event! 

I had the chance to join parents and caregivers at Lyndale Community School for breakfast and music performance of MN Sinfonia honoring all family members.

The DFL House, along with the Walz Administration, are moving forward in a thoughtful, deliberative process towards legalizing the adult-use of marijuana in Minnesota. Please join Majority Leader Winkler, Representatives Hodan Hassan, Jim Davnie, Aisha Gomez and myself to have your voice heard in the process. Here are the details:

• Wednesday, December 18, 7:00 p.m. at the East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center, 2307 17^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN

Planning for Minnesota's Future 

Recently we received our bi-annual economic forecast for the state. While Minnesota is in a strong financial position, the forecast highlights significant challenges we may face in the future, which could undermine our ability to provide good schools, good roads, and good health care for Minnesotans.  We need to be diligent so we do not jeopardize our ability to provide Minnesotans with the resources they deserve, and we need to continue to invest in our people and our state so that we are setting up the next generation for a prosperous future. You can read more about the budget from MPR here. 

As we approach the February 11 legislative session, I hope you will continue to share your priorities with me! You can always reach me at rep.mohamud.noor@house.mn and follow me on Facebook here. 

Sincerely,

Rep. Mohamud Noor