Legislative Update: September 6, 2023

Neighbors,

I hope you’ve been enjoying the summer and that you and your families have been safe from the recent hot weather. Like many of you, I’ve always enjoyed attending the fair and had the pleasure of volunteering at the House Public Information booth in the Education Building on August 27th. I was happy to see some of you there!

Nursing Home Funding

In August, nursing homes received a significant amount of new state funding as part of our efforts to stabilize a sector of the economy that is facing financial hardship. Local nursing homes will receive another significant payment in August of 2024. 

Building upon our commitment to support our most vulnerable Minnesotans and the workers who care for them, the Legislature appropriated record amounts of funding for our state’s nursing homes, including over $1,400,000 for our community!

My Star Tribune Op-Ed

Yet another Minnesota summer with record-breaking air pollution makes it clear: The earth doesn't negotiate with us on climate change. If we want a sustainable future for our kids and grandkids, we must deal with it effectively — making climate change and climate justice lenses for virtually all public policy.

Last week, I had an op-ed published in the Star Tribune on viewing Minnesota's future with a climate lens. You can read it here.

Town Hall Coming Up!

On September 23rd, I’ll be hosting a town hall at the St. Louis Park Library from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. to deliver updates from St. Paul, go over the 2023 legislative session, and look forward to next year. Please come if you can, and I’m working on setting another one up on a weeknight in October or November. So if this time doesn’t work for you, stay tuned.

Local Events 

I’ve been busy around our community and beyond in the past month. Recently, I had a really interesting meeting and apprentice program tour with Heat Frost Allied Workers Local 34 in St. Paul. This is such important work - it's AMAZING how much energy can be saved with mechanical insulation - payback periods are often less than one year.

I also joined House colleague (Rep Samantha Sencer-Mura - 3rd from left) and others on another union-related tour - this one of the Electrical Training Center, where hundreds of electrical apprentices are trained. Thanks to Andy Snope of IBEW 292 who organized the tour.

I also took a fantastic tour of a passive net zero house in Duluth, Minnesota built by Green New Deal Housing. Their project uses 1/3 energy of a home built to code - and that is completely supplied by rooftop solar. Green building is just good building.

Thank you to Hennepin County EMS and Chief Marty Scheerer for the ride-along recently. It was fascinating to get a firsthand view of the great work done by these folks. I rode in an ambulance, stopped by the Gophers game, visited Dispatch, and even watched paramedics arrive in a Mayo Clinic helicopter and wheel in a burn patient.

Stay in Touch

If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me at rep.larry.kraft@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-7026. For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.

Sincerely,

Larry Kraft

State Representative