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The End of the 2023 Session!

Dear neighbors,

This week my first legislative session came to an end as our DFL Trifecta passed the final versions of our budget bills and other priorities! Alongside our DFL Senators, we are ending the gridlock and delivering on the promises we made to Minnesotans. I am honored to be a part of this class of legislators who delivered a truly historic amount of wins for our state.

You can read more about our final bills using our nonpartisan Session Daily stories: Veterans and Military Affairs [ [link removed] ], Housing [ [link removed] ], Higher Education [ [link removed] ], Legacy [ [link removed] ], Agriculture [ [link removed] ], Early Education [ [link removed] ], Public Safety and Judiciary [ [link removed] ], K-12 Education [ [link removed] ], Jobs and Labor [ [link removed] ], Environment and Energy [ [link removed] ], Commerce [ [link removed] ], State Government and Elections [ [link removed] ], Human Services [ [link removed] ], Taxes [ [link removed] ], Transportation [ [link removed] ], Health [ [link removed] ], Capital Investment [ [link removed] ], Cannabis [ [link removed] ], and Paid Family and Medical Leave [ [link removed] ].

DFL Wins Graphic
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Taxes Bill Passes!

It was an honor to serve on the Taxes Committee this legislative session, and I was proud to vote in support of our Taxes [ [link removed] ] bill?which focuses on helping our neighbors who are struggling the most. Collectively, the bill delivers the largest tax cut in state history with credits, rebates, and other provisions designed to maximize benefits for workers, families, and seniors.

Workers, families, and seniors have experienced tighter budgets as wages have failed to match rising costs. Our bill is paid for through new revenue from measures that target the wealthiest corporations and individuals in the state. These include Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income which will raise $816 million, domestic reduced Deductions for Dividends Received which raises $239 million over two years, a phaseout of Standard/Itemized Deduction, 10% for earners over $304k and 20% for those over $1 million, and a millionaire tax on Net Investment Income. These increased contributions are integral to making a stronger and more equitable Minnesota.

Smith Committee

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K-12 Education Budget

Our K-12 Education [ [link removed] ] Budget Bill supports our students and school staff as well as stabilizes public school funding. It provides a 4% per-pupil increase in the general education formula in 2024 and a 2% increase in 2025 and links the formula for inflation. In addition to the stability provided by linking the formula to inflation, this budget bill also reduces the Special Education and English Learner cross-subsidies. It invests in student mental health, incentivizes more teachers of color, and makes our schools more inclusive and accessible for all!

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Transformational Health Budget

On Monday, we passed SF 2995 [ [link removed] ], the health and human services conference committee report. The health portion of the bill makes significant investments to lower health care costs while improving coverage so everyone can access the care they need. The bill improves access, coverage, and stability for Minnesotans who need it most. Undocumented residents will be eligible for MinnesotaCare, a broadly supported provision that would allow some 40,000 people who live, work, and pay taxes in Minnesota to get coverage. The bill also protects reproductive care and improves dental and mental health coverage, all of which lead to a more equitable health care system.

It also works to create a robust mental health system with investments like a rate increase for mental health services, mental health grants, and funding for a 988 suicide and crisis lifeline. These investments will build out a system that will save lives, reduce stress on hospitals, and create appropriate spaces for mental health treatment. The budget provides a path for a MinnesotaCare Buy-In to improve access and affordability for everyone. It will give Minnesotans a true choice in what health coverage is best for them by providing an affordable, reliable, and quality option. I was proud to serve on the Health Committee and support this budget this session!

Health

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Gun Violence Prevention Measures Pass!

It is far past time that we as Minnesotans take real steps to pass gun violence prevention measures. In response to increasing gun violence, now the leading cause of death for children in the U.S., our Public Safety and Judiciary Budget [ [link removed] ] bill includes several violence prevention measures, which Governor Walz has already signed into law!

Our bill includes criminal background checks to keep guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them. It also includes a red flag law, creating an effective tool to prevent those likely to cause harm from doing so. Lastly, it makes historic investments in gun violence prevention research grants to determine the next best steps to end gun violence. Thank you to all the amazing advocates that worked on this bill for years. We still have work to do but this was a great step forward!

Smith Floor

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Stay Connected!

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Warmly,?

Andy Smith,
State Representative






Representative Andy Smith

411 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Phone: 651-296-9249
Email:[email protected] "(replies to this newsletter are not monitored)"
Website:?[link removed]
Legislative Assistant: Robin Schmidt, 651-296-8197







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