Dear Neighbors, I hope you’ve had a wonderful first half of your summer. Now that session has ended, I’ve been out and about in our communities enjoying everything Minnesota has to offer, from the joyful Bloomington Pride event to the always lovely Edina Art Fair. I also join many of you in keeping those close to my thoughts who are impacted and fighting the wildfires in the Boundary Waters. This article in the Quetico Superior provides helpful guidance on evacuation orders and prevention of future fires spreading. Here’s a brief update from the Capitol: District 50 Town HallThank you to everyone who came to the District 50 Town Hall in late May and for the questions you asked. I want to extend my gratitude to Sen. Alice Mann for her outstanding representation of our district for the past four years as she retires from the Senate. Her voice and advocacy will be missed.  Vernon Ave Bridge OpensBridges do more than connect roads, they connect people, neighborhoods, and community. As of tomorrow at 6am, the new Vernon Ave bridge will be open! Through partnership between the City of Edina, Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota/MN Department of Transportation, this infrastructure investment makes it easier and safer for people to reach the places and people they love, including the local businesses that help our community thrive. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to shop, dine, and support local businesses now even more accessible because of the completion of this project.  New LawsOn July 1st, many new laws from the 2026 legislative session took effect. Some highlights include the creation of the office of inspector general to continue preventing fraud and holding those accountable, helping schools across the state establish anonymous threat reporting systems so students and families can safely report concerning behavior, implementing a mandatory social media mental health warning, and more. You can find a list of the new laws and summaries here. There will also be a new set of laws coming into effect on August 1st, so be sure to visit House Information services to learn about those. This includes a whole host of domestic violence prevention laws that will go into effect including: removing firearms from domestic abusers, extending the 72 hour warrantless arrest rule, creating a better response to victims of domestic violence, and funding to save victim services from harmful federal cuts to programs and services. If these changes might help you or someone you know, please be sure to spread the word. For more information, you can look into organizations like Violence Free Minnesota to learn more about ending violence in Minnesota. While these laws will certainly do a lot of good, I can’t help but think about what we could have passed. Bills that Minnesotans are wanting us to put into law including gun violence prevention, affordability measures, protections against federal overreach, and so much more. In my conversations with you, it’s clear that more must be done to make this economy better for hard working Minnesotans with healthcare, childcare and every day affordability at the center of it. Security Services Task ForceI am honored to share that I have been appointed by House Leader Rep. Zack Stephenson to a new Security Services Task Force led by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. As chief author of this legislation this past session, I believe safety and security are fundamental to public service. They ensure elected officials can engage with their communities and allow the government to operate openly, effectively, and in the public's best interest. The strength of Capitol Security and a dedicated Legislative Services Unit directly impacts our ability to function as a government, and how we do this work is vital to our democracy. Last Update for the YearLastly, I also wanted to let you know that this will be my final newsletter until November. Mid-July marks our 60-day deadline since the end of the legislative session, when Minnesota law requires unsolicited official communications to stop until after the 2026 election. As a result, this will be the last newsletter you receive from my office until later this year. This is the only notable change. I want to emphasize that my office is available to constituents year-round to assist you with your needs. As always, you can reach me at rep.julie.greene@house.mn.gov. It is an honor to represent us in St. Paul. Thank you. Sincerely, Julie Greene State Representative |