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Dear Neighbor,
The 2024 session is coming down to the wire. We are scheduled to adjourn May 20, but the House and Senate only have six days remaining to meet as full bodies between now and then before reaching our constitutional limit.
Here is the latest:
Win for religious freedom
 Great news to report from the Capitol this week: We took a major step toward restoring religious freedom that was stripped from faith-based organizations last year.
The House on Tuesday approved a variation of Republican legislation, amending the Minnesota Human Rights Act to re-establish protections for religious entities against discrimination claims. The bill passed both bodies without opposition and now is on Gov. Tim Walz’s desk for enactment.
This was a good accomplishment for Minnesotans and our constitutional rights regarding religious freedom. The fact the legislation we passed cleared both bodies with overwhelming bipartisan support shows it addressed the main concerns of everyone involved. I thank members of the faith community big-time for helping us craft a bipartisan solution on this issue.
This issue traces back to HRA legislation Democrats enacted in 2023, eliminating religious protections that had been in place since 1993. Before last year, when gender identity was included (or subsumed) within the MHRA definition of sexual orientation, the still-existing religious exemption for sexual orientation covered gender identity claims as well. When a new, separate definition of gender identity was created last year, there was no corresponding religious exemption added.
Our job as legislators is to do what’s best for the people we represent and, in this case, it involved revisiting some misguided decisions that were made last year. I’m just pleased we took care of this problem now so faith-based institutions can continue making decisions in line with their mission and values.
Mother’s Day
 Happy Mother’s Day to the moms in our district. I hope you enjoy your special day in the company of family.
Consul Richardson
 It was my pleasure to attend a recent Roundtable Discussion with Canadian Consul General Beth Richardson (in yellow). I enjoyed taking part in this important and informative conversation regarding international trade between the US and Canada. Our countries have many shared interests and challenges, and we discussed ways to further partnerships. Thank you to Consul Richardson and fellow legislators who participated in this productive meeting.
Public safety amendment
More good news: An amendment I offered was adopted and included in a public safety omnibus bill the House approved this week. The language I offered was from H.F. 3945, a bill I authored authorizing a county or city to obtain criminal background information from the federal database. This will allow cities and counties to conduct more thorough background checks on individuals seeking a license to operate a local business or be employed by them. This legislation could help prevent crimes such as what took place with a sex-trafficking ring operating in Waite Park a few years ago.
I will be keeping an eye on this provision as a conference committee prepares the omnibus public safety bill for final passage.
ERA bill
 While I am pleased we passed legislation to restore religious freedom this week, I also have strong concerns about another bill House Democrats are bringing through the process that could erase rights for millions of Minnesotans.
The extreme , revised, and misleading, “Equal Rights Amendment” will instead erase rights for millions of Minnesotans, enshrining highly controversial “gender theory” into our law, enabling babies in the ninth month to be aborted on demand for any reason, stripping Minnesotans of their right to religious freedom, and much more.
We must reject this bill and I was glad to attend a rally at the Capitol opposing it this week. I may come back to this subject in an upcoming newsletter, pending developments at the Capitol.
Helpful links:
Here are some links to help you follow developments in St. Paul this session:
Please Contact Me
It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. You can call me at 651-296-6316, or email me at [email protected]. I am here to serve you!
Until next time, have a good weekend, happy Mother's Day and good luck in the fishing opener if you plan to head out on the water!
Bernie
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