This week, the Minnesota House approved additional policy bills. On Thursday we passed the Education Policy Bill, building on the historic education budget approved in 2023. The legislation focuses on giving schools flexibility, addressing students’ mental health, eliminating some paperwork, and establishing clear protected speech guidelines, among other provisions.  Also on Thursday, the House passed measures cracking down on hidden, deceptive fees to ensure consumers have fair, upfront pricing for event tickets, restaurant meals, hotels, credit cards and more. The first, HF 1989 would improve fee transparency in ticketing and prevent deceptive practices negatively impacting consumers who purchase tickets. The second, HF 3438 would ban the practice of junk fees. Almost everywhere in our economy, Minnesotans are being nickeled and dimed, overcharged, and underpaid. This price transparency is important for seniors, single moms, and working families. We also passed a bill on Thursday related to general fund surplus dollars to the disaster assistance contingency account. And we approved the Labor Policy Bill, which includes provisions to enhance worker protections, strengthen the minimum wage, ban shadow non-competes, increase pay transparency, and more. Elections Bill Passes I serve on the Elections Committee and on Monday, we passed the Elections Policy Bill, which focuses on improved voter access and election transparency. The cornerstone of the Elections Policy bill is making voter registration more accessible and equitable, so all eligible voters have the means and ability to participate in our democracy. The package also expands the ability to request absentee ballots online to all elections, including city-level, with few exceptions. It also requires colleges and universities be provided an early voting location on campus at the request of the institution. The package includes the Minnesota Voting Right Act (MVRA), which codifies, streamlines, and strengthens the protections against voter suppression and vote dilution under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Minnesota Voting Rights Act will protect voters from discriminatory voter suppression tactics. Lastly, includes a provision to strengthen a law passed last year to prohibit AI generated “deep fakes” from interfering in our elections. The new bill strengthens the definitions, timelines, and penalties associated with election deepfakes.  On the same day, we unanimously passed the Public Safety Policy Bill, which continues House Democrats’ comprehensive approach to public safety and crime prevention with support for victims, criminal justice reform, policy modernization, and more. Child Tax CreditIf you have not yet filed your taxes, make sure to check if you are eligible for the Child Tax Credit. This credit is among other measures passed in the 2023 legislative session to benefit families, seniors, and working-class Minnesotans.  The LCCMR Needs Your Input The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) needs your help in determining priorities for spending from the state’s lottery- generated Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) for the next six years. Currently, the ENRTF provides $80-90 million per year for environmental, natural resources, and outdoor recreation projects across Minnesota. Make your voice heard by taking this survey now!  Stay connected with the LegislatureThe Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website. You can also visit my House of Representatives website. I welcome your questions and comments anytime. You can send an email to rep.luke.frederick@house.mn.gov or call me at (651) 296-3248. Also, please visit and “like” my Facebook page for more Capitol and community updates. Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature. Sincerely, Luke Frederick State Representative |