Dear Neighbors,    

Thank you to everyone to joined me for Community Office Hours! If you missed it, I’m currently planning a Townhall meeting on Tuesday, April 23 from 6-7:30 PM at Hayden Heights Library. Stay tuned for a registration link! 

At the Capitol, our DFL team is back from our legislative break, and tackling a full docket of legislation, focused on building a strong foundation for our communities. Building on the successes of 2023, we remain committed to prioritizing quality education, accessible healthcare, and a secure job market. These polices will foster a thriving environment for families and grow the middle class. 

Busy weeks call for productive updates! Below is what's been happening at the Capitol and some snapshots with Eastsiders who have visited me at the Capitol recently:   

Minnesota Film Bill 

On March 20th, I proudly presented my bill HF 4249 to create the new Explore MN Film office in the Economic Development Committee. This new office would promote filming and television production in MN to help create thousands of good-paying union jobs across the state of Minnesota. Thank to Teamsters, SAG-AFTRA, and IATSE for supporting this legislation. 

Read my full release here.  

Childcare Facilities 

On March 26, I presented my bill to the House Children and Families Committee; HF 3699 would appropriate $18 million to help childcare providers make critical infrastructure improvements that would allow them to increase capacity. This would help continue a program that has already created 7,000 new childcare slots. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee budget bill. You can read more on the hearing here.  

AAPI Day on the Hill 

Always great to see community at the Capitol! As we observed #APIDay in Minnesota, it was also #AANHPIEqualPayDay.  

On average, AANHPI women make 80-cents for every dollar that a white man makes. This disparity is worse for Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Hmong women. But Bangladeshi women make the least at 49-cents per dollar. This is why it takes #AANHPIwomen until April to make what our white counterparts earned at the end of the prior year. 

Unfortunately, we have to wait until August for NHPI women to catch up. As we wrap up another #APIDay in Minnesota, I’m re-committing to fighting for all Minnesota’s working families- including our #AANHPI ones.  

Bills Passed This Week! 

Last night, my colleagues and I, passed several bills off the Minnesota House including:   

• House Higher Education policy bill, HF 4024, is a focused effort to build off the historic investments included in the 2023 Higher Education Budget, like the North Star Promise which provides free college to qualifying students. 
• HF 3436, the House Transportation policy bill builds off of last year’s historic budget that capitalized on state and federal funds to deliver a generational investment in transportation statewide. 
• We also passed HF 3071, which will ensure that drivers’ tests in Minnesota will be in plain English – a very helpful simplification for new drivers. 
• HF 4176, the House Early Education Policy bill, streamlines existing programs for young learners and ensures greater access to early education for students and families in St. Paul. 

These bills are an investment in Minnesota's future. By strengthening transportation options and educational resources for families, we're laying the groundwork for a thriving state. Affordable, and reliable transportation helps parents get their kids to school activities and parents to work opportunities. Accessible and quality education provides children with the tools they need to succeed and ready to contribute to vibrant communities. These bills continue to make Minnesota a place where families can thrive.