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*April 19, 2024
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As another week concludes in the House, we found ourselves deeply engaged in discussions that extended late into the night, covering a wide range of omnibus policy bills including the Commerce, Human Services, and Environment Bills. Many of these bills are well-intentioned, but unfortunately, we?re seeing more of the same from last year where omnibus bills are packed full of harmful and out-of-touch provisions.

I was also happy to present one of my bills in the Capital Investment Committee and meet with students from Cross of Christ Lutheran School this week!



Before I go into detail on this week?s omnibus bills, I wanted to give you a brief update on a *bonding bill* that I mentioned in a previous newsletter, HF 5189. This bill invests in our community by allocating funding to connect East Bethel and Cedar Creek Elementary Schools to the city?s water supply, which will increase water quality. I?m glad to report that I was able to present this bill to the Capital Investment Committee this week and I remain hopeful that this bill ends up being included in the final bonding bill.

Onto the omnibus bills - The *Human Services Omnibus Bill* is the first example of the majority failing to capitalize on an opportunity to help people, particularly in its approach to employment for individuals with disabilities. The elimination of subminimum wage employment could significantly impact those whose employment options are already limited. These roles provide essential opportunities for personal development, community engagement, and financial independence. I have received numerous communications from my constituents who value these positions highly and I?m disappointed that the DFL is working against the community in this way. I was proud to vote for House Republican amendments on the Floor that would have protected employment diversity and truly served the interests of these communities.

This year's *Commerce Bill* brought a mix of straightforward technical corrections and more contentious issues, such as debt collections, insurance requirements for gender-affirming care, and broadband regulations. Notably, *we succeeded in removing a proposed 8% broadband tax*, which would have placed an undue burden on family budgets still recovering from last year?s extensive tax increases. Although I supported measures that prevent undue property seizure, I remain concerned about the mandates requiring private health insurance to cover gender-affirming care without equal coverage for de-transitioning procedures. House Republicans offered an amendment to fix this issue, but this amendment was also voted down. I hope that in the future we can find a way to support detransitioners, especially those who had these operations while under the age of 21.

The last bill I want to update you on is the* Cannabis ?fix-it? bill*. The implementation of last year?s cannabis legalization has been problematic, with significant delays in licensing and market establishment, inadvertently fostering a burgeoning black market. I have consistently voiced concerns about these issues and I am pleased that two amendments I advocated for were adopted, which introduce more stringent controls over cannabis advertising and ensure expert involvement in regulatory decisions. Despite these improvements, I remain opposed to the bill as it currently stands, as it lacks sufficient measures to protect our youth, enhance local oversight, and ensure public safety.

While this bill was being heard on the House Floor* I was proud to offer several improvements to current law through several amendments*: increasing the penalty for minors who sell or possess marijuana, requiring a study on the impact of legalization on the use of marijuana by minors, and protections for data transferred to the Office of Cannabis Management. You can watch this floor session here [ [link removed] ], and I encourage you to listen to the debate.

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Please Contact Me

I encourage you to please contact me with any questions or input by phone at 651-296-4231 or by email at [email protected].

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335 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph. 651.296.4231







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