Legislative Update - March 17, 2023

Dear Neighbors,

Happy St. Patricks Day! If you are going out to celebrate tonight, Metro Transit is providing free rides on all routes after 6pm! Have fun, and stay safe! More details here.

We are getting close to receiving our committee budget targets. This is a part of our legislative session where each committee receives a budget to build their omnibus bills. It’s an exciting time, and I’m actively advocating for the initiatives that we need in St. Paul and statewide.

Our Progress

On Thursday, the House invested $50 million in Emergency Rental Assistance. Bold, long-term investments are needed to fully address Minnesota’s housing crisis, but there’s also work we can and must do now to help those who are struggling. All Minnesotans deserve a roof over their heads, and this is support that can’t wait until the end of the legislative session.

On Thursday, the House unanimously passed the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, protecting Indigenous children and ensuring they continue to have a lifeline to their culture. There’s a dark, ugly history of separating children from their tribal nations, and this legislation is an important part of having honest, educational conversations about the experiences of Indigenous people. The erasure of Indigenous people and Tribal Nations isn’t only in our past; it is firmly in our present. You can read more about this bill, which is now on its way to Governor Walz’s desk, here.

My Bills

This week I introduced a bill to invest in the University of St Thomas’ Center for Microgrid Research. Microgrid research is aligned with our mission of moving to a green energy economy. I have visited the microgrid research facility, and I’m so impressed that our investments have yielded more than we could have anticipated. The additional funding we are requesting could bring this research center as much as $25 million from the federal government. This investment will focus on working with industry partners, procuring advanced equipment, partnering with community colleges, and providing hands-on educational opportunities for electrical engineering students. It’s a win for Minnesota but also for Americans nationwide!

We have been working on a bill for many years to reform and improve our disability benefits for peace offices and firefighters. This bill contains many stakeholders' input to ensure our disability and mental health benefits for peace officers and firefighters are available and fair. We are trying to solve a problem that is really big. And all of the stakeholders are committed to continuing work on this issue into the future. When we don’t fix these policies around disability benefits, the liabilities will continue to increase on current employees, and the entire plan is put in jeopardy.

Updates

This week we had so many constituents and advocates in my office. Firstly, pediatric doctors and medical students from the University of Minnesota Medical School discussed the importance of passing our gun violence prevention package. 

Second, Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation met with me to discuss three American Cancer Society tobacco bills and advocated for passing them this year. 

Lastly, we had BlueGreen Alliance ask for support for their Buy Clean Buy Fair Act to ensure we are considering climate change in our state-funded building projects.

Stay in Touch

If you have any questions or feedback you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me by email at rep.kaohly.her@house.com or call (651) 296-8799 or like my Official State Representative Facebook Page.

Sincerely,  

Kaohly Vang Her

State Representative