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Dear neighbors,

It wouldn?t be spring in Minnesota without a little snow! I hope everyone is making the most of it and staying safe and warm as we head into April.

We just passed an important legislative deadline on March 22nd, and we are still hard at work on solutions aimed at improving Minnesotans? lives? including expanding rights on reproductive health care.?

Protecting Reproductive Freedom

DFLers envision a future for Minnesota where everyone? without exception? can shape and realize their reproductive future and destiny. That?s why last year we passed historic legislation, including the Protect Reproductive Option Act, banning anti-LGBTQIA+ ?conversion therapy,? and passing the Trans Refuge Act.??

This year, DFLers and the Reproductive Freedom Caucus continued pushing a legislative agenda focused on strengthening protections for gender equity and reproductive freedom, and ensuring all state and private health care plans cover abortion care and gender-affirming care. The RFC?s vision of reproductive freedom includes racial justice, equal access and coverage for people of all genders, and more. Among our priorities, we are fighting to pass the ERA state constitutional amendment, remove unnecessary barriers to midwife certification, and expand insurance coverage for abortion care and reproductive health care.

Additionally, the House Commerce Committee recently passed legislation to require health plans in Minnesota to provide coverage for abortions. The bill requires abortion coverage without added costs to patients through co-insurance, cost-sharing, or deductibles and it would require coverage for all abortion care and related services.

This work is even more critical as we await the US Supreme Court?s decision about medication abortion. House DFLers and the RFC will continue to stand together to fight for reproductive freedom for all Minnesotans and to ensure that Minnesotans can parent how they choose.?

Veep Visit

This month, Vice President Kamala Harris made history in Minnesota as the first sitting Vice President to visit an abortion clinic. At a St. Paul Planned Parenthood clinic VP Harris highlighted the consequences of abortion bans and praised our state as showing ?true leadership? in reproductive rights.

In the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and all of the attacks on reproductive rights across the country, it is more important than ever that we lead on this issue. I?m grateful to VP Harris for highlighting the work we are doing in Minnesota to safeguard reproductive freedom and ensure everyone has access to the health care they need.

Trans Day of Visibility

This week, the Minnesota House Queer Caucus and Outfront Minnesota celebrated the Trans Day of Visibility at the State Capitol. LGBTQIA2S+ community members observe Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about and celebrate transgender people. It is a day to uplift the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the poverty, discrimination, and violence the trans community faces.

Last year, the Queer Legislators Caucus spearheaded the fight to protect our trans community by advocating for an Executive Order which led to passing of the Trans Refuge bill, and as a result, Minnesota has emerged as a national leader in advancing legislative initiatives to safeguard the rights and well-being of its LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Trans liberation has enriched our world across various fields, from entertainment, sports, and government to economic development. We must continue to do everything we can to protect our LGBTQIA2S+ community so they can live openly without discrimination and embrace their human rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association.

Question of the Week

Listening to my constituents is the most important part of my job as state representative! Each week during this legislative session, I?ll pose a question to you to better inform my work.

This week?s question is:

What steps do you want to see taken to protect reproductive freedom?

You can send your answers in an email to [email protected] with the subject line ?Question of the Week.? I?m looking forward to reading your responses and learning from your experiences. And thank you to all of you who have responded in past weeks!

Stay in Touch

As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or feedback you?d like to share. You can contact me by email at [email protected] or call (651) 296-4128. Please don?t hesitate to reach out.??

Sincerely,??

Liz Reyer??

State Representative