Dear Neighbors, Today, we finally received the news that we’ve been working towards for several weeks - legislative leaders announced a special session to pass our state budget will take place this upcoming Monday, June 9th. We’ll be getting started at 10am, and the goal is to get our remaining budget bills passed in one day. As the closest divided state legislature in the country, the bills we’re expected to pass on Monday reflect that status. There’s some good and not-so-good mixed together in these bills, which I plan to spend the weekend reading up on, but I expect I will be taking some difficult votes. The bill to kick our undocumented neighbors off of MinnesotaCare, a condition Republicans were willing to shut down the government over, unfortunately remains part of our special session agreement. While I imagine that bill will pass, it is one I know I will not be voting for. I’ll be able to say more about what we passed after our special session concludes, but even now I can share that these final budget bills are far from ideal. It would be a lot better if Republicans recognized the need to have the wealthiest individuals and corporations pay their fair share, but their refusal to do so means that this budget contains cuts in order to deal with our state’s economic outlook. I promise to you that my votes on Monday will reflect my desire to cause the least harm. This’ll still be a budget that does its best to support working families and build a foundation for our neighbors to succeed. Would it be better if DFLers had the final say? You bet - and I think Minnesotans will remember that. NEW: Lane splitting and filtering begins July 1 Lane splitting and lane filtering for motorcyclists will be legal in Minnesota as of July 1, 2025. Motorists and motorcyclists need to be aware of this new law and how it will affect them to ensure it is enacted safely and respectfully on Minnesota roadways. On a personal note, one of my dear friends lost her little brother in a motorcycle accident because a car forced him into a dangerous situation. It’s incredibly important to be mindful on the road, especially with these new changes. Lane splitting is allowed when two or more lanes of traffic are traveling in the same direction and traffic is moving. It allows a motorcycle to pass another vehicle in the same direction of travel and in the same traffic lane only under these conditions: - At no more than 25 miles per hour.
- No more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes.
Lane filtering is allowed when two or more lanes of traffic are traveling in the same direction and traffic is NOT moving. It allows a motorcycle to move through traffic that is stopped, such as at a traffic light or traffic jam, only under this condition: - No more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes.
Stay safe out there! Disposing of Medication During Minnesota’s last Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, over 5 tons of old medications were collected! While impressive, the next take-back day isn’t until October. To bridge that gap, MyOldMeds.com makes it easy for Minnesota residents to locate free year-round disposal sites across the state. The site features 510 disposal locations in Minnesota, including 10 options in District 40B, part of a nationwide network of more than 29,000 disposal sites. By simply entering their ZIP code, residents can instantly locate a nearby drop-off location through the MyOldMeds locator tool. Stay Connected Once the special session concludes, we’ll truly be in the legislative interim - but the work continues! Always feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or ideas you have to make our community and state better. You can reach me at rep.david.gottfried@house.mn.gov or 651-296-7153. You’ll either hear back from me or my Legislative Assistant, Isabel. You can also follow along on my official Facebook page. I look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, David Gottfried House District 40B |