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Legislative Update ? April 12, 2024

We have had another busy week of committee hearings and House floor sessions, but I was glad to take some time to meet with my intern, Paul Goff, who is currently a junior at the University of Minnesota. Paul also has local connections to our district, with family in Northfield, and he did his first year of college at St. Olaf College! I?m glad to have him with us this session to help out and see the legislative process firsthand.

Paul shared this message about his experience so far at the House: ?I wanted to get a first-hand look into the bodily functions of American politics from inside the halls of capital. My experience so far has been worthwhile, balancing focused direction with independence to pursue what I am passionate about stimulating my growth in the realm of politics in all areas.?

Pursell Intern Photo

The Undergraduate Internship Program is run by our nonpartisan Sergeant At Arms' Office, and pairs interns with State Representatives every year. Program applications open in the fall, and you can find more information here [ [link removed] ].

You can hear more about the past week in the legislature and the bills I am working on in my weekly radio interview with KYMN 95.1 The One by clicking the link below.

*Weekly KYMN Interview* [ [link removed] ]


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Northfield Historic Bridge Square

This week I was proud to present my bill [ [link removed] ]?to fund improvements to Northfields Historic Bridge Square and Riverside Park to the House Capital Investment Committee. The City of Northfield has been holding extensive public meetings and engagement sessions on the future of this space and I was glad to have city administrator Ben Martig there to testify in support.

Pursell Committee Testimony

This bill would help improve our public space and pedestrian areas for future generations and would continue our city's strong tradition of using Bridge Square for events throughout the year. You can watch the hearing here [ [link removed] ].

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Combatting Junk Fees

This week I was proud to vote for two bills that protect Minnesotan consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices by ending junk fees [ [link removed] ]?and requiring ticket price transparency [ [link removed] ].

We are all familiar with buying a ticket to a concert, sports game, or other event and seeing extra ?service? and ?convenience? fees added that provide no additional value to consumers. The DFL are passing legislation to require fair, transparent ticket prices and other important protections for consumers. Ending these practices is the right thing to do and will help Minnesotans plan and budget better in the future.

Consumer Protection Bills
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Innovation in First-Time Homeownership Models

Housing is a major issue I hear about in our community [ [link removed] ] and across the state. SO MANY Minnesotans struggle to find affordable housing or secure their first home. Working-class people and families are increasingly stuck in long-term rentals, unable to purchase their first home because of ?missing middle? of affordable starter housing.

This crisis was highlighted in this MPR article about _needing to make at least $100,000 a year in order to own a home in the Twin Cities [ [link removed] ]_ as well as a Star Tribune article about a possible alternative model [ [link removed] ] my bill would provide funding for.

One possible solution is through modular homes, which are built right here in Minnesota and are 30%-60% cheaper than site-built homes. I?ve seen these homes firsthand and believe this could be one creative solution to our housing shortage, which is why I authored legislation [ [link removed] ] putting state funds towards a pilot grant program to help cities hook these homes into local infrastructure.

Pursell Committee

Thank you to Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha for testifying in support of the bill! You can read more about the proposal here [ [link removed] ].

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House Floor Votes

This week the House began passing policy bill packages in major issue areas building on the work of our historically productive 2023 session and improving the lives of Minnesotans. So far the House has passed:


* Bills supporting our Departments of Military Affairs [ [link removed] ]?and Veterans Affairs [ [link removed] ], which passed with unanimous support!
* A bipartisan higher education policy bill [ [link removed] ]?that includes the clean energy sector in our Workforce Development Scholarship Program and expands support in higher education for students who have a disability.
* An early education policy bill [ [link removed] ]?focused on strengthening our pre-kindergarten and school readiness programs.
* A bipartisan transportation policy package [ [link removed] ]?that improves road safety, DVS wait times, child passenger safety, and consumer protections.
* An election bill [ [link removed] ]?that addresses voting rights, election disinformation, and school board appointments.
* A public safety package [ [link removed] ]?that passed unanimously and includes bipartisan provisions that protect victim-survivors and make our system more just.
* A labor policy bill [ [link removed] ]?that includes provisions to strengthen the minimum wage, ban shadow non-competes, and increase pay transparency.
* A K-12 education policy bill [ [link removed] ]?that prioritizes policies to improve the experiences of students in Minnesota schools while also making sure the state is measuring and holding schools accountable for meaningful academic outcomes.

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Representative Kristi Pursell

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

Phone: 651-296-0171
Email:[email protected]" (replies to this newsletter are not monitored)"
Website:?[link removed] [ [link removed] ]
Legislative Assistant: Drew Jones,?651-296-4307







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