Legislative Update from Rep. Andy Smith

Neighbors,  

I hope everyone stayed safe during Monday’s severe weather outbreak. Unfortunately, weather like this is likely to become more and more common here in Minnesota due to climate change, so if you haven’t already, now is a good time to make a plan with your family and prepare an emergency kit should you need to take cover. Here’s some helpful information from the US National Weather Service.  

If you’re reading this on or near your smart phone, take a moment to make sure your emergency alerts are on, too. Each phone is different, but it should be in your settings as “emergency notification” or “government alerts.” These alerts are lifesaving tools to ensure people in harms way are notified in a timely manner.  

Speaking of government alerts: here in the Minnesota House, we’ve been putting in long hours on the Floor. Budget bill season is upon us, and we’ve passed a handful of good governance bills that will help keep the lights on while we face federal uncertainty in this divided legislature.  

Last week, we passed the Agriculture budget bill, which included major wins for Olmsted County. I was proud to see my legislation to expand groundwater protection and soil health initiatives across southeastern Minnesota included in the bill. There is nothing more universal than the need for clean water, yet the water we and our families drink in southeaster Minnesota has seen a steep rise in harmful nitrate levels. This legislation empowers farmers to adopt innovative practices that protect our drinking water while maintaining economically viable operations. At a time where tariffs and cuts to the USDA are sewing uncertainty and instability for farming communities, this is an actionable step to directly support farmers and rural communities. Additionally, since we’re looking to set it up as a grant program rather than a tax rebate, it would get funds to farmers up front rather than making them wait for tax rebate reimbursement. 

I’m incredibly proud to secure this win for our community, however, not all of the budget bills help improve lives or even keep Minnesotans afloat – some have harmful provisions that I know will hurt our community.  

Last night, I voted no on the Commerce budget bill because of a provision that would roll back coverage of pre-existing conditions for those on Medicare who need supplemental insurance like Medigap. Insurance plans like Medigap are exactly what they sound like – Medicare only covers so much, and for too many prescriptions and other services, the coverage amount is too low to make necessary care affordable. Many people on Medicare need supplemental coverage to ensure affordability to fill the “gap.” In 2023, Minnesota Democrats implemented a requirement for these supplemental insurance plans to not deny people due to pre-existing conditions (championed by fellow Rochester Representative Tina Liebling), to ensure all Minnesotans who need it have access. This year’s Commerce budget bill includes a provision to roll this back, putting Minnesotans in danger of not being able to afford the healthcare they need to live everyday life. I could not in good conscious vote for this bill knowing the harm it would have on my community, so I voted NO.  

While I’m hopeful that this provision will be fixed in conference committee, I want to be very clear: I refuse to vote for legislation that puts my neighbors in harms way. The federal government is already hell-bent on stripping away services that Americans rely on; I refuse to be complicit in doing that to Minnesotans on a state level, too.  

Join us for Another Town Hall!

Thank you to the 500+ people who joined us last weekend for a town hall with our partners at ISAIAH.

Several of my legislative colleagues and I were proud to participate and dedicate our work to building a budget that puts people first.

If you weren’t able to join us, you can catch me alongside Rep. Tina Liebling, Rep. Kim Hicks, and Sen. Liz Boldon this weekend as part of the DFL’s town hall tour! We’ll be focusing on the impacts of federal cuts and how we can combat them and protect Minnesota. You can register for the event here.    

Community Connection

For many of us, the news coming out of Washington has been overwhelming lately. While working to protect our progress here in Minnesota, I’ve also made a point to spend more time connecting with community. No matter who we are or where we come from, it’s vital that we know and care for our fellow neighbors—we must find common ground with each other and love our community like family.    

We are lucky to have a fantastic library here in Rochester that puts on exciting events for people of all ages. I’ll be featuring free community events from the library and other local partners here this session so you can join in on fun happenings. Registration is required for some events, so be sure to check them out early.      

Here are some fun upcoming events to meet neighbors and make new friends.     

Rochester Public Library: 

• Where We Come From One Book | One Minnesota Book Discussion, April 30, 6-7pm 
• Preschool Dance Party, May 1 10:30-11am 
• Feel Good Fiction Book Group, May 1, 6:30-7:30pm 
• Puzzles and Pretzels, May 4, 1-5pm 
• Trans Parenting Rochester, May 6th, 6-7:30pm 
• Puppet Extravaganza, May 7, 2:30-3:30pm 
• Queer Book Club, May 8, 6-7pm 

Stay Connected!

Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.andy.smith@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9249, and I will be happy to help.

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Warmly, 

Andy Smith,
State Representative