 Dear Neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session was a success for Minnesotans! DFLers passed hundreds of important bills, including a bill to expand access to healthcare for more people including our undocumented neighbors, a bill to invest in education, and a bill to protect the environment. We also made progress on issues including gun violence prevention, restoring voting rights to 55,000 Minnesotans, and criminal justice reform.
One of the most significant accomplishments of the session was the passage of the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, a bill to give workers access to paid leave to bond with their new babies, their own medical condition, to care for a family member, or another emergency event. Gov. Walz signed the PFMLA, and it will provide most Minnesota workers the ability to take 12 weeks of paid family leave. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will administer the program in conjunction with its Unemployment Insurance (UI).
We also made historic investments in education during the session. This year’s education budget will increase funding for public schools by $1 billion over the next two years. The bill will also provide funding for early childhood education and for after-school programs.
Democrats also took action to protect the environment by passing legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2040. The new law invests in renewable energy and energy efficiency by streamlining the process for solar energy generating systems and certain high-voltage transmission lines and authorizes the commission to require payment of the state prevailing wage to workers constructing large wind and solar energy systems.
To ensure that more Minnesotans are safe or receive justice, Minnesota created a community-based response to address the crisis which is cold cases of missing or murdered Black women by establishing the first Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office. The provisions in this law will ensure the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension operate an alert program and requires the issuance of an alert when a person is determined to be missing and endangered. Black women and girls' lives matter they are worthy of protection, and families and communities deserve closure and justice for their loved ones.
Serving on the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee
It was an honor to serve on the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee and to be appointed to the Judiciary and Public Safety Conference Committee. The Judiciary and Public Safety budget conference committee report passed on a 69-63 vote. The public safety portion of the report invests in a diverse set of tools to improve public safety. It prioritizes a holistic approach to gun violence prevention, funding for law enforcement and victims of crime, juvenile justice reform, and more. This report will create a safer Minnesota while working to break cycles of crime and violence.
Historic Gun Violence Prevention Measures Signed into Law
Gov. Tim Walz signed the historic public safety measure into law on Friday, May 15th, which establishes universal background checks and red flag laws. Gun violence is a serious public health problem in the United States. These measures are not a perfect solution, but they will make a significant difference in reducing the number of gun-related deaths and injuries. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, no matter where they live.
Co-Chair of the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus
Co-leading the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus with Rep. Esther Agbaje and Vice Chair Alicia Kozlowski was incredible. The POCI Caucus led the charge on capital investment, economic development (and workforce), housing, education, public safety/justice reform, environmental justice, legacy, and equity in health for our BIPOC communities across the state. For far too long our BIPOC communities have been historically underserved and underfunded in all of these areas. Dismantling systemic inequities is essential to creating a more just and equitable society. We have fought hard this legislative session to pass bills into laws that address systemic racism and promote racial equity.
We are committed to creating a more just and equitable society for all Minnesotans. We are working to destroy the “zero sum” myth to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their race or ethnicity. To do that, we must address the root causes that perpetuate cycles of oppression, discrimination, and violence by reforming policies and investing funds in our BIPOC communities. Together we can create a more prosperous and inclusive state.
As a result of our work from the legislative session, here is a list of new laws that went into effect on July 1, and today, August 1, 2023.
These laws will have a multitude of positive benefits for diverse communities across our state! The nonpartisan office of House Public Information has a summary of the new laws here:
Please continue to reach out anytime if you need assistance or have questions at [email protected] or 651-296-4255. You can also follow my official Facebook page and the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus page.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Jack Dockendorf 651-296-9552
|
