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Knudsen




Legislative Update

The 2024 Legislative Session has commenced this week with the aim of providing solutions for Minnesotans. This session needs to address several fixes to rectify the errors from last year's single-party control. These fixes include restoring School Resource Officers in districts across the state that have removed them due to changes in statute, correcting errors in the tax omnibus bill, and planning for the budget deficit that is likely on the horizon in 2025.?

*SRO and Tax Fixes*?

We hit the ground running on Monday with an urgency declared on the School Resource Officer fix in an attempt to bring it before the floor. This procedural motion would have allowed the House to take up this important legislation and accompanying amendment to get SROs back in schools across the state.??

We heard from Representative Jeff Witte, a former resource officer, on the important role these men and women play in the development of young students and the safety of the learning environment. He shared how students looked to him to keep school safe and how those relationships helped to put some students on a better path to happy successful lives rather than repeating behaviors that would have been damaging to their futures. He is a great example of the important work these officers do every day and why we must get them back in schools as soon as possible.?

Unfortunately, the motion failed on a party-line vote. Throughout the week we have continued to bring up the lack of bi-partisan cooperation on this important legislation. Hopefully, some negotiations over the weekend will provide some improvements in the bill and get us closer to this much-needed fix.?

Another issue that is crucial for the legislature to address early in the session is a correction to last year?s tax bill. An error in the way the standard deduction is calculated could cost Minnesotans over 350 million dollars if it is not corrected. Minnesotans are already over-taxed and this error could mean families that are struggling with the increased costs of everyday necessities could owe hundreds more to the state. We need to be focused on providing relief for Minnesotans as they face record inflation and cost increases. This correction should be just the first step towards that goal.?

*HF 3505 Heads to Committee*?

HF 3505 [ [link removed] ] is my bill that would expand the homestead exclusion amount for veterans with disabilities so that they would receive a reduced property tax bill on their primary residence. Disabled veterans are often on a fixed-income and this would be just one way we can show our appreciation for the service and sacrifice they have made for our country. I just got notice that the bill will be before the Veterans & Military Affairs Committee on February 26th.? If you would like to submit written comments or testimony for the bill you can email your letter to [email protected] by 5pm on Sunday, February 25, 2024.???

*DFL Legislator Seeks to Infringe on 2nd Amendment*?

After the DFL imposed additional restrictions on the Second Amendment firearm rights of law-abiding citizens last year, they are looking to further infringe upon your constitutional right to bear arms. HF 3570 [ [link removed] ] (Finke) would prohibit the transfer of a semi-automatic firearm in Minnesota and impose a 5-year prison sentence and/or a $25,000 fine on anyone who does so.?

This bill also expands the definition of "Military Style Assault Weapon" to include any rifle that has a detachable magazine as well as a pistol grip, folding or telescoping stock, or barrel shroud. It also limits magazines to ten rounds or less. To address these expanded definitions the bill funds a buy-back program with a yet-to-be-determined appropriation. Infringing on your Second Amendment rights and using your own tax dollars to do it.? Please know that I will always fight to protect our Second Amendment Rights!?

*Outside of the House Floor*?

This week I had some great opportunities to speak with Minnesotans and learn about people?s goals for the future outside of the usual committee work. I talked to a group of school counselors who shared some of the challenges they are facing with the unfortunate increase in mental health needs in our school system.??

Tuesday, I spent the morning and early afternoon with colleagues from across the aisle as well as from the senate at the Our State, Our Future legislative policy conference. We had the opportunity to hear from the state demographer on census data and the make-up of our state, a panel on early childhood, and several other interesting presentations on public policy in our state.???

*Get Involved*?

The most important solution for the future of Minnesota is for everyone to get involved and make their voice heard. As we saw last year, when Minnesotans show up and make their voice heard we can force some decisions on the single-party controlled legislature and governor. Some upcoming ways you can get involved are precinct caucuses on February 27th and the presidential primary on March 5th. You can find your caucus location here [ [link removed] ] and your presidential primary location here [ [link removed] ].?






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Please Reach Out

You can reach my office at [email protected] <[email protected]> or by phone at 651-296-9918. Follow me on Facebook [ [link removed] ] for more frequent updates.











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225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
651.296.9918







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